60 gallon aquascaped and almost ready for fish

[xzackly999]

Hey guys,

My 60 gallon setup with a tetra whisper ex70 hob and rena filstar canister filter is coming along. I think it's already ready for stock but i won't have time to get fish until after Christmas so I'll be dosing 1ppm ammonia per day until i can make it out.

I'll probably be adding a few more plants eventually as well.

Zack

[GrizzlysDad]

the piece of driftwood in the back left corner looks like a partial horses head 

[Ron]

Is there a reason the water level is low?

Have you thought about a background at all?

What fish are you planning to get?

[xzackly999]

Haha. It kind of does.  I'm not really set on the way I have the driftwood now, but I like the idea of having it set up to create tunnel-like scenarios.

The water level is so low because it has been about 2 weeks now cycling and just evaporated.  I figured I'm going to be doing a 90%+ WC before I add fish anyway, so I was just leaving it a little low.
I have been thinking about a background, but haven't decided yet.  Probably just end up with a blue or black one eventually.
My stock list isn't really set in stone, but I plan on getting 10-12 cardinal tetras and 6-8 emperor tetras with either GBRs or apistos.  I was thinking otos too, but not 100% on those yet, or some type of higher temperature tolerant cories.

[xzackly999]

Sorry the pictures aren't that great. Turns out my camera phone doesn't focus that well with moving fish.

My current stock is:
1x apistogramma cacatuoides (orange flash)
1x german blue ram
1x electric blue ram
9x harlequin rasbora
13x cardinal tetra
2x panda cory
2x salt & pepper cory

Will be adding 6-8 otocinclus very soon. Was having trouble finding them anywhere.

[Ron]

Cool selection of other fish to go with the cichlids. The cardinals in there really *POP* with color! 

[Steve]

Looks good. I've always like a nice big school of Cardnials.

[xzackly999]

Thanks guys. I'm really happy with the way it is coming along.

[xzackly999]

Unfortunately my german blue ram turned out to be an aggressive male and was relentlessly bullying the electric blue ram and i was forced to return it. Pretty upset as i was happy with the dynamic of my tank before that started to happen. 

[Regalblue]

Any updates?

[xzackly999]

Yep!
I rescaped the tank recently and added more plants.
I now have 3 java ferns, a moss ball, and two bunches of 3 vals from the original setup.
My stock is similar to my original. The only real changes are a couple guppies, 2 checkerboard cichlids, 2 Venezuelan red cories, and an apistogramma agassizi wild type male.
I lost my cacatuoides orange flash to some type of viral or parasitic infection. And my aphyosemion tirbaki killifish died of some unknown cause.
I have a 20 gallon cycling now. Will be splitting some stock and adding some new fish soon.
I will grab a few pics.

[xzackly999]

Some pics.

[Ron]

[xzackly999]

Not sure if i have enough room to maneuver behind the tank to get one on well.
Any suggestions?

[xzackly999]

I also swapped out my whisper ex70 hob for a double sponge filter. Running with two canisters. A sunsun 3 tray and filstar xp2.
I guess my cory stock did change a bit too. I got two julii, 3 sterbai, 2 Venezuelan reds, and a habrosus. Got rid of the pandas and peppereda,because they weren't interacting with any of the others.