# 14 biocube stocking



## m8r8j (Jun 13, 2010)

hey i picked up another 14 biocube and was just looking for stocking ideas... was thinking of a pair of ram cichlids or something... just give me some ideas please!!!:animated_fish_swimm


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## ladyonyx (Apr 20, 2009)

If you're looking to do cichlids, shell dwelling cichlids of the genus Neolamprologus would be PERFECT for that tank. You could probably house 4 or 5 of them in there as they only get about 2 inches long and are relatively docile, for chichlids. As long as they have plenty of shells to live in, they're happy. Desktop Cichlids: The Shell Dweller Recipe!

Another great option would be dwarf puffers. I have a 10g tank with 3 of them in there, lots of plants and rock work too, and they get along great. They're cheap and are a riot to watch. They readily eat snails and bloodworms. Dwarf Puffers : Home

I'm a fan of species tanks, but you could always set up a nice community tank with some tetras, rasboras, corys, etc. Just depends on what you like. Have fun!


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## ladyonyx (Apr 20, 2009)

Unless of course you want to do saltwater.....very exciting indeed....


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## m8r8j (Jun 13, 2010)

well i thought about that... i would do fish only with live rock...

the guy at my lfs said id need to buy startsmart or smartstart, it supposedly instantly cycles your tank..

then id need to buy lr rubble to replace my bio balls

then id need live sand, and a large piece of live rock

and id probably buy two clown fish... and im probably looking at around 150 dollars for everything including salt and a hydrometer which kind of sucks...


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## Scuff (Aug 10, 2010)

Despite what the labels may say, there is no miracle additive that will instantly cycle your tank. Bottled bacteria can work, depending on the brand, but most of them are just filled with dead bacteria. They tend to be treated a lot like filters, heaters, etc. and left on pallets in unheated/uncooled warehouses/trucks, which tends to kill off a lot of the bacteria that are packaged in the bottle.


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## ladyonyx (Apr 20, 2009)

Salt water is more expensive as far as startup costs go, but it's great. IMO, do a deep sand bed (2 inches for sure), minimum of 1lb of live rock (LR) to 1 gallon of water (so 14-20 lbs of LR in your tank), and let things cycle on their own. If you get cured LR, it has tons of good bacteria that essentially function as you biological filter, so the additives are unnecessary. I ALWAYS recommend doing a fishless cycle (I use straight ammonia) because I think cycling with fish is absolutely unnecessary and stressful for the fish involved.


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