Redoing a 55 Gallon
Posted: 19 Apr 2010, 11:03
Well, this is my first post here and after reading several other topics here I've decided you guys would be the best ones to answer my questions. I'm currently getting ready to re-setup a 55 gallon aquarium as a natural planted aquarium. I've decided that it will have a three part substrate. First layer is a mix of regular Flourite, Red Flourite, and Black Flourite. Second Layer will be either screened dirt or organic plain old topsoil. As for the final layer I'd very much like to have sand. The reason I want sand is I currently have three juvie to adult Corydoras panda (the smallest of the trio measures around 1/2inch without tail maybe a little less.). I do know they need to be in a larger school, though I am waiting for the LFS (also the seller The Wet Spot on Aquabid) to get more Long Fin Pandas as well as more tank raised (like these three) or wild caught regular pandas in. Also currently in holding is a Rineloricaria hasemani (wild caught from Columbia and it's around 2.5 inches), who seems to enjoy the fact that fresh vegetables are a norm around here.
I would love to use CaribSea's Black Sand Substrate for this tank, which is listed on their site for being safe for soft bellied fish (which I assume would be safe for Cory barbels), however to keep it from compacting as I heard it's very fine I would like to also mix it with their newer small grain Voodoo River black gravel. It has a minium size of .1 mm and a max size of .5mm. Would this be safe to mix? As for the catfish, I couldn't seem to find specific care information for the rineloricaria hasemani so I've been basing my care off of Rineloricaria sp. "Red Whiptail Catfish" L010a. He currently recieves a diet of spiruella/algae tablets, left over shrimp pellets, blanched hulled peas, cucumbers, and whatever else I have this week from feeding a rabbit. Will this diet serve him well? He seems to be fond of hiding under the aquatic turtle ramp in the holding tank and for whatever reason the panda cories have decided to "panda pile" ontop of him during the evenings, though this doesn't seem to bother him.
As for the panda's diet they recieve a similar one with tropical flake, freeze dried blood worms and tubiflex worms, and homegrown chopped up earthworm (I do vermiculture composting with them, so I know just what those worms have been eating. I'm a completely organic gardener and haven't used chemicals or artificial fert. in over 10 years due to wildlife and having dogs. My garden is treated with cow, chicken, worm, and rabbit manure and the worms are fed leftover vegetables and fruit.) I can tell you those corys go crazy for that fresh worm. So do platys I have in another tank. I have one that likes to pretend he's Jaws.
Am I giving these cats the best start I can? The other tank has previously cycled natural sand that I've grown tired of and formerly kept neon tetras in. If the black sand/gravel mix isn't acceptable then would this special play sand be safe? It's harvested by Oregon Decorative Rock from the Oregon Cost and sterilized to be a safe alternative to store bought play sand. Something about being free of carcinogenic compounds or some such. It's rather cheap for a large bucket full.
Thanks for answering my questions as I've never really kept catfish before outside of pl*cos and an Auchenipterichthys thoracatus (Midnight Catfish) when I was younger.
I would love to use CaribSea's Black Sand Substrate for this tank, which is listed on their site for being safe for soft bellied fish (which I assume would be safe for Cory barbels), however to keep it from compacting as I heard it's very fine I would like to also mix it with their newer small grain Voodoo River black gravel. It has a minium size of .1 mm and a max size of .5mm. Would this be safe to mix? As for the catfish, I couldn't seem to find specific care information for the rineloricaria hasemani so I've been basing my care off of Rineloricaria sp. "Red Whiptail Catfish" L010a. He currently recieves a diet of spiruella/algae tablets, left over shrimp pellets, blanched hulled peas, cucumbers, and whatever else I have this week from feeding a rabbit. Will this diet serve him well? He seems to be fond of hiding under the aquatic turtle ramp in the holding tank and for whatever reason the panda cories have decided to "panda pile" ontop of him during the evenings, though this doesn't seem to bother him.
As for the panda's diet they recieve a similar one with tropical flake, freeze dried blood worms and tubiflex worms, and homegrown chopped up earthworm (I do vermiculture composting with them, so I know just what those worms have been eating. I'm a completely organic gardener and haven't used chemicals or artificial fert. in over 10 years due to wildlife and having dogs. My garden is treated with cow, chicken, worm, and rabbit manure and the worms are fed leftover vegetables and fruit.) I can tell you those corys go crazy for that fresh worm. So do platys I have in another tank. I have one that likes to pretend he's Jaws.
Am I giving these cats the best start I can? The other tank has previously cycled natural sand that I've grown tired of and formerly kept neon tetras in. If the black sand/gravel mix isn't acceptable then would this special play sand be safe? It's harvested by Oregon Decorative Rock from the Oregon Cost and sterilized to be a safe alternative to store bought play sand. Something about being free of carcinogenic compounds or some such. It's rather cheap for a large bucket full.
Thanks for answering my questions as I've never really kept catfish before outside of pl*cos and an Auchenipterichthys thoracatus (Midnight Catfish) when I was younger.