new tank for loaches

[Justice]

Ok, yesterday I got a new 20gal tank from Big alls, I like there store
where they accualy know their stuff even the casheer. They told me when
I had ick with my Cl loaches not to use Ick meds. As my loaches are
scaleless alot of chemicals can harm them than more fish, so I was sold
some cheeper remidies, also When I just had my 1 10 gal they told me not
to buy too much food as it my spoil befor its used, again selling
somthing cheeper.
Anyway, I got a new 20 gal for my CL loaches yesterday, nice setup,
submerible heater, penguin powerfilter w/ biowheel(not tottaly shure on
how that works info would be nice). This morrning I put in my zibra
diano in the tank to cycle it. pleas don't bitch at me for this, I'm old
fashions and use fish cyclying, I change water daily untill the tank
stabalizes.
My real question is I want a school of fish to join my 2 CL loaches, I'm
thinking about 5 or so small schoolers, Anybody have any sugestions on
good tank mates? I don't really want tetras as I don't like the looks of
many of them and there too common, athou I do have 3 glowlights in
another tank. sothing colorfull and active.
Also some plant sugestion would be nice, I have some cesiflora that I
can add easyaly as I had six plants now I have a small far of the weed.

sorry for the long post :(


TIA

[Gill Passman]

Justice wrote:
> Ok, yesterday I got a new 20gal tank from Big alls, I like there store
> where they accualy know their stuff even the casheer. They told me when
> I had ick with my Cl loaches not to use Ick meds. As my loaches are
> scaleless alot of chemicals can harm them than more fish, so I was sold
> some cheeper remidies, also When I just had my 1 10 gal they told me not
> to buy too much food as it my spoil befor its used, again selling
> somthing cheeper.
> Anyway, I got a new 20 gal for my CL loaches yesterday, nice setup,
> submerible heater, penguin powerfilter w/ biowheel(not tottaly shure on
> how that works info would be nice). This morrning I put in my zibra
> diano in the tank to cycle it. pleas don't bitch at me for this, I'm old
> fashions and use fish cyclying, I change water daily untill the tank
> stabalizes.
> My real question is I want a school of fish to join my 2 CL loaches, I'm
> thinking about 5 or so small schoolers, Anybody have any sugestions on
> good tank mates? I don't really want tetras as I don't like the looks of
> many of them and there too common, athou I do have 3 glowlights in
> another tank. sothing colorfull and active.
> Also some plant sugestion would be nice, I have some cesiflora that I
> can add easyaly as I had six plants now I have a small far of the weed.
>
> sorry for the long post :(
>
>
> TIA

OK for starters as this is not your first tank you don't need to put
your fish through the pain of cycling the tank....there are a number of
options but as I guess you have already moved the Danios so this is what
I would do:-

1. Take some of the filter medium (not all) from your existing tank and
swop it out with some of the new filter medium from your new tank

2. Squeeze some of your existing filter medium into the new tank - much
the same way as you would if cleaning it in tank water that you have
already removed - the water will look a bit dirty for a few minutes but
will clear

3. Take some of the substrate from your existing tank and add it into
your new. If it doesn't match put some in the toe of a tight/stocking to
keep it separate.

4. When I set up a new tank I usually use around 40% water from one of
my other tanks and top up with fresh

5. Move some plants and ornaments over to the new tank from the old

6. Monitor both tanks to ensure there are no mini-cycles. Personally I
have found low levels of nitrites to be an issue. If one tank has an
issue (probably the new one) squeeze out more filter medium gunk from
the other one.

7. If there are problems in either tank do small water changes daily -
10-20% until everything is under control.

Another option, prior to adding the fish and setting up the new tank is
to run your filter in the other tank for a week/fortnight.

Which ever option you chose you still need to be careful about adding
the fish slowly and monitor the water. In theory, you could add a full
tank load, in practice I would never do it and have seen nitrite
readings whenever I've attempted it.

In terms of companions for your Clowns....I've found that they do not
thrive without "dither fish" - fish that swim out in the open
confidently. Your danios will probably do this. Really you are not just
limited to tetras - just make sure that you don't overstock the tank.
I'd be inclined to go for fish that swim out in the open - gouramis,
platys, mollies, rasboras, danios, guppies etc. (beware that the live
bearers may quickly take over the tank without care). I would probably
avoid any other "bottom dwellers" in a tank this size. I wouldn't add
the Clowns until the tank is truly established with fish swimming out in
the open confidently and 0 readings on nitrite/ammonia.

As far plants - various people have different success rates with plants
depending on where they live. Avoid any plants that look like house
plants....buy whatever you can get - I do well with Java ferns but
others don't...Vallis (grass type plants) look great, anubius are quite
hardy (they survive in my Malawi tank inspite of the abuse that they
get). Bear in mind that Clowns can dig plants up by mistake while
foraging...try putting the plants in before the Clowns to get them
securely rooted...

