Aquarium Help

[Mossman Joe]

Slow flowing forest duct of the Nun River basin, in the north of Bayelsa State, Nigeria, 180 L – Biotope Aquarium

This biotope combines ADFs with Peter's Elephant Fish, African Butterflyfish, Kribensis Cichlid and Chromaphyosemion bitaeniatum.

While the elephantfish and butterflyfish are too big for a 20 gallon tank, the Kribensis and Chromaphyosemion should work well within the space.

That said, if this is your first aquarium I'd personally avoid using too many species especially rarer ones since you mention that you will be leaving the tank for potentially up to a week. A colony of dwarf frogs by themselves are already entertaining to watch and if you don't mind the geographical discrepancy, you can add a small common shoaler such as guppies, platies, cardinal tetra, ricefish, etc. to add some activity

 

[MOG2012]

I need help. What should be the specific brands/types of these things for the tank. I'll have 3 African dwarf frogs (1.2), guppies, and tetra in a 20 gallon, horizontal tank. I need help for the gravel, maintenance, food, plants, cleaning, nets, water test kit/conditioner, heaters, filters, etc.

 

[DavidBrown]

I need help. What should be the specific brands/types of these things for the tank. I'll have 3 African dwarf frogs (1.2), guppies, and tetra in a 20 gallon, horizontal tank. I need help for the gravel, maintenance, food, plants, cleaning, nets, water test kit/conditioner, heaters, filters, etc.

Maybe you should go to an aquarium store and ask for help?

 

[MOG2012]

New Aquarium

• MOG2012
• 5 Jan 2025
• 8

Just set up my tank, only has 3 guppies and 3 African dwarf frogs right now but I’m going to add tetras (hopefully Congo), more guppies, snails, shrimp, catfish, etc. in the future

 

[MOG2012]

New Aquarium

• MOG2012
• 5 Jan 2025
• 8

Just set up my tank, only has 3 guppies and 3 African dwarf frogs right now but I’m going to add tetras (hopefully Congo), more guppies, snails, shrimp, catfish, etc. in the future

While the tank has been successful, I have a problem. There's a brine shrimp outbreak. As a treat, I placed the guppies and Dwarf frogs in feeding containers with lots of brine shrimp and they were enjoying it. But after I placed them in the tank, the brine shrimp on the skin likely reproduced and after a couple days, I noticed an outbreak. Should I wait it out (do brine shrimp survive in 77-82 degree water?) or should I do something else

EDIT: The problem has mostly tooken care out itself (I didn't realize it would be this fast) but a lot of them are stuck in the filter. Should I clean the filter normally, or should I do something else?

 

[Mossman Joe]

EDIT: The problem has mostly tooken care out itself (I didn't realize it would be this fast) but a lot of them are stuck in the filter. Should I clean the filter normally, or should I do something else?

if you've already added beneficial bacteria or have cycled the tank beforehand, a small amount shouldn't be an issue. Though if it's a lot, I'd remove it as it can decay and potentially add too much ammonia to the water.

 

[MOG2012]

if you've already added beneficial bacteria or have cycled the tank beforehand, a small amount shouldn't be an issue. Though if it's a lot, I'd remove it as it can decay and potentially add too much ammonia to the water.

How would I remove it? Should I do a water change. I already have added beneficial bacteria. It's a somewhat medium sized colony (though it's decreasing rapidly due to the guppies eating them)

 

[Mossman Joe]

How would I remove it? Should I do a water change. I already have added beneficial bacteria. It's a somewhat medium sized colony (though it's decreasing rapidly due to the guppies eating them)

If they're swimming around in the water column it should be fine, they'll provide good food for your animals

I was referring to the ones stuck in the filter, you could wash the filter media in some tank water so that you don't lose too much beneficial bacteria.

 

[MOG2012]

I replaced the filters, and washed them. I also did a 50% water change, removing the plants because there was some white fluffy stuff on it. I tested my tank before doing this, and there was a medium amount of nitrates and nitrites. What should I do now? Is it ok that I removed plants?

Aquarium Tank

• MOG2012
• 11 Jan 2025
• 2

 

[Mossman Joe]

I replaced the filters, and washed them. I also did a 50% water change, removing the plants because there was some white fluffy stuff on it. I tested my tank before doing this, and there was a medium amount of nitrates and nitrites. What should I do now? Is it ok that I removed plants?

