Planted Tank Stocking + Plants... Thoughts Please?

[Pepsidave85]

Not Getting much luck in the planted section of the site, so thought I'd try this over this section of the site.
 
Basically, I've just acquired a new tank, I have a 95 litre tank, 80cm Long, 30cm Deep and 40cm High.
 
I am planning for this to be a fairly heavily planted iwagumi style tank with the following.
 
Dragon Stone Rocks
Elocharis SP mini and micranthenum "Monte Carlo" forming the carpet
Hydrocotyle Tripartita and Ammania SP. Bonsai filling in around the dragon stones
Elocharis SP and Cyperus Helferi forming some of the background plants.
 
I havent got the lighting sorted just yet, I'm hopefully aiming for between 2 and 3 WPG and will be using EI for the dosing (I think).
 
I will be injecting pressurised CO2 also.
 
I will be using a Fluval 306 External Filter. (I have read either on here or UKAPS, that I should be aiming for my filter to process my tank 10 times per hour, this does that and slightly more).
 
I'm just trying to finalise my stocking list for the tank, and am torn between what school of fish I want.
 
Initially I wanted approx 15 Harlequin Rasbora and 5 Zebra Otos with 15 Cherry shrimp and a Nerite snail. Advert for another forum removed seems to think I will have no problems with filtration, and that my stocking level is approx
 
Now I've managed to convince myself I want Tiger Barbs instead of the Rasboras. I've seen some conflicting information regards to tank size and numbers for Barbs, and figured I can rely on some of you lot to provide some useful advice.
 
First things first, is my tank big enough for a school of Tigers?
And if the answer is yes, how many would be suitable?
 
If the answer is no to tigers, what are the thoughts on the number of Harlequin rasbora?
 
Thanks in advance for your answers
 
I input the details into the aqua advisor (Aqadvisor) website and I have shown the Info Below.
 
Recommended temperature range: 22 - 25 C
Recommended pH range: 7 - 7.5.
Recommended hardness range: 10 - 15 dH.

You have plenty of aquarium filtration capacity.

Your aquarium filtration capacity for above selected species is 251%.
Recommended water change schedule: 21% per week.
Your aquarium stocking level is 70%

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I don't know what is involved in an iwagumi style tank. What I do know is I would never trust any software to provide the sort of information you have quoted from the "Aqua Advisor"
 
I would also never suggest 21% wc is enough for almost any tank either. CO2 lowers pH, therefore KH is more important than hardness. Most planted tanks with high light and co2 added need two 50% water changes a week with the ferts reset after each. While I did not have an iwagami and did not do 2x/week, on my high tech planted tank, I did do 50% weekly.
 
Also- you never gave any information about your tap water parameters. Are they in a range you thing works for your planned tank?

 

[Pepsidave85]

Hi thanks for the response.

I completely agree that reliance on a software isn't good practice, and nor would I trust it, I've used it as more of a loose guide with regards to the stocking.

Water changes would be 50% weekly rather than what Aquadvisor recommends.

Living in Manchester I know that I have very soft water. I don't know the precise kh, but from viewing the data provided by united utilities I have a hardness of 11 mg ca/l (not sure what that means or tells you though).

PH looks to be between 6.6 and 6.8.

If ph is going to drop with CO2 how would I get the PH to the range to between 7-7.5?