Boita Compatibility

[BigFish01]

Ok I have been looking at the caribsea eco complete planted black aquarium substrate. I think that is what i have chosen. Roughly a buck a pound. Looking around 120lbs.. whew. Looks like next month! gotta save up for rent. But i think it is going to make the tank look SOOO much better. Show off the colors in the rocks, oranges on the fish will be a lot brighter looking. Do you think that wold be ok for cories? I'm thinking about getting a group of six cories for the little tank. Do you think i would have enough room for them? all i have in there is the three bolivians and two ottos. Let me know what you think. Saw 6 babies at the store today and almost got them. but i figured i should wait! dont need to get myself into trouble making quick decisions like that. I need to get the angels though. after the substrate change. I think that will fill my mid section right up when they start to get bigger. 

 

[greenmumma141]

Holy cow, what a great camera, especially up close where it counts!!!!! FOTM here you come! I honestly don't think you need to do anything differently, the pics look great!!!!! 
 
You tank looks HUUUGEE!!! nice pieces of mopani too! When you plant it, I would really plant heavily around your rocks so it looks like it's been there forever

Angels are going to look great in your tank. The thing that's great about them is that even when they're small, they take up a lot of space bc they're all over the place, especially when they're in a group bc they're brave. and silly

 
I was just recently looking at eco complete too lol. black substrate is going to look amazing in that tank, I can't wait lol.  Unfortunately, eco complete is not good for cories

 I heard it is really rough. The pics that they give you online with the product info is way diff than the actual pics I've seen of it in tanks. HOWEVER, someone on the forums said they make an eco complete "fine grade" now. And they've been using it, successfully, with cories for about 6 months now.  
 
20 gallons are tricky bc there's so many different footprints to them, but bc yours is a 20 long, i think you should be fine with a group of cories....

You've finally been brought to the dark side muahaha, hope your ready for the addiction that comes with it

 What type of cories did you see? bc it's still a 20g which is the minimum, I would stick with a smaller species like pandas. They've got one of the best personalities IMO as well. Plus they're coloring would look pretty killer with black substrate. You could even go with one of the dwarf species and up the numbers to 10, but they're not quite the same as other cories, and I think you should experience the real thing lol...... what is wrong with me.
 
I convinced the husband that setting up the 10g is a great idea. I must say, my wifely ways are at their pinnacle lol... I mentioned that with the way my angels keep spawning, I could probably make a couple bucks here and there if I raised the fry and sold them. But not in a breeders net thats for sure. And he had the great idea of setting up my little tank. See what i did there?!

 

[BigFish01]

The cories i was looking at were the albino. they had 6 babies at meijer. One had some fins torn and his barbels werent in the best of shape either. felt bad for them. they were soo crowded in that tank too. I guess i wouldnt do the black sand in that tank then unless i can find some finer grade. But i'm gonna keep looking. I like the thought of the eco complete though for the plants. OH and with my new lids i am able to just set the shop light fixtures on the glass instead of hanging them. The light penetrates a lot lot better. so i should see an improvement in my plants though. Would like to get it to 1.8 wpg like i have my 20gal. I need some fish that would have more movement in there. The bolivians dont move a whole lot so it kinda gets boring after a while! Sill like them a lot though. they are really easy to get a good picture of though!!  
 
Yeah you have to work it with your other half to get them to let you have another tank. Thats what i came up with for the plants thing so my clowns wouldnt ruin them. I'm gonna have to start selling them soon! lol I also started adding more liquid carbon to both tanks. i'm up to 4ml for the little tank a day and 25ml for the large tank. Thats gonna get expensive quick... 

 

[greenmumma141]

Ugh, poor cories. I say, go for it and get the little buggers. Some sources say 20g is the minimum for c. aeneus, and others say 30... and some stupid ones say 10g lol. Albinos would look pretty sick against a black substrate too  
 
I know, i was bummed to find out the eco complete was too rough too.  Try the fine grade and if you like it I will get some

Or maybe cap the eco with a black sand? Eagles capped his with the petco black sand and it looked pretty amazing... I might do the same for my ten gallon now that I think about it....