Aquarium Tank

• MOG2012
• 11 Jan 2025
• 2

What do you mean by replacing your filter? With filter media such as bioballs, biorings and filter floss you should not replace them because they contain all of your beneficial bacteria, instead simply rinse them in a bit of tank water as I instructed before.

White fluffy stuff can be a bunch of things, but very likely to be harmless. It's either algae which poses no harm to your animals or biofilm which appears in newly set up tanks.

Nitrates are fine, nitrites could indicate an incomplete ammonia cycle. Dosing more beneficial bacteria should help.

You could do a fish tank without plants, though ideally you want lots of good cover for your dwarf frogs. If you don't mind a messy tank, some plants like Hydrilla and Guppy grass can live without substrate and grow very fast.

 

[MOG2012]

I cleaned the filter sponge in the water though it’s become dirty again. The tank looks a lot clearer though.

Here’s what I got only my water test, do I have to change anything?

• Nitrate mg/L - 75
• Nitrite mg/L - 5
• Chlorine Gas mg/L - 0
• Water Hardness mg/L - 200
• Total Alkilinity mg/L - 20
• pH - 7.0

Cleaned Aquarium with Guppies and Dwarf Frogs

• MOG2012
• 11 Jan 2025

 

[Mossman Joe]

I cleaned the filter sponge in the water though it’s become dirty again. The tank looks a lot clearer though.

Here’s what I got only my water test, do I have to change anything?

• Nitrate mg/L - 75
• Nitrite mg/L - 5
• Chlorine Gas mg/L - 0
• Water Hardness mg/L - 200
• Total Alkilinity mg/L - 20
• pH - 7.

No need to clean the sponge unless it's absolutely filthy. If you have more space in your filter, I'd suggest adding more filter media.

Those test levels aren't ideal, but thankfully you do have some hardy animals. I recommend doing a water change every couple of days, until nitrites drop to 0. Have you checked the levels in the water you use for water changes?

Lastly, the plant on the front (Java fern) can't be buried, you'll need to tie the rhizome to a rock or some other decor.

 

[MOG2012]

No need to clean the sponge unless it's absolutely filthy. If you have more space in your filter, I'd suggest adding more filter media.

Those test levels aren't ideal, but thankfully you do have some hardy animals. I recommend doing a water change every couple of days, until nitrites drop to 0. Have you checked the levels in the water you use for water changes?

Lastly, the plant on the front (Java fern) can't be buried, you'll need to tie the rhizome to a rock or some other decor.

Thanks for the advice. Is the java Fern the plant on the left or the right? My filter is absolutely filthy (even though I cleaned it earlier) due to the algae

 

[Mossman Joe]

Thanks for the advice. Is the java Fern the plant on the left or the right? My filter is absolutely filthy (even though I cleaned it earlier) due to the algae

Java Ferns are on the left. The other plants you have are Echinodorus or Amazon Swords.

To be clear, the levels you have issues with are nitrites and nitrates. An ideal aquarium should have close to 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and nitrates below 80ppm.

I suggest reading about aquarium nitrogen cycles and how to do a fishless and fish-in aquarium cycling if you haven't already.

 

[MOG2012]

Update:

• Tests have gotten back to normal after cleaning the gravel, doing a partial water change and cycling it for 2 weeks
• Underwater plants have started growing roots. Is gravel okay to grow plants if there are root tabs or do I need to add a layer of aquasoil? If so, what is the best brand (cost-effective)
• The plants in my filter haven't been looking that well. How I should I fix this? Should I have the tank near the window to get natural sunlight and add root tabs?
• I'm not likely going to get some new inhabitants until March but my plan is to get the following species
  • A group of snails and shrimps to help clean the tank along with a small group of catfish (Cory?)
  • A small school of congo tetra
  • A couple more guppies
• Is there a easy way to tell the gender of my guppies and dwarf frogs? I'm interested in breeding them though that's not neccessary
• I got a Home Depot 5-gallon bucket and a small 5-gallon sponge filter. If I get a heater, would it be okay if this would be a cost-effective quarantine tank? If not, should I add some more things or should I just get a new tank (ideally not)?
• Is there anything else I should fix with my tank?

