Planning a 3ft low profile corydora tank

larrybird · 17-04-2012, 04:11 AM

hello all! after being poisoned by the many corydoras thread here, i am thinking of getting back into the hobby during my upcoming holidays.

i'm probably getting a 3x1x1ft tank and the main criteria is for this tank to be of low maintenance as ill be home only during the weekends when the sch reopens.

as such, i was thinking of not having any form of substrate for easy maintenance. plants will mainly be java ferns, frogbits and anubias nana which will be relatively easy to maintain. since easy maintenance is crucial, ive decided to go for a smaller bioload and i am intending to house dwarf cories, mainly pygmy cory (8pcs), cory hasbrosus (8pcs) and 10 cardinal tetras. hastatus are definitely cute but i just cant afford them at the moment..

some questions i need the assistance of fellow shifus are:
1) can cories do well without any substrate?
2) should i paste black oyama on the tank's back and base?
3) has anyone successfully used MicrobeLift Nite-out II to cycle a tank? if so, when should i put lifestocks after using it?

many thanks in advance!

burntrubber · 17-04-2012, 10:53 AM

Corys really like sand. A single bag of sudo or gex sand should be good enough. They only need a thin layer.
Color of the oyama depends on your taste and the color of the fish you choose, eg. I find cardinal tetras look better with brown or black background.
You can also consider those 3D backgrounds, they look really good.

larrybird · 19-04-2012, 03:45 AM

was concerned about cleaning the sand which would increase the 'hassle'. if i were to instead cover half the tank with a think layer of sand, would that be good enough?

im interested wit the 3D backgrounds but they are quite pricey. would black go well with the pygmy and hasbrosus in your opinion?

thanks for helping!

19-04-2012, 07:14 AM

a thin layer of sand is best for cory tanks. If you're just going with habrosus and pygmeaus, a really thin layer of roughly 2mm of sand will be best since the habrosus will be the one mainly doing the digging and foraging. Make sure you don't cover sand with a piece of rock or wood which food can get stuck under.

issacyeo · 20-04-2012, 05:25 PM

1) better to have thin layer of substrate
2) colour of omaya depends on ur preference.
3) for a 311, using microbelift niteout II and special blend together. shld be safe to introduce ur fishes after 3 days.

i tot u still have a huge planted tank?

larrybird · 14-05-2012, 11:26 PM

sorry for the lack of updates! was busy with the exams and took some time sourcing for 2nd hand equipments to keep costs within budget

1.5ft crystal glass tank
http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/9...2043000180.jpg

driftwood arrangements

larrybird · 14-05-2012, 11:31 PM

decided to provide the best environment i could give for my cories and went ahead with dennerle black quartz, java ferns, anubias and a fake plant to make the place homely for my cories.

currently the tank just finished its cycle stage with the help of microbyelift nite out II and the ever hardy tetras and cherry barbs - ammonia 0.5ppm, nitrate 10ppm.

only missing thing now is my pygmy cories, anyone spotted those recently? seaview and petmart dont stock them at the moment

Khufu · 15-05-2012, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larrybird

only missing thing now is my pygmy cories, anyone spotted those recently? seaview and petmart dont stock them at the moment

You could try C328 I think they might have

15-05-2012, 08:12 AM

Bro. The tank looks nice. But unfortunately, I cannot agree with your choice of substrate. Black quartz, under the microscope, has been known to have sharp edges and that is generally not a good idea for a Corydoras setup. A cheap packet of very fine sand from PetMart or the typical Sudo Sand is the way to go here.

Many cories are shy by nature and this is especially so for the pygmy cories. I would possibly go with a little lesser planting in the tank so that the cories can be seen.

I like your choice of lighting, being something like a spotlight. You should consider placing it at an angle (shining from top left to bottom right) and deplicating the Sun's rays. That should provide for a very esthetically pleasing look.

My 2 cents.

burntrubber · 15-05-2012, 09:38 AM

I'd actually go for more planting and shade instead. This is to give the fish more confidence to venture out and you get to see the fish behaving naturally instead of huddling frightened and clamped under a driftwood. I agree on the fine sand. The black quartz is also too well..dark. Do check when buying cheaper brandless fine sand. I've ended up with coral sand twice.

