8G Planted Tank - stocking to be decided!

I have been hit by MTS and carried away in my defence I’ve had this tank for almost a year, it’s just been sitting empty. Thought I would set it up and start cycling because the inevitable will happen and I’ll want more fish. It’s been running for a week, just set up with a piece of wood and some rocks I’ve also had for quite a while now, and some leftover Java fern and anubias that didn’t fit in the other tank. I’ll probably figure out livestock before I plan the rest of the planting/scape. pH sitting around 6.4. Tank has a nice tight fitting lid.

Stocking.... unsure really!

1. Too small for ~3 unsexed sparkling gourami?
2. Rasbora maculata. So tiny and cute. Would ideally love Chilli Rasbora but they’re much rarer around here.
3. Betta smaragdina, or another short finned betta (galaxy HMPK is also quite nice). There’s an online betta shop currently having a 40% sale and it’s been veryyyyy tempting. It would be nice to have more than one fish though I know a tall 8G is limiting
4. Celestial Pearl Danio - again more expensive fish here at the moment, if we go this route I have a thick bunch of subwassertang just growing in a pot of water that’ll hopefully help with raising young.
5. I’ve done crystal red shrimp without water changes or a heater in a 5G before, would be interesting to see if I could do it again. I love them candy cane stripes. Constant battle to remove snails though which I do not enjoy, even when I barely fed the tank once a week.
6. Killifish! Would love to get something else to occupy the lower section of the tank if so but again probably pushing it. Maybe clown killies and shrimp?
7. Guppy tank? Someone was selling a snakeskin koi trio. My water is pretty soft though. And I’m not sure how invested I am in breeding. So maybe not.

On another note... this is the first time I’ve painted an aquarium background black and I don’t think I like it! May end up screwing up the cycle and changing the substrate to something darker to match a bit better like little smooth river pebb. Can always keep a cup of the old sand in there and hope it helps some of the bacteria transfer across. I hate moving wet sand.

 

The background paint can be removed. Before painting a back panel you can try different colored paper to see what you like before painting.

 

Small square tanks are not great for fishes - not enough swimming area; but they are excellent for shrimps !

 

I wouldn't put the Gourami, A Single Betta is definitely doable, a shrimp tank would be amazing, the Killifish may be a hair difficult from the small area but doable I think. Personally, I'd probably do a couple of shrimp and a clown Killi

 

The background paint can be removed. Before painting a back panel you can try different colored paper to see what you like before painting.

Yeah I put up a black plastic backing for a week and thought I liked it... but I think the paint I chose wasn’t the best, it’s more of a dark charcoal grey than a true black, even the heater is a darker black so it kind of ruins the depth effect. I might just hide it with stem plants though. Will scrape if I definitely can’t live with it.

Small square tanks are not great for fishes - not enough swimming area; but they are excellent for shrimps !

I might get back into the crystal reds... although I discovered Red Calceo shrimp recently and they’re amazing! Only $25 each where I am

I wouldn't put the Gourami, A Single Betta is definitely doable, a shrimp tank would be amazing, the Killifish may be a hair difficult from the small area but doable I think. Personally, I'd probably do a couple of shrimp and a clown Killi

I like the clown killi idea, something to watch in the top level whilst shrimpies do bottom dweller things. I’ve always seen them around but never thought about going for it. This tank has the tightest fitting lid I’ve had on a tank for a while too.

I’m thinking some pogostemon stellata in the background/midground to mix up some texture with the Java. If it doesn’t work out it’ll be back to good ol rotala, and trying some more hydrocotyle tripartita because the tiny leaves are so cute. So hard to grow densely low tech but I’ve seen it done!

 

Tank still cycling, ammonia around 1ppm. Getting the start of algae problems and a mild bacteria bloom. Will probably just leave it for a bit longer and dial down the lighting for now and see what happens. Did some half hearted rearranging and now there is cat and golden retriever hair floating in the water. The towel was clean I swear. I was hoping for more of a gradient I think, that rock at the back isn’t standing as tall as I’d like.

Moved the filter and the light and it looks much better now I think, a lot more fade to black. I’ve also dropped in some cholla wood and some IAL to start ageing. I’m liking the ‘red’ rock and wood, although golden root will go dark brown over time. So maybe this means I’ll try get some red stems and just try to dial the lighting in to continue the trend. Some subwassertang tied to rocks on the bottom, some red root floaters on the top will help with breeding too.




Will be travelling on the weekend and will drop by some fish stores more targeted for nano tanks/wider variety of plants and hopefully picking up some things there. I’ve hit up a local crystal red shrimp breeder but don’t think the tank will be ready for a while, which may be a good thing so I can focus on the stock on the 10G.

 

Hmm. Not sure why this thread was moved to a different forum (stocking). Of course I welcome stocking suggestions / discussion but main point of the thread is to document what I end up doing with this tank. Not sure who to contact about it but have sent an email through the contact us tab.

 

Not sure who to contact about it but have sent an email through the contact us tab.

Just click on "report" for your initial post, a window pops up to comment, ask there to have the thread moved.

 

Hi, it was moved as the bulk of your original post was about stocking.
I’ll move it to the tank journals board for you instead.

 

Maybe add the floaters esp. soon? Sucking more nitrates, etc. out of the water should help in minimizing algae problems.

 

Just click on "report" for your initial post, a window pops up to comment, ask there to have the thread moved.

I don’t think I’ve ever noticed that there before. Good to know thank you.

Hi, it was moved as the bulk of your original post was about stocking.
I’ll move it to the tank journals board for you instead.

Thank you! Yes I can definitely see how it looks that way.

