Adding to my 30gal tropical community tank

Fishfriend1 said:
I respect your opinion, but so far from what I've seen the black skirts haven't been nippy at all. In fact, im worried that they may end up being nipped by other fish. As for the corys, i know i should have more the 1, but its been to hectice for me to get more lately. But im finally able to do this. And with shrimp, my mollies have never eated them, i started with 3 but then 1 accidentally got crushed and when I did a WC another spilled on the floor. Didn't see it until the next day :( but the one that didn't die tragically has been doing fine, plenty of hidy holes and even out in the open the mollies leave it alone. Thats just from my experiance.



well, the "warning, tank is overstocked" thing didn't cme up until i reached a 131% stock level. And with the filtration i have i would think it would be okay.

As for filter power, never looked at it that way. I'm thinking of adding the wisperx45 to the 30gal with the wisperx20. Would that do the trick? If not im ready to get another wisperx45 and put both of them on the 30gal, though that seems like a little to much filtration, but you know best.

So, rasbora instead of neons. got that. So, what i plan on having are

6 harliquin rasbora
7-8 female mollies
4-5 albino corys
6 black skirt tetras
8 ghost shrimp

with a wisperx20 and wisperx45 as the filters. Planted tank, sand substrait. Some rocks. Possible tank upsize as well.
Click to expand...

I think using both the filters is the best option in the long run. The one thing you need to get out of your head is there is no such think as over-filtration!:grinyes:

The only time I would say it's too much is if the fish are being pushed down twards the bottom of the tank, but that isn't going to happen.

You stocking list sounds a bit ambitous...
The percents you provided were based on a 30 gallon tank (36"X12"X16") This tank could have a stocking similar to that because it has a large footprint allowing more gas exchange at the surface. When you put in the demensions of your tank (24"X12"X21") you get a tank that is 26.2 US gallons. Those [almost] 5 gallons do not seem like a lot but when you are talking about a glass box, it makes a difference. Also, the footprint of your tank is much smaller so the gas exchange (oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide) is much less.

LINK

That link has your correct tank size and stocking plan. I did not include the shrimp as I don't agree with the amount of bioload that the site has them set at.

According to this your tank stocking level is 153% and your filtration is marked at 114%.

Correct me if I am wrong but [of the stock list] you already have:
8 female mollies
1 albino cory
4 black skirt tetras

And you wish to ADD:
6 harlequins
4 albino cories
2 black skirts
8 ghost shrimp

I think to help with the bioload of the tank you should leave out the harlequins. By removing them from the list your stocking level drops to 138% and your filtration jumps to 131%. This is still a little over-stocked so cutting out 1 black skirt and 2 mollies, your stocking level drops to 120% and your filtration jumps to 158%. This is much better than when we started but you still will have to do 75% wwcs to keep up with the demand of a heavily stocked tank. Keeping a lot of fast growing plants will also help so you should consider plants like water wisteria (IMO the best for this), water sprite, dwarf sag, pennywort, moneywort and duckweed.
 
RazzleFish said:
I think using both the filters is the best option in the long run. The one thing you need to get out of your head is there is no such think as over-filtration!:grinyes:

The only time I would say it's too much is if the fish are being pushed down twards the bottom of the tank, but that isn't going to happen.

You stocking list sounds a bit ambitous...
The percents you provided were based on a 30 gallon tank (36"X12"X16") This tank could have a stocking similar to that because it has a large footprint allowing more gas exchange at the surface. When you put in the demensions of your tank (24"X12"X21") you get a tank that is 26.2 US gallons. Those [almost] 5 gallons do not seem like a lot but when you are talking about a glass box, it makes a difference. Also, the footprint of your tank is much smaller so the gas exchange (oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide) is much less.

LINK

That link has your correct tank size and stocking plan. I did not include the shrimp as I don't agree with the amount of bioload that the site has them set at.

According to this your tank stocking level is 153% and your filtration is marked at 114%.

