Leeman75's Summer Project Tank Builds

I have received an influx of tanks recently that I am working on getting moving. This is going to be a live thread where I document the tanks as a whole part of my summer of aquarium fun-ness!!

The tanks, in order that I foresee working on them are:

1. 2.5 gallon - Expecting to be a Blue Dream Shrimp Tank

2. 5.5 gallon - The jury is out. I am considering a Pea Puffer, a trio of Endlers, or something else. Definitely open to suggestions because I'm not sold on either of those options

3. 10 gallon - Expecting to be a breeding pair of German Blue Rams

4. 20 gallon high - I'm not sure about this one either. I am leaning towards a community tank with Peacock Gudgeons and something else. Not sure what. But I've been doing so much with Cichlids that I'm really kind of interested in going back to basics with this tank other than the PGs. Open to suggestions.

5. 29 gallon 2.0 - I'm currently running this one with a giant 8 year old carnival goldfish and a couple of Pearl Gourami. Mr. Gills is old and I have a feeling that time is catching up with him. Once that happens, I will rescape the tank, keep the Pearl Gourami and then I have some other things that I'm thinking of adding that I already have in other tanks.

As of right now, I have #1 and #2 cycling. I have some White Clouds in the 5.5 and a couple of Cherry Barbs in the 2.5. Did water testing in both tonight. The 2.5 is definitely mid-cycle. The 5.5 has not started registered any ammonia yet.

Here's the two tanks:

The 2.5 gallon:



The 5.5 gallon



This is not the final scaping. Just something to start with. I will be ordering some plants from MarcusFishtanks.com soon.

I have a lot to do this summer!!

 

Looks exciting! Can’t wait to see how it all turns out

 

Peacock Gudgeons are very pretty fish, but from my experience they are awful eaters! I had 4 and could NOT get them to eat. One ate a little bit, but the other3 would never eat. Safe to say they all perished. But that seems to be my experience with everything as of late, so take it with a grain of salt. BUT when I did have them, they were in a 20 Long with pseudomugil iluminatis and Melanotaenia praecox. It was a very pretty tank.

Good luck with the GBR. That's another fish I have had ZERO success with haha.

Oh and for the 5 gallon, a trio of mini moth catfish / Asian stone catfish / Hara jerdoni would be cool.

 

Peacock Gudgeons are very pretty fish, but from my experience they are awful eaters! I had 4 and could NOT get them to eat. One ate a little bit, but the other3 would never eat. Safe to say they all perished. But that seems to be my experience with everything as of late, so take it with a grain of salt. BUT when I did have them, they were in a 20 Long with pseudomugil iluminatis and Melanotaenia praecox. It was a very pretty tank.

Good luck with the GBR. That's another fish I have had ZERO success with haha.

Oh and for the 5 gallon, a trio of mini moth catfish / Asian stone catfish / Hara jerdoni would be cool.

pseudomugil iluminatis and Melanotaenia praecox - two fish that I've never even had on my radar. The pseudomugil iluminatis are gorgeous! I may have to do some research on those!!

I have had GBRs before and LOVED them! In my top 3 favorite fish that I've ever kept...maybe even the top spot!

Another fish I've never heard of is the mini moth catfish. Very interesting!

 

If you're salt-friendly, Pseudomugil Cyanodorsalis is my favorite rainbow - but they need brackish water. Beautiful fish that I (unfortunately) didn't have success with on the first go around. But, I'll definitely be coming back to them!

Oh, and you have to do the 5.5 as a dwarf puffer tank. I have one on my desk and the tank is a lot of fun and is basically zero-maintenance, since you really need to plant DP tanks so heavily.

 

other than the PGs

What are PGs.

As for the 5.5 maybe some killis, I love killis. They come in so many colors, I don't see why they aren't more popular and available. If you are okay with traveling outside of chicago, I believe indiana was where the AKA was founded and have them at a few small cities across IN, small compared to chicago at least.

 

What are PGs.

As for the 5.5 maybe some killis, I love killis. They come in so many colors, I don't see why they aren't more popular and available. If you are okay with traveling outside of chicago, I believe indiana was where the AKA was founded and have them at a few small cities across IN, small compared to chicago at least.

I don't mind driving and I'm going to be traveling to Indianapolis several times over the next few months, so I'll check it out! Thanks for the info and suggestion!

 

pseudomugil iluminatis and Melanotaenia praecox - two fish that I've never even had on my radar. The pseudomugil iluminatis are gorgeous! I may have to do some research on those!!

I have had GBRs before and LOVED them! In my top 3 favorite fish that I've ever kept...maybe even the top spot!

Another fish I've never heard of is the mini moth catfish. Very interesting!

The pseudomugil luminatus are so pretty and were so fun to watch! I accidently introduced a disease into 3 of my tanks and they died, which was beyond devastating, but I would 100% get them again. A bit pricey, but so worth it! There is a yellow spotted similar looking fish (Pseudomugil gertrudae) which isn't as nice IMO. But they look very similar.

