New setup... questions

[bizfromqc]

Bought a couple more plants and rearranged stuff around the tank a bit.
New plants are hornwort, anubias nana and alternanthera bettzickiana (don't know the common name).

I put the sword and crypts in the bottom-right corner around the co2 reaction chamber to hide it a bit, it should look nice when it grows a bit and gets thicker.

I think it's coming along nicely, what do you guys think?

[delslo]

If you add a jungle val or two just behind the swords and crypts you can hide the wiring and tubing, or try vals on the one side to hide the thermometer cable and blood star grass or rotala wallichii to balance the reds on the left while hiding the tubing.

[jshchrtn]

Looks like its coming along well good job dude! Have you decided when you'll be adding fish? Are you still gonna do apisto?

[bizfromqc]

If you add a jungle val or two just behind the swords and crypts you can hide the wiring and tubing, or try vals on the one side to hide the thermometer cable and blood star grass or rotala wallichii to balance the reds on the left while hiding the tubing.

Thanks for the recommendations. I'll look into some of those. My concern what that anything tall to hide the heater cable might be sucked in and/or clog the filter intake on the top-left.

[bizfromqc]

Looks like its coming along well good job dude! Have you decided when you'll be adding fish? Are you still gonna do apisto?

Thanks for your comments.

I definitely want to keep a couple of apistos in there. I need to look at caves/rocks next to put in the tank. It will be a challenge because the real-estate is not that big on a 20g tall tank. I really like those small "cichlid stones" (see attachment) so I may get one or two of those if the cost/shipping is not too high (unless I can get them locally). Otherwise, I might go the clay pot route or DIY some stones/silicone into some make shift caves...

As for putting the apistos in there, I spoke to the good folks at La Niche who will be on the hunt for a pair of apistogramma cacatuoides for me. Waiting for a phone call.

[touchofsky]

I think your tank looks great!  I used Cryptocoryne crispatula 'Balansae' to hide the submersible filter in my tank.  It is still relatively small, but is going to do a good job I think.  The leaves are quite stiff, so won't get sucked into the filter intake.  Also, I made caves out of coconut shell for my kribensis.  I cut the coconut in half, hollowed it out, and then clipped little entrances out of the shell.

Thanks for posting pictures and I will enjoy watching the progression of your tank 

[fischkopp]

I need to look at caves/rocks next to put in the tank.

In most cases any arrangement of wood that creates a little cavity above the substrate is taken for spawning. The female gets to pick, as usual. Coconuts work well too.

[bizfromqc]

The female gets to pick, as usual.

I'm going to resist the temptation to comment on this 

[bizfromqc]

I have started a new thread with pictures and description in the build section here:
http://ovas.ca/forum/index.php?topic=52651.0

Further updates to the tank will be posted there.

Mods please close this thread.

[delslo]

Thanks for the recommendations. I'll look into some of those. My concern what that anything tall to hide the heater cable might be sucked in and/or clog the filter intake on the top-left.

In that case go with the jungle vals and use a bent zip tie stuck to each side around it and 1/2" in front, that way they cand get sucked into it

[bizfromqc]

In that case go with the jungle vals and use a bent zip tie stuck to each side around it and 1/2" in front, that way they cand get sucked into it

Thanks for the tip. Quick and cheap, I like it