Help with new planted 240 liters/60 g planted aquarium

[PedroMV]

hi, all i am from Argentina my name is Pedro and I have this project.

tank size: 90cm long 50 wide 50 tall 225 liters in total
filtration: eheim pro 4 plus 250 with pre filter and an eheim surface skimmer 350 will also use a lily pipe to control flow.
temperature:eheim heater 150 watts up to 36 degrees hot.
Lights: led light chichiros 90 cm 55 watts 8200 lumens 8000k color temp.
substratum: idk the amount I need imma buy 21 kilograms of seachem flourite. (can someone tell me if im wrong with this amount).

additives/algae control: bought a twinstar nano , will get seachem safe for water changes and idk if i should get biotrace probidio or seachem flourite , also if theres any way to add co2 without the tank just adding a product. also will have some probidio stop ammo and biodigest. will i need anything else? or im putting too much?.

tests: will get api master freshwater also api no2 no3 ph gh and kh ammonia tests separately.

food: i use tetra colors (have an ramirezi electric blue and tetra neon )and will ad seachem discus supplement.(is good to comply the tetra? ).

Fish: will start with some cardinal fish (after 1 month cycle nitrogen)and when the tank is stabilized for couple months will add 2 or 3 discus (4 cm).(how many of discus tetras and botias can i add).

Plants:i liked many for what i searched they compatible ludwigia repens Rubens, ludwigia sp red, halthernantera reinecki,and hemianthus callitrichoides for what ive seen they all do good at 28 degrees.
(there are any tropical pink yellow or violet plants havent found any)

Thank you all for your time any help will be appreciated.

 

[Colin_T]

temperature:eheim heater 150 watts up to 36 degrees hot.

Do not take the water temperature above 30C because most fish die when it goes above that.

The Kelvin rating of your light is a bit high for freshwater plants. 6500K is all you need. If you are running a marine coral tank, then you can go 8000K if you like but anything over 6500K is a bit overkill for most things.

You control algae in tanks by limiting light, adding more plants, adding or reducing certain nutrients. Don't worry too much about algae until the tank has been set up and running for a month and you have an algae problem.

You should get a test kit that includes ammonia. Liquid test kits are more accurate than paper strips. Keep the test kits cool and dry so they last longer, and check the expiry date on them before you buy them. Some of the test kits are not big sellers and might have been on the shelf for a long time and they could be stuffed.

 

[Byron]

In addition to what Calvin posted (agree), I would not fuss over so-called plant substrates like Flourite. I used this in a 70g for two years but ended up tossing it out in the garden; the plants did not show improvement over regular play sand, and my cories had their barbels shredded before I spotted why. Play sand is fine for fish and plants. You can also use substrate tabs for large heavy-feeding plants, and/or liquid for others.

On the additives...yes, you are using too much for the health of fish. Remember that every substance added to the water in a fish tank ends up inside the fish, and while these may not kill the fish outright, they certainly are not beneficial. If fish are intended, keep the additives minimal. Water conditioner (to remove chlorine/chloramine from tap water) is essential, but beyond that, go easy.

You mentioned CO2...there will be a lot of natural CO2 occurring once the tank is established. If the light is not too intense, this will usually be sufficient.

 

[PedroMV]

thank you i decided not to buy the twinstar and the additives also will try with sand first how many kilograms do i need for the 100x50 tank.

i bought the eheim pro4 250 filter also a 150 watts eheim 20/40 degrees regulated.

In addition to what Calvin posted (agree), I would not fuss over so-called plant substrates like Flourite. I used this in a 70g for two years but ended up tossing it out in the garden; the plants did not show improvement over regular play sand, and my cories had their barbels shredded before I spotted why. Play sand is fine for fish and plants. You can also use substrate tabs for large heavy-feeding plants, and/or liquid for others.

On the additives...yes, you are using too much for the health of fish. Remember that every substance added to the water in a fish tank ends up inside the fish, and while these may not kill the fish outright, they certainly are not beneficial. If fish are intended, keep the additives minimal. Water conditioner (to remove chlorine/chloramine from tap water) is essential, but beyond that, go easy.

You mentioned CO2...there will be a lot of natural CO2 occurring once the tank is established. If the light is not too intense, this will usually be sufficient.

 

[Byron]

Play sand comes in 25 kg bags here, and one bag was more than sufficient for my tank of the same dimensions. But it is always nice to have a bit extra to fill in as needed. If you get it in individual kg, 10 to 12 kg would do it. You don't want it too deep, I aim for an overall depth (with just the washed sand spread out evenly in the empty tank) of 2 inches. You can move this to be less along the front and more in the back.

