New Tank

[Chris.d514]

I just bought a new Aqueon 14 gallon kit, 20lbs of black sand, and 2 medium white lava rocks. I plan on putting black film on the back and sides. Anyone got a recommendation on some fish and plants? I was thinking some albino cherry barbs, tiger barbs (reg and albino) and some bottom feeder.

[eklikewhoa]

Ditch the tiger barbs, they are mean mofos

[Chris.d514]

Also I just started the tank with water and the amquel plus but is there anything else that I can do relatively inexpensively that will help cycle the tank?

[eklikewhoa]

Find someone nearby with clean tanks and use their old filter media in your filter/tank and the bacteria will seed your tank, You could slowly start stocking fish at this point too if you like.

[Chris.d514]

Cool well if anyone in the Deer Park, La Porte, Webster, or 45/belt south read this and are willing to share I would very much appreciate it. Should I begin stocking with plants or fish as I want to have both? And what are some good plant choices?

[eklikewhoa]

If you're going to do planted the do a lot of plants and do that first so it will help with the cycle.

[LooksLater]

I like a South east Asian Biotope...think loaches (bottom feeders), rasboras, definitely move over the danios from the other tank!- they will work well with these. What are you trying to achieve, focus point? Or all over movement?

Other bottom dwellers- it depend on water movement. What kind of filtration are you running? Lots of water movement means more options, less means simple things such as kuhli loaches.

[Chris.d514]

The filter that came with it is the aqueon quiet flow 10 that does 100gph. I am looking for bright colors that will move decently and i love the look of the clown loaches. I went with the dark substrate so that the bright and vibrant colored fish would really pop. I am still wondering what plants would be good with minimal maintenance as this will be my first planted tank unless you count the moss ball in my daughters tank.

[LooksLater]

Definitely since it's new and still has to cycle- go with initial plants like anubias, swords, java fern, and mosses, that are hardy and will likely survive the process. If you don't like them, toss or trade them when you're done cycling, if you do like them, keep them and add others.

I'd recommend upgrading filters if you can- that filter is weak for that size tank. Always helps to "overfilter"...those ratings are spotty, those numbers usually mean what they will push with NO media (the sponges, etc inside the filter), and the biofilm (the funk that adds up) slowing everything down, etc...always double what you think you need, in my opinion. Aquaclear is the best hang-on-back filter (HOB) that I have ever used, not too expensive and works like a champ. Maybe leave what's there and add a Aquaclear 20 on that size tank. Check amazon for good deals.

[Chris.d514]

Would a discus or two work in this with a brochis Cory cat?

[LooksLater]

I definitely would advise against discus.

[aquabee]

14 gallons is definitely quite small for fish like discus and clown loaches. Those need much larger tanks (in my opinion at least 75 gallons) and very high filtration. Barbs are really fun to watch and colorful and would be a great addition to your tank, but they typically SHRED through plants like crazy! Unless you get plants like anubias that are very tough, easy to care for, and resistant to these fish. Harlequin rasboras are my absolute favorite for small tanks... colorful and they look amazing in schools, and they aren't mean like barbs!

Corys are great to keep in small schools, especially since you have sand (which they just love). I'd keep some otocinclus for algae eaters and maybe some really cool looking snails.

As far as cycling is concerned, I trust only one product to help me through a cycle. Plant, fill, and run your tank for a few days, then drain and refill it and add Stability (by Seachem) in addition to your dechlorinator. Add your fish, but you have to be sure to add Stability every day for seven days as instructed on the bottle. I've done with with huge tanks as well as small tanks and have never lost fish to a cycling tank. The only fish I'd hold off on until your tank has been doing well for at least 1-2 months is the otocinclus algae eater.

Best of luck! Post pics! :)

[Chris.d514]

I was looking at changing from a white light to a blue will this affect plant/fish that I can add?

[aquabee]

I was looking at changing from a white light to a blue will this affect plant/fish that I can add?

There are quite a few things that factor in to choosing the light that you want for your tank. I would do some reading on this forum and online before you make that decision. It likely will not affect what fish you can house, but it definitely impacts your choice of plants.

[R_sustaita]

yeah man. discus grow crazy given the right space. and 14 is jsut to small for them. you can try Angels on a 14 but you will have to upgrade with in 3-4 months. Angels and Discus like tall tanks and lots of room to swim. you can add more guramis or try dwraft cichlids.