Plans For The New Aquarium.

[FishBlast]

So should I go with yellow/gray sand or white? And how many Kg should be used on a 85x30 base aquarium?

Will the Elodea be ok if it would float near the top of the water? Preferably on the sides of the tank, so that the two swordtails can each pick their spot, they seem to have favorite spots in the old tank too, the female sitting above the filter and the male under it.

And if my dad can't buy both ammonia and nitrite test kit tomorrow, which should I pick? (I know that I'll need both, but in this case I have to pick one first). If I choose ammonia, I won't be able to see nitrite except maybe by fish symptoms. If I choose nitrite, I won't be able to tell if the ammonia is getting processed or if the nitrite is processed at all, but it would be useful if there is any nitrite in case I'm at that part of the cycle (it's been over 2 months now since I've had the fish and I still have no idea where I am situated in the cycle process).

 

[FishBlast]

So now that my tank has white sand (looks more like a sandy beach during the day), a filter and a heater... only the plants are missing.

I'd prefer free-floating plants in order to maximize my hoplo's space.
So one of the options is Elodea, another someone mentioned but I forgot, sorry.
What kind of floating plants can I get that could also hide fry but don't require some major care, more like a plant that will feed itself on wastes, grow easily and only needs to be trimmed / cleaned every now and then?

 

[bae1994]

Riccia fluitans

Amazon frogbit ( surface floating plant)

Another option would be get some shower baskets ( those little plastic baskets with holes in them with suction cups on ) put some planting medium in them plant them and stick them to the side of your tank a few inches up so your holo can swim under them but you still have plants

 

[FishBlast]

Riccia fluitans

Amazon frogbit ( surface floating plant)

Another option would be get some shower baskets ( those little plastic baskets with holes in them with suction cups on ) put some planting medium in them plant them and stick them to the side of your tank a few inches up so your holo can swim under them but you still have plants

Those 2 plants seem familiar after googling them, only that my lotus plant made small pink lotuses and had roots instead of those green leaves. The other one was what dad brought home long ago, but it didn't last long (Riccia Fluitans).

I never saw such baskets though (and I've been to the supermarket looking for a plastic bin back then, couldn't even find one without holes in it or being too small).

And speaking of suckers, I have bad luck with suckers. One of my filter's suckers somehow slipped out of the motor's case. Lol.

 

[FishBlast]

Dad went to get some plants.
Also, new tank isn't showing signs of ammonia yet. No water change since yesterday. Filter's rippling the surface across almost the whole length of the tank except the rightmost part where it only shakes.
Bubbles are blown so that should be some oxygenation.
Now the plants will be a backup in case something goes wrong.

Also, when I'll need to move the tank around (I wouldn't, but mom wants to have access to that area after a month to do some cleaning and to add something under the tank), what should I do with the filter? Put it with the fish in the smaller tank for a day until the place is cleaned so that they can be placed back into the big one?

 

[FishBlast]

Ok dad found a Ceratopteris, the only plant that had more leaves that could hide baby fish and grow fast too. But it has some black leaves, should I trim those? It came with a basket and a sponge and fits quite well in a corner opposite to filter.
But them swordies seem to like nipping it... -.-

 

[FishBlast]

Looks quite lovely, aside from a few black leaves. I buried the basket even further.

Bee loves it.