Advice on Stock Redux

[PlasticGalaxy]

So here I am, back again to ask about my stock. However, this time I'm asking before I plunge myself into the deep end and blindly start picking out fish for my tank. Overstocking has quickly become my greatest fear after one, quite frankly, rude reply I received concerning my stock (I'm a very sensitive person lol), so here I am running a hypothetical stock by anyone who cares to listen!

I'm currently posting bits here and there on my planted tank journal, that I'm more or less just spit-balling all of my ideas on. In my recent addition I went over some general ideas for stock, but it was one of many that I'm currently brainstorming.
Right now, I have no real idea of what I'd like to have in this tank. The tank is 54L, 60x30x30cm with sand substrate, will be a planted tank with some kind of carpet plant and amazon frogbit. Also very low tech since I'm a total beginner.

Stock 1:
Male + female guppies
Albino corydoras
Gold laser corydoras
Shrimp (of any kind)

Stock 2:
Male + female guppies
Kuhli loaches
Bristlenose pleco

Any help, tips, advice, e.c.t. would be greatly appreciated. If you'd like, you can make up a stock that might go well in this tank. (Wink wink, nudge nudge.)
Thank you!

(Tank is empty right now, hoping to get plants soon)

 

[PheonixKingZ]

That tank would be to small for these:

Kuhli loaches
Bristlenose pleco

Gold laser corydoras

Albino corys may work, but not with guppies. (Because of the hardness issue)

You could do a school of Harliquen Rasbora’s and some shrimp. Or a shoal of corys and shrimp would be cool.

 

[Naughts]

What are your water parameters, particularly GH?

 

[seangee]

Do you know the hardness of your water. The number we are looking for is GH - we will also need the unit. Guppies need hard water and cories need soft. We can better advise once we know what we are working with.

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

That tank would be to small for these:



Albino corys may work, but not with guppies. (Because of the hardness issue)

You could do a school of Harliquen Rasbora’s and some shrimp. Or a shoal of corys and shrimp would be cool.

Ah, alright, thank you!

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

What are your water parameters, particularly GH?

Currently my parameters are:
0.25ppm nitrite
0.00ppm ammonia
~8 pH
I don't actually know about the water hardness since I don't have a test kit for it yet, but I live in South Eastern England where the water is the hardest of all areas in the UK.

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

Do you know the hardness of your water. The number we are looking for is GH - we will also need the unit. Guppies need hard water and cories need soft. We can better advise once we know what we are working with.

I don't actually know about the water hardness since I don't have a test kit for it yet, but I live in South Eastern England where the water is the hardest of all areas in the UK.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Albino corys may work, but not with guppies. (Because of the hardness issue)

Actually, albino cories are just an albino variety of different species of corydoras, so it depends which species of cory the particular batch of albinos is. Most commonly found are albino corydoras aeneus, the bronze cory. Same requirements as a bronze cory, which is a species that is okay with a hardness up to 268ppm

Corydoras aeneus – Bronze Cory (Corydoras schultzei, Corydoras venezuelanus) — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

Fine for both aeneus cories (whether the bronze form or albino) and for guppies, when in that upper range.

There was a thread made detailing how you can ID which species of cory an albino one is, if you want to search for that thread, OP. I'll see if I can find it.

For your own water hardness, check your water providers website for the water quality report, should give hardness there, for most places. Let us know the unit of measurement as well as the numbers

 

[Naughts]

OK, for hard water I'd recommend endlers over guppies as they are slightly smaller (so you can get more!) and have lovely colours. I wouldn't keep male and female together due to their prolific breeding quickly becoming a problem, I have all males because they have the nice colours and fins. 10 or 12 in this sized tank.
You could establish a colony of neocardinia red cherry shrimp to breed, their bioload is small so it won't matter if there are dozens. Start with 10 mixed male and female, the females should be a nice strong colour. The population will then be self-sustaining.

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

OK, for hard water I'd recommend endlers over guppies as they are slightly smaller (so you can get more!) and have lovely colours. I wouldn't keep male and female together due to their prolific breeding quickly becoming a problem, I have all males because they have the nice colours and fins. 10 or 12 in this sized tank.
You could establish a colony of neocardinia red cherry shrimp to breed, their bioload is small so it won't matter if there are dozens. Start with 10 mixed male and female, the males should be a nice strong colour. The population will then be self-sustaining.

I've not seen any endlers in my local shops as of yet... They seem very pretty though!
Thank you for the ideas!!

 

[Essjay]

Pre lockdown, all the Maidenhead Aquatics branches I've been in had at least one variety of endler - they come in different colour patterns.

What is the name of your water company? I'll see if I can find the page for you to type in your postcode.

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

Pre lockdown, all the Maidenhead Aquatics branches I've been in had at least one variety of endler - they come in different colour patterns.

What is the name of your water company? I'll see if I can find the page for you to type in your postcode.

Southern Water, I'm pretty sure. Had a look on their site but didn't navigate it for long enough to figure it out.

 

[Essjay]

Here it is

How Hard Is My Water? - Southern Water

Use our postcode checker to find out the water hardness in your area and read our tips on how to avoid limescale.

www.southernwater.co.uk

When you've entered your postcode it'll take you to a page with several boxes. One of them will say "your water is rated as....". This is what I mean (I used a business address located in Southern Water's coverage area map). The number you want is just above the pink strip - it is very faint - white text on a pale grey background is not the best idea!

If you click on the little arrow then select two of those - CaCO3 and deg German - and tell us the numbers for both, please.

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

Here it is

How Hard Is My Water? - Southern Water

Use our postcode checker to find out the water hardness in your area and read our tips on how to avoid limescale.

www.southernwater.co.uk

When you've entered your postcode it'll take you to a page with several boxes. One of them will say "your water is rated as....". This is what I mean (I used a business address located in Southern Water's coverage area map). The number you want is just above the pink strip - it is very faint - white text on a pale grey background is not the best idea!

View attachment 130812

If you click on the little arrow then select two of those - CaCO3 and deg German - and tell us the numbers for both, please.

Ahaha it won't let me do it because it says "Your water is supplied by another company. To find out who supplies your water visit the Ofwat website."
So much for that then... Well, my county is renowned for how hard and chalky the water is, so until I can get a test kit there's my best estimate lol

 

[ClownLurch]

Why not just visit the offwat website?