My return .... Starting small

[Mr. Mom]

So the past couple weeks, I've been digging out what remained of my aquaria equipment, plus browsing fish shops and finding my way back here. Needless to say I've a boat load of decor I'll probably never use. (fake plants, bridges, castles, etc....). But it's nice to have some tanks running again .... even if they are empty.
Now if my kids could figure out what of their crap is going out the door, I could go get a larger tank (been looking at some 65G and 90G tanks). But in the mean time, the itch is back. So it's small to start.
That being said, figured I'd run/formulate my plans here first .... open to feedback. Maybe I've missed something.

4 tanks running (35g tall, 30g, 2x 29g) 1 empty (25g). All tanks have driftwood and plants (2 plants each for now, more to come) on a low tech setup. (root tabs, Liquid carbon, iron supplement). So I'm not big on the Cichlid avenue.

For the 35g tall, currently bare bottom (thinking of rescaping with gravel). 2x AC70 filters. 2 Anubias attached to driftwood.
Possible stock list:
4 Julli Cory, 2 Albino Bristlenose, 5 Blue Rams, 6 Silver Hatchet

30g, currently bare bottom (planning to get some sand for the tank). AC110 filter. 2 Anubias attached to driftwood.
Possible stock list:
6 Banjo Catfish
(This was my previous Banjo Tank was setup, and I plan to rebuild it again. Once I find some. I have tried housing them with Neon/Cardinal Tetras before, which they ate. Someone suggested Red eye Tetra's (or something). But I've a feeling they'll end up the same, an extra treat. I've a bunch of Almond Leaves stashed away still, to help recreate the partial blackwater I previously had)

29g, gravel base. AC70 filter. 2 Anubias attached to driftwood, 1 Red Ludwigia planted.
Possible stock list:
2 Apisto Agassizii, 2 Albino Bristlenose, (2 Blue Rams can go here should issues arise in the 35g)

29g, sand base. AC70 filter. 1 Anubias attached to driftwood, 1 Red Ludwigia planted.
Thinking of using this as a grow out tank for the future 65-90g one.

25g, bare bottom. 2x AC30 filters.
shrimp? quarantine? Axolotl?

So please, I'm open to feedback/opinions. I'm taking my time here. I do have the 4 Julli Cory's and the 4 Albino Bristlenose so far ... otherwise I'm inching my way back in. Plus I'll have to teach myself how to upload pics again. LOL

Thanks.

 

[Mr. Mom]

My new fish corner. And first attempt at loading pics.

 

[tlindsey]

My new fish corner. And first attempt at loading pics. View attachment 1447789

Nice. I suggest rearranging the power strips so you don't have to worry about water getting on them.

 

[Mr. Mom]

Nice. I suggest rearranging the power strips so you don't have to worry about water getting on them.

LOL ... Thanks, I will be. It was a scramble finding two power blocks in my house, still need to tidy and put things away. The game plan is to mount them, so they're off the floor altogether.
Had to punch a hole in the back of the closet to feed a cord through for power. Yes the 2x 29g are in an old closet. Eventually to be replaced with a 55g at a much later date.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Nice! Just curious how you intend to cycle all those tanks assuming you started them all from scratch at the same time?

 

[Mr. Mom]

Nice! Just curious how you intend to cycle all those tanks assuming you started them all from scratch at the same time?

Good question. I've been slowly getting them running over the past two weeks, so not all at once per say, but seems like it. When the 30g was up and cycled, I picked up a bunch of guppies (future feeders for something). But I'm only focusing on one tank at a time. 30g is cycled (with guppies in it currently) until I can find some Banjo Catfish.
Meanwhile I'm slowly stocking the 35g, as it was the second tank (that's where the bottom feeders I picked up are. The 2x 29g are running for the plants I'm gradually acquiring.
No way I could get all 4 running at the same time. But the plants are part of the reason we're returning.

