StarOrbs Gallery

Here are a couple more pics now that my tank is about 90% clear.
First one is a new full tank shot that looks a lot better.

This one is a close up of Tropic Sunset (Hygrophilia Polysperma).

StarOrbs said:

My ph is around ~7 ppm coming out of the tap. Tends to either be a little higher or lower depending whats in the tank. Most of the time it's right at 7.0

Click to expand...

Do you know the hardness (KH/GH)?

If your pH is 7 without CO2 then your water will be quite soft - ideal for most Tetras, Barbs, Loaches, Corys etc. When you add CO2 your pH will drop creating a good environment for these acidophile fish.

You could go for an Amazon style biotope i.e. a large shoal of small tetras and one or two pairs of South American dwarf cichlids, don't forget plenty of algae eaters too - Otos, Siamese Algae Eaters and Amano shrimp are ideal.

Your tank looks very nice BTW.

gf225 said:

don't forget plenty of algae eaters too - Otos, Siamese Algae Eaters and Amano shrimp are ideal.

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It's best to get algae eaters from the start before the algae even starts appearing. That way you can always stay one step ahead. It's a lesson I've learned from experience, unfortunately.

Nice tank and good plant selection too. It will be interesting what the 'scape will turn out to be.

gf225 said:

StarOrbs said:

My ph is around ~7 ppm coming out of the tap. Tends to either be a little higher or lower depending whats in the tank. Most of the time it's right at 7.0

Click to expand...

Do you know the hardness (KH/GH)?

If your pH is 7 without CO2 then your water will be quite soft - ideal for most Tetras, Barbs, Loaches, Corys etc. When you add CO2 your pH will drop creating a good environment for these acidophile fish.

You could go for an Amazon style biotope i.e. a large shoal of small tetras and one or two pairs of South American dwarf cichlids, don't forget plenty of algae eaters too - Otos, Siamese Algae Eaters and Amano shrimp are ideal.

Your tank looks very nice BTW.

Click to expand...

It's been a while, but I know it was pretty soft. Let me look at a CO2 chart maybe I can remember. I may have to go pick one up it's been months since I checked. I know it's somewhere around 3-4 I can't remeber anything closer to that.

I would add some type of wood to the tank but last time I did that I had tannis that I could never get rid of. I soaked that thing for weeks, tried different methods to no avail. There aren't any places around here that have it anyway.

Once cycling is done and I make sure it's ready for fish, I'll probally try and add some algae eaters. I know I'll be adding some of those. The rest I haven't really thought of yet.

I like the shoal of tetras and a couple of dwarves, only problem is there doesn't seem to be many of them around me. One store occasionally has German Blue Rams but thats it.