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Any Aquarium guys? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter TLEF316
- Start date
TheFanatic
Footballguy
Gibberus? Did you mean Gibbiceps? Marble Sail Fin Pleco? Awesome fish. I have one in my 110 that is more than a foot long. First, I never recommend a 10 gallon for anything other than breeding. I wouldn't do much more than what you have in there. A 10 gallon is just not a good idea for keeping fish long term....Let me chime in!I have a 10 gal. tank with 3 black tetras, 2 orange serpaes, 2 silver tetras, and 3 ghost shrimp.I have a couple of plants, a rock, and a vase (decoration).im looking to add a gibberus, I've had the tank for about 1 month and a half.any suggestions?
Eli2Shockey
Footballguy
Gibberus? Did you mean Gibbiceps? Marble Sail Fin Pleco? Awesome fish. I have one in my 110 that is more than a foot long. First, I never recommend a 10 gallon for anything other than breeding. I wouldn't do much more than what you have in there. A 10 gallon is just not a good idea for keeping fish long term....Let me chime in!I have a 10 gal. tank with 3 black tetras, 2 orange serpaes, 2 silver tetras, and 3 ghost shrimp.I have a couple of plants, a rock, and a vase (decoration).im looking to add a gibberus, I've had the tank for about 1 month and a half.any suggestions?
TLEF316
Footballguy
quick update for those interested........
Today after work i went to the store that Eli2Shockey turned me on to. It was a really teriffic place. They had some MASSIVE display tanks set up, inclduing a few amazing reef displays that rival anything ive ever seen. We're talking several hundreds gallons of reef. All the fish in the store looked very healthy and the place was immaculately clean.
Unfortunatly, the prices were out of this world, especially on tanks and stands, which was the reason i was there. They were charging upwards of $1000 for a 75 gallon All Glass aquarium and an oak stand. This didnt include any other equipment except a glass hood and basic lighting. Dont get me wrong, it was great looking stuff, but not for that price.
So, i decided to head to one of our local chain stores. (Petsmart) I eventually settled on a 75 gallon tank with wood trim. Came with a glass hood, basic lighting and a manufacturer lifetime guarentee. Came to $199+ tax. I debated picking up a stand, but the ones they had didnt match the tank, so i passed. However, i have decided to spring for a stand, because i dont trust my dresser. I will look for one tomorrow. I also picked up a gravel vac, tap water conditioner and a liquid test kit that determines Amonia, Ph, Nitrates, nitrites and a few other things.
Ive decided to go with silver sand (play sand) as a substrate. I really want to get several species of Cories, and ive read that a sandy substrate is much better for the. Plus, i really like how it looks. Although i do plan to do live plants as some point, ive decided to avoid them to start. I can always add later, and i can always use water column fertilizers to help them grow (ive read good things about this on fishforums.net, so i feel comfortable not going with a more specialized planting substrate)
Either tomorrow or saturday, i will be doing the following.....
1) trip to home depot for sand, buckets, and some rock for decoration (probably slate, as ill be building some caves)
2) trip back to petsmart for heating and filtering. Im going with 2 smaller heaters (as opposed to one big one) in case one fails. Ive also decided to go with external power filters, and will likely go with two of those as well. I figure that going for extra filtering(along with water changes) will keep the tank as clean as it can be and allow me to max out the stocking limit.
I also plan on picking up some artificial plants and driftwood for decoration. I think i may also mix in some pea gravel to try to simulate a river bed.
3) search the local area for other decorations (rocks and wood) Ill definetly make sure that they are all tank safe.
Hopefully, ill have the tank up, decorated and begining to cycle by early next week. Thanks again for all your help, and ill try to get some pictures up so you guys can see how it's going/
Today after work i went to the store that Eli2Shockey turned me on to. It was a really teriffic place. They had some MASSIVE display tanks set up, inclduing a few amazing reef displays that rival anything ive ever seen. We're talking several hundreds gallons of reef. All the fish in the store looked very healthy and the place was immaculately clean.
Unfortunatly, the prices were out of this world, especially on tanks and stands, which was the reason i was there. They were charging upwards of $1000 for a 75 gallon All Glass aquarium and an oak stand. This didnt include any other equipment except a glass hood and basic lighting. Dont get me wrong, it was great looking stuff, but not for that price.
So, i decided to head to one of our local chain stores. (Petsmart) I eventually settled on a 75 gallon tank with wood trim. Came with a glass hood, basic lighting and a manufacturer lifetime guarentee. Came to $199+ tax. I debated picking up a stand, but the ones they had didnt match the tank, so i passed. However, i have decided to spring for a stand, because i dont trust my dresser. I will look for one tomorrow. I also picked up a gravel vac, tap water conditioner and a liquid test kit that determines Amonia, Ph, Nitrates, nitrites and a few other things.
Ive decided to go with silver sand (play sand) as a substrate. I really want to get several species of Cories, and ive read that a sandy substrate is much better for the. Plus, i really like how it looks. Although i do plan to do live plants as some point, ive decided to avoid them to start. I can always add later, and i can always use water column fertilizers to help them grow (ive read good things about this on fishforums.net, so i feel comfortable not going with a more specialized planting substrate)
Either tomorrow or saturday, i will be doing the following.....
1) trip to home depot for sand, buckets, and some rock for decoration (probably slate, as ill be building some caves)
2) trip back to petsmart for heating and filtering. Im going with 2 smaller heaters (as opposed to one big one) in case one fails. Ive also decided to go with external power filters, and will likely go with two of those as well. I figure that going for extra filtering(along with water changes) will keep the tank as clean as it can be and allow me to max out the stocking limit.
I also plan on picking up some artificial plants and driftwood for decoration. I think i may also mix in some pea gravel to try to simulate a river bed.
