20g tank help

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Lefky

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Apr 14, 2019
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So the more fish you put in the more filtration you’ll new (obv.). In my 20 long I have a multistaged mounted filter rated for 50 gallons and a sponge filter. If you’re going to be housing small fish like neons it’s important to keep the tank from cycling. Neons are not hearty fish and can’t take too much of an ammonia spike. I’ve lost a whole school before due to one bad cycle. In my opinion definitely invest in a new filter. I like the fluval aquaclear. But I’ve also heard good things about the marine land filters
Do you think a 30g Aqua Clear Fluval Power Filter would be fine for my 20g with the fish I plan on adding? I don't know anything about sponge filters and just want to stick with one kind of filter that I know much about.
 

Zander2264

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Apr 18, 2019
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All the fish you wank do have a small bioload and if you’re moving the angel and the hatchet fish then the aquaclear is a good fit.
 

Zander2264

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Apr 18, 2019
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If you are curious about sponge filters they are the easiest thing. It’s set up is really easy just set it up with an air pump and drop it in. They do help a lot. image.jpg
 

Lefky

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Apr 14, 2019
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If you are curious about sponge filters they are the easiest thing. It’s set up is really easy just set it up with an air pump and drop it in. They do help a lot. View attachment 224438
Alright I may check them out, and yes the hatchet and angelfish will be moved in the next few weeks. As for more fish, I am going on vacation for a month this summer so I will not be buying anymore until I come back. My house will be around 83-87F for a week then alternating with 80F the next twice. I plan on letting my plants grow out during these next few months so when I come back the paradise fish has a forest to swim around in.
 

Lefky

AC Members
Apr 14, 2019
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If you are curious about sponge filters they are the easiest thing. It’s set up is really easy just set it up with an air pump and drop it in. They do help a lot. View attachment 224438
One more question, I think I am going through a bacterial bloom with brown algae as I have had my tank for a month and a half. 2 days after putting the Amazon Swords in brown algae started to cover the gravel. Also a week after adding my first fish the water became a milky white. I am wondering how I can get rid of the algae and bacterial bloom (if you can). I use liquid plant fertilizer weekly and may start using a anti algae liquid too weekly but I think that may be too much for the fish.
 

fishorama

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Jun 28, 2006
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With a paradise I would go with 8-12 neons instead of any cardinals. Neons have a cooler temp preference like paradise & most corys.

Diatoms are often part of a new tank after ~ month. They will go away on their own in another month or so. Ugly but harmless.

I prefer root tabs for swords & crypts. I think part of your white algae bloom is from the liquid ferts. What are your water parameters for ammonia, nitrite & nitrate? How often do you change water & how much each time?
 

Lefky

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Apr 14, 2019
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With a paradise I would go with 8-12 neons instead of any cardinals. Neons have a cooler temp preference like paradise & most corys.

Diatoms are often part of a new tank after ~ month. They will go away on their own in another month or so. Ugly but harmless.

I prefer root tabs for swords & crypts. I think part of your white algae bloom is from the liquid ferts. What are your water parameters for ammonia, nitrite & nitrate? How often do you change water & how much each time?
I do not have a kit to test ammonia just yet but I will get one within a week. Nitrates and Nitrites are both 0 or very close to it (currently using test strips; purchasing masterkit soon). For the neons, the tank is too hot for them and maybe for the paradise as well (78-82F), so I plan on switching to cardinal tetras and maybe GBR’s if its too hot for the paradise. I change the water weekly about 15-20%.
 

fishorama

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Jun 28, 2006
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Well, I don't use heaters in any of my tanks any more. I understand your concerns about too hot. So depending on your location, GBRs & cardinals may be a better fit.

I live near SF, CA. It gets very hot in summer but we use AC during the hot part of the day....& my tanks are larger. So I see much less temp. fluctuations than you might. If it's just during a short vacation when it gets hot, fish, even cool water 1s, will be fine. But if it stays that way all summer, you're apt to keep higher temp. tolerant fish more successfully long term

Nitrite is harmful to fish in any amount. If your strips show that you need to do frequent water changes (daily if you can) to get it to 0 ASAP. I've used strips, they're not terrible IMO. There are 6 in 1 strips that test for ammonia too, unlike 5 in 1. Neither is as accurate as API individual tests, but they a very quick to use. A cheapness hint, I used to cut the strips in half the long way (yes, I'm a frugal yankee, lol).
 

Lefky

AC Members
Apr 14, 2019
49
2
8
20
Well, I don't use heaters in any of my tanks any more. I understand your concerns about too hot. So depending on your location, GBRs & cardinals may be a better fit.

I live near SF, CA. It gets very hot in summer but we use AC during the hot part of the day....& my tanks are larger. So I see much less temp. fluctuations than you might. If it's just during a short vacation when it gets hot, fish, even cool water 1s, will be fine. But if it stays that way all summer, you're apt to keep higher temp. tolerant fish more successfully long term

Nitrite is harmful to fish in any amount. If your strips show that you need to do frequent water changes (daily if you can) to get it to 0 ASAP. I've used strips, they're not terrible IMO. There are 6 in 1 strips that test for ammonia too, unlike 5 in 1. Neither is as accurate as API individual tests, but they a very quick to use. A cheapness hint, I used to cut the strips in half the long way (yes, I'm a frugal yankee, lol).
I think I may purchase the masterkit and compare the two with my opinions. The hottest my home will get in the summer is 82F ish. Normally it will be 78-80F but my tank temp does not appear to decrease with the house temp. Since I live in the desert (Arizona), I want to look into warm water fish. I was thinking Cardinals, GBR's and Corys. What warmer water plants do you recommend? I was thinking of: Amazon Swords (have 1), anacharis, dwarf lily, dwarf sag, cryptocorynes (maybe), salvania minia (as my floating plant), ludwigia repens, and rotala indica. I most likely will not add all these plants; just 1 at a time until there is enough. Which of the plants would you say can live in warmer water and the same lighting as the fish and with eachother?
 

fishorama

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Jun 28, 2006
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SF Bay area, CA
Skip anacharis, it a cold water plant. I have kept most of your other plants at various temps., I'm not sure about salvinia temp preferences, I've probably had it, I belong to a plant club.

For lighting, I have to say I still use old school T-5s, so I'm maybe not the best to comment if you have LEDs. The only 1 I have doubts about is L. repens. I keep the hybrid of L. repens x arcuata quite happy, but L. "red" I don't.
 
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