180Litre community tank progress

[Cromid]

Progress on my 180Litre (47 us gal) scape!
Plants and fish are all doing so well, really happy with how the tank has evolved over the last few months. Plant growth has been crazy, I’m always cutting back plenty despite not using any high tech co2.

water is soft and kept at around 7ph and 75-76 degrees
Doing 30% weekly water changes
Dosing with excel liquid Carbon daily and full comp week
Lights are on for 8 hours a day

Stocking heavily with
2 Bolivian ram
18 rummynose tetra
12 cardinal tetra
12 glow light tetra
5 neon dwarf rainbowfish
9 peppered Cory (some are juveniles)
3 netrite snails
Probably 50+ rcs (they hide so well in the Christmas moss)

Plants include an array of different cypts, Anubias, rotala, moss on large pieces of riverwood.

I would love to add one or two final centre piece fish that stay higher in the tank, since I am a lot more stocked lower down the tank, like a Pearl Gourami but I know that I’m pretty heavily stocked already so I’m not sure that is do able.
If you guys think a Pearl or any other ideas for a final fish I could add like this please advise!

But I hope you like my tank as its looking just now!

 

[foxgirl158]

Beautiful!!

 

[Naughts]

That's a gorgeous tank.
Can you list some of the plants and where you buy them please?

 

[Cromid]

That's a gorgeous tank.
Can you list some of the plants and where you buy them please?

Sure! I got all the plants, substrate and hardscape from aquariumgardens.co.uk - I actually spoke with them directly and told them what I was hoping to build and they made me up a list and selection of plants they thought would work - amazing service. Here’s a phot of the list of what I got and the number of each

 

[Naughts]

Thank you Cromid, that's really helpful. I'll head over to aquariumgardens.co.uk!
Much appreciated

 

[Wills]

Looks fantastic! Very impressive without Co2.

 

[Cromid]

Looks fantastic! Very impressive without Co2.

Thanks so much Wills!

Do you think adding a Pearl gourami or similar centrepiece kinda fish would be ok or do you think I’m abit too heavily stocked already to even add the one

 

[Wills]

Thanks so much Wills!

Do you think adding a Pearl gourami or similar centrepiece kinda fish would be ok or do you think I’m abit too heavily stocked already to even add the one

I'll be honest when I saw the stocking list I made a sharp intake of break thinking thats a lot of fish lol I'd probably leave it where you are for now as your Rams and Rainbow fish are going to get to a good size. I am a bit concerned about the Rainbow fish in soft water but I'd rather them be with you than someone who doesnt know what they are doing.

But the tank does look awesome

Wills

 

[Naughts]

I am a bit concerned about the Rainbow fish in soft water

No need to worry, they are not a particularly hard water variety:

Melanotaenia praecox (Neon Dwarf Rainbowfish) — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

 

[Colin_T]

Dosing with excel liquid Carbon daily and full comp week

I wouldn't be using that, it's pretty toxic stuff.

 

[Cromid]

I wouldn't be using that, it's pretty toxic stuff.

Is it? I’ve been using it for a couple of years now after seeing it recommended in a lot of forums n blogs. That’s abit disconcerting!

 

[Essjay]

Google glutaraldehyde - the active ingredient is basically that.

 

[Cromid]

Google glutaraldehyde - the active ingredient is basically that.

Yeaaah that doesn’t sound good. What alternative liquid carbon would you recommend to use?
Is the seachems florish comp liquid fert, and their declorinator atleast safe for livestock? Bit worried now that I’m slowly poisoning my fish

 

[Essjay]

As far as I'm aware, all liquid CO2 products contain this. At least, all the ones which list the ingredients do. The only alternative is CO2 gas.

Flourish Comprehensive and Prime are not toxic, though like all things added to an aquarium we should use only the dose stated on the bottle and not an overdose.

 

[Fishfinder1973]

What a great looking aquarium.The plants are bushier than a fox’s tail,and so green,something that’s not easy to achieve.well done,I’m sure the fish will be happy in there.