Setting up new Loach Tank!

[Pixelated_Pirate]

Hey everyone... I used to browse and post on these forums often when I had loaches... but then I had a bad attack of ich and was too heart broken to try loaches aagin so I swore to myself I would not until I get a purely loahc dedicated tank. Today I bought a nice 250litre tank and I'm gunna make it a rock-scape type tank mainly featuring Clown Loaches and prolly some other loaches...

My question is... since I am sitll faily new to the hobby (about 1.5 years) I wanna know... what is the best process for setting up this Loach tank? Best gear... things to look for, things to avoid. Any info what so ever. I am not gunna start the tank until after exams (in abot a month I will start to cycle it) and then about a month after that I will actually get the loaches in there... so any tips or advice would be awesome. I live in Toronto Ontario Canada, incase anyone knows of good products or shops in the city. I also currently have a 32gal community tank (Where my loaches once were) and a 10gal quarantine tank.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read my post...

[Mark in Vancouver]

Are you really from Tortuga? Cool.

The thing you want is a cycled tank. It's worth considering adding some other, hardier fish first - dither fish like danios, rasboras... Let them do the initial cycling once the tank is stable.

Consider keeping loaches other than clowns, because a 250 L/66 USG tank is better suited to long term care of fish that don't grow to a foot long. You could make a fantastic mixed Botia tank with the smaller species.

Once the loaches are in the tank, you are committed to a lot of work, every week, for years to come. Just be aware of that before you set up the tank. Also, it's not cheap.

Quarantine everything, and focus your whole attention on water quality.

[mickthefish]

i'd start setting it up now, so when youv'e finished your exams the tank should be right for a loach hunting trip.
as to equipment get as large an external filter as you can afford as well as an internal for more water movement i personally like ehiem products as spares are easily available.

mick

[Pixelated_Pirate]

Yeah I got a bunch of molly fry... I was gunna use those to cycle the tank.

250litres isn't big enough for clowns?

[helen nightingale]

i have 400 litres, and i wont have clowns.

i think you would be good to do a fishless cyle, then add the hardy fish you want for dithers, and then wait a bit longer before you get the loaches. make sure they have the same water and temperature requirements as the loaches you choose, though.

I agree with Mick, eheim stuff seems to be pretty good

[Emma Turner]

Hi Pixelated_Pirate,

I have to agree with the others, a 250 litre tank is not large enough for clown loaches. My big shoal are in a 1000 litre tank, which we are planning on upgrading within the next couple of years as they are rapidly needing more space. This is going to mean extending the house to give us the necessary room.
Your aquarium would still make a very nice loach tank for some of the smaller botiid species though. All are beautfiul in their own way and all have great personalities. I'd recommend Botia striata or Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki.

http://www.loaches.com/species-index/botia-striata
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/ya ... idthimunki

Emma

[Bully]

Your aquarium would still make a very nice loach tank for some of the smaller botiid species though. All are beautfiul in their own way and all have great personalities. I'd recommend Botia striata or Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki.

http://www.loaches.com/species-index/botia-striata
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/ya ... idthimunki

Emma

I second that, this is the combination of loaches that I have, and it works exceptionally well

This is going to mean extending the house to give us the necessary room.

I just don't think you're committed enough to your hobby

[newshound]

what is the best process for setting up this Loach tank? Best gear... things to look for, things to avoid. Any info what so ever. I am not gunna start the tank until after exams (in abot a month I will start to cycle it) and then about a month after that I will actually get the loaches in there... so any tips or advice would be awesome. I live in Toronto Ontario Canada, incase anyone knows of good products or shops in the city.

this is the best site for loach advice!
your from toronto so you have a wealth of places to get fish. Even that petstore in the yorkdale mall has semi rare loaches sometimes. Martin knows of a great store downtown, run by a guy named Harold (I forget the stores french name at the moment).
Of course big als are all around the GTA but they have been looking alitttle unkept recently.
You have a Qtank so that rocks! I trust you know what you are doing and can research well to get prepared.
You have a tank set up right now don't you. Get another filter running for five days in that tank and then take that filter and water and put it in the new tank. Add fish slowly of course. Everything you need will be in the established filter media.
personally I'd run the semi rivertank design with another large filter in your loach tank.

[Pixelated_Pirate]

I was planning on having a canister filter, as well as biowheel for the loach tank. I currently have like 20 molly fry... so I will use them to cycle the tank... using the old water is a good idea. I also have caves and powerheads ready for the loaches.

I don't understand your last sentence?

personally I'd run the semi rivertank design with another large filter in your loach tank.

[newshound]

check out Martins river tank manifold design.
I use about 1/2 the power that hillstreams need for my loach tank
link
http://www.loaches.com/articles/a-river-runs-through-it

[Pixelated_Pirate]

That is a cool design... I'm gunna have to find some PVC pipe to try and make somethign similar...