Guppy and African Dwarf Frog Tank

• MOG2012
• 27 Jan 2025
• 6

 

[Mossman Joe]

Underwater plants have started growing roots. Is gravel okay to grow plants if there are root tabs or do I need to add a layer of aquasoil? If so, what is the best brand (cost-effective)

Root tabs are alright, especially since you don't have a lot of plants right now.

The plants in my filter haven't been looking that well. How I should I fix this? Should I have the tank near the window to get natural sunlight and add root tabs?

No need for root tabs. How are your plants dying? If the stem is still rigid but the leaves are yellowing, then it might not be getting enough light. If the stem is mushy and rotting it's best to throw out the plant altogether.

A group of snails and shrimps to help clean the tank along with a small group of catfish (Cory?)

Shrimps will get eaten by your ADF, make sure to choose snails that are larger such as Nerites or Mystery Snails

 

[MOG2012]

I'm interested in breeding them though that's not neccessary

If I have guppy fry and/or dwarf frog eggs, would I need to put them in a separate tank or would they be fine in the tank?

 

[Mr Gharial]

- Tests have gotten back to normal after cleaning the gravel, doing a partial water change and cycling it for 2 weeks

Kinda wish I had found this thread earlier to give you some more tips. You should always cycle your tank for 3-4 weeks before adding fish at all.

- Underwater plants have started growing roots. Is gravel okay to grow plants if there are root tabs or do I need to add a layer of aquasoil? If so, what is the best brand (cost-effective)

If you want to add aquasoil, it would be better to get it under the gravel. So you'd essentially have to re-do the whole tank. If you do want to re-do the tank I suggest doing it like this, as it creates a really healthy tank:
- Use a mix of large and small gravel as a bottom layer. This provides some structure to the bottom of the tank and creates a home for beneficial bacteria and micro-organisms, helping filtration.
- Grab a small bucket of scum and mud from a healthy creek or pond, this introduces micro-organisms that should be a huge help with keeping the tank clean and healthy. Use this as the second layer of the tank.
- Use a tub of aquasoil as a third layer, this will probably be the largest layer. I also suggest creating a small hill in the back of the tank. I'm not familiar with American brands, so I can't recommend a specific one.
- Add hardscape (rocks, driftwood and any other decoration, I suggest getting some wood in there) and then plants. The amazon swords should be partially dug into the aquasoil, and the Java fern attached to the rocks or wood (as someone already mentioned). Personally, I'd also get a few more plants, especially in the back of the tank. The dwarf clawed frogs would especially appreciate it.
- Finally add the gravel as the top layer to keep it all in place.
- Add water slowly. I usually do a mixture of creek water, rain water and tap water. But I have access to a local creek and very clean tap water, so that depends on your situation.
- I also add some leaf litter to my tank every now and then, and they do gradually disappear by being eaten by the micro-organisms.

-I'm not likely going to get some new inhabitants until March but my plan is to get the following species:
- A group of snails and shrimps to help clean the tank along with a small group of catfish (Cory?)
- A small school of congo tetra
- A couple more guppies

Quite frankly, your tank is pretty small and overstocking could quickly be an issue. I suggest Dwarf otocinclus and pagoda snails (pagoda because they eat algae and don't breed or lay eggs too fast. Nerites lay eggs that won't hatch EVERYWHERE) as a cleanup crew. Amano shrimp are also good for clearing up food scraps, but I don't know how they play with Dwarf clawed frogs.

A school of Congo tetras, even a small one, would probably be too large for this tank. Especially in the current state. Small rasboras like Harlequin would probably be fine, but having just a group of guppies in this tank as shoalers would probably fill it up enough.

- I got a Home Depot 5-gallon bucket and a small 5-gallon sponge filter. If I get a heater, would it be okay if this would be a cost-effective quarantine tank?

A bucket should be fine for a quarantine, but I would add simple hides and a bubbler to reduce stress

 

[MOG2012]