Gill

[Daniel Morrow]

Mid posted.
Justice wrote:
> Ok, yesterday I got a new 20gal tank from Big alls, I like there store
> where they accualy know their stuff even the casheer. They told me
> when I had ick with my Cl loaches not to use Ick meds. As my loaches
> are scaleless alot of chemicals can harm them than more fish, so I
> was sold some cheeper remidies, also When I just had my 1 10 gal they
> told me not to buy too much food as it my spoil befor its used, again
> selling somthing cheeper.
> Anyway, I got a new 20 gal for my CL loaches yesterday, nice setup,
> submerible heater, penguin powerfilter w/ biowheel(not tottaly shure
> on how that works info would be nice

It works by very frequently exposing a surface (the wheel fins) to oxygen
(air) so the good bacteria grows on the surface breathing oxygen and eating
the ammonia and nitrites that are in the water which it (the biowheel's
growth surface) touches/dips into frequently and the by-product of all of
this is ammonia/nitrite free water (if the biowheel is big enough which it
almost always is) and nitrate in the water which is rarely harmful and is
removed by regular water changes, after the tank has cycled. Ultimately I
admit trickle filters are best but they are tons more expensive ad biowheels
do a close to perfect job and definitely are good enough at the very least.
The spraybar driven biowheels are the most reliable but the new penguin
biowheel power filters might be a lot better than they used to be (i.e.
maybe they keep turning as compared to the old models that after 6 months to
a year of operation stop turning because of friction in the bearings after
wear and not enough of a "push" by the flowing water because of this).
Biowheels truly are a good product. Good luck and enjoy your aquarium!
Later!

). This morrning I put in my zibra
> diano in the tank to cycle it. pleas don't bitch at me for this, I'm
> old fashions and use fish cyclying, I change water daily untill the
> tank stabalizes.
> My real question is I want a school of fish to join my 2 CL loaches,
> I'm thinking about 5 or so small schoolers, Anybody have any
> sugestions on good tank mates? I don't really want tetras as I don't
> like the looks of many of them and there too common, athou I do have
> 3 glowlights in another tank. sothing colorfull and active.
> Also some plant sugestion would be nice, I have some cesiflora that I
> can add easyaly as I had six plants now I have a small far of the
> weed.
>
> sorry for the long post :(
>
>
> TIA

[Justice]

Gill Passman wrote:
> Justice wrote:
>
>> Ok, yesterday I got a new 20gal tank from Big alls, I like there store
>> where they accualy know their stuff even the casheer. They told me
>> when I had ick with my Cl loaches not to use Ick meds. As my loaches
>> are scaleless alot of chemicals can harm them than more fish, so I was
>> sold some cheeper remidies, also When I just had my 1 10 gal they told
>> me not to buy too much food as it my spoil befor its used, again
>> selling somthing cheeper.
>> Anyway, I got a new 20 gal for my CL loaches yesterday, nice setup,
>> submerible heater, penguin powerfilter w/ biowheel(not tottaly shure
>> on how that works info would be nice). This morrning I put in my zibra
>> diano in the tank to cycle it. pleas don't bitch at me for this, I'm
>> old fashions and use fish cyclying, I change water daily untill the
>> tank stabalizes.
>> My real question is I want a school of fish to join my 2 CL loaches,
>> I'm thinking about 5 or so small schoolers, Anybody have any
>> sugestions on good tank mates? I don't really want tetras as I don't
>> like the looks of many of them and there too common, athou I do have 3
>> glowlights in another tank. sothing colorfull and active.
>> Also some plant sugestion would be nice, I have some cesiflora that I
>> can add easyaly as I had six plants now I have a small far of the weed.
>>
>> sorry for the long post :(
>>
>>
>> TIA
>
>
> OK for starters as this is not your first tank you don't need to put
> your fish through the pain of cycling the tank....there are a number of
> options but as I guess you have already moved the Danios so this is what
> I would do:-
>
> 1. Take some of the filter medium (not all) from your existing tank and
> swop it out with some of the new filter medium from your new tank
I did that I had a sponge that was too big and needed trimming anyway,
>
> 2. Squeeze some of your existing filter medium into the new tank - much
> the same way as you would if cleaning it in tank water that you have
> already removed - the water will look a bit dirty for a few minutes but
> will clear
>
never thought of that, thanks
> 3. Take some of the substrate from your existing tank and add it into
> your new. If it doesn't match put some in the toe of a tight/stocking to
> keep it separate.

done
> 4. When I set up a new tank I usually use around 40% water from one of
> my other tanks and top up with fresh
>
not bad idea I used about 10%
> 5. Move some plants and ornaments over to the new tank from the old

moved one so far
> 6. Monitor both tanks to ensure there are no mini-cycles. Personally I
> have found low levels of nitrites to be an issue. If one tank has an
> issue (probably the new one) squeeze out more filter medium gunk from
> the other one.
>
> 7. If there are problems in either tank do small water changes daily -
> 10-20% until everything is under control.
>
> Another option, prior to adding the fish and setting up the new tank is
> to run your filter in the other tank for a week/fortnight.
>
> Which ever option you chose you still need to be careful about adding
> the fish slowly and monitor the water. In theory, you could add a full
> tank load, in practice I would never do it and have seen nitrite
> readings whenever I've attempted it.
>
> In terms of companions for your Clowns....I've found that they do not
> thrive without "dither fish" - fish that swim out in the open
> confidently. Your danios will probably do this. Really you are not just
> limited to tetras - just make sure that you don't overstock the tank.
> I'd be inclined to go for fish that swim out in the open - gouramis,
> platys, mollies, rasboras, danios, guppies etc. (beware that the live
> bearers may quickly take over the tank without care). I would probably
> avoid any other "bottom dwellers" in a tank this size. I wouldn't add
> the Clowns until the tank is truly established with fish swimming out in
> the open confidently and 0 readings on nitrite/ammonia.
>
> As far plants - various people have different success rates with plants
> depending on where they live. Avoid any plants that look like house
> plants....buy whatever you can get - I do well with Java ferns but
> others don't...Vallis (grass type plants) look great, anubius are quite
> hardy (they survive in my Malawi tank inspite of the abuse that they
> get). Bear in mind that Clowns can dig plants up by mistake while
> foraging...try putting the plants in before the Clowns to get them
> securely rooted...
>
> Gill

Thank you for this usefull info