Tropical Fish Tank setup help

[letssetup]

Hello everyone.

I have a 100L tank 12" W, 18" L and 15" that I'm going to be setting up for tropical fish, however I have only had goldfish prior so need advice please.

I've been looking into what fish I should keep and I'm undecided by Zebra, Leopard danio or Ram cichlid. Due to the small size of my tank, I want a smaller fish so I can have a decent amount inside.

I have a All Pond Solutions 200IF Internal Aquarium Filter.

I was thinking of getting this heater - Aquarium Heater Submersible Fish Tank Heater with External LED Digital Temperature Controller, Tropical Fish
Tank Heater with Explosion Proof Quartz Glass 300W, up to 300L.

Im also not sure if to get sand or gravel? Also how much would I need?


Thank you for any help.

 

[Salty&Onion]

What is your pH, GH and KH?
These are the most important figures when choosing a tank.
Danios need a longer tank than you are offering since they are quite an active fish and rams need higher temperatures, depending on type, and soft water.

 

[letssetup]

How do I find that out?

 

[Salty&Onion]

Go on your water provider's page and put in your post code in and write the results here

 

[letssetup]

Go on your water provider's page and put in your post code in and write the results here

For most analysis, results are from samples taken at random in the water quality zone of your area. In some cases, results are from samples taken from water treatment supply points feeding the zone.
Hardness Results
Hardness Level
Value	Moderately Hard
Standard	No standard applies
UK/EU Limit
Hardness Clark
Value	11.57
Standard	No standard applies
UK/EU Limit	Degrees Clark
Hardness German
Value	9.26
Standard	No standard applies
UK/EU Limit	German Degrees
Hardness French
Value	16.54
Standard	No standard applies
UK/EU Limit	French Degrees

