hey all i am back in the hobby after a short absense and have just got myself a secondhand 160l tank. dimensions are 1000 x 400 x 400. i am thinking of going planted. i already have 2 x T5 lighting that is in the canopy already. for filtration i have a fluval 204 canister, which i feel is sufficient but more than likely will go for a sump down the line. 1 question is want fish can i put in with a planted tank? i have always been in to cichlids but due to limited space, this is the biggest i can go. and before any of you ask what about angels, i have always had issues with them and them dying a few weeks after i get them. any input would be much appreciated. small_fry
Welcome back small_fry. I wondered how long it would take before you get a tank again..lol answer to your question: how a bout dwarf cichlids? like kribs and so on... they are awesome and plant friendly...
hey all. thanks for all the welcome backs!!! @gareth26 yeah well, i love fish and was missing the fun of going to the fish stores and setting up new tanks. @slojo thats great news. @kuhli loach i was thinking of going that way. new to dwarf cichilds so dont know any species other than kribs. can you tell me the range of fish i can get. also does anyone know where i can get dwarf hairgrass and some smaller types of valisneria (sp?)?
Just do a search on the forum for apistogramma, or apisto, or have a look on the net. You can even have a chat with slagter. They are really nice fish, but their are other folks here that know much more about them than I do.
Look at this link, it will give you a good idea what they look like. http://www.dwarfcichlid.com/index.php . Unfortunately very few are available at the LFS. But you will be able to get them from some of the sponsors on the forum.
Howzit Small Fry!!! Look at apistos like A. cacatuoides, A. agassizi, A. hongsloi, A. trifasciata or A. borelli. They are all fantastic species and quite easy to care for. They do demand soft water with a lowish PH, but they are not as finniky as some of their other cousins. I have a few pairs of dwarfs that are breeding, but none are available yet.
what would you recommend to someone like me, with access to hard, ph 8 water? cause im not sure the dwarfs will handle those conditions?
nice highjack!!! no worries though...but for you ferryman if you dont want to spend an arm and a leg on a RO unit plus the associated water bill (it takes 3 liters of normal water to make 1 liter of RO water), you can add peat, dried oak leaves or even bogwood to drop the PH and make the water softer. what ever you do, do not use chemicals to soften or drop the PH of the water as this is a short term solution.
thanks for the info, yeah, you noticed the hijack then thought i'd slip it in while apistos were the subject
