Going Nano

[Biulu]

With the view of breeding killies I had ordered 6 20 litre tanks which are sitting in my shed. Today a friend that had left me his 80 litre tank 2 years ago called me saying he got back from Barcelona and would like his tank back. No problem as I am only using it currently as a quarantaine tank and my killies.

So, since I expect him to pick it up next week, I prepared one of the 20 litre tanks today:

50W heater
internal filter with spraybar 600l/hr (according to the specifications, but the thing is so small, I can hardly believe it!)
Dennerle nano lamp 11W

Plants: hydrocotyle (I am trying this for the last time!), cryptocorynes and lilaeopsis.

Hardscape: 1 piece of rock, mountain shape. Substrate: sand

I have not yet decided on the stocking. I want to put my 2 agasizzi cories in as they are a bit lost in my 46 gallon and never seem to be able to keep more than 2 alive. I am planning on upping them. I have no clue what else to put in them. I have seen badis badis (red colour) but only males, so I would only be able to put 1 in. Maybe I will simply go with a betta. It has been a while I kept them.

Pics will follow tomorrow. It is a bit late now...

 

[Biulu]

Here it is:

I wanted to put my golden wonder killies in it, but I wonder whether the light is too bright for them, plus that they like floating plants...

Sorry for all the stuff in the background. The dennerle lamp can only hold on a tank without a frame, which I don't have, so I had to make this adjustment to be able to mount it.

Comments and suggestions are welcome!

 

[Carlovel1]

Looks like a really nice tank
Its too small for Agasizzi corys or Gold Wonder Killis. Here how I would stock it:
6 Ember Corys
4 Clown Killifish
4 Bumblebee Gobys

 

[Biulu]

Thanks, but the only ones I can get here are the gobies. Any other ideas? I want to put the cories in there as they are being outcompeted in the 180 litre tank I have. I have had them for 6 months and they are still less than 2 cm....

 

[ian]

looks nice Lu, and good luck with the hydrocotyle. I never had luck with it until i started to use pressurised C02, i always found it to be a algae magnet.

 

[Biulu]

Thanks Ianho! I never reached that stage with hydrocotyle... They always died on me before they could even attract algae . However, since this is a good lamp (my cryptocoryne grew like crazy with it) and the water is more shallow (remember this is a swampy plant) I hope it will do better. I have also made sure the plants had proper roots. These plants are native to Mexico and are collected instead of being cultivated. Sometimes they had simply picked them without a root system...

 

[kiriyama]

Very nice, simple , clean, what about galaxy rasboras / pearl celestial danios or whatever they are called nowadays ?
Nice tank

 

[Biulu]

Thank you kiriyama! Supposedly one of the fish importers in Mexico city will get these fish next week. That would be a first for us! In the meantime I asked the killifish forum and Colin says it would be ok to house the golden wonders in there although it is a bit bare. So I have added some cabomba in front of the spraybar with the idea to slow down the current a bit and at the same time provide for more cover.

Tomorrow I will work on my 180 litre and try to catch the 2 cories.

 

[Biulu]

So, I added some cabomba and transferred the killies as well as 2 cories to their new home. I hope to buy 2 more cories but feel they are already more at ease in this smaller tank. They used to sit all the time in a corner in the back.

Here are some pictures:

EDIT: the crypts are melting put I hope they will soon pick up again

 

[Carlovel1]

Im so envious of your corys

 

[Biulu]

Thanks carlovel! Yes, I think they are doing well. Now only waiting until the killies show some breeding behaviour!

 

[MikeyUK47]

Nice work with the Hydrocotyle Like Ian, i've never had much joy growing it. What are you using as ferts? The cory's are gorgeous too. I would love cory's but they'd just dig my HC up!!

 

[Biulu]

Thanks Mike! I have just started dosing, starting slowly, as I have some Seradepot underneath. I am dosing 1 ml of Seachem nitrogen and 2 ml potassium.

 

[ian]

its coming on lu!

just a thought, have you got anymore of that rock? Putting 2 more smaller bits will really turn this scape IMO!

 

[Biulu]

I have many rocks from many places. I would have to go through my 'collection' to see if I have more of this. But I see what you mean...