20 Gallon Long Filtering and Flow Question
- Thread starter greeGree
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Thanks for all recommendations. While I'm cycling the tank I'm going to upsize my filter from an aquaclear 20 to an aquaclear30 and see if it will increase the water movement in the back corners of the aquarium. The extra width on the long just seems to kill the movement, as I have it mounted to the back, and as the plants fill in it will only get worse.
M
MardieJane
the glass top I have I got at Big Al's on a good sale so went for it.
I've only just started the cycle so the fish selection process I'm sure will have many iterations.
I've been starting to lean towards some rummynose tetras and corries, I wanted to add a third species but all the fish I'm drawn to seem to be mid to low dwellers.
My kids would probably be thrilled with neon tetras, I was also thinking about adding some cherry shrimp eventually.
I've attached a pic to show the layout. Please excuse all the tannins this shot was taken soon after setup.
I've only just started the cycle so the fish selection process I'm sure will have many iterations.
I've been starting to lean towards some rummynose tetras and corries, I wanted to add a third species but all the fish I'm drawn to seem to be mid to low dwellers.
My kids would probably be thrilled with neon tetras, I was also thinking about adding some cherry shrimp eventually.I've attached a pic to show the layout. Please excuse all the tannins this shot was taken soon after setup.
I also vote for 2 HOBs on a 20 long. It more evenly distributes the flow. Actually if I had a choice I would do 1 canister with an extended spray bar but I am canister bias.
I also vote for rummys and cories! Always winners in my book! And I think they will look great in that setup. Shrimpies too of course.
Why so many tannins when I don't see any wood? Like the starting layout. I am NOT an aquascaper but my 2 cents would be to make the right side a bit higher/bigger to make it less symmetrical, maybe add some more rocks around it to get the bigger effect and point some of the smaller stones on the left in the same direction as the main stone on the left. Again NOT an aquascaper but with these type of scapes that is what I see suggested.
I also vote for rummys and cories! Always winners in my book!
And I think they will look great in that setup. Shrimpies too of course. Why so many tannins when I don't see any wood? Like the starting layout. I am NOT an aquascaper but my 2 cents would be to make the right side a bit higher/bigger to make it less symmetrical, maybe add some more rocks around it to get the bigger effect and point some of the smaller stones on the left in the same direction as the main stone on the left. Again NOT an aquascaper but with these type of scapes that is what I see suggested.
I have an AC 50 & Whisper 30 or 40 on my 20g long. The flow is not for wimpy fish like , say, bettas. But I've kept harly rasboras & sewellia lineolata in similar flow.
I agree with Jen, the wood is too symmetrical for my tastes. Look to the "golden rule" of 2/5:3/5, more or less. It will help when your plants grow in more. & consider some taller plants...relative to a 12 inch tall tank, I love Italian (spirally but not spiralis) valisneria in that height tank, it's perfect to give some background interest.
I agree with Jen, the wood is too symmetrical for my tastes. Look to the "golden rule" of 2/5:3/5, more or less. It will help when your plants grow in more. & consider some taller plants...relative to a 12 inch tall tank, I love Italian (spirally but not spiralis) valisneria in that height tank, it's perfect to give some background interest.
Ooo thanks for sharing pictures. Is that wood or dragon stone? I cant tell on my tablet. Have you decided what type of light you will want to use or have already? Will they be for a certain type of plant of basically for viewing the fish? A glass top suggest you want plants but that doesn't mean you plan to go high tech with it, I can't tell if that is sand or gravel. Sorry guess my eyesight isn't so great.
I don't know about aquascaping but in landscaping it's always nice to have something special that draws your attention and then everything else flows around that. Your eye wants to focus on something instead of looking everywhere. Maybe that's what theseems guys are talking about. It looks like you want a path to be the focus maybe instead of hardscape? Not sure how to do that.
Rachel Oleary has a couple of you tube videos where she talks about this. She tapes off her "floor" on a table and kind of plays with the pieces she wants to use. Then she takes a picture of it so she'll remember how it went. She made some nice tanks that way.
I think this part is almost as much fun as the fish... kinda of like setting up their world and then watching them discover it. I can't do much with my little 5 gallon, but will watch here for ideas on a 20 long if and when I get to do one.
Cories are adorable. I'm thinking a lot of a shoaling fish might be pretty in a tank like this with them... don't have any worthwhile advice but I think white mountain minnows might be nice or not colorful enough? Or your kids might like celestial pearl Danios, they are Polk a dotted with red fins. Of course, your correct in that kids love neon or cardinal tetras.
What kind of cories do you want? Maybe that will help with the aquascape. You could make lots of little knocks and crannies for them to play in. But they come in sooooo many sizes and patterns and personalities!
More pics as you go.
I don't know about aquascaping but in landscaping it's always nice to have something special that draws your attention and then everything else flows around that. Your eye wants to focus on something instead of looking everywhere. Maybe that's what theseems guys are talking about. It looks like you want a path to be the focus maybe instead of hardscape? Not sure how to do that.
Rachel Oleary has a couple of you tube videos where she talks about this. She tapes off her "floor" on a table and kind of plays with the pieces she wants to use. Then she takes a picture of it so she'll remember how it went. She made some nice tanks that way.
I think this part is almost as much fun as the fish... kinda of like setting up their world and then watching them discover it. I can't do much with my little 5 gallon, but will watch here for ideas on a 20 long if and when I get to do one.