The mini moth catfish don't really move much, they're very sedentary, at least the ones I have had, so they don't really need a huge tank, making them a good choice for a smaller aquarium. Though they may hide, so you might not see them that much. I only see mine occasionally. Still, when you see them they're super unique looking.

 

Well..#5 may be moving up the list. Today, Mr. Gills, the 8 year old Goldfish passed away. It was a sad moment because my youngest girls really liked him. He was definitely one of the family favorites.

RIP Mr. Gills

 

While I'm waiting for the cycle on the 2.5 and 5.5, I'm anticipating this weekend that I'll do some work on converting the 29 that Mr. Gills was in. First task is to switch out the clown puke gravel for Black Sand. I'm hoping that since I have 2 HOBs running on it, I won't take too much of a hit from losing the Beneficial Bacteria from the gravel.

I also want to order some plants for all three of those tanks. I currently have the following in my shopping cart at Marcus Fishtanks, but I can't seem to pull the trigger. Any suggestions for changes or additions?

Staurogyne Repens
Dwarf Sagittaria Subulata
Tiger Lotus Lily Bulb (Nypmhaea Zenkeri)
Rosette Sword Echinodorus Parviflorus
Red Flame Sword
Anubias Coffeefolia

 

Have a few things that I've been working on...

I removed the clown puke gravel from the old Goldfish 29. I have begun aquascaping, but will be doing more, especially once the plants that I ordered from Marcus Fish Tanks on Sunday arrive. Assuming they come before the weekend, I will plant them and plan on moving the Keyholes over this weekend because, I found a breeder that has a pair of Apistos for sale that I am going to go get. That has always been the plan for my 20 gallon hex tank, but it took a backseat so that the Keyholes could grow out. I'm so excited for this!!

Here's the in-progress of the tank:



Also, I tested the water in my 2.5 and 5.5 gallon tanks tonight and they are showing no ammonia or nitrites and about 5 ppm of Nitrates, so I am official now. Will be added plants to those tanks as well. I'm thinking that the Pea Puffer for the 5.5 may be coming within the next couple of weeks. For the 2.5, I would like to let it establish some more, especially with the new plants. Then, maybe in a month or so, I'll look at adding a half dozen Blue Dream Shrimp.

In a couple of weeks, I'll start working on getting the 10 gallon set up and cycling. More to come soon...

 

Keyholes got moved tonight to the 29. Hardest fish I've ever tried to catch but it's because it is a tall tank, with a black substrate, lights are in the hood that I have to remove to try to catch the fish, and it's a planted tank that I didn't want to uproot the plants. Took me about an hour. But they're moved and seem to be doing well so far..

Tomorrow morning, I will be picking up the Apisto pair! Can't wait!!

 

Good luck with the Apistos! I almost got a pair, bust stupidly I only got the male. Totally regret it. What type did you get?

 

Good luck with the Apistos! I almost got a pair, bust stupidly I only got the male. Totally regret it. What type did you get?

I got a pair of Orange Flash Cacatuoides. I'll be adding some pictures when I get them uploaded. I think they're awesome already!

 

I got a pair of Orange Flash Cacatuoides. I'll be adding some pictures when I get them uploaded. I think they're awesome already!

I generally tend to like the look of the cacatuoides. Never kept them. Not even sure i have seen them in stores around here.

 

I generally tend to like the look of the cacatuoides. Never kept them. Not even sure i have seen them in stores around here.

I found a breeder advertising on Facebook. He had young pairs at $25, which is a steal from what I've seen. I don't typically see them in stores either.

His breeding set up was as impressive as any I've seen on YouTube. He does a lot of Angels but had many many other tanks of New World Cichlids, Cories, Plecos, and a few Tanganyikan cichlids. I don't know how many tanks he had, but I would guess it was in the hundreds and not all little breeder tanks. He had a big room filled with what looked like 75s, 55s, and 40s.

 

Just a quick update tonight to post a picture of the Keyhole tank with the new plants. Hopefully, they will grow in well and quickly. I also still need to figure out what to do with the random air stones as well as switch out the background.

 

Moving somethings along today.

The 10 gallon got the Eco Complete added to it last weekend and I tried to get the filter that came with the tank to work, but couldn't. So, I had to order a new one. I'm always a fan of the Marineland filters, so I got a 200 and awaiting delivery on Tuesday. The driftwood in the tank is not staying there. It is destined for the Keyhole tank, but I have to have it in this tank to get it water-logged so it will stop floating to the top.



I set up a sponge filter running today to get some filtration going. It will move to the 20 gallon tank once I've get it set up.

Speaking of which, the 20 is just sitting with the heater and filter in it, but I need to wash the BDBS that I plan to put in it. I'm not really in a rush as I have enough going on right now with all the other tanks.



