What Do You Think About My Setup?

[Jen_S]

I have a 20 H tank with about 15 gallons of water in it, a turtle dock, and driftwood anchored to the side for the newts to come out on. There are pics in my photobucket link in signature. I have lost only a 2 guppies since we set this up a few weeks ago.

Current inhabitants:
1 California newt
1 firebelly newt
1 golden dojo loach (about 4 in right now)
2 dwarf aquatic frogs
1 juvenile pea puffer (about 1/2 in)
2m/3f fancy guppies
about 10+ fry right now

Filtration= Duetto 100 submersible with carbon changed about every 2 weeks. I change 20% of the water about every 4 days. There is no heater in the tank but the temp. is a constant 78 degrees. Floating hornwort for the fry to hide in (puffer and newts like it too) and lots of nooks and crannies for the puffer. I know the puffer most likely won't be able to stay in there forever but he is quite happy huntin guppy fry and frozen blood worms at this point.

 

[Jen_S]

I would like some input in filtration options. I have seen the Whisper submersible filter but read bad reviews so went with the duetto. When I last had this tank setup as an amphibious tank, I had 4 newts and 80+ "feeder guppies" which I believe were endlers. I have the above listed creatures and it seem that the filter is having a tough time keeping up with the water.
I've never used a power head and don't know squat about them LOL Would this be an option in a tank that is only fillde 3/4 of the way?
Help please!!

 

[eschaton]

Your stocking is completely off, I'm sorry to say.

1. Newts are coldwater. They can tolerate 78 degree water, but if the tank gets above 80, they'll quickly die. They really need water around 65 degrees, with an even colder drop in temperature in the winter. The only thing that you have in that tank which can tolerate colder temperatures are Dojo Loaches. Again, they need to be below 76 degrees long term to survive (and they will grow to tank-busting sizes, 10 to 20 inches). Everything else is tropical - fine in 78 degree water, but can't survive once you chill the tank to Newt temperatures.

2. The newts will catch and eat anything in the tank that fits in their mouth. They might be able to get the guppies, they'll almost certainly try and eat the African Dwarf Frogs.

3. As you know, the Dwarf Puffer (assuming that's what you have) will tear the fins of the guppies to shreds once i is older.

4. Is your tank cycled?

Anyway, if I were to redo the stocking, I would have:

2 Newts
White-Cloud Mountain Minnow X 5 (still could be eaten by the newts, but fast enough to get out of the way)
Gold Barb X 5
Dojo Loach

This is the max I'd put into a tank of this size. You should find a way to cool the tank to at least room temp, if not lower. Chillers are expensive, but if you can't move it to a less-heated area of your house it may be the only option.

As to filtration, there's no reason why you can't use a standard hang-on filter - you just need to buy an extension tube. And you'll have a tank waterfall, but that's fine.

 

[Jen_S]

I have talked with my husband. Neither one of us has ever heard of a chiller. Could you provide a link to what you are talking about??
Here are some options that we have been discussing to shuffle creatures around The coldwater tank is running at room temp. so other than constantely floating ice, I think a chiller may be our only option.
I have a 10 gal tank that I have 3 goldfish in (please don't lecture, I know it's not great for them but much better than what they had at the petstore). The goldfish are all small- about 2 in.
I could move the goldfish in with the dojo loach and the newts (with the plan to eventually upgrade for the goldfish and the loach- i.e. a 55 gal tank or bigger just don't have the space right now) in the 20 high. The goldfish would get a bit more space than what they have now and everyone would be coldwater species.
I can move the fancy guppies into the 10 gal tank and put in the spare heater I have as well as the 2 dwarf frogs and the cherry shrimp that are in shipment. I will just put a few guppy babies in from time to time to feed the newts (that was the plan when we put the livebearers in). I honestly thought that fancy guppies were interchangeable between tropical and coldwater. When I had the newt setup year ago, I kept what were called feeder guppies in with the newts. Looking at pictures on aquabid though, they look like endlers. I plan to try to breed cherry shrimp but I think that the guppies are small enough that with enough java moss for shrimp cover, they won't make too much of a toll on the baby population.
The only fish that this leaves out is the pea puffer (yes it's a dwarf puffer). I have 2 options. I can put it in the 46 gal south american tank but I am concerned that he/she will pick on the rams, tetras, and/or baby angelfish. My other option is to put my 2.5 gal. eclipse tank to use for the puffer (once it cycles). I know that this is also small but in a few months, I could possibly get another 10gal tank for the puffer and some otos.
I know that I've made some mistakes with fish but I would like to rectify them as best I can now. Unfortunately, I just don't have the room for another huge tank

 

[eschaton]

Here's a link describing aquarium chillers. A lot are very pricey, but those are for big marine systems. Still, a small chiller will set you back like $100. Essentially it's air conditioning for your tank. I'm not quite sure why your water temperature is so much higher than your room temp - perhaps it's heat coming off the lamps. In which case, an easier solution would be to install a computer fan or two in the back of your hood (I'm not a wiring expert, but there's DIY people on the forums who'd be able to help you here).

