Converting My 15 Gal To A 20 Long

Last year at this time I was planning to tear down my 29 gal and replace it with a 33 gal long. Now it's time to tear down my 15 gal and replace it with a 20 gal long. I'd like to do a sand substrate this time - any suggestions on what type people prefer? Any pros / cons to light colored vs dark colored? (I've always used the typical aquarium gravel in the past). My current stocking plan is 8x kuhlI loaches, 8x furcata rainbows, and my male borellI apisto. Does this stocking sound ok?

 

I personally love play sand. It looks (in my opinion) great, and it's very soft and very cheap to buy. Only con is that you have to really wash the stuff, and it's a lighter weight sand, so stirring up the sand bed a lot is a no-no.

 

It seems people recommend pool filter sand? (Sounds like it may be easier to wash initially?)

 

I have pool filter sand in my 55 gallon and I love it. My son has black sand in his tank, with kuhlis. The striped kuhlis stand out ok against it, but I think black ones would disappear. While others say pool filter sand shows every bit of poop, I think the black sand is worse for that. The lighter sand is more speckle-y to begin with, so things blend in more. The black is one uniform color and every bit of debris stands out. That's just my two cents, others will differ...

Your stocking sounds compatible.

 

Heavier sand, but it is a more white color. I like the look of sand that resembles a beach look, but that's just me. I can get a picture of my betta tank with play sand in it so you can get an idea of the look/texture if you want.

 

Heavier sand, but it is a more white color. I like the look of sand that resembles a beach look, but that's just me. I can get a picture of my betta tank with play sand in it so you can get an idea of the look/texture if you want.

Sure - I'd love to see a pic when you get a chance...

 

Sure - I'd love to see a pic when you get a chance...

 

I have pool filter sand in my 55 gallon and I love it. My son has black sand in his tank, with kuhlis. The striped kuhlis stand out ok against it, but I think black ones would disappear. While others say pool filter sand shows every bit of poop, I think the black sand is worse for that. The lighter sand is more speckle-y to begin with, so things blend in more. The black is one uniform color and every bit of debris stands out. That's just my two cents, others will differ...

Your stocking sounds compatible.

I wondered if darker-colored sand would make kuhlis feel a little more secure?

 

Their natural habitat is sandy-bottomed rivers, so I'd think they'd be most comfortable with lighter sand, which will most closely replicate that. Not sure if it really makes a difference, though! Plenty of hiding places will definitely help!

 

I had PFS in my tank for the first year and a half and I liked it a lot but it did eventually start turning brown and dirty-looking. I switched to BDBS a couple of months ago and I really love it. It's not all black either. It has specks of brown in it... really stunning. You have to also keep in mind that fish seem to change colors depending on the substrate. My fish paled a little against my PFS and almost looked washed out and then when I got my BDBS in, they darkened up.

 

I had PFS in my tank for the first year and a half and I liked it a lot but it did eventually start turning brown and dirty-looking. I switched to BDBS a couple of months ago and I really love it. It's not all black either. It has specks of brown in it... really stunning. You have to also keep in mind that fish seem to change colors depending on the substrate. My fish paled a little against my PFS and almost looked washed out and then when I got my BDBS in, they darkened up.

Thanks for the tip - I hear Tractor Supply Co. carries the BDBS - I'll have to check them out! (Do you know of any other places that carry it if I strike out at TSC?) Maybe a hardware store?

 

Yep, that's where I got mine. 20/40 medium grit is perfect, IMO. Didn't take long to wash and water wasn't cloudy at all the morning after I put it in the tank.

 

Sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. Fingers crossed that my TSC has some! Thanks!

 

Pictures when it's in! Will you be updating us on the build in this thread or creating a new one? Would love to see what you do with the tank!

 

JeffK I just happened upon a TSC today on a drive home from Maryland and picked up a couple bags. Super cheap and they had medium and fine grade. Where in PA are you? If I end up with extra, it's all yours.

 

Pictures when it's in! Will you be updating us on the build in this thread or creating a new one? Would love to see what you do with the tank!

