Low maintenance setup questions

[DIDYSIS]

My advice would be to use sand in the tank and make sure you have lots of flow and filtration. Then just stock the tank smart and feed smart and you can probably do water changes every 3 weeks or so. I had an fx5 on my 55 gallon tank and it was super nice and kept everything clean. Other filters would do similar. If you can do a drip system go for it

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[Mr.Manaconda]

Thanks for the great advice. I really like colorful fish with sone personality and was therefore leaning toward cichlids. Do all cichlids create a lot of waste or are some "cleaner" than others?

Typically its proportional, Bigger fish = More waste. Now, a lot of the "waste" associated with cichlids can be attributed to owners over feeding. Many cichlids will eat as often as you are willing to feed them. Exercise restraint with your feeding, and also feed good quality prepared foods. Select a food that stays together, so most of it goes into the fish instead of breaking down in the tank (i.e. Under decorations or in your substrate).

 

[Yoimbrian]

I have a 20g that has a few small dojo loaches, 2 super small plecos (like 2" clowns i think), a few red cherry shrimp, duckweed, and a sponge filter. It is way under stocked for bio load and the duckweed sucks up everything and the plecos clean the glass. I use the duckweed as a treat for my goldfish.

I just did my first water change in a month, even though nitrates were under 5ppm, just to freshen it up a bit.

So like others said. Very light bio load, small plecos to keep glass clean (I haven't scraped in 6 months an its crystal clear), and live plants.


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[Jesseliu13]

also depends on the fish...

 

[Jesseliu13]

No matter how good your filtration is... if your stock can overpower your filter, you need to do it atleast once a week. Big Bioload fishes include big carnivores ( which i do not suggest for your tank), Any type of pleco ( which i also do not recomment as they are not cleaners. the exact opposite. they grow huge and poop more than they eat. they easily can overpower your filter), and goldfish (which just poop and peep 24/7). Assuming you are on a timely budget, you need low maintanence fish. which is probably community fish, goldfish and at most assorted african cichlids...