Aquaman's 14gal Fresh!

aquaman3680

aquaman3680

Well-Known Member
Well as many of you know I have been in the Reefing hobby for about 6 years now. I never had a fresh water tank before going salt so I have the urge to set up a freshwater planted tank. I have decided to go with a Oceanic 14gal Bio-Cube. I will be doing plants and just community fish.

I really know next to nothing about freshwater so this will be a learning experience for me!

The tank comes in on Tuesday so I will get pics up when it gets here! I am very excited!

Matt
 
Frankie

Frankie

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
Very exciting! My daughter and I tried a planted tank in the very same 14g bio cube and failed miserably. Personally I think the substrate was the issue but we were also over ran with hair algae. We also found it hard to keep the c02 correct. I would recommend useing a regulator and co2tank to feed c02.
What kind of lighting is your cube coming with?
 
aquaman3680

aquaman3680

Well-Known Member
It comes with 42 watts of PC's. What would you all recommend for lighting? Like what spectrum? I am not sure I want to get into using CO2 yet...
 
chrome91

chrome91

Member
nope, less light you dont really need CO2.

i would get a CO2 system then, and you wont get troublesome algae. you can buy CO2 kits, or i think theres a liquid CO2 doser now, havent had a planted tank in a while
 
aquaman3680

aquaman3680

Well-Known Member
Well I went to the fish store today, something I probably shouldn't have done and purchased things for a tank that I don't even have yet. Anyways I got one piece of drift wood and another piece of Mopani wood for the decorations in the tank. I also purchased Live Freshwater Substrate and a couple 5lbs. bags of natural gravel. I also got a thermometer...

So while looking at fish and trying to come up with what I want to keep in the tank I got this-

5-6 Cardinal Tetras
2 Blue Rams
2 Korthausae Killifish
1 Cory Cat
1 Clown Loach- to control snails
2 Red Wag Platys
2 Zebra Danios

Possibilities include-
Male Betta
Hatchet Fish
Guppies

So thats a place to start! I am not sure on what plants I want to keep yet, but am still looking!

Is it best to use DI water or should I go ahead and use tap water?
 
PEMfish

PEMfish

Well-Known Member
Thats is way to many fish for that tank, and some get to big.

Try this;
6 Cardinal Tetras
1 Cory Cat
2 Zebra Danios
2 Hatchet Fish
 
aquaman3680

aquaman3680

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the information.

After realizing that I was way overstocking what do you think?

5-6 Cardinal Tetras
2 German Blue Rams
2 Korthausae Killifish
3 Cory Cat
Maybe a couple Danios or Sword Tails

What do you think?

I am currently soaking the driftwood in RO water. What would be the ideal temperature and pH to keep the tank at? Also what are acceptable Nitrate levels for the tank?

Thanks,

Matt
 
PEMfish

PEMfish

Well-Known Member
By Germain blue ram I assume you mean Mikrogeophagus ramirezi?
No, although peaceful an able to thrive in slightly lower PH they can get up to 4". I would take them off the list.

The killies should be fine, just as long as they don't get slightly mean, active, or over 2.5".

To me sword tails always really take away from planted tanks ,but thats personal.

How about this;
6 Cardinal Tetras
?2 Korthausae Killifish?
1 Cory Cat
2 Danios
 
aquaman3680

aquaman3680

Well-Known Member
The Ram that I am talking about is a Papiliochromis ramirezi and max size is 3".

I was also told that the Cory Cats tend to do better in groups of 3 or more...?

The killifish max size is 2" and it is a peaceful fish.

Any ideas?

Matt
 
PEMfish

PEMfish

Well-Known Member
Frankie; Those would be a great fish for the tank.

My philosophy for stocking my planted tanks is a school ( or two if you had room ) of small fish, some bottom dwellers ( Corys, ottos, loaches ) and a larger center piece fish.

