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Yes, awesome idea!!

Great suggestions!!! I like the look of Ember Tetras. :)

This is VERY valuable information!! Thank you so much!! I have pretty much ruled out the Cardinal tetra after all of the advice I have received... I may include Neon Tetras, but then again, I may end up going with a different Tetra instead... There are a few Tetras that I know I do NOT want...

It's so sad... :(

That's a good point and a Nice thought!! :D Unfortunately, I have heard that they often do not recover at that point. :(

Hhmmm... Ive heard of many people keeping Rummy nose with Harlequin Rasboras before? I'm on the fence about Cardinal or Neon Tetras... I honestly would prefer the Cardinal over the Neon, but I might rule them out becuase I have heard they do require pretty specific water parameters (namely Temp...

Ok, so I guess my theory about DGD was not accurate at all! lol My GH is around 8

Ok, so I have crossed Hillstream Loaches off of my list. Thanks for pointing out that they really don't fit with the water parameter requirement of the other fish on my list. Also, I will probably now avoid Dwarf Gouramis, unless I can find a reputable breeder. That's unfortunate because they...

I wonder if DGD might be a regional thing? I notice that a lot of the members on this Forum are from the UK/England. I live in the US, so perhaps the disease is more prevalent in Europe than it is in the US? Just a thought... or again, maybe I was just lucky? lol :D

Hmmm... I had never heard of DGD until you just mentioned it. I didn't know what DGD stood for, so I had to look it up just now!! lol.... I have kept Dwarf Gouramis in the past (several years ago in a different tank) and never had any problems... I had three of them and they were very...

I just started a fishless cycle in my 55 gallon tank today, so it will be a few weeks before I can put any fish in the tank, but I want to have a game plan for when I can add fish. Below is a list of the fish I am considering stocking my tank with: Bottom Dwellers: Corydoras catfish (C. julii...

Gotcha.... Ok, thank you! I will continue to follow the instructions in the Thread. :)

I set up my 55gal Tank two days ago (sand substrate with a lot of driftwood and rocks). I have some ceramic ball filter media and some pieces of lava rock in both of my HOB filters. The ammonia I ordered arrived late yesterday, so I waited till the morning to add the first dose. I added Dose...

Thank you! :)

I think I have heard that about snails too... I think that the MTS is a type of snail that spends a lot of time burrowing, which is why it probably helps to dislodge pockets of gas. But I had MTS in a tank before, and I don't want to go there again!!! I do plan on stocking the tank with snails...

I haven't spoken with anyone directly about the "air-pocket thing", but based on the research I did, all indications are that if you "rake" the sand gently with your hands (or with an aquarium rake?) when you clean the tank and/or do a water change, that this releases most pockets of trapped...

I decided to go with sand and I will use flourish liquid and root tabs. Thanks!

I set up my tank today!! I took your advice and went with just sand and it looks amazing!! I have a lot of driftwood and a few rocks in there and it looks so natural. I LOVE it! I wont be adding plants or fish for a while because I will be going on vacation in a little while, so I am going...

Thank you so much!! I actually set up my tank today!!! :D I used a buff/beige pool filter sand (which I am assuming is similar to play sand?) and rinsed it quite a bit before putting it in the tank. As soon as I started putting the sand into the tank, I realized that I didn't think I would like...

You can get a Python No Spill Clean and Fill system for around $40 on Amazon... It may not be cheap, but just think about the long term value it will have for you. In the long run it will be well worth the $40. I wouldn't have a large tank without one!!! I had one years ago that I used for my...

Thanks for your advice!! I was thinking that the planted substrates were not worth it when I can just fertilize the water and use root tabs... For clarification, I wasn't planning on sloping the sand. I was planning on sloping the gravel towards the back with just level sand in the...

I will be setting up a 55 gallon planted aquarium and I am having a hard time deciding what to use as a substrate. I have done A LOT of research and looked into all of the pros and cons of the many different substrates available, and I am still just not sure that to use. One thing that I do...

Makes sense... Thank you!! I will definitely do that. :)

Planned on it... I just didn't specify that... I realize that when I get back I will need to test the water to figure out where I am at in the cycling process. I have the API Master Test kit already. I know that I will likely need to add additional ammonia when I return (depending on the test...

Ok, this makes sense... Thanks!!! So, I can start the fishless cycling without plants, by adding ammonia before I leave for vaca, and then when I return from vacation, and I have verified (via testing) that the tank is done cycling, then I can stop adding ammonia and begin adding plants and...

Ok, thanks... I am curious though... Are you suggesting that, when I return, I add some fish and THEN START start the cycle with fish as the source of ammonia then? Or are you suggesting that my tank will be mostly cycled and ready for fish when I return? I guess that is what is confusing...

Ok, now I am confused... Sorry... No, I have not added plants yet. My tank isn't even set up yet (no water, nothing in it yet). So, when I do set it up, if I chose to add plants straight away then I shouldn't add ANY ammonia at all? If I am going to do a fishless cycle, and I add ammonia, I...

Thank you so much for the advise!! :)

Thank you so much for the advise!!! I will definitely do all of this. :D

Ok, sounds good! I love floating plants and how the roots look hanging down into the water so that will be perfect.. I will get as many plants as I can and go for those that grow quickly like floating plants. Thanks!!

Ok, is that the case for a heavily planted tank, or any tank with any amount of plants? The reason I ask is because I am not sure how many plants I will be able to purchase at once in the beginning, so it might not be heavily planted to start out. I may have to add more plants as I can afford...

Awesome!! Thank you so much for all of your advise!! I think I am going to go ahead and go with a fishless cycle and add as many plants as I can. I had planned on setting up a planted tank anyway. Thanks again!

Awesome!!! I think I will do the fishless cycle with lots of plants then. I will order some ammonia now and set up the tank this weekend!! Thank you so much for your advise!! I am so glad I became a member of this Forum. Everyone is so awesome and helpful! Thanks again! :)

Ok, so I could set up the tank now with plants, start the fishless cycle by adding ammonia and testing the water, and then my husband wouldn't have to do a thing except turn the lights on for the plants in the morning and turn them off at night? So the cycle might "pause" a little, but wont...

I wondered about the requirement of oxygen and current.... In any case from what everyone on here is saying it sounds like my idea really wouldn't be very effective and would likely be more of a waste of time. If I set up the tank now and added as many plants as I can, wouldn't my husband still...

So he wouldn't have to test the water or add any ammonia? I thought that this was the fishless process?

I already have a pretty good understanding of how the Cycling process goes.... I guess I am just being impatient to get the cycling process started... and because I will be gone in 4 weeks (gone for two weeks), and I can't rely on my husband to take care of a cycling tank, I guess I will just...

I'm not necessarily in a rush to complete cycling.... I just want to get my tank set up!! After that, if it takes 4-6 weeks, I don't care... My lack of patience is for actually setting up the tank and adding water! :D But I know that I can't rely on my husband to take care of a tank that is...