Rio 180 Recycle - Some Extra Advice Needed Please

[fishzilla]

Hi Guys

Been a while since I last visited. A few years ago when I was last on, I got a Rio 180 beech setup. Been running fine and managed to get a Black Rio 180 (suits our decor).

I am changing the tanks around and I have agreed to house 4 fish with a local fish place while I make the change.

The black tank comes with the original lights and filter/heaters.

My tank I have a APS 2000L external filter and LED light strip. I am keeping those and moving them to the new black tank. So all the parts from the black tank move to the beech tank and thats been sold.

This is what I need help with (starting fresh so).

Latest current trends and values.....help needed

1. What is the amount of gravel needed for the Rio 180 (101x50x41cm) in inches 2 or 3 deep or more?

2. If setting up with one 5 inch plec, one 5inch silver dollar - How many MAX small fish can be added (max 1inch) community tank setup?

3. How many days before first adding fish after starting up the filter and dosage with filter bacteria? I get the two fish back on the weekend.

Can anyone help please as the fish changes start today. I am taking the fish out of the tank today to go to the local fishman and the tank setup I start tonight.

Cheers upfront FZ

 

[hensonc4098]

1. I can't remember the calculation off the top of my head, sorry - hopefully someone will come along that can
2. Probably about 20-30 because of the plec, however I would recommend getting more than one silver dollar as they're really skittish. We had 3 and they were still skittish, now down to 2 because one freaked out and swam into the glass so fast it gave itself a brain haemorrhage and died...
3. If you are putting mature filter media into the filter, ie. using the same filter as last time with the same mature filter media in it, then you can add fish straight away, as there is already a friendly bacteria colony there. If you are using new filter media however, you will need to go through the cycling process again before adding fish. This can take 4-6 weeks. See THE BEGINNERS RESOURCE CENTRE for more info on cycling.

 

[fishzilla]

Many thanks 4098

1. Hopefully get some values soon.

2. 20-30 seems like a good number and what I had in mind, but was unsure because of the plec and dollar. I will add another dollar to the sums and hopefully with one or two more replies, I can take a average.

3. Yes I will be doing a straight swap with the filter and maybe a bucket or two of the original water - trying to turn around quick as the dollar and plec are being picked up on sat/sun.

I guess more on 1. and 2. needed and 3 is about sorted the original APS 2000l filter is quite big and will be full of bacteria.

Adding two more questions

4. Airstones - I have 2 x 30cms airstones for a bubble effect is that TOO Much?
5. Plastic plants - Should I just add a couple spaced out or dense them together - is there any benefits (live is no good as with 2 kids, not much time to look after them).

cheers upfront again

 

[hensonc4098]

4. 1 airstone would be plenty sufficient - technically you shouldn't even need one if your filter is creating plenty of surface agitation, but if you like the look of them then use as many as you like
5. Plastic plants won't have a huge effect - they will give your fish places to hide if they feel they want to, but generally how you plant them is up to you. Perhaps try to plant them more in a group at one side of the tank to give the silver dollars plenty of swimming space. And don't worry about live plants - the dollars would just eat them anyways

 

[fishzilla]

Cheers again 4098

That almost sorts everything out for me.

The kids will be doing most of the fish watching. The airstones is mostly for effect and bubbles since the filter is doing most of the work.

Plants - going for plastic. Live you said fish just eat them (live plants)!

Thats leaves question 1.

What is latest value on gravel depth for a 180L tank. Has it changed from the basic 2" deep layers.

Grateful for any thoughts on that.

Before and after pictures to follow.

Cheers guys

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

2" is fine

With your plants, try to get some nice tall ones to go along the back of the tank, some medium height for the middle and some lower ones for the front. It makes you tank look deeper and the more plants you have your fish will feel safer, because they have somewhere to hide, and you'll see them out and about a lot more!

 

[fishzilla]

Thanks AA

Some great advice. Keeping fish for about 10 years now but always kept the min approach. Hence the advice.

Thanks

 

[fishzilla]

Spent the day setting up the tank and managed to get it up and running last night.

I was about to put a picture on but its too big to put on here.

Will try to work out to reduce it, if I cant I will try to post some pics on the pictures section (if there is one).

the dollar, plec and two small fry are be put in on sunday. Will then add a couple of fish at a time over the next few months.

cheers guys

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Sign up for a photobucket account and upload your pictures there, then use the IMG code it gives you to post them here

 

[fishzilla]

Not sure if this works but I loaded a picture of the tank photobucket as suggested.

http/s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/godzillarules/

if it does not work, drop me a line.

Where is the photo section on the forum to show your tank pictures. Wondering if there is a edit selection with it to resize the picture.

cheers

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Nice tank

you nearly had it, in the future use the link that photobucket provides with

 

[hensonc4098]

And the forum will resize it for you too