So a school of Cardinals or those Danios Frankie showed us ( or something smiler such as white clouds, or most tetras or barbs ), a couple of bottom dwellers, ( a small loach and Siamese algae eater or a trio of corys ), And a center piece fish, slightly larger than the rest and active ( a Ram or Honey gourami ).
 
aquaman3680

aquaman3680

Well-Known Member
Thank you for the info!

after doing some research I have a few questions.

Obviously I have a smaller tank and the reading says that it would be over done to add a CO2 system. But since my tank is a higher light tank would you recommend a CO2 dosing system? Or would the Flourish Excel by seachem work?

I also have questions on the Yeast and sugar thing...? I did not really understand this. You put them in a bottle and use airline tubing and it doses automatically? Or do you have to valve it down to get the correct dosage?

Any input is more than welcome!

Matt
 
PEMfish

PEMfish

Well-Known Member
The Product you mentioned ( Flourish Excel ) may contain a form of carbon but from what I do know I doubt it will addresses the issue.

The yeast and sugar method is a DIY contraption to dose CO2.
DONT DO IT.
The yeast (fungus they use in bread) is activated and feeds off the sugar. A byproduct of the yeast is- same as use- CO2. You use a sealed jug to house the yeast and direct the CO2 into the aquarium with the airline.
It is delivered in low doses very unstably. Over the course of the month ( about time you leave the yeast alone, it all has to be changed out monthly ) CO2 production varies greatly.

It is by far better to use bottled pure CO2.
Bottled is not at all overkill. Just turn down the bubble counter to deliver less CO2 and use a PH controller to shut off CO2 completely when concentrations reach a set point. That is what many people including me do an all size tanks.
 
aquaman3680

aquaman3680

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the information. I don't think I will be doing the DIY!

Would I be able to use a Paintball CO2 tank? Or would I have to use a larger one like the one I am using on my calcium reactor?

Matt
 
PEMfish

PEMfish

Well-Known Member
I have heard of people doing that. I am not to deeply familiar with it. I started to read into it but soon realized I never wanted to do that so saw no point in continuing my research.

Of course you already know what I recomend but you may feel something else- on a smaller scale- would suit you better.

I will be back with more info...

EDIT;
You can do that, and although it sounds more suitable for a small tank- such as yours- I have to contradict that.
They can be harder to control that a full blown system. A small water volume will be affected alot more than a larger on ( same concept as why beginners should get larger reef tank as they are more forgiving ) so that is one of the large benefits of a regular system.
To correct this problem You can Get the high end PH controller and needle valve like you would for a regular system and via adapter put it on a paint ball tank but what money are really saving then? And in he long run- with the paint ball tanks- you might wind up spending more anyway.

This is a good article on the suggested method;
Mini CO2 Injection

I do not want to sound like I am preaching one method only, I am just trying to shine light on all the negative aspects to all methods so you are not surprised. I hope to keep it an open discussion.
 
Luukosian

Luukosian

Well-Known Member
+1 on not bothering with diy co2, it ends up being more hassle than its worth and you will get algae because it doesn't produce a steady output and your ph will be everywhere. For that small of a tank and no existing co2 setup I'm not sure you could justify the cost of tank and regulator but if money isn't an object I say go for it. Otherwise, there are plenty of nice plants you can keep without it. Flourish excel works but it has been shown to melt some species like vallisenaria, I used it for a while and it was kind of more trouble than its worth cause you have to add it every day.

side note: red sea sells a regulator system for paintball tanks that is around 130$ and I think it comes with reactor and everything.

just noticed you said you already have co2 tank for calcium reactor...I think you could just split your output using a manifold and seperate needle valve and use the same tank for both aquariums.
 
PEMfish

PEMfish

Well-Known Member
Luukosian said:
just noticed you said you already have co2 tank for calcium reactor...I think you could just split your output using a manifold and seperate needle valve and use the same tank for both aquariums.
Click to expand...


Your brain just creeped me out;

I was thinking of pitching that.
Ok, I am thinking a number from one to ten...
LOL
 
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