Christmas Aquarium Questions!

I got a 20 gallon long aquarium for Christmas! I already have two 10 gallon tanks and a 2 gallon shrimp bowl, so I have some experience( about 2 years worth) This is my biggest tank so far so it is really exciting! Now for my questions....

First of all, I got a heater and a filter with the tank, but I wanted a Aquaclear 50 instead of the Aquaclear 30 that I got. It is too much work to return it and it would hurt my mom's feelings, so I think I'll keep it. I know this might not let me have as many fish, but if I do slightly larger and more frequent water changes, will it be okay?

Next, I am going to plant the tank, so any suggestions on plant substrate that is fine with cories? Also preferably fairly cheap. I am going to go with low light, easy plants, any cheapish aquarium light suggestions? Oh also glass lid suggestions?

And then, of course I want stocking help! I know I want a centerpiece fish(es) and a school or two along with cories for the bottom. Any ideas?

Thank you!

 

I got a 20 gallon long aquarium for Christmas! I already have two 10 gallon tanks and a 2 gallon shrimp bowl, so I have some experience( about 2 years worth) This is my biggest tank so far so it is really exciting! Now for my questions....

First of all, I got a heater and a filter with the tank, but I wanted a Aquaclear 50 instead of the Aquaclear 30 that I got. It is too much work to return it and it would hurt my mom's feelings, so I think I'll keep it. I know this might not let me have as many fish, but if I do slightly larger and more frequent water changes, will it be okay?

Next, I am going to plant the tank, so any suggestions on plant substrate that is fine with cories? Also preferably fairly cheap. I am going to go with low light, easy plants, any cheapish aquarium light suggestions? Oh also glass lid suggestions?

And then, of course I want stocking help! I know I want a centerpiece fish(es) and a school or two along with cories for the bottom. Any ideas?

Thank you!

A pair of Pearl Gourami as center piece fish would be great in a 20 long.

I recommend a fairly coarse substrate for cories, ideally sand. You can get all different coloured sands from aquatic shops and they do look good.

 

Congrats on the tank!

The GPH is a little low, but it should be fine. You can also add something like a sponge filter if you wanted additional filtration.

Sand is a great choice for both cories and plants! Just add root tabs below the root feeding plants that are rooted in the sand. Cories do not do well on sharp, coarse substrates.

For lighting, I go the DIY route - I use dome work lights from a hardware store and get plant friendly bulbs. Much cheaper than aquarium specific lighting, and it grows plants very well!

What about something like this for stocking?
15x Ember tetra
10x Cories (all one species)
2-3x Honey gourami

Pearl gouramis get a little too big for a 20 gal long, in my opinion. They can get around 5" long.

 

I don’t have any experience with that filter brand. Maybe someone else above could be more help?

Sand is best for cories. Two inches deep is ideal for both plants and cories.

Anubias, Java fern or java moss

You can buy a piece of glass and have it cut for you at Lowe’s — I don’t know of any other recommendations.

A dwarf gourami, and 12 Pygmy cories, 8 Pygmy cories and 10 neon tetras, a very mellow betta and 12 tetras - type can vary depending on your preference - I have heard things about neons but I think that they need cooler water (note that your tank would need to have heavy cover if you are going to keep a betta, and he must be peaceful - you can find this out by when you are at the store hold cups together and see which one doesn’t react - of course be sure that he is healthy, not flaring can be a sign of sickness) in all of these stocking ideas you can of course add a snail if you have room. More stocking ideas may be found here:

Good luck! Hope this helps!
Best,
akcarroll12

 

Just as an aside, I would go with around 2-2.5" of sand - 3" and more can cause issues with anaerobic air pockets. Pygmy cories also need cooler water than bettas do, and they swim more in the middle level of the aquarium, as opposed to most all other species of cory, which stay on the bottom.

I had glass cut for some of my aquarium lids for cheap from Lowe's.

 

I got a 20 gallon long aquarium for Christmas! I already have two 10 gallon tanks and a 2 gallon shrimp bowl, so I have some experience( about 2 years worth) This is my biggest tank so far so it is really exciting! Now for my questions....

First of all, I got a heater and a filter with the tank, but I wanted a Aquaclear 50 instead of the Aquaclear 30 that I got. It is too much work to return it and it would hurt my mom's feelings, so I think I'll keep it. I know this might not let me have as many fish, but if I do slightly larger and more frequent water changes, will it be okay?

Next, I am going to plant the tank, so any suggestions on plant substrate that is fine with cories? Also preferably fairly cheap. I am going to go with low light, easy plants, any cheapish aquarium light suggestions? Oh also glass lid suggestions?