Goldfish are better tank mates for newts than tropicals. When they get bigger, they might harass the newts, but at this point I don't see a problem for the time being.

Guppies are pretty adaptable. Though tropical water is ideal, you could have the water as low as 70 degrees and have them do alright. I'd be more concerned about keeping them in with the dwarf puffer than anything. It all depends on how cool you can get your newt tank.

As for the cherries, interestingly, they're also semi-coldwater, even though they're kept in tropical tanks and do fine in them. However, I would never put them into a tank with newts or goldfish. If you put them in with the ADFs they'd probably breed just fine - depending upon the puffer, they might even do okay with him.

 

[Jen_S]

I'm assuming not everyone goes out to buy a chiller for their coldwater tank. (I've looked at the cost) I don't think this would be realistic at this time. One there doesn't really seem to be an option for small tanks (other then smaller than 55 gal) for chillers. My tank is much smaller. I wish there was an option for a smaller sized chiller. Do people actually use these for coldwater setups? From what I'm seeing they are made for saltwater. I really don't want to drill a hole in the side of my glass tank and it seems that most of these require that to be done.

 

[Jen_S]

Thanks for providing that link. I will show it to Craig when he gets back home The computer fan would be a great idea. I'll check with Craig to see if he thinks it would feasible to construct.
I don't want to put the puffer in the current 10 gal tank that I have setup now, I would get a 2nd 10gal tank later. Where do you think he would the happiest for now (without making other fish too unhappy or miserable)? I have 4 tanks setup LOL hopefully, one would work for now. The newt/ goldfish tank would be too cold (hopefully), the 10 gal tank that will have the guppies in it would be great for the puffer but bad for the shrimp. (I'm planning to breed shrimp both for puffer/newt/fish food but also would like to sell as none of the pet stores currently stock them. The puffer might decimate both the adults and babies, there is also the 46 gal community tank (list of inhabitants in profile. pics in signature). Heavily planted and plenty of room but there are some more delicate species in there that might get harrased. THe last option in my 2.5 gal eclipse tank whick would be small for a 1 inch adult (read the thread on dwarf puffers and min reccomendation is 3 gal) but would it temp work for 1/2 inch juvenile?? It's currently empty but I am waiting for it to cycle.
You have given me great advice so far! Things that would have never occured to me! For that I thank you!

 

[Jen_S]

I think I'm going to give the Duetto filter another try. Thinking about things...I realized the last time I used this type of filter, I didn't have any live plants in it. I think the hornwort was causing issues by shedding little spines that were somewhat clogging the intake. I took it out and put it in the 10 gal tank with the guppies and frogs but I am going to have to thin it out LOL It was very happy in the newt tank.
I did go ahead and spend some time playing musical fishes
Goldfish are now in the newt tank with the dojo loach, newts, and puffer until I figure out what to with it.
Guppies and dwarf frogs are in the 10 gal tank waiting for the shrimp.
Husband said no on a tank cooler but I will see if the fans would be workable (got interrupted by the kids when we were talking). I guess I can start floating ice in containers but I don't know how well that will work log term...

 

[eschaton]

1. Chillers are used more often in saltwater tanks simply because their lights run hotter than ours, making it hard to maintain a temperature even in the low 80s. Some are made for smaller tanks

2. Most keepers of goldfish and the like keep them at room temperature - which should be fine. It's more a mystery to me why your tank is running what I assume is around ten degrees above room temp.

3. If the puffer hasn't attacked the adult guppies yet, I'd say put them there. However, keep an eye out for any nipped fins - they can quickly nip male's tails down to stubs.

4. When you get the cherries, put half in the 2.5 and half in t he 10-gallon. The pico will act as your "reserve" in case something happens to the other shrimp while you're awaiting an adult puffer home.

 

[Jen_S]

The newt/ goldfish tank really isn't running much warmer than the house (if any warmer0. The ac is set at 80 degrees (with temps in the 100's all this week, it's feels quite cool). Our house is such that it's tough to keep cool and wouldn't be realistic to set the ac at 65 (though my husband would love that LOL). Our bill would be way too expensive LOL. I have other pets to consider as well that should be in a room that is cooler than 75 degrees anyway. I think it I put the puffer is the 10 gal tank, with all the hornwort, it just might work.