# Plantless aquarium help



## Deano3 (27 Sep 2015)

Hi everyone i have been thinking about setting up my 60p was going to go low tech but inhave decided  to go totally plantless but have a few questions, hopefully my enheim 2324 thermo filter will be enough if remove some media if not will use fluval g6 after i buy new heater and pipes, 

I will keep lighting to one 50cm aquabar and only have 6 hour photo period for viewing, my son is dying to  see some fish so want hardscape and then i can add some plans later when get time.

I want to use a nice light sand any recomendations ?

Also going to use my manzi wood but not sure on rocks should i use my landscape rock or go for some nice pebbles ? Not putting large hardscape because this is about the fish but want it loking nice.

As for fish I want a large-ish shoal of tetras but wantbthen to stay small i like black nein tetras but any recomendations wecome and recomendations on clean up crew  welcome ,

What will i have to do regards cycling as no plants etc ? And water changes for first week etc ?

Any opinions welcome 
Thanks dean


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## 5678 (27 Sep 2015)

Re: cycling with no plants, I've just done this! Tank was set up with Amazonia, rocks and redmoor. I then ran it for 3 weeks before planting and was doing a 60-75% w/c once a week. You may have to add some ammonia to kick things off if you are using sand though?


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## Martin in Holland (27 Sep 2015)

If you have a neighbor with a fish tank, get some dirty mug from his filter.


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## ian_m (27 Sep 2015)

Just plop a pot or pots of garden soil in the tank, and leave. Will supply enough bacteria to get things going. Remove pots when ready to plant or add fish.


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## Deano3 (27 Sep 2015)

Hi there don't know anyone else with aquarium and I have some household amonia I could use for fish less and plant less could just add small amount daily, without plants is there no need for daily water changes ? Also any help on anything else welcome and any of your examples be great


Thanks Dean


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## Ady34 (27 Sep 2015)

Hi Dean,
Personally I wouldn't add any ammonia, bacteria will find their way into your tank via your wood, substrate etc and you can add a small amount of fish food every couple of days during your run in period to help the cycle. I would run your tank without any livestock for a minimum of 2 - 3 weeks to allow the water and system to mature and add livestock sparingly initially, slowly building numbers to allow the nitrifying bacteria in your filter to adjust. I would also carry out water changes as a matter of course weekly as it does no harm 
Regards sand, unipac maui is always a good light sand, but JBL do one called river sansibar I think which is a finer grade which may suit your 60p better.
Mini landscape rock will be fine, and goes well with both light sand and manzanita wood but could effect water chemistry. Fish only tanks generally don't need the same volume of water changes as high energy planted tanks so the seiryu stone could effect water chemistry over the long term, but I doubt it if you don't use too much and you can always increase water changes to compensate as needed. River pebbles/cobbles will work really well at creating a natural feel and can be picked up cheaply enough so would make a good alternative depending upon the look you are going for.
Clean up crew could include shrimps if your fish are small, bristle nose plecs or clown plecs which stay small and the latter like to rasp wood which keeps it impeccably clean.....you would only need one in a 60p as they produce as much waste as they consume near enough! Filtration only needs to be sufficient for the level of stocking in your tank and type of fish.

I've moved this to off topic forum as technically it's not a general planted tank question 

Good luck.
Cheerio
Ady.


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## Deano3 (27 Sep 2015)

Also any recomendations on a light coloured small sand ?

Dean


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## Deano3 (27 Sep 2015)

Brilliant thanks for all that ady so I will run the tank for few weeks without fish like normal to allow beneficial bacteria to grow, so I shouldn't need to carry out large 50% water changes daily for first week like normal ? I image should be fine as plants not giving off waste into water Column I there will be none 

Then I will do the usual and add 4-5 tetras at forst then get new ones ever week or even a plectrum first I quite like the look of them specially of keep everything nice and clean and stay small, what type tetras you think ? Think I will just use the rocks and wood I have to save money so manzi and landscape rock and nice light sand so what tetras would go best hhhmmmm and what intensity would you have the light on just 1 aquabars 50cm for 6 hours a day ?

And you think the enheim 2324 would be fine then as preffered the smaller pipes and Lilly pipes 

Cheers ady looking forward to getting some fish for the bairn, then I can think about low/high tech planted once get bit more time, also really want a small betta tank as had one on past and loved it, my first tank was small fluval spec the very first one with lovely blue betta lol

Thanks again 




Thanks Dean


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