# what to keep...



## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

i am starting this thread because i started to take over some ones post and me and some one else where talking... so to fill you in i am planing on keeping a variety of mosses (flame, java...) but i was wondering what to keep in the tank... well i decided to get about 15 cardinals, well he made a good point that i think i said i had about 6 watts per gallon and i am only keeping moss... but my problem is that it is a sand bottom tank... and i have never kept stem plant in a sand bottom tank so im not sure how good they will grow or do... and the tank is also getting injected with DIY CO2... so thats about it...

here are some pictures...
first four are the tank i am talking about up above
the next one is a picture of where i "hide" my piranha tank(as you can see my sand bottom tank of the far left)
next would be my piranha tank with my bed room closet open and my snake tank on the bottom and last but not least my four piranha's


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

The stem plants should be fine, (if taken care of properly!)


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

even in the sand?? and what kind of ferts should i use?? (im now in planted tanks) i have only keep a few stem plants in a 75G with my piranhas


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

sorry here is the last picture... (could only fit 5 i forgot)


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## fibertech (Apr 29, 2009)

Plant a bunch of root tabs in the sand.


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

Like fibertech said, root tabs work! How many piranahs do you have?


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

i had five... they ate one when they where the size of dime's so i have 4 now but where could i get root tabs?? ive never heard of them


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## maknwar (Aug 10, 2008)

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl3684/cp24862/si1380300/cl0/seachemflourishtabs10pack


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

maknwar... that was a good link but that is use for gravel bottom, not sand bottoms thanks though


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## fibertech (Apr 29, 2009)

The tabs maknwar posted are the ones I use. They last three month and will not cloud your water if exposed.


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

do they work in sand bottoms?? it says gravel on that box...


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

the guy that i was talking to before i made this thread said i would have ALOT of algae with 6 watts per gallon.. i was wrong its 5 watts per gallon and i have DIY CO2 but still people are saying i should have alot of algae but i haven't had any sense i set the take up 4-5+ weeks ago


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## Aquarist_Fist (Jul 22, 2008)

Sand is a type of gravel...just fine gravel. 

In general, stem plants are good choices for nutrient-poor sand because they get most of their nutrition through their leaves. As a (very general) rule of thumb: Lots of strong roots (e.g. Amazon sword plants) = root feeder. Weak/no roots = leaf feeder. Those tiny feeble roots that most stem plants have serve primarily to keep the plant in place.

Another beautiful plant family you may want to consider are Cryptocoryne. For example, C. lutea thrives in sandy substrate. It produces runners and can eventually cover your whole tank without become too weed-y and invasive: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...=1261434243739&aq=0&oq=cryptocoryne+lu&aqi=g2


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

You need to seriously cut down your lighting till you get some pressurized CO2 on the tank. And even then, you shouldn't need more than 2-3 wpg. If you're sticking with DIY CO2, then I'd go for a low light/low tech setup, since DIY CO2 doesn't really get distributed well through a large tank.

I agree that swords and crypts would be good choices, and easy to fertilize with root tabs.

If you go with stem plants, you'll probably have more luck dosing the water column with ferts.


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

lauraleellbp said:


> You need to seriously cut down your lighting till you get some pressurized CO2 on the tank. And even then, you shouldn't need more than 2-3 wpg. If you're sticking with DIY CO2, then I'd go for a low light/low tech setup, since DIY CO2 doesn't really get distributed well through a large tank.
> 
> I agree that swords and crypts would be good choices, and easy to fertilize with root tabs.
> 
> If you go with stem plants, you'll probably have more luck dosing the water column with ferts.


hey its good to here from you... and thanks for the info was going to lower my wattage today but a changed some stuff on my tank and didnt have enough time... ill take pictures as soon as possible... but what kinds of fish would you say?? i was thinking about some loaches of different kinds with some cardinal tetras would that be good?


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

This is a 29gal, right?

Cardinal tetras will be fine, but I'd only go with small loaches along the lines of Khulies or Dwarf Chain Loaches.


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

yea its a 29G 

if i dont end up going with those what are some of your other personal choices for grouping fish


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I prefer schools of small fish as a personal preference. Most of the small tetras would be a good choice (there are just about endless options, but besides Cardinals, Embers, Ruby, and Green neons are a few more of my own favs.)

Rasboras would make a nice school, too- and lots of species of those are easily available.

Cories would make good bottom dwellers/scavengers.

Most livebearers would work (and also give you a supply of feeders for the piranha)... you really have TONS of options! lol


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

what kind of livebearers would you prefer with a school of some kinds of tetras?(most likely neons or cardinals)


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I actually keep livebearers out of my tanks these days since they'd run me out of house and home in like 2 weeks flat LOL

But if I were to keep livebearers again, I've always liked some of the wild-type gooedid/poecilia species. Endlers might be a temptation.


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