17-04-2012, 04:11 AM	#1
larrybird Arofanatic Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 176	Planning a 3ft low profile corydora tank hello all! after being poisoned by the many corydoras thread here, i am thinking of getting back into the hobby during my upcoming holidays. i'm probably getting a 3x1x1ft tank and the main criteria is for this tank to be of low maintenance as ill be home only during the weekends when the sch reopens. as such, i was thinking of not having any form of substrate for easy maintenance. plants will mainly be java ferns, frogbits and anubias nana which will be relatively easy to maintain. since easy maintenance is crucial, ive decided to go for a smaller bioload and i am intending to house dwarf cories, mainly pygmy cory (8pcs), cory hasbrosus (8pcs) and 10 cardinal tetras. hastatus are definitely cute but i just cant afford them at the moment.. some questions i need the assistance of fellow shifus are: 1) can cories do well without any substrate? 2) should i paste black oyama on the tank's back and base? 3) has anyone successfully used MicrobeLift Nite-out II to cycle a tank? if so, when should i put lifestocks after using it? many thanks in advance!

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17-04-2012, 10:53 AM	#2
burntrubber Dragon Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 714	Corys really like sand. A single bag of sudo or gex sand should be good enough. They only need a thin layer. Color of the oyama depends on your taste and the color of the fish you choose, eg. I find cardinal tetras look better with brown or black background. You can also consider those 3D backgrounds, they look really good.

19-04-2012, 03:45 AM	#3
larrybird Arofanatic Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 176	was concerned about cleaning the sand which would increase the 'hassle'. if i were to instead cover half the tank with a think layer of sand, would that be good enough? im interested wit the 3D backgrounds but they are quite pricey. would black go well with the pygmy and hasbrosus in your opinion? thanks for helping!

19-04-2012, 07:14 AM	#4
curvicep Guest Posts: n/a	a thin layer of sand is best for cory tanks. If you're just going with habrosus and pygmeaus, a really thin layer of roughly 2mm of sand will be best since the habrosus will be the one mainly doing the digging and foraging. Make sure you don't cover sand with a piece of rock or wood which food can get stuck under.

20-04-2012, 05:25 PM	#5
issacyeo Endangered Dragon Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 5,188	1) better to have thin layer of substrate 2) colour of omaya depends on ur preference. 3) for a 311, using microbelift niteout II and special blend together. shld be safe to introduce ur fishes after 3 days. i tot u still have a huge planted tank?

14-05-2012, 11:26 PM	#6
larrybird Arofanatic Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 176	sorry for the lack of updates! was busy with the exams and took some time sourcing for 2nd hand equipments to keep costs within budget 1.5ft crystal glass tank http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/9...2043000180.jpg driftwood arrangements

14-05-2012, 11:31 PM	#7
larrybird Arofanatic Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 176	decided to provide the best environment i could give for my cories and went ahead with dennerle black quartz, java ferns, anubias and a fake plant to make the place homely for my cories. currently the tank just finished its cycle stage with the help of microbyelift nite out II and the ever hardy tetras and cherry barbs - ammonia 0.5ppm, nitrate 10ppm. only missing thing now is my pygmy cories, anyone spotted those recently? seaview and petmart dont stock them at the moment

15-05-2012, 08:12 AM	#9
vannel Guest Posts: n/a	Bro. The tank looks nice. But unfortunately, I cannot agree with your choice of substrate. Black quartz, under the microscope, has been known to have sharp edges and that is generally not a good idea for a Corydoras setup. A cheap packet of very fine sand from PetMart or the typical Sudo Sand is the way to go here. Many cories are shy by nature and this is especially so for the pygmy cories. I would possibly go with a little lesser planting in the tank so that the cories can be seen. I like your choice of lighting, being something like a spotlight. You should consider placing it at an angle (shining from top left to bottom right) and deplicating the Sun's rays. That should provide for a very esthetically pleasing look. My 2 cents.

15-05-2012, 09:38 AM	#10
burntrubber Dragon Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 714	I'd actually go for more planting and shade instead. This is to give the fish more confidence to venture out and you get to see the fish behaving naturally instead of huddling frightened and clamped under a driftwood. I agree on the fine sand. The black quartz is also too well..dark. Do check when buying cheaper brandless fine sand. I've ended up with coral sand twice.

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