Questions about my new 40gallon

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Anaxus

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I just set up a 40 gallon tank with a eclipse 3 filter system, and will start a fishless cycle soon.
I have a few questions.
1) I don't have access to any fully cycled aquariums to use to help with my cycle, will bacteria still form?
2) I didn't add any florite to the botton of the tank, will this keep me from using live plants later if I want to start switching out the plastics for live?
3) I have come up with this list of fish for my tank. Does it looks ok? What would you suggest me changing.
(1) bristlenose pleco
(1) golden chinese algae eater
(3) Octinicus
(6) Neon Tetras
(1) Giant Danio
(2) rummynose tetras
(2) Corydoras catfish
(1) Red Tail Shark
(3) Clown loaches
To me it seems like I choose to many bottom dwellers, what do you think? Also is this too many fish?

Thanks in advance for your help
 
Originally posted by Anaxus
I just set up a 40 gallon tank with a eclipse 3 filter system, and will start a fishless cycle soon.
I have a few questions.
1) I don't have access to any fully cycled aquariums to use to help with my cycle, will bacteria still form?
Click to expand...

Yes, but more slowly.

2) I didn't add any florite to the botton of the tank, will this keep me from using live plants later if I want to start switching out the plastics for live?
Click to expand...

No. We don't even have fluorite in this country and we can grow plants. My cabomba is growing like a weed in an inch of ordinary gravel. However, if I tried Crypts or Aponogetons, I imagine I'd run into difficulties.

3) I have come up with this list of fish for my tank. Does it looks ok? What would you suggest me changing.
(1) bristlenose pleco
(1) golden chinese algae eater
(3) Octinicus
(6) Neon Tetras
(1) Giant Danio
(2) rummynose tetras
(2) Corydoras catfish
(1) Red Tail Shark
(3) Clown loaches
To me it seems like I choose to many bottom dwellers, what do you think? Also is this too many fish?
Click to expand...

Well, if were my tank I'd drop the chinese algae eater and the Red tailed shark - both may become too aggressive IME.

Up the number of Corys.

Danios are shoaling fish. Make it a small group.

I'd lose either the neons or the rummynose and have a decent sized group of one or the other.

By Octinicus, do you mean Ottos?
 
More Clowns would not be a bad idea, either. They get really big, though, so they could add a lot of stress on your filtration.

Otocinclus are pretty delicate and need algae or supplemental feeding from their first introduction to your tank. They also don't mind being kept in bigger schools and do a very credible job of taking out the algae in your tank. Your bristlenose may out-compete them and cause their demise.

You definitely need some more of the shoaling fish, and Corydoras are included in that category. Your Cories should ideally be kept in groups of 6+. The same would go for the Ottos, Giant Danios, Neons, and Rummy-Noses. I think that too many Giant Danios would be detrimental to water quality, so I would have to say that a school of Neons and one of Rummies would be your best bet.

I think that you have too many bottom-dwellers, so, actually, getting rid of the Clowns and the RTBS may help to alleviate that problem. Also, the CAE should go...he will get to be 10" and will attack and kill some of the lovely fish from your tank due to gradually increasing cantankerousness.

Best of luck!!!
 
Thanks for the advice
Here is what I came up with
1-bristlenose pleco
7- neons
6- cories
6- other type of tetras(either rummynose or lemon)

Or should I remove one shoal of them and add more to the remaining two?
 
That one is up to you. The shoals you have in your plans now would be sufficient for tetra happiness, so it becomes a matter of aesthetics and if you like behavioral contrasts or just want one big school of similar tetras with similar behaviors. Those are questions which only you can answer, and that is part of the fun of fishkeeping! :)
 
First of all, good for you for cycling fishlessly. Given the fish you're interested in, that's a particularly good choice. The ammonia oxidizing bacteria are everywhere; you couldn't keep them out of your tank if you wanted! Since you'll be starting without any starter colony, you might try two things. First, leave the covers off your tank, to facilitate bacteria finding their way to your tank. Second, crank the heat up (during fishless cycling only) to 84 degrees or so. Those may help hasten things a bit...

As for your most recent list of fish, I think you could safely double the number of neon tetras while keeping constant the others. That wouldn't be a heavily stocked tank.

Good luck and have fun!

Jim
 
Thanks for the info. I'll try leaving the lid open in the tank. I just noticed I only had a 100 watt heater so I went and picked up a 200 watt and set it to 85 degrees.
The only thing I am worried about is my tank is a 40 gallon Tall. It's about the same width and length as a 30 gallon. Would this also effect the number of fish?
Also I am thinking of maby instead of lemon or rummynose tetras and using zebra danios instead. I still have weeks untill I finish the cycle to make my decission
 
If the footprint is the same as a 30 gallon, then it must be stocked as if you were stocking a 30 gallon. Good catch.
 
Oh I see. Taking Jscmidts recomendation of doubling the neons for 40 galllon, would:
1-bristlenose pleco
6- neons
6- cories
6- Zebra danios
still be considered overstocked for my tank?
 
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