 

[BigFish01]

Will have to give it some thought on the sand. I like the cories but it just seems so small for that many.... my big tank needs more fish... lol. Lets get the sand figured out and then work out some fish! its pretty exiting to be able to get stuff that I couldnt now that my gf is working and bills are getting paid off! Yay. Next month some changes are coming

 

[BigFish01]

I dunno... I'm thinking about kulhi loaches instead. they would probably be a lot happier in the small tank than the corries will be. they are small.

In the meantime... check out some pics i snapped over the last couple days

 
Clowns hangin together.

i dont think i could ever get rid of them....

 
 
Polka dots gettin bigger

 
Well i guess thats all i uploaded so far. will upload some more tonight if i get time.

 

[snazy]

Lovely pictures. I just love loaches..
 
+1 for the kuhlis.
I really like mine.

 

[BigFish01]

It was your videos that swayed me snazzy!

Hi my name is Tony, and im a loach-ahaulic!

 

[snazy]

Hi Tony, I think I kind of guessed about the loach-ahaulic part

And you got my name right as it's the short version of my real name , or at least what my friends call me.
 
The kuhli loach tank I setup really works for them. It's been a week and yesterday and today they've been all over the place, out and about not hiding with lights on, so if they've got many places to hide they don't seem to "disappear" in the tank and are super cool. They are my favourite after my corys.

 

[greenmumma141]

Kuhlis are awesome!!! I'm pretty maxed out for bottom feeders  

 

[BigFish01]

... omg!

 

[snazy]

He, he. Where are the fish Tony?
They must love those slate caves you do for them.
The black substrate is nice and once the water clears up a bit and the plants grow it will look even nicer.
You can decorate a plastic plant pot with some silicone and pebbles/stones(whatever suits the tank),then fill it up with some soil/capped with substrate or whatever plant substrate you have, plant it, and place it on top of that flat slate to give it more height. It's only a suggestion, not that it will necessarily make it nicer.

 

[BigFish01]

That is a good idea snazy! I have been trying to come up with a way to hide the heater some more and the filter inlet. And also in the big tank that would work well. The pic was taken five mins after i put the substrate, water and fish in. Two of the bolivians are hiding in the cave. One jammed herself into my sword plant and wont move. They are interesting little fishies. the ottos are out exploring the new setup. Now if i would have done that before the competition entry i might have done better! lol I dont stand a chance with some of the other tanks, including yours! I do have an anubias plant that will grow very tall at the base of the rock, but I gotta get it to grow back up first.. 
 
I went with the petco brand black sand. was really really weird to wash. when its dry it will stick to the air bubbles and float to the top like crazy. It was a layer about 1/2" thick of sand floating...  but after soaking it all day and rinsing it a bunch of times it turned out very very well. Now for the big tank. That is not going to be so easy. I dont have anywhere to put my fish while i do the swap. I think they will be ok as long as it goes in as clean as today. just a lot of work to get it there! Thinking i'm gonna need about a hundred pounds... Thats almost a hundred bucks!

 


Its hard to believe i started the wisteria plants that cover the left and right sides from two plants that my clowns tore apart... hahaa

 

[snazy]

That otto is super cute on the first picture

The fish will recover. They don't like such a change of course. I'd monitor the water stats and do a few extra water changes in the first week or two as the old substrate sometimes holds a lot of bacs contributing to the good chemistry.
 
As for a container to keep the fish while scaping have you checked those big plastic ones they sell in the hardware stores? I've got one about 90L big and I was able to run the filters and all in it.

 

[BigFish01]

Like a stock tank? Those are not bad. I have a 150 gal that i use for my pond filter and a 300 gal that i use as a settlement tank before the filter.

Was just talking to my girlfriend about when we put flooring down here. That is going to suck! Where do you hide a 6ft fish tank for a couple days?? Lol The 20 can go upstairs... but there is only one room that the tank can get into down here without tearing out a wall.... lol dont think she would go for that. Maybe I could take a couple days off and when they get the first section laid out I can get the tank drained and ready to move. Then they can finish... oh boy. Wish I didnt sell my 55gal now.... ha.. ok done rambling... lol
I also only have five fish in there so it shouldnt be too bad. Will keep an eye on it tho. Thanks!

Maybe I will utilize that flooring time to buy a new tank thats not all scratched up inside and sell this one! You cant see the scratches really until the algae starts to grow a little. Thats the first place it starts... ha!