Hi, just starting

[IrvineHimself]

Hi all, after retiring last year, I have decided to take up aquascaping. Towards this end, I bough a 90l [60*40*40 cm] rimless tank along with a few representative samples of hardscape and a sponge filter. To plan the layout I am using chopped up neoprene and cardboard cut outs to simulate sand/substrate and plants. In a couple of weeks, I will be ready to actually start the aquarium. My proposed schedule is:

• Week 1 : Get some plants and fill the aquarium
• Week 2 : Add some Endler's and Shrimp to start the nitrogen cycle
• Week 5 : Add about 5 Dwarf Corys
• Week 8 : Add about 5 Khuli Loach
• Week 12: Add a female Betta

For plants, I am thinking of a couple of riparian plants [Pothos and Spathiphyllum] along with Anubias and Bucephalandra on the hardscape and Crypts with some other stem plants around the filter. In addition, I have used 4cm squares of netting, zip ties and suction cups to make a Java Moss wall, with another very thin piece of netting stretching diagonally across the tank which I hope, when planted with Java Moss, will create a liana canopy effect.

Obviously, I have a number of questions., not the least of which is: "Is this a reasonable plan?" However, other important questions are:

• How much fine sand [ie what depth] do I need for the Khulis?
• I have a neoprene mat to sit the aquarium on, but should I also put a thin layer of neoprene under the sand to protect the glass base from the hardscape?
• My local 'Fishkeepers Scotland' shop only has 'Java Moss', but for the effect I am hoping for, I think 'Weeping Moss' would be a better option. However, looking at 'live plant reviews on Amazon, buying aquatic plants on-line seems to be very much a hit and miss affair. Does anyone have any views on this?

Irvine

[LookoutTrout]

Hi and welcome.
I've never really had time or patience for aquascaping but a couple of things come to mind.
You can cycle with ammonia instead of stressing fish, I did it last year and it's simpler than it sounds.
Your choice of fish might be a bit boisterous for a carefully manicured scape, even a Betta sometimes likes to move things round to build a nest. Corys and Khulis will likely move the sand around and flatten it.
Maybe shrimp would work better for cleaning up the bottom.

[plankton]

Welcome to the forum.
There is a guide to cycling tanks fish-free in the "Guides" tab (top left of page) and an ammonia calculator in "Resources". It works out better long-term, does far less harm to the fish and means you can stock what you want as you start.
Shrimp certainly aren't good in a cycling tank, they hate ammonia, nitrite and excessive nitrate (best to keep that below 20ppm even after the cycle is complete).
Aquarium Gardens are probably the best online store for plants, they are 99% snail-free as well (usually 100% ).
Dwarf corys won't upset sand too much, khulis will. I also wouldn't keep corys and loaches together (again) due to the loaches opercular spines which can hurt the corys during the "feeding frenzy".
You'll need about 2" depth of sand for whatever bottom feeders you get.

[IrvineHimself]

Thanks for your replies, that is good advice about cycling. I noticed the link after posting and will go back and give it a proper read. Out of curiosity, where do I get the ammonia?

So, assuming a unit weight of 1.5g/cm^3 for dry sand, I would need just over 12kg of sand, or two bags of this?

The fact that the fish will try and rearrange things is not really an issue. I view the project as an exercise in habitat creation, and would be ecstatic if the fish felt comfortable enough in their new home that they made minor modifications to my carefully planned setup.

Thanks for the tip about keeping Corys and Kuhlis together. Prior to posting, I did a number of searches about compatibility, and this is the first time I ever heard about the eye spines of a Kuhli Loach. Since they are both very gentle non-aggressive species, they are widely reported as being compatible. Though, I must admit, I was primarily interested in avoiding trouble with the Betta.

[fr499y]

For plants, Aquaessentials, Aquarium Gardens or my go to place these days is K2Aqua on ebay.

[LookoutTrout]

This is the ammonia I used, you won't need much at all.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/275749810357 ... BM7OP1sYhi

[IrvineHimself]

Thanks @LookoutTrout, and everybody else of course.

[John Linklater]

Welcome.