Suggestions for a FW setup?

[trilinearmipmap]

As far as the plants it can be troubleshot if you want to take the time I could help you fix it. I have a high-light CO2 system, and a low light non-CO2 system, I have been through bad troubles with both of them and now they are both running great. IMO you need a multifactorial approach to deal with it including substrate, macro and micro ferts, lighting balanced to CO2, and an algae-eating crew to include shrimp otos and snails. But if you want to keep clown loaches IMO they are not well compatible with a planted tank because they will eat snails and probably shrimp too.

[Delphinus]

Yeah... it seems that what it comes down to, the loaches or the plants. Not that I'm against the idea of a nice planted tank, if done well they are amazing setups, just thinking that it's best to separate the goals for now.

Ok given that I need to get the loaches into a bigger system, but can't give them a 90g (or bigger) tank *at this time*, but I could, say, fit into the spot the current tank is in, either a 3' 65g, or a 4' 50g, what's a better choice? The length or the overall volume?

Tri, got any pics of your setups?

[midgetwaiter]

I'd choose the 4' for swimming space, the extra volume would be nice but you canmake up for it with water changes.

[Canadbis]

I agree with Midgetwaiter
Go with the 48" for swimming room
I have 7 clown loaches that school together and the largest is about 5". If he leads the pack then they make sure to go from one end to the other, if a small one leads then they only go about halfway, and as yours are larger I would give them the length to swim.
If you plan on putting them in a larger tank later then maybe add a couple Bala sharks to go with them, mine get along great!!

Or just buy my 5' tank that is for sale!!

[albert_dao]

A couple things:

- Clown Loaches reach the 5" mark very rapidly (within the first two years), but from there, the growth rate tapers off to a crawl.

- Planted tanks can be EZ if you take the time to hunt down certain species. Java fern, Anubias and Cryptocoryns are all species that will do well REGARDLESS of your non-existant care routine - - Snails notwithstanding.

- Don't bother with the whole bleach thing. Give everything a quick clean with a stiff brush and warm water. Replace the media if you've got a real slime bucket on your hands and start from there.

- Length or volume? Six of one or half a dozen of the other? It's a matter of personal preference when you're talking about clown loaches that you don't plan to keep to full size. Figure out what works best for the space you have. That said, bigger is always better - and I know lots about big.

- Jebo brand lights have been known to spontaeneously light aflame. You have been warned.

- Dechlorinated tap water is fine if you're planning with the more robust plants.

That's all I can think of right now.

[Delphinus]

Those are the plants I grow already. It's not that the plants don't grow it's that they are outcompeted continually.

The rocks need to be bleached or discarded. The algae base cannot be srubbed off. I'm not exagerrating.

PS. I never said I don't plan to keep the loaches until full size -- I'm curious if one setup works better for them, over another setup, for the short term. I would prefer to re-evaluate their setup needs every few years or so, and grow with them incrementally.

[RobbAdams]

Tony,

I found back when I was growing plants that that Flourite gravel stuff, underneath about an inch of sand was a miracle. this stuff is a bit pricey if I recall, but really changed things for me. I maily grew that tall val stuff (Looks like fat blades of grass) in straight treated tapwater. I also was using an eheim filter, one of the pro series in a 75 gallon. kept mainly africans, not sure if this makes a difference.

Robb