Cory Tankmates

[TwoTankAmin]

Since you want lots of plants, plant the tank well and give it a couple of weeks to settle in. Plants consume ammonium (the NH4 form which dominates in water). They also arrive with bacteria on them. The result is if you let them establish a bit you can then stock without needing to cycle. You just add the fish over time rather than all at once. The more plants you have and the more that are fast growing, the more fish you can put in initially.
 
I almost never vacuum my planted tanks.
 
One of my favorite sites for planting info is here http/tropica.com/en/guide/

 

[Byron]

So far, I'm thinking that I like rainbow fish a lot, but it seems like they like a lot of space to swim, which may not jive with a heavier planted tank...if I end up planting heavily lol. Also, I'm finding conflicting opinions on how they handle hard water.
 

 
It depends upon the species.  Some are better in moderately hard water (what you have), some are better in softer water.  And there are those that will manage in between.  Same goes for swimming room...a 4-inch species will obviously need a bit more room within the tank than will a 2 inch species.
 

Another question I have is, since plants require what fish produce (nitrogen products) to live. Can I just have a planted tank for awhile, while I'm making sure it is properly cycled for fish?? Or will they not do well until I add in fish??
 

 
TTA has answered this one way, and as I always use the "silent cycle" method I will just add a couple of my observations.  Plants need nitrogen, and this comes from the ammonia produced by fish and the breakdown of organics.  Without fish in the tank, there will not be much ammonia.  I have a 20g tank with plants and snails; I use this as my QT for new fish acquisitions.  For sometimes months it remains fish-less, and the plants will survive but not thrive.  When I add some fish newly acquired, and they stay in this tank for five, six, seven or sometimes more weeks depending, I always see a significant increase in plant growth and appearance after a couple weeks.  I am convinced this is due to the influx of ammonia.  I do a 50% water change weekly (fish or not) and I add one dose of Flourish Comprehensive weekly, fish or not.
 
I have found that floating plants are ideal in new tanks.  They are at the surface, which gives them what we term the aerial advantage: they can assimilate CO2 from the air.  This is about four times faster than plants taking up CO2 from the water, and obviously there is no shortage of CO2 in the air as there may be in the water.  So floating plants tend to be fast growing, as they have this CO2 advantage plus the light is brighter at the surface.  Just add a comprehensive liquid fertilizer and you're set.
 
As for "making sure it is properly cycled for fish," this is not something you fuss over, and there is no way anyway.  Ammonia and nitrite will (or should) be zero throughout.  That is the whole point of this method, it avoids such issues so the fish are better off.
 
Byron.

 

[jag51186]

I just wanted to let everyone know, I started the purchasing process. Found a great LFS with healthy stock. Going to make a thread in the proper place detailing what I got...hope you can jump over and give me opinions there!!

 

[skink_boy]

Hey all, I'm new here. But I want to start a 40 or 55 gallon planted aquarium. I'm hoping to have a school of pygmy corys, and some C. Habrosus as well. I'd like to have some shrimp as well. What else can I throw in to add some color and movement at the mid to higher swimming level?? Also considered a small school of oto cats.

Get a bristle nose cat fish or 2 I have had one of my girls for 4 years(just saying I am only nine so thats a huge chunk of my life) i i suggest getting java moss as well looks really cool and the shrimp love it