My new tank

Hi,

At last I'm just finishing setting up my tank, after have been abandoned for
about two years. It have been messier than expected, but was worth the
effort

So as my presentation to the group I wanted to describe the set up waiting
for your comments / corrections / advices, I'm almost sure I have commited
some errors.

I'ts a 240 l tank, with a substrate of 7 - 10 cm of black quartz, 2 big
roots with great hidden places for shy fishes, 5 rocks between 10 - 20 cm
width each one, an EHEIM filter of 400 l / h (6 years old) and a 100 W
heater.

The tank is running for 3 weeks now. I had to hurry up becouse my nieces
gived me 4 kois (I'm not sure the exact species, but they're cold water
fishes for sure) that had to stay for 2 days in a tapperware of about 2 l of
cappacity.

As soon as I had the filter running and chlorine removed, moved the 4 fishes
on and had survived very well (they are very tough), I think they must
helped to accelerate in some ammount the cycling of the tank.

A week later I brought in the first pack of plants:

Cryptocoryne Wendtii Brown
Echinodorus Rubra Lucanas
Acorus gramineus
Samolus valerandi
Aponogeton ulvaceus
Samolus valerandi
Anubias barteri
Hemigraphis colorata
Ambulia Sessiliflora

During the first two weeks, the tank wasn't well lighted, because the old
set-up consisted on two 30 watt tubes very aged (more than 18 months). Now I
have a home made new lighting system with 4 x 36 Watt tubes (2 1000 ºk and 2
Gro Lux).

Some of the plants haven't done very well with old light, and some others
have been bitten by the cois, but all of them are recovering really fast
since the new tubes went on.

The actual fish population is the following:

4 kois? (I have become fond of them
10 neon tetras
2 Angelfish
2 Black Ghosts
2 female Betta Splendes

I think it would ver very logical to remove the 4 kois, but I need first to
know the cons of maintaining them on the tank (they seem to do very well,
are very acctive, have very intense colors and are allways hungry).

My plans are to add one ancistrus, a Male Betta Splendes and a pair of Blue
Gouramis. I know I'm mixing hard water fishes with soft water ones, but I
believe the tap water in my city is neutral to soft and all species will do
well.

In case I had to forget the bettas / gouramis, what species would you
recommend to complete the tank?

Ok, I think it's enough for the first mail, in following messages I will
continue to describe the details of the tank. Will appreciate any comment /
advice / etc that could help to achieve success and improve the tank.

Sincerly,

Joseph John

Ps: sorry for my bad English, hadn't practiced it for years