# 14 gallon planted



## ryanpb (Apr 24, 2013)

I'm in the process of setting up a 14 gallon planted tank.

First tank in a few years.

It is in place, filled, with a basic layout in place.
I have just started to cycle the filter, I'm using the fishless method with fish food (I gave up finding pure ammonia, everything I did had other crap in it)

I have a few smallish plants in the tank, but this is my first foray into live plants in my own tank. (anarchis and a grass like type I found in the same tank at the LFS, the guy there seemed like he knew his stuff and recommended it, i'll have to write down the name next time i'm in, though someone may recognize it.) It also has lava rock in it. I've included a picture. Anyone know how/if the plants will affect cycling the tank?


I have a java fern, and Xmas moss on the way I ordered offline that I'm also putting into the tank, and when I stumble across the right piece of driftwood I'll add that (though I want to find out ph/hardness first, especially with rock, i'm hoping any increase can be countered with tannins from the driftwood)

I haven't bought a test kit yet (kicking myself for not bringing the master kit from home when I moved) so i don't have measurements on ph/hardness/ect yet. 

I'm kind of going for an amazon river basin look, though the plants don't all match as i have to make allocations for lighting. It currently has 2 cfl's, which put out a good amount of lumens, but have a low color temperature (2700K) I think i'll get some of coralife's CFL bulbs for freshwater soon (6700K). 

For stocking i'm currently leaning towards a few small shrimp, a trio of cory catfish, and a small school of another small schooling fish (maybe harlequin rasboras, small tetra or perhaps one of the smaller hatchets?) I'm rather flexible on the fish, but I do really want the corys, and if they can get along some inverts as well. I also don't want to overstock the tank, or really even stock at capacity, there's just personally nothing I find less attractive in a tank than one that looks like it belongs at a pet store.

I doubt I'll have any fish in the tank for about a month till i've got the filter cycled and any kinks worked out.

Any opinions on stocking?
Most cories seem to want to be in larger groups, 6 or more, any that either are comfortable in a smaller group (trio) or stay small enough 6 is fine?
Ideas/feedback on inverts (shrimp), and any problems that could arise with two animals (shrimp and cories) filling a similar niche? 
Ideas on last species in tank? I'm thinking just the 3 species total.
any other very hardy/easy plants that may work well (seems like most swords are high light)?


*c/p*


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## jshiloh13 (Dec 12, 2010)

Nice looking tank. Just for future information you can usually find pure ammonia at Walgreens or one of those pharmacy stores.

As far as the plants effecting the cycle, they will slow it down a lot, because they will be using up a lot of the ammonia instead of it feeding the bacteria. So your bacteria colony won't grow as big as fast.

I think you will be fine with just 3 cories, I've had just 3 before and they have done well. You just won't get quite the schooling effect that you get with more of them (but you probably wouldn't get it anyways in a smaller tank)

And for another species I think some neon or cardinal tetra would look nice.

Good luck and keep us updated


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## ryanpb (Apr 24, 2013)

Thanks!
I ordered a new master test kit online, and was able to get a reading, but it's high (around 8) and definitly needs to come down, i'm hoping when i introduce driftwood that will help, I'd like to avoid the mess that comes with using chemicals to regulate ph. I also swapped out the bulbs for 5000Ks, lighting looks much better.

Ammonia is showing up though, last check was 1-2 ppm so that's a good sign for now, stil no fish, but I did notice a few stowaways, smallish snails, I've ben keeping an eye on them, I know snails can be disasterous in a planted tank, but so far they seem more interested in the rocks/gravel and glass, than the live plants.


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## ryanpb (Apr 24, 2013)

over the last month I've moved some things around in my tank, Got some driftwood in it, and introduced the first (on purpose) animals.

Tank is currently home home to a trio of Amano shrimp, a few snails (the only one added on purpose an assasin snail) and a pair of Oto catfish (though I'm thinking about getting a third, they are shoaling fish)

Ph has dropped a little, I've started using RO water for the water changes, should see it come down, and the tannins from the wood helped. I'm going for a blackwater biotype look.


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## whitetiger61 (Aug 2, 2011)

thats looking really good and growing in well..you will have a jungle in no time..keep the pics coming.

Rick


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## SueD (Aug 4, 2012)

Nice tank. But if those are java ferns in the front left, it looks like you might have the rhizome planted under substrate. The rhizome needs to be above the substrate or it will rot. You can tie them to the rocks or driftwood.

Depending on what you choose for your schooling fish, if they are small you can look at the dwarf cories like hasbrosus and add 6 - 8 of these. For regular cories, pandas are one of the smaller ones. I have a 20 gal with just 3 of these and they are doing fine.


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## nate2005 (Apr 24, 2013)

looks great!


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## ryanpb (Apr 24, 2013)

Thanks! It's funny you mentioned that, becuase originally I had more of the roots out of substrate and the plant seemed to be doing better, I just pulled them up and gently "pinned" them between two rocks, exposing more of the rhizome. I have since introduced 1 more oto, bringng them to a trio, and ended up picking up a trio of Salt and Pepper corys. I think besides that I;m just about done with the major aquascaping, though I think i may introduce dwarf hairgrass on the slightly raised terrace on the right side of the tank, instead of the plant growing there.

Still just trying to make my mind up between a harem of Scarlet Badis, or a school of either 1 type of tetra or Rasbora.


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## whitetiger61 (Aug 2, 2011)

i would go with the scarlets ..they are a cute little fish

Rick


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## kingjombeejoe (Dec 27, 2012)

I have dwarf puffers and love them. That tank would be perfect for them. The only problem is you wont be able to add any other fish with them, the Cories and Ottos are fine as well as the Amano shrimp. I even have Cherry shrimp with mine and they don't bother them at all but that is 50/50 sometimes.


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