i am going out thursday to buy plants they are amazon sword plant, green cabomba and java ferm and picking up 2 dwarf gourami. I have a 40 gallon breeder i plan to put in angel fish, swordtail, silver hatchet, one black kuhli loach and maybe bala sharks but i keep hearing not to get them because of their size. i have 2 five inch bubble stones a tetra heater a marineland 350b filter and looking into a co2 system still doing research on that. i hand build the base out of 2x4's and 3/4 inch plywood.

Unless they are possibly male and female I wouldn't advise putting two Dwarfs in that tank. They are pretty territorial and one will eventually kill the other. I also wouldn't do the bala shark.

No fish in the tank yet? Are you familiar with the nitrogen cycle?

yes im familiar with the nitrogen cycle my tank has been running for about three weeks now. and thanks for the advise about the dwarfs. you are like the 5th person to tell me not to get the bala sharks lol

And loaches need to be in groups of at least 3 or more

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my 75g build---->http://www.aquariumforum.com/f45/fin...ild-18272.html
75g beasolbob tank peat moss & safe-t-sorb 5congo tetras,2bristle nose plecs, 2 German blue Rams

It'll really only do that if you treat it super nice, with ferts and CO2 and such. I've had them just grow super slowly in a low-light style tank, and never get over 6 inches tall. I'm not saying it's healthy for the sword, just saying not everyone has them outgrow their tanks.

I've never seen an Amazon Sword that was 6" unless I just got it. Unike stem plants, there is no way that I am aware of to stunt an Amazon. The size is ineveitable even if it is just planted and left, the only difference is how quick it gets there. If you have had yours very long and it is only 6", then either it is not an Amazon or it is unhealthy. Even with high light and CO2, they will take some time to get really big.

i have added two dwarf gourami they seem to be getting along, 2 black molly, 3 fancy guppy, 2 mystery snails, 2 mickey mouse platy,1 rubber lip pleco and i plan on getting 8 neon tetra and 6 bloodfin tetra and 2 african dwarf frogs

how bout some pics?

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"Being ignorant is not so much a Shame, as being unwilling to learn".-- Benjamin Franklin

sounds good, definetly stay away from the bala sharks and im pretty sure the kuhli loaches are rated for a bigger tank as well, also both like company so i wouldnt get em for that tank, everything else seems fine i guess, i'd just watch those gourami's, congrats!

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10g- 2 hi-fin fm platys, 3 koi & red wag sword fry
40g Breeder- 6 danios, 4 female swords, 1 male swords
"I was born with nothin and I still got most of it left."- Seasick Steve

i have added 6 cardinal tetra i am gong to have 20 in all and i am going to get 8 glowlight tetra. plants, amazon sword, java fern, anacharis, white ribbon, peacock fern, wisteria, hernwort, corkscrew val, java moss, mirco sword, money wort, rotala indica, dwarf hairgrass and i plan on star and christmas moss

what would happn if they mix?