Badis or Dwarf Loach?

[KJB]

Thanks for the praise

The java fern is still new to my tank(if you look closely they are ziptied to the driftwood) and I'm still checking if it will live or not. I read it NEEDS low light so if you look at the night picture, there's a cardboard blocking the light directly above it. I will add more of the fern right above/behind the one currently in there to fill the middle area if it does live. As for the crypt, it requires rich gravel but my substrate is 75% gravel 25% flourite(I did not anticipate this much plants for my tank). It's not out of the question but I will consider it for the future. I have gone through a number of plants already and what's currently there are the ones that have survived.

You're right about them being possible food though, but I am optimistic also just like you! I'm not sure whether to add the loaches b/c my substrate is neither soft nor sandy. Is that a big concern?

I am now acclimating the badis(I got 4 of them) and they are so tiny!

Don't mention it. I always wanted to do a larger SE Asia tank. I did a 40 gallon one but that was years ago when I wasn't as skilled with planted tanks.

The Java Fern will do fine in any light, it wont grow as fast as other plants in a high light situation but high light wont hurt it either. It should really thrive. I think you could put two more in there. Your mix of gravel and fluorite is fine for most low light to mid light plants its all about flow and water nutrients. But I don't see any algae so everything looks to be in balance as is!

I know tons of Loach owners who use gravel or Flourite and my favorite planted tank is a 70 that mixes Azoo plant substrate, Flourite and gravel. For fish it has a mix of Dwarf Chain Loaches, Badis, Pygmy Cories and other tiny Rasboras, Danios and Endlers. So the Loaches should be more then fine, plus Loaches are really fun to watch in large groups.

 

[Mr. Rain Cloud]

Don't mention it. I always wanted to do a larger SE Asia tank. I did a 40 gallon one but that was years ago when I wasn't as skilled with planted tanks.

The Java Fern will do fine in any light, it wont grow as fast as other plants in a high light situation but high light wont hurt it either. It should really thrive. I think you could put two more in there. Your mix of gravel and fluorite is fine for most low light to mid light plants its all about flow and water nutrients. But I don't see any algae so everything looks to be in balance as is!

I know tons of Loach owners who use gravel or Flourite and my favorite planted tank is a 70 that mixes Azoo plant substrate, Flourite and gravel. For fish it has a mix of Dwarf Chain Loaches, Badis, Pygmy Cories and other tiny Rasboras, Danios and Endlers. So the Loaches should be more then fine, plus Loaches are really fun to watch in large groups.

Wow, very good advice, thanks. So should I leave the cardboard on the splash guard or take it away for the java fern? I will definitely add more substrate then b/c the middle part of my tank is pretty shallow on substrate. I will "carpet" the middle part with some crypts then

I actually have some algae problems, I think I put too much fertilizer on there; after 7 days or so the green on the glass is really visible. I also have the hairy algae and red algae, hopefully the six SAEs start plumping up on those The red algae grows on the filter stuff including the heater, rocks, and driftwood also. I use a toothbrush for the hairy algae. The red algae has to be removed manually also, I take out the rocks/filter parts(intake/outtake) and scrub it off. I only think it's the amount of fertilizer I put in b/c:
-after every 7 days I turn off filter first then scrape algae off the glass
-I service the canister filter(fluval 405) every other week(2 days before the 50% weekly water changes). In the canister cartridges I have polishing pads(changed every service), peat, biomax, carbon(1/3 of recommended amount since I have plants), and clearmax(same situation as carbon).

It's also possible that the red and hairy algae came from the plants that I bought(I buy them online: ebay). I will reduce my fertilizer input by 50% and see how it goes.

Also thanks for sharing you favorite planted tank, I'll research the cories and endlers

 

[tis-star]

LOL!

I have high light...I shall try again once i move XD I fertilize the substrate and water but no CO2....hmm....I plan on having a small planted shrimp tank once i'm in grad school XD I shall give the marimo a try again.

 

[Mr. Rain Cloud]

LOL!

I have high light...I shall try again once i move XD I fertilize the substrate and water but no CO2....hmm....I plan on having a small planted shrimp tank once i'm in grad school XD I shall give the marimo a try again.

Are you sure you have high light? If you do, you should have at least 4 bulbs and they should be skinny. I hope marimo will live next time Maybe the problem was the marimo itself.