For most analysis, results are from samples taken at random in the water quality zone of your area. In some cases, results are from samples taken from water treatment supply points feeding the zone.
Data is for period 01-April-2019 to 31-March-2020
Water Quality Summary Report
1,2-Dichloroethane
Average	<0.14
Maximum	<0.30
Minimum	<0.09
UK/EU Limit	3
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	43
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Aldrin
Average	<0.001
Maximum	<0.003
Minimum	<0.001
UK/EU Limit	0.03
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	36
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Aluminium
Average	<9
Maximum	22
Minimum	<5
UK/EU Limit	200
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	23
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Ammonium
Average	<0.027
Maximum	<0.064
Minimum	<0.015
UK/EU Limit	0.5
Units	mg/l
Number of Results	23
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Antimony
Average	0.29
Maximum	0.59
Minimum	0.06
UK/EU Limit	5
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Arsenic
Average	<0.11
Maximum	0.15
Minimum	<0.09
UK/EU Limit	10
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Benzene
Average	<0.06
Maximum	<0.12
Minimum	<0.04
UK/EU Limit	1
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	43
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Benzo-3,4-Pyrene
Average	<0.001
Maximum	<0.001
Minimum	<0.001
UK/EU Limit	0.01
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Boron
Average	<0.023
Maximum	0.043
Minimum	<0.012
UK/EU Limit	1
Units	mg/l
Number of Results	44
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Bromate
Average	0.93
Maximum	1.44
Minimum	0.61
UK/EU Limit	10
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Cadmium
Average	0.18
Maximum	0.41
Minimum	0.09
UK/EU Limit	5
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Chloride
Average	22.09
Maximum	73.10
Minimum	9.40
UK/EU Limit	250
Units	mg/l
Number of Results	44
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Chromium
Average	<0.2
Maximum	0.3
Minimum	<0.2
UK/EU Limit	50
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Clostridium perfringens
Average	0
Maximum	0
Minimum	0
UK/EU Limit	0
Units	No. / 100ml
Number of Results	23
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Coliform Bacteria
Average	0
Maximum	0
Minimum	0
UK/EU Limit	0
Units	No. / 100ml
Number of Results	56
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Colony Count After 72 Hours at 22ºC
Average	0
Maximum	5
Minimum	0
UK/EU Limit	No abnormal change
Units	No. / 100ml
Number of Results	23
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Colour
Average	<1.17
Maximum	2.20
Minimum	<0.44
UK/EU Limit	20
Units	mg/l Pt/Co
Number of Results	23
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Conductivity
Average	420
Maximum	626
Minimum	222
UK/EU Limit	2500
Units	µS/cm at 20ºC
Number of Results	23
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Copper
Average	0.0370
Maximum	0.1328
Minimum	0.0033
UK/EU Limit	2
Units	mg/l
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Cyanide
Average	<2
Maximum	<4
Minimum	<2
UK/EU Limit	50
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	43
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Dieldrin
Average	<0.004
Maximum	<0.008
Minimum	<0.003
UK/EU Limit	0.03
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	36
Samples above PCV Limit	0
E. coli
Average	0
Maximum	0
Minimum	0
UK/EU Limit	0
Units	No. / 100ml
Number of Results	56
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Enterococci
Average	0
Maximum	0
Minimum	0
UK/EU Limit	0
Units	No. / 100ml
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Fluoride
Average	0.32
Maximum	0.43
Minimum	0.19
UK/EU Limit	1.5
Units	mg/l
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Free Chlorine
Average	0.35
Maximum	0.60
Minimum	0.14
UK/EU Limit	No abnormal change
Units	mg/l
Number of Results	56
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Heptachlor
Average	<0.001
Maximum	<0.003
Minimum	<0.001
UK/EU Limit	0.03
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	36
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Heptachlor epoxide
Average	0.000
Maximum	0.000
Minimum	0.000
UK/EU Limit	0.03
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	36
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Iron
Average	<13
Maximum	39
Minimum	<3
UK/EU Limit	200
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	23
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Lead
Average	<2.4
Maximum	9.2
Minimum	<0.3
UK/EU Limit	10
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Manganese
Average	<1.0
Maximum	3.0
Minimum	<0.2
UK/EU Limit	50
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	23
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Mercury
Average	<0.008
Maximum	0.024
Minimum	<0.005
UK/EU Limit	1
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	44
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Nickel
Average	3.5
Maximum	4.8
Minimum	2.0
UK/EU Limit	20
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Nitrate
Average	11.44
Maximum	15.69
Minimum	6.00
UK/EU Limit	50
Units	mg/l
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Nitrite
Average	<0.005
Maximum	<0.006
Minimum	<0.003
UK/EU Limit	0.5
Units	mg/l
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Nitrite - Nitrate Calculated
Average	0.23
Maximum	0.31
Minimum	0.12
UK/EU Limit	<1
Units	-
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Odour
Average	0
Maximum	0
Minimum	0
UK/EU Limit	Acceptable to Customer and no abnormal change
Units	Dilution Number
Number of Results	23
Samples above PCV Limit	0
PAH
Average	0.00
Maximum	0.00
Minimum	0.00
UK/EU Limit	0.1
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Pesticides Other
Average	<0.006
Maximum	0.034
Minimum	<0.001
UK/EU Limit	0.1
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	2227
Samples above PCV Limit	0
pH
Average	7.58
Maximum	7.88
Minimum	7.34
UK/EU Limit	Min 6.5, Max 9.5
Units	pH value
Number of Results	23
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Selenium
Average	0.81
Maximum	1.99
Minimum	0.44
UK/EU Limit	10
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Sodium
Average	31.0
Maximum	49.7
Minimum	9.7
UK/EU Limit	200
Units	mg/l
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Sulphate
Average	55
Maximum	112
Minimum	29
UK/EU Limit	250
Units	mg/l
Number of Results	44
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Taste
Average	0
Maximum	0
Minimum	0
UK/EU Limit	Acceptable to Customer and no abnormal change
Units	Dilution Number
Number of Results	23
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Tetrachloroethene and Trichloroethene
Average	0.00
Maximum	0.00
Minimum	0.00
UK/EU Limit	10
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Tetrachloromethane
Average	<0.09
Maximum	<0.19
Minimum	<0.06
UK/EU Limit	3
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Total Organic Carbon
Average	<1.0
Maximum	1.7
Minimum	<0.4
UK/EU Limit	No abnormal change
Units	mg/l
Number of Results	44
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Total Pesticides
Average	0.011
Maximum	0.141
Minimum	0.000
UK/EU Limit	0.5
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	36
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Total Trihalomethanes
Average	42.69
Maximum	75.17
Minimum	20.04
UK/EU Limit	100
Units	µg/l
Number of Results	8
Samples above PCV Limit	0
Turbidity
Average	<0.12
Maximum	0.24
Minimum	<0.06
UK/EU Limit	4
Units	NTU
Number of Results	23
Samples above PCV Limit	0

