How's this sound?

[PumaWard]

I am going to get a 38 gallon tomorrow, and once it's finished cycling, I plan on have 2 angels, 2 paradise fish, 3 otos, 3-4 bronze cories, and 5 tetras (not sure of specie yet, maybe cardinals or red phantoms..similiar size). I am going to plant it up with a sword species and hopefully anacharis and some other stalk plants. I'm also going to have a sand bottom and keep it around 78-80 degrees. Drift wood is also in the mix.

Do you think that this sounds okay? If not, what do you recommend?

[stik6shift98]

just get some bigger tetras cuz the angelfish might eat them...

[PumaWard]

I might, not sure what I am going to get yet, the tetras might be bigger. But, I am raising the angels with neons right now to hopefully avoid this... but you never know with them :D.

[125gJoe]

In my opinion, Amazon Swords get way too big, I won't have them anymore..

I thought Paradise fish are aggressive.. (?)

I just found this!

Link: http://www.aquariacentral.com/fishinfo/fresh/paradise.htm

They don't mix with Angels..

[PumaWard]

One I am not worried about as far as agression, it's a female and very mild except towards the smaller male, (as I already own both of them, the female for over a year), the other is the one I will watch. If he is a problem, I'm taking him to the lfs. The male has been with an angel before, he didn't pick on it much, if at all.

These were the swords I was thinking of

Ozelot Sword
http://aquariumplant.com/cart/images/items/EchinoOze.jpg

Radica Marble Queen
http://aquariumplant.com/cart/images/items/EchinoCordoVar.jpg

and Broad Leaf Chain Sword
http://aquariumplant.com/cart/images/items/broadleaf.jpg

[PumaWard]

Here's a pic of my new tank as of this morning. I'm going to order the plants for it this afternoon.

I seeded it with two filters and gravel from another tank. Aproximately how long do you think that it will take to cycle?

[PumaWard]

oops, forgot the picture :D

[125gJoe]

I can't advise on how long it will take to cycle, since cycling varies with each aquarium. Wish it was simple, and you could follow a set schedule...

I do hope you get too many plants to start with! You should plant heavily at first to help a avoid a bad algae outbreak. I got that bit of advice awhile back on here and it helped out a lot! You can remove some plants later on..

Those Swords in the pictures look like good ones..

[PumaWard]

Appoximately what size heater should I get?

How many watts per gallon is it?

[OrionGirl]

For a 38, I would go with either 2 100 Watt heaters, or 1 150 Watt--I really like doubling up on heaters, but I know that can make it a pain to hide them.

The swords you listed should be okay--I've seen the ocelots get huge, and you'll need to make sure you have enough light for the chains to do well, but otherwise, looks good.

For the fish--paradise fish can get very aggressive as they mature. I would not trust one with an angel--it may be fine today, and then savage tomorrow. As for angels and neons--angels grow up with neons in the wild too, and they still eat them. It's a hit or miss technique that doesn't always work. The cardinals should be safe if they are adult-sized by the time the angels mature.

[SnakeIce]

the neons we can get have been tank raised for so many generations that I think they are stupider than the mostly wild caught cardinals we can get, not to mention that cardinals get just slightly bigger than the neons

[PumaWard]

I got some new pictures today of the tank. I just go my plants in and planted them :), I didn't even think they had shipped them yet :).

I have a shop light with a 15w bulb... I'll get a higher watt light as soon as I can, but the heater is first and the tank does get some late afternoon sun.

Left side view

[PumaWard]

And here's the right view... sorry 'bout the glare, I don't have shades in my room.. just curtains.

[PumaWard]

oops, here it is.

[sumoschro]

looking good. that's i nice piece of wood you got in there....it should make a good fish "gazebo" for them to hang under, lol.