Maybe add the floaters esp. soon? Sucking more nitrates, etc. out of the water should help in minimizing algae problems.

There’s none available in my area if you can believe it! I’ll be travelling 2.5hr this weekend to a bigger city centre so definitely detouring to stock up on plant things. Water has been 1.0/0/0 so far though. I think my tiny dose of seachem flourish (like 0.4mL) didn’t help, heh.

 

If anyone is wondering you can leave subwassertang in a 1 litre jug and forget about it for a year and then rehydrate and resurrect 90% of it, you definitely can! Left this stuff at another place I was staying at, will start getting it back into a tank.

 

Now that is something I should try....

 

Now that is something I should try....

I guess I should add that the jug started out filled with water and it was in a room that minimised evaporation. But I definitely have a dense wad of it now which is quite nice!

Plants are in the tank! It looks more like a jungle scape and probably will stay that way even when the stems start growing in. One of the stores I visited had fissidens moss so that will be something new to play with. I don’t think I’m going to keep the Java fern but we’ll see. It’s really hard to capture depth with an iPhone camera. I’ve also gone and ordered a cheap phone attachment macro lens so it’ll be fun to play with that when it gets here.

 

I guess I should add that the jug started out filled with water and it was in a room that minimised evaporation. But I definitely have a dense wad of it now which is quite nice!

Plants are in the tank! It looks more like a jungle scape and probably will stay that way even when the stems start growing in. One of the stores I visited had fissidens moss so that will be something new to play with. I don’t think I’m going to keep the Java fern but we’ll see. It’s really hard to capture depth with an iPhone camera. I’ve also gone and ordered a cheap phone attachment macro lens so it’ll be fun to play with that when it gets here.

You should not be worried bout plant java fern in the substrate as long as the rhizome itself is above the substrate; the reason i mention this is that it might look nicer to use it to fill in the gaps between the driftwood. It will eventually cling to the driftwood but given how it can grow over time this is less messy then planting it 'above' the driftwood. Anubia i've found more sensitive but they still will sometime rot even if planted why up above the substrate; i haven't really figured out why some of them will rot though i suspect it has to do with current not flowing over the rhizome or something like that.

 

You should not be worried bout plant java fern in the substrate as long as the rhizome itself is above the substrate; the reason i mention this is that it might look nicer to use it to fill in the gaps between the driftwood. It will eventually cling to the driftwood but given how it can grow over time this is less messy then planting it 'above' the driftwood. Anubia i've found more sensitive but they still will sometime rot even if planted why up above the substrate; i haven't really figured out why some of them will rot though i suspect it has to do with current not flowing over the rhizome or something like that.

I don't have the answer to your anubias. I keep them in mechanical filter-less tanks, hence without water flow, and they're doing fine.

 

I don't have the answer to your anubias. I keep them in mechanical filter-less tanks, hence without water flow, and they're doing fine.

I wonder if it is a water chemistry issue. Mind you the rot sometimes appear 2 or 3 years after ownership; it isn't like they rot the day after planting.

 

Have you heard about anubias rot? Some plants seem to get it and can never recover afterwards. May be related? Although oftentimes there’s something happening that hasn’t been identified (be it disease or water conditions) and gets put under the same umbrella so it’s more of a syndrome than a diagnosis.

You should not be worried bout plant java fern in the substrate as long as the rhizome itself is above the substrate; the reason i mention this is that it might look nicer to use it to fill in the gaps between the driftwood. It will eventually cling to the driftwood but given how it can grow over time this is less messy then planting it 'above' the driftwood. Anubia i've found more sensitive but they still will sometime rot even if planted why up above the substrate; i haven't really figured out why some of them will rot though i suspect it has to do with current not flowing over the rhizome or something like that.

Ah I didn’t mean I was getting rid of Java bc it wouldn’t work, more that I might replace it with something else eventually maybe some tiny bolbitis or buce for more colour variation in the foreground.

Tank is still cycling but we’re getting there! 0.5/1/20 It’s been fun and very stress free just waiting for this one to settle in and not having to do water changes whilst I play with the other tank. The stems are all growing, rotala racing to the top. The brown spot algae hasn’t come back since planting but I have also been dosing some Excel, only lightly because of the moss.

I’m still thinking maybe shrimp or CPD breeding tank, it’ll be a fun experiment either way. Chilli rasboras are too hard to get at the moment and I’d hate to finally get my hands on them and then have to move and upset the tank or something.




Water testing is slow with drip tests but so colourful! (Two tanks being tested)

 

I think the tank is finally cycled!!! Has been a few days with 0 nitrates now. Good thing I was busy otherwise one might’ve gotten impatient Although 3-4 weeks is pretty standard when starting from scratch I guess. Will be picking up some shrimpies in two more weeks.

As I shared in my other tank journal, I ordered a macro clip on lens for a smart phone and it finally arrived today. Only plant shots for now but I’m pretty happy with it!l for how much it cost!

 

Christmas tank update the tank parameters have changed a bit (I think it’s the rocks I have leeching minerals vs only driftwood in the blackwater tank) and I’ve been too busy to try and organise picking up the crystal reds so in the meantime some yellows and glass shrimp from the LFS! One of the yellow shrimp looks like they have purple eyes which is cool.

The tank has also grown in superrr well, currently dosing LCA 2mL once to twice a week and changing 30% water weekly as well. Tracking along pretty nicely for such a little thing. The stem plants are going a bit bonkers and I’ve had to trim three times already.

Happy holidays everyone x

 

My new anthem for 2023: ditch the heater.

Free up some space, save some money, and probably benefits plants and shrimp.

Tanks looks great. I wonder how your trident will look in 2 or 3 months time.