Cories are adorable. I'm thinking a lot of a shoaling fish might be pretty in a tank like this with them... don't have any worthwhile advice but I think white mountain minnows might be nice or not colorful enough? Or your kids might like celestial pearl Danios, they are Polk a dotted with red fins. Of course, your correct in that kids love neon or cardinal tetras.
What kind of cories do you want? Maybe that will help with the aquascape. You could make lots of little knocks and crannies for them to play in. But they come in sooooo many sizes and patterns and personalities!
More pics as you go.
Might I suggest pygmy or hastatus corydoras?
In my experience they are more mid dwelling than others...
For another alternative, but more bottom dwelling, I am drawn to aspidoras over corydoras... They are thinner and shorter and more active, but still closely related until potentially reclassified.
Personally I have a 30g tank with unidentified tetras, corydoras hastatus, otocinclus, red rili and tangerine tiger shrimp and am more than happy with it.. (The light may be another story..)
I guess I can join the bandwagon and offer suggestions for the layout too.
Firstly, it's art, and it's yours.... ultimately you will be the one looking at it, and enjoying it... so it has to appeal to you primarily..
The rules are there more as guidelines to try to influence how you will look at it.. not necessarily a set of hard and fast laws that can never be followed.
But, the rocks (Based on their appearance to me) or the wood (Based on you saying tannins) don't work for me.. they aren't big enough to dominate, I like their look, but I worry that when you get plants, they will be dwarfed by most plants, so you won't get to see them.. again, my preference is for larger plants... if you prefer a lot of little and short varieties then you'll be using less than half the tank, something taller and you won't see the hardscape.nOt using too many plants, will make this less of an issue
Also, depending on the sort of plants you want, it looks like you could use a little deeper substrate too.
But... I think the best thing to do, is keep going forward, and make changes if you want.. it's going to be something you can always change around if you want
In my experience they are more mid dwelling than others...
For another alternative, but more bottom dwelling, I am drawn to aspidoras over corydoras... They are thinner and shorter and more active, but still closely related until potentially reclassified.
Personally I have a 30g tank with unidentified tetras, corydoras hastatus, otocinclus, red rili and tangerine tiger shrimp and am more than happy with it.. (The light may be another story..)
I guess I can join the bandwagon and offer suggestions for the layout too.
Firstly, it's art, and it's yours.... ultimately you will be the one looking at it, and enjoying it... so it has to appeal to you primarily..
The rules are there more as guidelines to try to influence how you will look at it.. not necessarily a set of hard and fast laws that can never be followed.
But, the rocks (Based on their appearance to me) or the wood (Based on you saying tannins) don't work for me.. they aren't big enough to dominate, I like their look, but I worry that when you get plants, they will be dwarfed by most plants, so you won't get to see them.. again, my preference is for larger plants... if you prefer a lot of little and short varieties then you'll be using less than half the tank, something taller and you won't see the hardscape.nOt using too many plants, will make this less of an issue
Also, depending on the sort of plants you want, it looks like you could use a little deeper substrate too.
But... I think the best thing to do, is keep going forward, and make changes if you want.. it's going to be something you can always change around if you want
How about putting the rocks near each other with maybe another of the same kind toward 1 end? 3 of a kind are nice. It can create an asymmetrical island-like "flow" to your aquascape. You just need to play around with it in the tank or on "paper" (or computer). There are no "right answers" but there are some tried & true ideas.
You can also attach some anubius or java fern to the rocks to create some height at the "rock end" & some lower growers at the other.
You can also attach some anubius or java fern to the rocks to create some height at the "rock end" & some lower growers at the other.
Thanks for all the input everyone, loving it. I agree that I need for of a focal point. My original thought process was instead of the coarser dark sand to have a lighter sand cutting through the lower area and that would be what would draw the eye more, I'm wishing for something a little more substantial on the left. The rocks (dragon stone, not wood) seem a little smal, I was afraid of loosing swimming re-estate for the fish.
As plants go I have swords behind the rocks with some Sagittaria and the forground is dwarf hairgrass and Lilaeopsis brasiliensis.
I say tannins but it could be soil blead through. I'm not sure. I have 1" to 2" at hte back of soil with a 1" cap of fine gravel. The valley in the middle has no soil as I didn't want the plant to choose that area. I figure they will make their way across but that'll give me something to do.
Again, thanks for the input.
As plants go I have swords behind the rocks with some Sagittaria and the forground is dwarf hairgrass and Lilaeopsis brasiliensis.
I say tannins but it could be soil blead through. I'm not sure. I have 1" to 2" at hte back of soil with a 1" cap of fine gravel. The valley in the middle has no soil as I didn't want the plant to choose that area. I figure they will make their way across but that'll give me something to do.
Again, thanks for the input.
Changed the scape a little. Not totally happy but better I think. I wasn't ready to tear it all down so made a few changes to what was already there. I realised that the "tannins" were actually more likely one of the dragon stones releasing clay into the water, since that what they are made of.
I love that piece but it is a bit over powering IMO. And again the small rocks going the opposite way under it are throwing me off. If you could get the big piece like shoved down a bit to make it look a little smaller and change the direction of those little guys I think you're on to something. BTW if you turn off the lights in the room the pictures will come out better, less reflection makes it easier to see into the tank.
BTW if you turn off the lights in the room the pictures will come out better, less reflection makes it easier to see into the tank.