Thanks! I'll continue to update this thread as things progress

JeffK I just happened upon a TSC today on a drive home from Maryland and picked up a couple bags. Super cheap and they had medium and fine grade. Where in PA are you? If I end up with extra, it's all yours.

Lol thanks! I'm in the Allentown area - TSC less than 5 miles from me. Fingers crossed!

 

Yep, that's where I got mine. 20/40 medium grit is perfect, IMO. Didn't take long to wash and water wasn't cloudy at all the morning after I put it in the tank.

Stopped by my local TSC on the way home from work today and grabbed a bag. I wasn't sure if it was the fine stuff so I had the cashier scan it and it came up as the 20/40 so hopefully I'm good to go. itsayes now you don't have to hook me up with your extras I'm hoping the darker substrate really makes the furcata rainbow's yellow color pop. I just have to stay away from the real dark colored kuhlis so I have some chance of seeing them!

 

Stopped by my local TSC on the way home from work today and grabbed a bag. I wasn't sure if it was the fine stuff so I had the cashier scan it and it came up as the 20/40 so hopefully I'm good to go. itsayes now you don't have to hook me up with your extras I'm hoping the darker substrate really makes the furcata rainbow's yellow color pop. I just have to stay away from the real dark colored kuhlis so I have some chance of seeing them!

Can't wait to see it in the tank! Mine will be sitting in the bag for another week or so until I finish building my stand!

 

Can't wait to see it in the tank! Mine will be sitting in the bag for another week or so until I finish building my stand!

I still have the stand I used for my old 29 gal. Took advantage of the dollar per gallon sale at Petco to get a 2o gal long tank. I'm using an Aqueon 30 and either the heater I used for my 29 gal or the heater that's currently in my 15 gal. All of my tank decorations currently in my 15 gal will be moved to my new tank (and then I'll see what I need to add). Now to find time to get this done!

 

Stopped by my local TSC on the way home from work today and grabbed a bag. I wasn't sure if it was the fine stuff so I had the cashier scan it and it came up as the 20/40 so hopefully I'm good to go. itsayes now you don't have to hook me up with your extras I'm hoping the darker substrate really makes the furcata rainbow's yellow color pop. I just have to stay away from the real dark colored kuhlis so I have some chance of seeing them!

Nice! Yellow-colored fish seem to pop against the dark substrate really well. My small yellow guppy used to stand out so well against the dark substrate - more so than even the bigger fish.

Pictures when you get the sand in!

 

Nice! Yellow-colored fish seem to pop against the dark substrate really well. My small yellow guppy used to stand out so well against the dark substrate - more so than even the bigger fish.

Pictures when you get the sand in!

I have to say - the BDBS is quite the bargain - thank you for the tip! I was in my LFS today... "Aquarium Sand" was $19.99 for a 20lb bag. I got 50lbs of the BDBS for $7.99 at Tractor Supply Company! As an added bonus - last week, Petco was offering an additional 15% off in-store and online. With the dollar per gallon sale in effect, my new 20 long was $20. With the additional 15% off, it was down to $17. Just happened to have $5 off in Petco Pals rewards, so my tank was only $12! (I might have to name this new tank the "Bargain Tank.")

 

Progress! Got the sand all washed and into the tank:

 

Oh wow, looks great! It always feels good to know you saved some money and didn't lose out on the look you're going for!

 

Added water and started decorating tonight. I was shocked when the water barely clouded at all (I honestly didn't think it was too bad washing the BDBS, and I'm happy to report that adding water didn't stir up any dirt particles). A lot of what's currently in my 15 gal will be moving to this new 20 gal long tank, so it still looks pretty empty for now:

 

Lookin good. What'd you think of the BDBS? Think it was glassy at all? Did you have some brown pieces in yours?

 

Lookin good. What'd you think of the BDBS? Think it was glassy at all? Did you have some brown pieces in yours?

I thought the BDBS was relatively clean right out of the bag - it really didn't take much for me to clean it (or at least not as much as I was expecting). I do have brown pieces in it, which I think looks good on the bottom of the tank. I like the way it feels and looks. I got it primarily to keep kuhlI loaches, so hopefully they will like it. (If they don't work out, I'll stock either panda or albino cories to get a nice color contrast). Did you do anything with your BDBS yet?