 

[PedroMV]

should i get seachem flourite as substrate? was thinking on getting 21kgs of that tipe or 14 and 5 of ser flordepon

Play sand comes in 25 kg bags here, and one bag was more than sufficient for my tank of the same dimensions. But it is always nice to have a bit extra to fill in as needed. If you get it in individual kg, 10 to 12 kg would do it. You don't want it too deep, I aim for an overall depth (with just the washed sand spread out evenly in the empty tank) of 2 inches. You can move this to be less along the front and more in the back.

 

[Byron]

should i get seachem flourite as substrate? was thinking on getting 21kgs of that tipe or 14 and 5 of ser flordepon

I already mentioned I consider Flourite a waste of money; I had it for two years in one tank and found it useless. And it was too sharp for substrate fish. Plain inert sand is just as good.

"ser flordepon" I assume is Sera floredepot...I've never used this, but I would not waste money on this either.

Aside from the above, you will not want 21 kg of any substrate for this tank.

 

[PedroMV]

I already mentioned I consider Flourite a waste of money; I had it for two years in one tank and found it useless. And it was too sharp for substrate fish. Plain inert sand is just as good.

"ser flordepon" I assume is Sera floredepot...I've never used this, but I would not waste money on this either.

Aside from the above, you will not want 21 kg of any substrate for this tank.

sorry im not a native english speaker what u mean when u say" you will not want 21 kg of any substrate for this tank.[/QUOTE]"

 

[PedroMV]

also im about to order the tank which thick the glass should be is 0.6 cm ok and also the metal stand 3x3 will be enough to resist 320 kgs

 

[Colin_T]

If the tank is 90cm long x 50cm wide x 50cm tall, it should have 8-10mm thick glass on the base, and 8mm on the sides.

6mm thick glass is used for tanks up to 45cm high and 45cm wide, but if the tank is taller or wider, the glass needs to be thicker.

If the tank is 60cm wide or high, you need 10mm thick glass on the base and sides.

----------------------
If you are making a stand out of metal, what gauge is the metal?

 

[Byron]

sorry im not a native english speaker what u mean when u say" you will not want 21 kg of any substrate for this tank.

"[/QUOTE]

Earlier the dimensions and volume were posted, and for this sized tank you will not want as much substrate as 21 kg. Half of that amount will be more than sufficient.

Substrate should not be too deep, and I tend to aim for 2-3 inches (6 to 7 cm) depth when the washed sand is spread evenly over the bottom of the tank. You can then push the sand around to make it a bit deeper in the back and shallower in the front. But if you have more than this much sand it will get pretty deep.

 

[PedroMV]

ive. ordered the tank stand , the lighting and all electrical artfacts are here , also got substrate.
now im wondering how many fish can i put n 220 liters (250-substarte and rocks roots)
i want to put neon cardinals discus and pulcher an american dwarf cichlid (10cm adult male 8,5 females).ni will add em in groups star0ting with neons(ill use 4 probidio bio digest to acelerate the process ansd wait a week until adding the first group and last will be discus(2 months after the first group if parameters are ok).

 

[Byron]

There is no quick and easy answer to your question on how many fish in a tank. Each species of fish has a set of specific needs that must be provided if they are to be healthy, not stressed. The water parameters, the aquascape, lighting, water flow all factor in to this. And there is also the number of the species, which I will explain.

Shoaling fish are fish that live in large groups of their own species. They have various reasons why this is essential, and when numbers of that species are not present thee fish will be under stress, which weakens them, leading to poor health and often early death. Minimum numbers are recommended for a species, and while this is the minimum it is still true that for most species having more than the minimum will be better for the fish. The tank size enters into this equation.

Tetras are shoaling fish, and six is the minimum most will suggest but having a few more is always better. Cardinal tetra (I assume this is what you mean by neon cardinal) will be OK with such a group.

Discus are also shoaling fish, and five is the minimum. This however needs a larger tank, at least 120 cm in length. So this is not a good idea here.

The pulcher american dwarf cichlid I assume is Andinocara pulcher, which used to be classified as Aequidens pulcher. This species also needs at least a 120 cm tank, data here:
https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/andinoacara-pulcher/

Combining two or more species of cichlid is not generally advisable even in a 120 cm tank.

 

[PedroMV]

since the delay of tank is 3 weeks and they did not even started i was able to change the tank to 130 50 40 also i think i wont put the pulchers,i will start the tank with 5 probidio biodigest after a week im adding first 10 cardinals then 10 more a week after this ones 10 more and 2 corys a week later and a month after ifs all good i might add the discus if the tank is suitable.( i think that tank will be like 250 liters since i dont plan on putting wood just some little isles of rock not more of 10 kgs

 

[PedroMV]

Since the tank is bigger i got a new filter to add the eheim liberty 200 i wars told to remove the coal and Also i can cut and full the two sponge cartidges with bio filter media , the only Ones available are seschem purigen and matrix ( it says is better than the coal since it deos not drop phosphates into the Water )and Also eheim mech , which combinación should i get?