And then, of course I want stocking help! I know I want a centerpiece fish(es) and a school or two along with cories for the bottom. Any ideas?

Thank you!

Do you have any power tools (jig saw, band saw)? You can always go to a hardware store and see if you can find some plexiglass. It was kind of expensive, so I don't know if it would be worth doing. I found a cheap piece that fit my 20 gallon high. It's a little warped now, but it keeps my hatchet fish in my tank (they are jumpers). If you don't get any breed of jumping fish then you won't even need a lid.

 

Congrats on the tank!

The GPH is a little low, but it should be fine. You can also add something like a sponge filter if you wanted additional filtration.

Sand is a great choice for both cories and plants! Just add root tabs below the root feeding plants that are rooted in the sand. Cories do not do well on sharp, coarse substrates.

For lighting, I go the DIY route - I use dome work lights from a hardware store and get plant friendly bulbs. Much cheaper than aquarium specific lighting, and it grows plants very well!

What about something like this for stocking?
15x Ember tetra
10x Cories (all one species)
2-3x Honey gourami

Pearl gouramis get a little too big for a 20 gal long, in my opinion. They can get around 5" long.

Good idea with the sponge filter! I might do that. And yes, I was doing some kind of sand because I NEED cories! So is pool filter sand a good choice with root tabs? Again, great idea with the lights, I like cheap DIY stuff. Also that stocking was exactly what I was thinking!

 

Yep, PFS and root tabs is fine! I recently put PFS in my 55 gal, and I really like it.

 

Do you have any power tools (jig saw, band saw)? You can always go to a hardware store and see if you can find some plexiglass. It was kind of expensive, so I don't know if it would be worth doing. I found a cheap piece that fit my 20 gallon high. It's a little warped now, but it keeps my hatchet fish in my tank (they are jumpers). If you don't get any breed of jumping fish then you won't even need a lid.

I have cats! And I have a dad with tools and skills, so I'm good there!

I don’t have any experience with that filter brand. Maybe someone else above could be more help?

Sand is best for cories. Two inches deep is ideal for both plants and cories.

Anubias, Java fern or java moss

You can buy a piece of glass and have it cut for you at Lowe’s — I don’t know of any other recommendations.

A dwarf gourami, and 12 Pygmy cories, 8 Pygmy cories and 10 neon tetras, a very mellow betta and 12 tetras - type can vary depending on your preference - I have heard things about neons but I think that they need cooler water (note that your tank would need to have heavy cover if you are going to keep a betta, and he must be peaceful - you can find this out by when you are at the store hold cups together and see which one doesn’t react - of course be sure that he is healthy, not flaring can be a sign of sickness) in all of these stocking ideas you can of course add a snail if you have room. More stocking ideas may be found here:

Good luck! Hope this helps!
Best,
akcarroll12

Thank you, but I already have a Betta is one of my 10 gallons! I also think bettas are so popular that they have become boring for me. No offense to Betta lovers! Same thing with the neons, I like other tetras better!

 

Good idea with the sponge filter! I might do that. And yes, I was doing some kind of sand because I NEED cories! So is pool filter sand a good choice with root tabs? Again, great idea with the lights, I like cheap DIY stuff. Also that stocking was exactly what I was thinking!

If you have a Tractor Supply co or most general feedstores/building stores carry black diamond blasting sand or play sand. Needs rinsed well but is immensley cheaper than sand sold specifically for aquariums. I use play sand from Lowes in my axolotl tank ($4.50 for a 50lb bag) and black diamond blasting sand in every ither tank, medium grit. (About $8.00 for a 50lb bag) The corycats love it!

 

If you have a Tractor Supply co or most general feedstores/building stores carry black diamond blasting sand or play sand. Needs rinsed well but is immensley cheaper than sand sold specifically for aquariums. I use play sand from Lowes in my axolotl tank ($4.50 for a 50lb bag) and black diamond blasting sand in every ither tank, medium grit. (About $8.00 for a 50lb bag) The corycats love it!

Thank you! I do like black sand more then white/yellow sand, so I'll see if I can find some of that. But if I can't I can use PFS.

So I'm thinking...

Filtration: Aquaclear 30(have) and possible sponge filter.

Heater: Have a decent one.

Lights: Probably going DIY on this one.

Lid: Might just buy one for aquariums. It seems like a pain to do glass bought at a hardware store, even if it is cheaper.

Substrate: PFS or blasting sand with root tabs for plants.

Plants and Aquascape: Low light plants with driftwood(likely manzanita, I love the look and I've heard it leaches less tannins) and possibly rocks.

