[Kytkattin]

I'll start with describing what I have, and then get to what I want in the second paragraph.

I have a 20gal (tall?) tank. Not planted, and no desire to plant (too small/wrong filter). Decorated with plenty of hides and silk plants (though still plenty of swim room). Mild algae growth, which I am happy about as it wasn't growing any more when I had an ammonia problem. The filter is a Hagen AquaClear 300/70. No charcoal, just the ceramic stuff and a sponge. It has been working wonderfully so far. The water is crystal clear, and the fish are active again. I have a Whisper 60 (I think) air pump with two outlets in the tank. One is a wand of sorts in the back (paired with a light), and the other is a cannon/palm tree/treasure chest in the front. The bubbles are not chunky, though the ones in the back are a little bigger than the ones in the front. I just got the cannon hooked up to an airstone last night as the bubbles it made before were too noisy (the tank is in my bedroom). My panda cory cat has been playing in the bubbles. *banana dance I currently only have 5 fish; 3 cory cats (a panda, emerald, and what I call a t-bone steak) and two danios.

So now what I want; I want a better light! I feel like they whole scene I have created is more washed out than it needs to be. I have no clue what the light is, as it came with the tank (that was given to me by an aunt). Now I don't want to pay an arm and a leg, but I do want to make it so my fish pop. I know that having light gravel also doesn't help, but it is a beach scene, so it has to stay that way. So what is a good brand? They have a Powerglow at Petsmart, but I want to know if that is any good. Also, I certainly don't need a light that helps plants grow, as it will only help my algae.

Now for adding fish. *H2 I am terrified of losing any more fish! I don't want to add any more disease. Petco/Petsmart are out. I had a horrible ick problem from Petco when I first got my current batch, and the Petsmart fish near me always look like crud. There is a fish shop near me that always has top notch fish. My family has been buying from them for years and never had any sort of problems. It only takes once though... Should I just buy them and prepare for a battle?

One more little question; do cory cats really only like cats the same color as themselves? My cats, even though they are different colors all hang out together, lay next to eachother, ect.

 

[susankat]

Power glo lights aren't bad. But I would put some live plants in there. Even just mosses/ java ferns/ anubia as they will make your tank so much healthier. These plants don't require much care. And not a lot of light.

When you buy new fish it is always best to quarantine them for at least couple of weeks. That way if they get sick it won't hurt the fish in your main tank. Even a plastic tub with a filter and heater added will do that job for you.

Cories will hang out together if there is no other ones that are the same, but they aren't the happiest in the world that way. You would be amazed at the antics that 3 or 4 cories of the same kind will do. In my 220 I have 14 emerald cories and hoping to add more to it if I get the eggs to hatch that are in another tank. They are all over the place. Chasing each other playing around. When they are resting they are all together in one group.