Stocking New Tank

[dianekb]

Hello all,

I am new to the forum and would appreciate your advise! I am currently setting up a new tank and have questions about stocking. I have kept angels and discus in the past but have more recently had a low tech planted tank with fancy goldfish. My plans for the new tank are as follows:

65 gallon tank (48" long x 24" tall) with shallow sand substrate and low tech plants (anubias, java fern) attached to manzanita driftwood. Maybe adding some floating plants as well, like amazon frogbit. My tap water is very low gH, but kH is relatively high and pH is approx 8.0. I have read extensively that stability is more important than ideal low pH water and I am hoping this is your experience as well. I am planning EOD water changes and am running a Sunsun 304b canister filter. Tank is currently cycling with no fish.

I would like to have discus with some cardinals/other dither fish and corydoras. I am wondering what would be the recommended numbers of each so that the fish will school nicely without overstocking. I appreciate your wisdom - please let me know if you have any other questions!

[White Worm]

6-8 discus. 10 cards. 10 rummy nose or rasbora. I would do a school of 1 type though. 20 rasbora would look cool. 4 sterbai. 1 bristlenose pleco. I'd also toss in about 4 ottos.