Stocking: 3x Honey Gourami
12-15x Ember Tetra
10x Cories(hasbrosus pygmy cories or panda cories)

Or something else I come up with that I like better

 

Manzanita still leaches plenty of tannins. I have some in my tanks, and they took many months to stop tinting the water. However, your fish will appreciate the tannins!

Be aware that if you get pygmy cories (C. pygmaeus), they swim in the middle of the water column, rather than staying on the bottom like most all other cories, so you won't have the different levels of fish schooling.

 

Manzanita still leaches plenty of tannins. I have some in my tanks, and they took many months to stop tinting the water. However, your fish will appreciate the tannins!

Be aware that if you get pygmy cories (C. pygmaeus), they swim in the middle of the water column, rather than staying on the bottom like most all other cories, so you won't have the different levels of fish schooling.

Oh really? I had heard they didn't! Well I like the look of manzanita anyway and although I don't love the looks of tannins, I'm going to boil it or soak it before putting it in the tank. And a little tannins will make the fish happy.

Yes, I was aware. I don't mind, but I was planning to have c. hasbrosus anyway. Do they do the same thing?

 

No, from my understanding, C. habrosus stay on the bottom.

 

Yes, that is what I thought.

 

Another idea for a lid is the Versa lids (I think that’s the brand) at Petco or Amazon. They are glass and cheap. I think I paid about $20 for one for a 20 gal long.

***EDIT - may have been closer to $30 and Aqueon makes it.

 

HI again!

I have the tank set up,planted and cycling.(using pure ammonia and media from my other tank) Everything is going great there, but I've run into a problem with the stocking.
The problem is that this tank is in the living room, and so my family wants to be able to help stock the tank. I gave them your suggestion(TexasDomer) and they liked it, but expressed intrest in having a blue, purple, or deep red fish, preferably another school. I explained that 2 schools (3 with the cories) is a bit much for a 20 gal. Of course, I am blessed with a stubborn family! My mom suggested a small school of neons, of course. I tend to avoid neons because of how common and prone to disease they are. I showed them cardinal tetras instead, and they loved them.
So basically, I am outvoted. Sorry for writing an essay! My question is,
could I reduce the school of embers to 8-10, possibly reduce the honeys to a pair, and add in a school of cardinals(7?) Or would that be unfair for the fish, as cardinals shoal with thousands of others in the wild.

 

I wouldn't add another school to a 20 gal, personally. Would your parents let you upgrade to a larger tank? A 29 gal will fit on the same stand and use the same lid, light, and substrate. Only $29 at the Petco $1/gal sale, and you can turn around and sell that 20 gal tank to get some money back.

Then you could do something like this:
8x Cardinals
15x Embers
2-4x Honey gourami
10x Cories (all one species, and I would not go with pygmy cories, as they swim more in the middle level of the tank, and then your middle area would be too busy)

 

Yeah, that is what I assumed! Just thought I'd check to make sure.

Now that's a good idea! Hmmmmm...... I would have to ask my parents when they get back from my brothers soccer game. The bigger tank the better right? The only thing is that seems like it would be a lot of work to move substrate over and replant. It would probably be worth it though!

Or.... I might just have to buy another tank... and keep the 20 with the original stocking. If I buy a 29 gal myself with my money, like I have with one of my 10 gals, they can't object too much. I'd ask them first of course! Then I could have 2 slightly larger tanks. And tons more fish!

 

Success! My parents said that I could do whatever with the 20 as long as I only bought a 29 gallon, no bigger. And I had to pay for everything. So I'm going to keep the 20 and get a 29!
Now I don't know what I'm going to do with both tanks. Do I stay with the same stocking in the 20 gal and do something different in the 29, or do I do the stocking for the 29 that you suggested and something else in the 20? So many choices! I know I want different fish in each tank, no repeating fish species, as many fish species as possible, and no livebearers.

 

What about something like these options then?

29 gal:
8x Cardinals
15x Embers
2x German blue rams or keyholes or Bolivian rams
8x Cories (warm water species, like C. aeneus, C. sterbai, or C. splendens, for GBRs; other dwarf cichlids can go with any cory species, except pygmies due to reason mentioned above)

20 gal:
10-12x KuhlI loaches
15x ChilI rasbora
2x Honey gourami

 

Nice! Thank you so much for being so helpful! The only problem with those stockings is that I already know that once I get into cichlids I'll never be able to stop buying more! I love the interesting behavior they have, and the colors. For the stocking idea, I might move around numbers and species a bit, but I love the general idea!

 

Well you can only have so many cichlids in a tank and not have issues, but you can always get more tanks

 

Of course!