 

[Mr. Mom]

Guess this is an update on the rebuild .... kinda helps me sort out what I'm doing/where I'm going

The Julli Cories and the Bristlenose plecos are enjoying the 35g. Next up is the Blue Ram's, but thinking of adding substrate to the tank first. So kinda pausing for the moment, instead I'm working on the surface of the tank next, while I figure that out. I did add a "potted" Sword plant to the tank recently, but need to figure out planting it still (back to substrate again), so time's ticking on that one.
The guppies are maintaining the 30g for me (I'm constantly finding babies in the filter during water changes), so far I've only lost 2 females (knock on wood, tank seems to be maintaining). Banjo's are on order. They hoped in a month's time they'd have them for me. Giving me the time to sort out how to lay the tank out. I was contemplating a bare-bottom this time around (I'll periodically add almond leaves to the tank either way). But I also remembered their enjoyment of the sand from my previous Banjo tank. Problem is, recreating the blend of sand I had before ? If I do go with sand, it'll be a Ph neutral sand (a lesson I learned when using Almond Leaves on another tank, everything went out of whack after I'd added them). And I need to figure that out ASAP .... Biggest difference this time I won't be planting the tank, other than Anubias attached to driftwood. (Currently up to 5 Anubias in there now). Lessons learned from previous. So the sand would be for their enjoyment solely. .... I think i may have just figured it out.

So combining hobbies of mine, flowers/plants/fish I've converted my "new" fish corner into a growing corner.
Before I'd walked away, many of us here had been adding pothos to our tanks. For most, it was to control Nitrates and such, myself because I wanted plants in the house again. (My ex killed all my plants). So I was also playing with different terrestrial plants, seeing what and what couldn't create a water root; including different setups on the top of the tank (baskets and such submerged).
So for the past 5 yrs, I've rekindled my passion for plants and flowers, creating a semi-jungle in my living room and making my front yard to resemble a little old lady's; and of course I'm going to continue with plants on the surface of my tanks this time around too.
Not to mention my house plants have greatly appreciated the new source of water for them (water changes are good).
So off to the nursery I went today, to get some pothos (I've currently got one upstairs over 6ft long, but couldn't bring myself to cut it). I ended up buying more than that (Fish Stores, Grocery Stores and Plant Stores ... my 3 weaknesses). Previously I'd learned most vine type plants will develop water roots quite easily, as long as there's adequate water flow. So I've got ideas formulating on a few things, including some shoots off one of my passion flowers (I'd recently took some clippings from one and stuck it in a vase. Happy to say roots have formed). It doesn't look like my T-5 bulbs will fit the hallogen light fixture in the closet, but there's gotta be a grow style bulb that'll fit it .... Things to get.
I may just mount the T-5 somewhere still yet .... It's just too big to sit on any of my current tanks (It was off of my old 55g, that my ex got to sell). Guess time will tell.

So here I am trying to keep things slow, as it is ... I probably jumped the gun getting the Jullii's already, but I needed something to pump start me on water changes. (Guppies just don't do it for me).
The Red Ludwigia's went to **** in both 29's, my fault for not getting the iron supplement they needed, yet the Anubias are doing fine. Although I've only done water changes to the one tank so far, which I was supposed to do again today.

So I'm still tinkering away; a little of this, a little of that. Trying to incorporate the lessons learned from before. Reading up on posts on the site, slowly recognizing some of the names .... missing a couple I haven't seen. (They'd been great help in the past, and may be gone or under a different name). And I'm too lazy to go digging through my archives to see. ? Although seeing a Banjo successfully spawn while I was away, was awesome, something I'd been hoping to do when I had mine.

So Thanks for the read (and allowing me to ramble). As always I'm open to insight and suggestions.

OH and I'm happy to say/admit .... the electrical cords have been safely put away. We did have one near miss (according to my kids).
(pics to follow)

 

[Mr. Mom]

Here's some pics to go with the update.

 

[Ogertron3000]

Very nice setup, a quiet corner to retreat to when needed.
Downsizing can be good, i went from a 120G to a 30G and am realy enjoying the ease of maintaining it. Like you I threw some livebearers in until I found what I really wanted. I still havent found the main fish but the guppies and swordtails have grown on me. Seeing them owning a tank with no predators shows them in their true colours. They are probably more entertaining than we give them credit for.

 

[esoxlucius]

M Mr. Mom , what is that huge monster plant, I love it. Also, have you got an OCD. I can honestly say I have never seen such tidy regimented bucket placement as yours, lol.