Silent cycle - plant list

[Fishy_Dan]

Hello!

Having spent a while getting ready to fishless cycle a new tank I stumbled across this part of the forum and found that I probably don't need to do this seeing as I want it planted.

I'd welcome some feedback on my proposed set up, mainly whether this plant stocking is going to be enough.

I've got a new Ciano LED 60l tank. Standard 60x30x30cm tank.
Stock 8w LED lighting strip (6300k) and 50w heater
Eheim Aquaball 130 (550l/h output)
Substrate: Argos play sand 1-2 inches deep with Seachem flourish root tabs

Plants:
Anubias nana
Echinodorus 'Reni'
Lagenandra meeboldii 'Red'
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Tropica'
Hygrophila Siamensis 53B
Microsorum pteropus Java Fern
Salvinia auriculata

I'm planning to stock the tank with 6/7 honey gourami. Ideally I'd like to add them all at the same time. Would those plants growing well be able to handle that load? Also, are any of those plants likely to grow too big for the tank size?

Thanks!

 

[HoldenOn]

Hello!

Having spent a while getting ready to fishless cycle a new tank I stumbled across this part of the forum and found that I probably don't need to do this seeing as I want it planted.

I'd welcome some feedback on my proposed set up, mainly whether this plant stocking is going to be enough.

I've got a new Ciano LED 60l tank. Standard 60x30x30cm tank.
Stock 8w LED lighting strip (6300k) and 50w heater
Eheim Aquaball 130 (550l/h output)
Substrate: Argos play sand 1-2 inches deep with Seachem flourish root tabs

Plants:
Anubias nana
Echinodorus 'Reni'
Lagenandra meeboldii 'Red'
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Tropica'
Hygrophila Siamensis 53B
Microsorum pteropus Java Fern
Salvinia auriculata

I'm planning to stock the tank with 6/7 honey gourami. Ideally I'd like to add them all at the same time. Would those plants growing well be able to handle that load? Also, are any of those plants likely to grow too big for the tank size?

Thanks!

Seems a bit small for all those gourami.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Have to agree that having 6-7 honey gouramis in your 60x30 tank is pushing boundaries a little.

You could put in a smaller group of maybe 2 females and one male or more females but no more males, I have had these before and they can be aggressive amongst themselves especially if you have more than 2 males, so watch out for that.

What makes it a little harder is that at LFS their colours are washed out due to stress and are very young or juveniles which makes sexing them pretty hard, and males are far more common than females, well at least they were in my local LFS's at the time.

 

[Fishy_Dan]

Ok 6/7 may be too many. But I'd hope to be ok with 2 male+3 females. Lots of plants, lots of hiding places.

My main question at the moment is the amount of plants needed to start a silent cycle.

 

[HoldenOn]

Ok 6/7 may be too many. But I'd hope to be ok with 2 male+3 females. Lots of plants, lots of hiding places.

My main question at the moment is the amount of plants needed to start a silent cycle.

With that many it isn't only chasing, its swimming space. There wouldn't be enough. The plants look fine. Make sure you get the salvinia, as floaters are really good for water parameters.

 

[AilyNC]

I think that's good number of plants in that tank. Plant them & watch for growth. As you're waiting you can work out the tank mates.

 

[Fishy_Dan]

With that many it isn't only chasing, its swimming space. There wouldn't be enough. The plants look fine. Make sure you get the salvinia, as floaters are really good for water parameters.

I think that's good number of plants in that tank. Plant them & watch for growth. As you're waiting you can work out the tank mates.

Hmm, I've been struggling a bit with stocking for this tank. Read some contradictory things about honey gourami stocking - best kept in a small group, minimum tank size 10g (though I guess that's for a pair?).

 

[HoldenOn]

Hmm, I've been struggling a bit with stocking for this tank. Read some contradictory things about honey gourami stocking - best kept in a small group, minimum tank size 10g (though I guess that's for a pair?).

That's still small for a pair I would recommend a 15 gallon. I think sparkling gourami are much better suited for a tank of this size.

 

[Fishy_Dan]

That's still small for a pair I would recommend a 15 gallon. I think sparkling gourami are much better suited for a tank of this size.

So I could go for a pair. Then find suitable tankmates. It would nice to have a group of shoaling fish that they would meet in the wild/real world. Something from the south Asia region.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Ok 6/7 may be too many. But I'd hope to be ok with 2 male+3 females. Lots of plants, lots of hiding places.

My main question at the moment is the amount of plants needed to start a silent cycle.

Defintely not 2 males to 3 females, the two males will constantly fight.

1 male to 2 females is minimum ratio which is fine or 2 males to at least 4 females but that brings numbers to 6 honeys which as already mentioned is kind of pushing boundary of stocking limit for your sized tank am afraid.

They do grow to about 4 - 5 cm so not exactly the smallest of species but do require space for territories.

 

[squidneh]

Sparkling gourami are lovely fish and I think they'd do well in a tank this size.

You may want to consider adding more fast growing plants or swapping out for some faster growing plants. Things like hydrocotyle leucocephala, cabomba, certain types of vallisneria, etc. Most of the plants you selected are either medium-slow growers, except for the floating plants. The more fast growing plants you have, the more nutrients they will be able to take out of the water column. As HoldenOn mentioned, floating plants aren't optional as they will provide the most benefit to the water quality, so be sure to acquire those.

 

[HoldenOn]

Microdevario kubotai could work for a small shoal.


Edit: all credit for this suggestion goes to @ClownLurch

 

[Fishy_Dan]

Defintely not 2 males to 3 females, the two males will constantly fight.

1 male to 2 females is minimum ratio which is fine or 2 males to at least 4 females but that brings numbers to 6 honeys which as already mentioned is kind of pushing boundary of stocking limit for your sized tank am afraid.

They do grow to about 4 - 5 cm so not exactly the smallest of species but do require space for territories.

Do you think 3 (1 male) and a group of harlequin rasboras would work?

 

[Ch4rlie]

Do you think 3 (1 male) and a group of harlequin rasboras would work?

1 male and 3 female honeys and a group of harlequins should be fine.

Do note if you’re considering other species of fish such as barbs do remember to watch out for fin nipping on the honey gouramis as they have long trailing fins

 

[Fishy_Dan]

Sparkling gourami are lovely fish and I think they'd do well in a tank this size.

You may want to consider adding more fast growing plants or swapping out for some faster growing plants. Things like hydrocotyle leucocephala, cabomba, certain types of vallisneria, etc. Most of the plants you selected are either medium-slow growers, except for the floating plants. The more fast growing plants you have, the more nutrients they will be able to take out of the water column. As HoldenOn mentioned, floating plants aren't optional as they will provide the most benefit to the water quality, so be sure to acquire those.

Thanks, I added a Limnophila sessiliflora to the order to have another fast growing plant.

Am I right that I plant them as follows:

Stems (hygophila, limnophila): seperate into individual stems and plant in the substrate with root tabs.

Swords (echinodorus, lagenandra): plant as it comes with root tabs.

Crypt: break up into smaller plants and add root tabs.

Java fern: attach to wood with something (what is best?)

Salvinia: I assume it will just float??