My First Tank - 60L Sand

[TheStretchedElf]

Hi everybody. Newby here, both to the site and fish keeping in general.

Recently my mother in law gave me a 60l tank. At the moment I have no fish in it as I'm still aquascaping and cycling. I've gone for a sand substrate, a few medium sized pebbles and a piece of bogwood. The two plastic plants came with the tank and I plan on padding the scape out with quite a few more. I did consider using live plants but thought with this being my first tank I would stick with plastic for now.

Here is the tank at the moment.

My stocking plan is as follows:

10 neon tetras
5 kuhli loaches
2 red wag platies
2 tiger shrimp

I will update with more photos as the aquascaping moves along. Let me know your thoughts, as a newbie your experience and opinions will be very valuable I'm sure.

 

[Welshweeks]

Nice looking tank. Just a waiting game now with the fishless cycle! I know you don't want to put live plants in at the moment but why don't you put some moss balls in, they look after themselves, also java moss is easy to grow and would look nice wrapped around the wood? 

 

[TheStretchedElf]

Thanks. The main reason I chose plastic was for ease as a beginner, and I was given the first two. I'm not completely closed to introducing live plants but I'm apprehensive of them looking at odds with my fake plants. I'll have a look at a moss ball though and make my mind up.

Updated photo:

 

[This Old Spouse]

For fake plants, these look really good, and your arrangement is terrific. I agree that adding some live plants as you go along will be a good idea, as they're beneficial to the fish as well.
 

 

[Welshweeks]

I've only started my tank up about a year ago and it's not too hard. I just have the basic type of plants from the lfs (pets at home sell some decent quality ones in my limited opinion) and just put a little measure of fertilizer (TNC lite) in each week and the plants seem ok, unless the fish decide to have a party over-night and tear them up a bit! lol

 

[AlbertShipman]

really nice tank.

got a similar tank (60L) i'm really interested to see how the shrimp and kuhli loaches work together as both sort of work around bottom of tank, i believe so anyway. currently have two recently purchased Yamato shrimp as well and am perhaps interested in kuhli loaches for the future.

very new to this but wish you good luck and look forward to following your progress.

 

[Welshweeks]

I put 4 kuhli loach in my tank on the weekend and the ghost shrimp killed 2 of them straight away (pic of ghost shrimp below).
 
http/img51.imageshack.us/img51/5879/ghostshrimp2.jpg
 
I've now re-homed the 2 ghost shrimp I have as I prefer the loaches.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Ghost shrimp killing loaches?? 

 

[Welshweeks]

Indeed, I put them in acclimatized the loaches for about an hour and the released them, by the time I had closed the lid and look to see how they were one of the shrimp was "holding" one of the loaches! I put the net in to "break them up" the shrimp was very reluctant to leave go of the loach!! Later on I saw another loach in the "grip" of the shrimp, this time it was dead! The shrimp are fairly big around 7cm and the kuhli are young ones.

 

[TheStretchedElf]

Added my first fish today! 11 neon tetras are happily exploring their new home. For the most part they shoal together but occasionally they will split into two groups and spend time at either side of the tank. It's great to finally have some fish in at last! I will be getting my kuhli loaches in 2-3 weeks.

 

[Mamashack]

That is one great looking tank, Elf!

 

[TheStretchedElf]

That is one great looking tank, Elf!

 

[TheStretchedElf]

Another pic of my tetras

 

[Shelster]

Nice looking tank.

Moss balls are a great idea look forward to seeing your progression towards the planted side

Wow shrimp killing a kuhli loach?? Who'd of thought it!

 

[Welshweeks]

Wow shrimp killing a kuhli loach?? Who'd of thought it!

 
Indeed, I couldn't believe it when I looked to see how the loach were doing!