>  CS> Oddly once my tank hits perfect cycle, I've never had algae problems.
 > 
 > True, but that cycle is hard to keep with some of the larger fish that I hav

It can be done.  It's a matter of tank load.  I did it with 12inch goldfish
for example and a 14 inch pleco.  (2 goldies, 1 pleco, a dwarf catfish, and
some mollies).

There's an old rule of thumb of about 5 gallons per inch of fish (some types
need more).

 
 > I have seven very large silver dollars, mature buenos aries tetras and some
 > very large barbs in there.

7x5=35 gallons for 1 inch silver dollars (I bet yours are 6 inches?)  If 6
inches, you need 210 gallons to support them per the thumb rule.  Thats only
really for larger fish though.  My 3 Angel fish will eventually make a full
load for my 90G tank, but there's another rule for the smaller ones of 1 inch
fish per 2 gallons (fish up to no more than 3 inches).  Using that rule, I
have a 40 gallon load of smaller fish but they arent particularily long lived
breeds (mollies and such) so by the time my angel fish reach full size, they
will be long gone due to old age.

The current load at actual size of my tankmates, is 50G, in my 70G tank.  I
generally aim for a 70G load.  Being it is a 'GT' (Taller than average,
longer than average, thinner than average), it well tolerates a bit of
overload of smaller fish but care has to be used with anything that gets too
big.  I aim at 6 inch or less fish sizes but need a few of that size to look
'right'.


 >  CS> I think the next thing to add is a cloud of neon tetras.  Not sure they
 >  CS> will make it as the others are semi-aggressives.  Also looking at some
 >  CS> other sorts.
 > 
 > Mine would call that "Fish Food"

Later, mine might too as they grow, but neon's arent long lived either so a
cloud of 9 or so would live to old age.  It's also fairly well planted so
there's lots of hidey holes (even 3 'caves').

When the 3 angel fish grow to full size, 2 of them will relocate to the 40G
tank (currently not setup) and a small one will get added to the big tank for
species friend.  That will be a few years though!
            xxcarol

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