 

I thought the BDBS was relatively clean right out of the bag - it really didn't take much for me to clean it (or at least not as much as I was expecting). I do have brown pieces in it, which I think looks good on the bottom of the tank. I like the way it feels and looks. I got it primarily to keep kuhlI loaches, so hopefully they will like it. (If they don't work out, I'll stock either panda or albino cories to get a nice color contrast). Did you do anything with your BDBS yet?

I actually washed mine a couple hours ago, thought it was super clean as well. Rinsed about 4 times in bucket and that was overkill. Has brown in it. Feels very smooth but a little glassier looking than expected.

Filled my 10 gallon for my serpaes (provably will be rehomed) to make sure I liked it before I do the 55g. I'll upload a pic soon.

 

Scape will be changed, adding real plants. Not a bad start tho

 

Scape will be changed, adding real plants. Not a bad start tho

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Nice!

 

Well, this afternoon I was able to transfer everyone from my 15 gal to my new 20 gal long and permanently tear down my 15 gal. I moved all the filter media from the aqueon 20 on my 15 gal and put it in the aqueon 30 I'll use on the 20 long. So now the 20 is housing 1 male apistogramma borelli, 7x ember tetras, 3x endlers, an amano shrimp, and a nerite snail. I have a friend who will take the ember tetras and endlers, but I'll keep them for the time being. Once I've given this tank a couple weeks, I'll look to add 8x kuhlI loaches, then later this summer I'll rehome the embers and endlers and eventually stock 8x furcata rainbows (the apisto stays as my centerpiece - he's the blue one in my avatar). I added my apisto's favorite cave and a couple more plants from the 15 gal - I'll add more plants soon.

 

Well, this afternoon I was able to transfer everyone from my 15 gal to my new 20 gal long and permanently tear down my 15 gal. I moved all the filter media from the aqueon 20 on my 15 gal and put it in the aqueon 30 I'll use on the 20 long. So now the 20 is housing 1 male apistogramma borelli, 7x ember tetras, 3x endlers, an amano shrimp, and a nerite snail. I have a friend who will take the ember tetras and endlers, but I'll keep them for the time being. Once I've given this tank a couple weeks, I'll look to add 8x kuhlI loaches, then later this summer I'll rehome the embers and endlers and eventually stock 8x furcata rainbows (the apisto stays as my centerpiece - he's the blue one in my avatar). I added my apisto's favorite cave and a couple more plants from the 15 gal - I'll add more plants soon.

Congrats! Sounds like a great plan. I need to look up furcata rainbows, not familiar with them.

 

Congrats! Sounds like a great plan. I need to look up furcata rainbows, not familiar with them.

I kept them almost 5 years ago - nice looking, active fish: pseudomugil furcatus

 

I kept them almost 5 years ago - nice looking, active fish: pseudomugil furcatus

Very cool looking fish. Do you have a good LFS? Or would you order online?

 

Very cool looking fish. Do you have a good LFS? Or would you order online?

I'll order online. Most of my fish come to me in the mail. I have 1 good LFS but they don't stock anything more than the most common fish. My other LFS is a petco and the only thing I can keep alive longer than 6 months from that place are cories, wcmm, and harlequin rasboras.

 

Here's the tank this morning - of course I snapped the pic right after my little group of ember tetras swam past, so all you see is one endler in the pic:

 

Looks great! lol it's so hard getting a good pic where everyone can be seen!

 

Looks great! lol it's so hard getting a good pic where everyone can be seen!

I actually like the way the ember tetras look against the dark substrate/background. I may just up my school, add the kuhli's and call it a day. I'm thinking:
12x ember tetras
8x kuhlI loaches
1x borellI apisto

 

Got some kuhlI loaches yesterday - they seem to like their new digs. Here's one hanging out in the plants:

 

Haven't updated here in a few weeks. I'm really enjoying this new tank. I've now got my kuhli's up to 8x, so now I'll be working on upping my ember tetras from 7x to about 12x, and I ended up with a new centerpiece fish just the other day - laetacara dorsigera:

 

Gorgeous fish!! On of the ones on my to-do-someday list!