# My new 20 gallon long :)



## PunkinOfSteel (Aug 24, 2013)

I've been waiting acouple years now to buy a 20 long, get sand and plant it. Right now my local Petco is doing their $1 per gallon sale and I was lucky enough to have the money to buy pretty much everything. I had some plants already from a 10 gallon but I had to buy a filter, hood, sand, some red shoal rock and some more plants. 

I have a Fluval 10-30 gal filter that have been wanting one for ages, I'm all around really happy with this tank, especially since when I started putting it together I had no idea how I was going to set it up.


One of the pieces of driftwood was from my old tank, I had it sitting out for a few days and didn't let it soak before putting it in this one so it's floating right now. Once it sinks I have some torn pieces of moss ball (not Marimo quality) that I'll wrap around the branches of it. You can see it on the left where it's supposed to go once it sinks.

The first picture is before I added any water and the rest are once it was filled. One of my cats, Bunny, was curious and wanted to look inside so I put her on my lap and she quite enjoyed looking in the fishless tank.

Once the cycle is established I'll be adding my Super Delta X male, Steel. He's currently been downsized from his 10 to a 5 and he's not happy, so I'm hoping he'll have a blasty blast in this new tank 


They aren't the best of pictures since they are from my cell phone, but they get the point across well enough.


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## sheridan (May 13, 2014)

I'm so jealous, I want one like this!!


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Very nice! I know you will enjoy it.


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## BambooTikiBettaGirl84 (Jun 29, 2014)

Love the setup! I have a 20 gallon long too and I just love how much space my fish have now.

What or where did you get that large floating? log in the top left corner? I really would love one of those for my bettas.


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## mpooyan83 (Apr 12, 2014)

Is that driftwood meant to float? or are you just lettin it soak till it goes down?


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## InStitches (May 26, 2014)

beautiful!


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## TerriGtoo (Jul 2, 2013)

Gorgeous setup! I especially like the pic of the kitty checking things out!


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## PunkinOfSteel (Aug 24, 2013)

Thank you everyone!

I wish it would stay floating, my Betta originally really, really loved it when it floated but it will sink after a few more days and I can put it where it's supposed to go. I have it attached with a suction cup right now so that it doesn't go all over the tank and then sink and squish some plants lol. 

I'm so very excited to add my fish, I cannot wait until it reads safe and cycled.


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## sponge1234 (Oct 29, 2013)

Looks neat!! Love it!
Nice kitty haha:-D


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

Nice! What are you going to put in it?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## PunkinOfSteel (Aug 24, 2013)

I have a Super Delta x Halfmoon boy that I'm going to put in there. He's had tankmates before and has been a great community fish, I would like to add something else but i'm not completely sure what yet. I love Ottos and I like Corys too.. I'm planning on getting some shrimp again, Steel has been with them before and showed zero interest in them.


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

Are you going to do any small schooling fish? Looking good though!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

If you are thinking strictly Nano/Micro fish and if you don't mind feeding live food, Scarlet Badis (Dario Dario) and Dario hysginon are very nice. They do need a pretty heavily planted tank and free floating moss. They only get about .5"-.75". You could easily have 15+ Pygmy or hasbrosus Cories and seven or so Otos.

However, if you add that many fish at one time you could cause a mini-cycle so keep up the parameter checks. If your tank does mini-cycle all you need to do is more water changes and use Prime. I add more than the recommended four or five fish all of the time because I buy online; haven't had a mini-cycle yet but I'm prepared. 

Here's an invaluable source for the care of Nano fish. It's where I buy all of mine. She'll be getting new stock some time next month. Including the Pygmy Cories and Otos I plan on buying. LOL

Invertebrates by Msjinkzd | Specializing in invertebrates and micro fish from around the world.

Have fun! I enjoy my 20 long and the Nano fish more than any aquarium I've ever had and that includes up to 150 gallons.


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

Habrosus cories!!! Those are what I have, not pygmies. I forgot that name, thanks russell!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

You be welcome.  I have them, too. They get a tad bigger than the Pygmy.


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

Really? Mine are not even .75 of an inch. How much smaller do they come!?!?! Lol
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

tankman12 said:


> Really? Mine are not even .75 of an inch. How much smaller do they come!?!?! Lol
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


If they are really less than .75" then they are babies or something has stunted their growth. From a nationally-recognized authority on Nano/Micro fish Rachel O'Leary:

Corydoras habrosus- “Salt and pepper cory” | Invertebrates by Msjinkzd


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## tankman12 (Nov 13, 2012)

They are probably babies. They are super small.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## 16kehresmann (Feb 5, 2014)

That tank looks stunning! Feel free to move to Minnesota and design my tanks for me...I'll even let you do it for free.  lol


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## PunkinOfSteel (Aug 24, 2013)

16kehresmann lol, i would do it for free, I really enjoy setting up aquariums! 


RussellTheShihTzu, my goodness every one of the fish you mentioned are flippen adorable. Now I'm not even remotely close to knowing what I would put in there. I do know I want to take it easy with the tank for awhile, my Betta is going on 4 years old and I don't want to have too many lively tank mates with him.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

One thing I love about either Dario is they aren't schooling/shoaling fish and are very, very quiet and shy. They're not "busy." As the Neons and Ember Tetras go to the great aquarium in the sky I won't get more. I'll add to my Pygmy Cory, Dwarf Panda Guppy and Dario numbers.

Oh, and the Vampire Shrimp, Hester and Larry, will get another friend or two. Take a look at those puppies!

My perfect tank would have both Dario species, Pygmies, Otos, Dwarf Panda Guppies, Vampire Shrimp, CPO (Orange Dwarf Crayfish) and Dexter the Betta. :-D


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