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Post by Salty on Oct 8, 2013 9:50:11 GMT -5
SOOOOOO I have a 20 gallon that's bone dry (I was breeding cockatoo cichlids) and Id like to try something out in it that would be fun.
Here's what I have;
20 gal tank and Wood Stand
LED light fixture - not good for coral
70 gallon Power filter (the good kind where you add the 3 sections)
If been out of Freshwater for about 5 years
I believe it would cost the same to start either Fresh or salt but I'm just looking for suggestions.
cheers
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Post by Stellar on Oct 8, 2013 12:02:45 GMT -5
Ever try breeding bettas? I found it a LOT of fun... however, once you can sex the males, you need to separate them into jars... I used your typical mason jars, on a canning shelf. The 20g you keep setup to grow out the females... Now to me, its a fun project.... but maybe something like a nice active tetra community would be nice.. Since that tank is bone dry, theres a LOT of DIY backgrounds as well as DIY base rock type tutorials out there, you can do a complete DIY tank. That can be a fun project as well. fresh OR salt.
Cheers.
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Post by Salty on Oct 8, 2013 14:48:49 GMT -5
Im think about a DIY back ground as well as sand as substrate. but can I add plant with sand?
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Post by Stellar on Oct 8, 2013 15:24:49 GMT -5
yes and no. I have play sand in my 15gal (look in tank journals) but it's a mix. there's fluval stratum, play sand, and "pea rock" mixed. I don't like it, but it's already done and im not changing it. if anything I'll slowly add more clay type substrate to it. Silica sand (pool filter sand) works, you can find that pretty easily. I would use a mineralized soil substrate under any sand though as sand isn't the greatest for plants. The DIY backgrounds are fun to build. My advice to that is (although more $$) coat it in a couple layers of 2 part clear epoxy before putting it in your tank. they last MUCH longer and make them more sturdy than the acrylic fortifier does. Also I use UNsanded grout when building them, as you get more for your money... YOu can always add playsand to it if you want more texture  One more thing about that... is when carving your foam... OVER-exaggerate any cracks or crevices. That way when you layer on the grout. they are not lost. Good luck, and don't forget the pics! Cheers. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2013 2:22:28 GMT -5
SOOOOOO I have a 20 gallon that's bone dry (I was breeding cockatoo cichlids) and Id like to try something out in it that would fun Curious where you sourced your apistos when you were breeding them. If you want to keep it salty then why not setup a soft coral nano and keep a dwarf angel or a few gobys in it, depending if you want the corals or the fish to be the main attraction. Not sure if you have a spare skimmer lying around, but that would make for a nice nano tank. I like Saddleback Clownfish but it would probably be pushing it to keep a pair of those in a tank that size but you could easily keep a pair of percs or ocellaris in that size tank as well. If keeping it FW then I'd consider setting up a SA planted dwarf cichlid setup, not necessarily for breeding but for show. Or you could go with a dwarf WA cichlid as they colour up quite nicely. |
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Post by Salty on Oct 9, 2013 7:06:01 GMT -5
I found a breeding pair locally from a gentlemen in Windsor, I never breed them to sell just for looks (think I sold a total of 50 lol) when I changed my breeding Male I would drive to Toronto and pick one up.
I'm thinking a Fish only for salt as I got want to get new lights and a skimmer but either way I go Id like to to me as maintenance free as possible lol
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2013 7:20:36 GMT -5
If you're going LRFO then I'd recommend a few dwarf angels. Obviously, the Coral Beauty is a stunning fish that many like but you could also include Bi-colour Angel, one of my favourites. Or, if you can source locally or from J&L Aquatics, a group of Pygmy Angels. Very pretty and you could keep a number in a 20G along with an invert package, etc. Those Clown Gobies are also quite interesting and I've kept those for some variety and colour among the rocks, etc. Add a few shrimp, maybe a fire shrimp, some sexy shrimp, emerald crab, etc. Options are so wide open, just have to keep any fish on the smaller side.
Thinking about your options is now giving me the itch to setup a SW nano again. LOL
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Post by Salty on Oct 9, 2013 8:12:10 GMT -5
J&L is a great place!! for all Dry good they cant be beat on there prices and its free shipping over 100$
Id Like to do a Puffer and a few angels but I think I secrectly miss FW setups
There are so many possiblities to choose from and I think you just added about 5 more HA HA HA. I know my last tank now is a coral set up with lost of small fish
Salt - Puffer tank
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Post by Salty on Oct 9, 2013 8:15:10 GMT -5
Salt - PUffer Tank or angle setup with lots of interesting inverts NO CORAL
FW - Either a Small Gar, Sand/rock bottom set up with dwarf Cichilds or a guppy tank
Am I miss any possiblites LOL!!
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Post by 3littlefishes on Oct 9, 2013 11:20:49 GMT -5
You should totally breed pea-puffers. Apparently they are fairly easy and they are totally interesting to watch even if they don't breed.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2013 15:03:30 GMT -5
Go dwarf or go home! I'm in the process of trying to source dwarf cichlids, hopefully a nice WA that will work in a smaller tank. If I can't find anything then I'll either go with Apistos, if available or maybe even some Kribs or Bolivian Rams like my avatar. The club needs more dwarf cichlid keepers. So get some dwarfs and dither fish and be happy. We can swap fry too! J |
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Post by Admin on Oct 9, 2013 15:28:24 GMT -5
make it a freshwater shrimp tank, get some crystal reds
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Post by gabor129 on Oct 9, 2013 17:17:38 GMT -5
Well A Crystal red tank will not be low maintenance! Speaking from experience! However if you want something that is way out there why not a sexy shrimp aquarium? They are so interesting and you can have a lot of them in a 20G tank!
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Post by guppyguy on Oct 9, 2013 19:13:08 GMT -5
Guppy planted tank. lol You all knew I would say that.
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Post by Salty on Oct 10, 2013 7:07:39 GMT -5
You guys are making it difficult to choose lol!!
Ive done Dwarf South American cichlids in a 55 for about 3 years and LOVED IT but I'm done breeding fish. if mother nature steps in and Darwinism takes over than Ill get rid of the fry. In my last dwarf take there was trio of cockatoos, key hole. mated pare of kribs, bolovian rams, German rams, albino German rams and rock or flower shrimp.
I must admit Guppguy that I loved breeding guppies and getting new colours
I'm thinking salt might be tough because the tank is up stair (2 flights) and lugging water changes up there is going to get messy lol
I'm not a fan of freshwater shrimp tanks but will add then shrimp in as a nice effect!!
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One more thing about that... is when carving your foam... OVER-exaggerate any cracks or crevices. That way when you layer on the grout. they are not lost.