 

[Salty&Onion]

Your water seems to be soft so for bottom feeders I'd say pygmy corydoras, but I'm not as good as @essjay and others are.

 

[utahfish]

How do I find that out?

Your water hardness is 9.26 dgh which is moderately hard. Its not soft nor is it hard.
9 DGH may be a bit hard for rams especially german rams.
Most Corydora can handle 9DGH as well.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Agreed. Most Corydoras species can handle moderately hard water. What species were you think specifically?

 

[letssetup]

How many Corydoras could I keep in a 100L tank?

 

[Salty&Onion]

How many Corydoras could I keep in a 100L tank?

Depending on dimensions, but cories need 6+ fish in their groups so they don't get stressed.

 

[ClownLurch]

How many Corydoras could I keep in a 100L tank?

As many as possible. They’re great PLUS you can mix em up and it still counts as one group.
I’d love water at your dh. Mines 19dh. Fish dont swim around in it they chisel around.

 

[Salty&Onion]

As many as possible. They’re great PLUS you can mix em up and it still counts as one group.
I’d love water at your dh. Mines 19dh. Fish dont swim around in it they chisel around.

I heard, maybe misunderstood, that it is best not to mix cories....

@Byron a little help here

 

[ClownLurch]

I heard, maybe misunderstood, that it is best not to mix cories....

@Byron a little help here

I’m only going by what I’ve read on here. I don’t mean one of each but maybe three or four of each in four or five different type groups is ok.

 

[Salty&Onion]

I’m only going by what I’ve read on here. I don’t mean one of each but maybe three or four of each in four or five different type groups is ok.

I'd say about 6 of each, basically they will choose if they want to shoal with other species or not I believe..

 

[Byron]

I heard, maybe misunderstood, that it is best not to mix cories....

@Byron a little help here

There is no problem combining species of Corydoras, with a few exceptions.

The larger species which taxonomically are now in the genus Scleromystax (S. barbatus is the type species, and used to be in the Corydoras genus so it may still be seen as C. barbatus) should not be housed with other species. Males can be a bit rough, though not having teeth this is not usually a problem, but these species are best maintained in groups of their own; dominant fish can cause stress without having to engage in physical bullying..

The three dwarf species also tend not to do that well mixed in with other larger species. It is not a case of any bullying or physical issues; it is more that the fish are so small they tend to get lost in large tanks with large fish. Corydoras pygmaeus, C. habrosus and C. hastatus are best maintained in smaller rather than larger tanks, and with similar nano-type fish, though there is considerable adaptability here. Nothing is cut and dried, we can best deal in generalities.

The remaining species, which is by far most of the 160-some species described to date, can be housed together. However, it is best, if possible, to provide a small group of each species, even if only three or four, when you intend groups of two or more species. However, here again it is not cut and dried; I have some 40+ cories in my 40g, representing 12 species, some have 6 or 7, some one, two or three, for varying reasons. They all chum around together across species, and even go through pre-spawning behaviours across species. Which brings up the only real issue with mixing species: hybridization. Do not release fry of hybrid species into the hobby; the gene pool of a species should be kept pure. This is becoming much more crucial these days with disappearing natural habitats and species extinction.

The tank in this thread is quite small, and I would suggest the dwarf species are best suited. However, a group of medium-sized species is not out of the question. Depends upon other upper fish and such.