The 2.5 gallon is doing well. The plants seem to be healthy and growing. I ordered some Java moss covered cholla wood and guppy grass to put into it. Also in the order are 6 Blue Velvet Shrimp for the tank. I got it from Pwilly's site and I hear so many good things about his plants, fish, and shrimp, so I'm super excited to get them and get the the tank inhabited. The 3 Red Cherry Barbs will be moving out and probably over the the 5.5 gallon, which is currently empty.



Speaking of the 5.5, here it is. The aquascaping is not complete, but I'm waiting for some plants that I added to grow in. I'd still like to get a smaller sword for in there and possibly an Anubias. I'm still up in the air on what will ultimately go in there. It's likely to be a Pea Puffer.



Finally, here's the Keyhole tank. Plants are doing well a week in. I've got root tabs all over in it, so I really hope the plants take off quickly. I'm sure the Keyholes would like some cover.




A lot still to do before I feel like these tanks are complete. Need to add backgrounds to all of them. Want to switch some of the heaters around....that one in the Blue Shrimp tank just looks giant and I don't like it. I'd like to add a small heater in there. I know shrimp are ok with cooler temps, but this is a basement and I think the temperature is typically around 70 and I'm not sure if that's too cold or at least too cold for them to breed, which is what I want.

 

Blue Velvet Shrimp came today. I added some plants and have them in their new home! They seem to be doing really well right away!

 

Blue Velvet Shrimp came today. I added some plants and have them in their new home! They seem to be doing really well right away!

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Hope they keep it up for you!

 

Hey, any updated pics or updates here, bud?

 

Hey, any updated pics or updates here, bud?

Ha...I've had limited time lately and I'm still trying to figure out how to take decent pictures with my newish phone, so I'll have to try to get some updates and pics tomorrow.

The biggest news is that the Blue Shrimp that I got a month ago have had babies. It's hard to tell how many but it seems like at least a dozen new shrimplets! Pretty awesome considering how new they are and how new the tank is.

 

Well...I've had some time today before getting packed up for another week away and am including an update on the project tanks. This will probably be kind of a lengthy post.

2.5 Gallon Blue Shrimp Tank
The big news here is all the shrimplets. A month after purchasing them from Pwilly's Fish Emporium, they have already had babies. I'm not sure how many, but I've counted at least a dozen!! Also, the plants that I got from there are doing fantastic as well.





5.5 Gallon ??? Tank
This tank is taking shape. Though it's been running for probably almost 2 months now, I had a bit of a mishap with the filter where I didn't realize it didn't prime after a WC and it burned out the motor. Bummer because it was a brand new filter. So, it's currently got transferred media in a Whisper garbage filter, but I'll be ordering a new one probably today. Once I get that in and the media transferred, hopefully I don't lose the cycle. I've got a few plants in there, but I'd like to get a couple more. Maybe another Crypt and some more Dwarf Sag. I'm still trying to figure out what to put in there. I've been toying with a Pea Puffer all along, but for whatever reason, I can't seem to commit. Currently, there are 4 juvenile Cherry Barbs in there who seem to enjoy the tank just fine.




10 Gallon GBR Breeding Tank

This tank is set to eventually be a breeding tank for German Blue Rams. I believe that it should be reaching cycled any day now. There's a couple of juvenile Black Mollies in there who don't show up very well because of the color of the substrate. I probably will add a potted plant of some sort, maybe an Anubias Barteri to put in the rock plant holder in the middle and then will add a couple of ceramic pots and stones for the GBR pair. Probably will add another couple of small plants like a Java Fern and some Guppy Grass, just to break up line of site. I'd like this tank to be running for a few months prior to actually getting the Rams, so the Mollies will probably remain in there for a while.




20 Gallon Future Community Tank

This tank is really just in it's beginning stages. There is no aquascaping yet, and no fish either. Just a few things transplanted from other tanks to help get the cycle going. I think that this will ultimately be a community tank. The Cherry Barbs that are currently in the 5.5 will go there as will the 2 Mollies in the GBR tank. From there, I'm not really sure. I think I may add some Cories for the bottom. Something small, like Pandas. If I can sneak them in there, I may go with some Peacock Gudgeons. We'll see. I'm certainly open to ideas if anyone has any.




Edit: I forgot to include a picture of my now updated Tank Wall:

 

Just a quick update on the 20 gallon with a picture...

I added a trio of Platies a few weeks ago. They seem to be doing really well and make the tank seem so much more alive.

On Sunday, I rehomed a pair of Kribs from my boys' 10 gallon tank that they have been growing out in for a couple of months. I really like these fish in here. I'd like to add a half dozen smaller Cories...perhaps Panda.

Hopefully within the next month or so, I'll get some more plants in there. Perhaps a sword and some Vals to go with the height of the tank. Down the road when they have grown in some and are really helping with Nitrates, I'll complete the tank with a half dozen Cherry Barbs.

I'm not sold on the Barbs. I'll have to see where the Kribs and the Platies settle in. For now, they stay in the top half of the tank, maybe even the top quarter.