Please would you have a look at my tank?. I would love any advice you have to get it right before I get fish(will be Guppies/shrimp/snail as kindly advised by Fishlady).Am on week 2 of fishless cycling
Is the gravel deep enough for the plants to root properly?
Will the bubble disk be too powerful for the Guppies where it is close to the middle?
Should I buy some moss(or?)for ground cover?
5 plants are real and the rest plastic/silk. They dont look too healthy(the real ones!!) but one looks like its sprouting from the base. Do I trim off the unhealthy leaves or just leave well alone at the moment.~(they have only been planted 10 days~)
Any other advice?
Many thanks. Sorry image is huge. I will choose the small one next time!

Snap - I have an identical Clearseal Hex tank sitting empty at the moment waiting for inspiration!

As for the questions......I'd move the bubble disc to the back wall, the gravel is maybe a tad too deep in places....1-2 inches is plenty. Plants often start to look a bit sorry for themselves when newly planted and in a cycling tank so don't worry too much, but do trim off any dead leaves to prevent water fouling. With the height of these tanks I wouln't try any carpeting plants as they need strong light to grow and I doubt they'll get that.

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Yes, looks fine. I tend to have less at the front and more at the back for planting (easier weekly gravel hoovering too) but you will be a bit limited in that shaped tank. Rectangular tanks are generally preferred as fish tend to swim back and forth as opposed to up and down of course.

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Should be fine. If a bit too hectic once they get in, you should be able to slow the flow. Most fish enjoy bubbles and some agitation though.

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Completely up to you, just personal preference. Adding more real plants will assist with water quality a little once you have fish. Some plants tend to wane a little during a cycle but if they are not dying or rotting, I'd hang in there for now. They often get a second wind once they have settled.

Edit// oops, clashed with FL there

The flow looks very strong.
So did you decide on endlers or normal guppies?

Thanks for your answers. Im really leaning towards Guppies as there are a lovely selection of really pretty ones in our LFS.
I wasnt sure about the strength of flow through the bubble disk either. I am aware the tank is deep without a large surface area so I thought it may help with airation but I dont want to scare the fish or limit their swimming area in an already small tank.
This project started as 'lets get a pet thats not got 4 legs or needing to go on walks'(I have a 16 week old baby a toddler and two horses too so time is not my own at the moment).I asked on Freecycle for a tank and this is what I got from a very generous person.
Now I have gone into it in more detail I am starting to get a bit hooked on learning about the hobby.
If I was going out to buy I wouldnt have bought this shape tank but I figure it is fine for the moment until I know if this is a serious or a passing interest.
As an aside I was given two filters with the tank,a clearseal one and a Rena Filstar. They are a bit manky so I decided to buy a new one. Are these worth cleaning up as spares or should I bin them(can they harbour disease?). If they are worth cleaning what is the best way of doing it?

Ive just thought of yet another two questions
I have a small piece of Mopani wood that I think I would like to try to get some moss to grow on. Do I need to soak it first before I attach moss to it and if so for how long?It is a small piece(8 ins long.
Also on a completely different topic(this may be a daft question)- When the fishless cycle is complete is it possible to stall or disturb the cycle by UNDERstocking with fish?

Hi

Mopani doesn't need soaking as it won't leach tannins, and it is unlikely to sink properly even after a soak. If it does decide to stay down eventually, it takes literally months. Usually the best thing to do is attach the wood to a piece of slate to weigh it down. You can attach the moss at the same time.

Regarding cycles and understocking - you won't stall the cycle by understocking. The bacteria will only grow to a colony sufficient for the ammonia (food) available though. After a fishless cycle you'll generally have more bacteria than you need and there will be a die-off to the level the fish can support. When you want to add more stock it must been done a few at a time to allow the bacterial colony to increase after each addition without too much risk of dangerous ammonia/nitrite spikes.

EDIT: Re filters. It's always worth having a spare. Dump the filter media and buy new to keep ready for when you need them. Let the filters soak well in a mild (1:19) bleach solution and use a toothbruh to clean the awkward bits. Rinse well and allow to air dry and they'll be good to go. It's worth cleaning the impellers etc., too as they have probably been neglected. Check the manufacturers' websites for instructions if it isn't obvious how you access them.