If you want to add aquasoil, it would be better to get it under the gravel. So you'd essentially have to re-do the whole tank. If you do want to re-do the tank I suggest doing it like this, as it creates a really healthy tank:
- Use a mix of large and small gravel as a bottom layer. This provides some structure to the bottom of the tank and creates a home for beneficial bacteria and micro-organisms, helping filtration.
- Grab a small bucket of scum and mud from a healthy creek or pond, this introduces micro-organisms that should be a huge help with keeping the tank clean and healthy. Use this as the second layer of the tank.
- Use a tub of aquasoil as a third layer, this will probably be the largest layer. I also suggest creating a small hill in the back of the tank. I'm not familiar with American brands, so I can't recommend a specific one.
- Add hardscape (rocks, driftwood and any other decoration, I suggest getting some wood in there) and then plants. The amazon swords should be partially dug into the aquasoil, and the Java fern attached to the rocks or wood (as someone already mentioned). Personally, I'd also get a few more plants, especially in the back of the tank. The dwarf clawed frogs would especially appreciate it.
- Finally add the gravel as the top layer to keep it all in place.
- Add water slowly. I usually do a mixture of creek water, rain water and tap water. But I have access to a local creek and very clean tap water, so that depends on your situation.
- I also add some leaf litter to my tank every now and then, and they do gradually disappear by being eaten by the micro-organisms.

- I personally don't want to redo my entire tank but I do plan to get more plants and possibly a wave maker.
- While I do live near a pond, I don't think I'll use the water from it as it's a bit polluted (rainwater along with debris, building chemicals, trash, etc. can flow in). I usually just use tapwater treated with Tetra AquaSafe
- Should I change the gravel and/or get new substrate? I specifically got bioactive gravel. Can I make a hill in the back out of the gravel?
- What should I add for hardscape other than the wood? Can I just place driftwood in the aquarium after cleaning or do I have to attach it to something? For the plants, the Amazon Swords are growing roots (thanks to the root tabs) into the gravel while the java Fern is tied to the pagoda via twine and the roots are submerged too. The fern is slowly growing roots

Quite frankly, your tank is pretty small and overstocking could quickly be an issue. I suggest Dwarf otocinclus and pagoda snails (pagoda because they eat algae and don't breed or lay eggs too fast. Nerites lay eggs that won't hatch EVERYWHERE) as a cleanup crew. Amano shrimp are also good for clearing up food scraps, but I don't know how they play with Dwarf clawed frogs.

A school of Congo tetras, even a small one, would probably be too large for this tank. Especially in the current state. Small rasboras like Harlequin would probably be fine, but having just a group of guppies in this tank as shoalers would probably fill it up enough.

My tank is 20-gallons so wouldn't there be enough room for mystery snails, dwarf otocincluses/a dwarf corys, some guppies, and more. My plan was to have only South American and African species so it could be "Gondwana" like. How could I fix the tank so that there is enough room for some smaller South American tetras instead?

Kinda wish I had found this thread earlier to give you some more tips. You should always cycle your tank for 3-4 weeks before adding fish at all.

The fish and the frogs are doing well now with the ammonia outbreak ending. The algae (white fluffy one) quantities decreased after some gravel cleaning.

Thanks for the helpful suggestions!

 

[Mr Gharial]

- I personally don't want to redo my entire tank but I do plan to get more plants and possibly a wave maker.
- While I do live near a pond, I don't think I'll use the water from it as it's a bit polluted (rainwater along with debris, building chemicals, trash, etc. can flow in). I usually just use tapwater treated with Tetra AquaSafe

Fair

- Should I change the gravel and/or get new substrate? I specifically got bioactive gravel. Can I make a hill in the back out of the gravel?

I personally have no experience with roots tabs, so I don't know how well they work long-term. Making a hill with the gravel is also fine.

- What should I add for hardscape other than the wood? Can I just place driftwood in the aquarium after cleaning or do I have to attach it to something? For the plants, the Amazon Swords are growing roots (thanks to the root tabs) into the gravel while the java Fern is tied to the pagoda via twine and the roots are submerged too. The fern is slowly growing roots

The stones and pagoda should be enough for hardscape. I suggested wood because it helps create more height to the tank and because Otos like it. Most driftwood should sink on its own but you can also anchor it with a rock or under the gravel. In terms of plants I highly suggest getting some tall, kelp-looking plants to provide more cover for the fish and frogs

My tank is 20-gallons so wouldn't there be enough room for mystery snails, dwarf otocincluses/a dwarf corys, some guppies, and more. My plan was to have only South American and African species so it could be "Gondwana" like. How could I fix the tank so that there is enough room for the tetras?

Had to look up what 20 gallons roughly translated to, as I was basing my estimate on the photo. Congo tetras are relatively large tetras, I suggest going for a smaller (South American) species instead. Blue tetra or Rummynose tetra would be a better size for a tank of that size. I woudn't suggest having Corydoras with dwarf frogs.