Correct me if I am wrong but [of the stock list] you already have:
8 female mollies
1 albino cory
4 black skirt tetras

And you wish to ADD:
6 harlequins
4 albino cories
2 black skirts
8 ghost shrimp

I think to help with the bioload of the tank you should leave out the harlequins. By removing them from the list your stocking level drops to 138% and your filtration jumps to 131%. This is still a little over-stocked so cutting out 1 black skirt and 2 mollies, your stocking level drops to 120% and your filtration jumps to 158%. This is much better than when we started but you still will have to do 75% wwcs to keep up with the demand of a heavily stocked tank. Keeping a lot of fast growing plants will also help so you should consider plants like water wisteria (IMO the best for this), water sprite, dwarf sag, pennywort, moneywort and duckweed.
Click to expand...

So i will dump the harlequins. I can't dump any more mollies though. maybe a black skirt. As for plants, i have a fast growing thing i got from the district pond. No idea what it is, but it grows fast and has purple/pink leaves to start with and the leaves turn green as they age. Has a central stem with the leaves and smaller stems growing off of it. Any ideas?
 
It may be sunset hygro - Google and see if that's what it looks like.

When I had black skirts in a 30 gallon (my first fish ever as a matter of fact, I started with a 10 gallon) they weren't usually nippy in the day, except a little bit of overenthusiasm at feeding time, but I would see evidence of nipping in the morning. I had other tetras, Columbian and lemon tetras...when I ended up moving out the black skirts, they just seemed more relaxed, and I never did see any more frayed fins. Those were my longest lived tetras ever, btw! They got to be about 6 years old.

With a lot of fish, the individual character of the fish themselves factors in a lot, especially fish like gouramis and bettas. I would expect black skirts to be nippy in a smallish tank, in a smallish school of 4, but if you don't see any evidence of nipping, then they may indeed be ok. They'll be happier in a bigger school!

I agree with Razzle...focus on upping your schools of cories and black skirt tetras, and hold off on the harlequins until you have a bigger tank :)
 
platytudes said:
It may be sunset hygro - Google and see if that's what it looks like.

When I had black skirts in a 30 gallon (my first fish ever as a matter of fact, I started with a 10 gallon) they weren't usually nippy in the day, except a little bit of overenthusiasm at feeding time, but I would see evidence of nipping in the morning. I had other tetras, Columbian and lemon tetras...when I ended up moving out the black skirts, they just seemed more relaxed, and I never did see any more frayed fins. Those were my longest lived tetras ever, btw! They got to be about 6 years old.

With a lot of fish, the individual character of the fish themselves factors in a lot, especially fish like gouramis and bettas. I would expect black skirts to be nippy in a smallish tank, in a smallish school of 4, but if you don't see any evidence of nipping, then they may indeed be ok. They'll be happier in a bigger school!

I agree with Razzle...focus on upping your schools of cories and black skirt tetras, and hold off on the harlequins until you have a bigger tank :)
Click to expand...

The plant has rounder leaves then that, fat rounded leaves and more solid in color.

Ok, so I will only be filling out the current schools. And when i get that 40gal I will be able to up my total number of fish.
 
 
RazzleFish said:
Keeping a lot of fast growing plants will also help so you should consider plants like water wisteria (IMO the best for this), water sprite, dwarf sag, pennywort, moneywort and duckweed.
Click to expand...


If he was to add Even 2 of these plants it would tank away the limited space that already ISN'T available. Sprites and Wisterias can take over a complete side of a tank, and Duckweed..well I can't see the necessary maintainace being performed to keep this under control. Hate to say it but there needs to be limited Decor in this tank.
 
Tank is already planted. Has some driftwood and rocks. No fake anythings in it.
 
ok, got a marineland penguin 350, rated for 70gal tanks. WIth an old aqua-something 20gal filter that ups to total filtration to easily 2 times the tank volume, and probably more around 3 times tank volume. I had to put something in front of the outlet part because it was so powerful it was actually pushing my fish downward. lol, if thats not enuff filtration nothing is. I also got 4 more albino corys and 1 albino skirt tetra, because they were all out of normal ones and they had no idea when they would be getting another stocking. Also dropped off 3 of my 6 goldfish, which leaves 3 to go, when my sister finally gives them up. So, I'm in a very good place right now, fish wise, and am finally happy with my set up:headbang2: Until i want more fish of course :thumbsup:
 
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