3) search the local area for other decorations (rocks and wood) Ill definetly make sure that they are all tank safe.
Hopefully, ill have the tank up, decorated and begining to cycle by early next week. Thanks again for all your help, and ill try to get some pictures up so you guys can see how it's going/
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kbreaker
Footballguy
Keep us posted. I got my first tank about 17 years ago. Still a great hobby for me - wifey likes it as well (just looking at it, not the work part
).
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TLEF316
Footballguy
quick update:
bought 100 lbs of sand and 2 buckets at Lowe's
I also ran over to one of the local landscaping places and got a bunch of rock pieces. I got like 15 flat pieces of stone ranging from wallet sized to the size of a thick hard-cover book (like a tom clancy book) for $5. I will power wash, boil, and test them to make sure they dont leach into the water.
I was able to build myself a pretty sweet looking cave out of the smaller pieces. ( formation is about 6 inches tall and 14 inches wide) Id be afraid to go any higher without starting to silicone the pieces together. The remaining, mostly larger pieces are spread around the tank to act as grazing areas for algae eaters. I kinda wish i could do another cave on the other side of the tank. I may go back and get more rocks.
I'll try to add some pictures tomorrow.
So at this point, i still need to buy...
-Stand
-artifical plants/wood
- heater(s)
- filter(s)
Fish and fish food
bought 100 lbs of sand and 2 buckets at Lowe's
I also ran over to one of the local landscaping places and got a bunch of rock pieces. I got like 15 flat pieces of stone ranging from wallet sized to the size of a thick hard-cover book (like a tom clancy book) for $5. I will power wash, boil, and test them to make sure they dont leach into the water.
I was able to build myself a pretty sweet looking cave out of the smaller pieces. ( formation is about 6 inches tall and 14 inches wide) Id be afraid to go any higher without starting to silicone the pieces together. The remaining, mostly larger pieces are spread around the tank to act as grazing areas for algae eaters. I kinda wish i could do another cave on the other side of the tank. I may go back and get more rocks.
I'll try to add some pictures tomorrow.
So at this point, i still need to buy...
-Stand
-artifical plants/wood
- heater(s)
- filter(s)
Fish and fish food
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TLEF316
Footballguy
yet another quick update......
completed all my non-living purchases today
- Cabinet stand
- 2 medium pieces of mopani wood (will be rinsed)
- 2 200 watt Marineland submersible heaters (400 watts total, should be good)
- Aquaclear 110 power filter with Bio Max. (for aquariums of 60-110 gallons) 500 gph max
- plastic plants: a rougly 10 inch tall Amazon Sword, 2 large plants that sort of look like long bunches of grass, a 6 inch tall Amazon sword and a few other smaller plants for the foreground. All look fairly life-like IMO and fill out the tank pretty well.
Tomorrow, im gonna get a few more slate pieces to build up the rock formations, and then ill empty the ornaments and fill the tank for real. (gotta wash the sand first)
My camera is having issues, so no pictures yet.
completed all my non-living purchases today
- Cabinet stand
- 2 medium pieces of mopani wood (will be rinsed)
- 2 200 watt Marineland submersible heaters (400 watts total, should be good)
- Aquaclear 110 power filter with Bio Max. (for aquariums of 60-110 gallons) 500 gph max
- plastic plants: a rougly 10 inch tall Amazon Sword, 2 large plants that sort of look like long bunches of grass, a 6 inch tall Amazon sword and a few other smaller plants for the foreground. All look fairly life-like IMO and fill out the tank pretty well.
Tomorrow, im gonna get a few more slate pieces to build up the rock formations, and then ill empty the ornaments and fill the tank for real. (gotta wash the sand first)
My camera is having issues, so no pictures yet.
SKribbles
Footballguy
Well it's not useless but its time for the FBGs to start sharing some pics of their tanks.
Edit: Pic of my tank
2 Red Belly Pirahnas, 4 Giant Danios and 1 big ### lobster in an 75 gallon.
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Fat Nick
Footballguy
I'm not 100% sure what Mopani wood is, but you may want to soak it for a couple days in a few gallons of water. I got some wood a while back for a general Amazonian tank and I didn't soak it and it turned the water a VERY strong tea color.
I haven't read back far enough, so sorry if it's a double post, but pay attention to the pH requirements for your fish. Wood will soften the water, calcium based rocks and coral will make it harder. I know most Amazonian fresh water fish like soft water, and my fish, African Cichlids like hard water, hence why I have no wood in my tank.
I haven't read back far enough, so sorry if it's a double post, but pay attention to the pH requirements for your fish. Wood will soften the water, calcium based rocks and coral will make it harder. I know most Amazonian fresh water fish like soft water, and my fish, African Cichlids like hard water, hence why I have no wood in my tank.
TheFanatic
Footballguy
Good move on going to the landscaping place for the rock. You just saved like 9000%If you are going to do plastic plants, here's a tip. Buy a few of the exact same type of plant in a few different sizes and then clump them all together in the same spot in the tank. That will make the fake plants look as realistic as possible. Amazon swords, not so much, but pretty much anythung that is basically a long tendral of a stem and some leaves attached to a base this will work beautifully....Been doing some maintenance myself tonight. In both my 55 and 110, I had a monster Amazon Sword that was sending out a runner but for some reason in both tanks the runner was not under the gravel. Doesn't really matter as I had about nine 4-5 inch amazon swords off the two runners. I broke off the amazons from the runner and planted them all over the two tanks and I fertilized heavily. I couldn't believe how thick a few of the amazons were. They were MUCH thicker and fuller than anything I have ever bought at the pet store. A couple of them had to have between 25-30 leaves. Still have one hanging off the runner in the 55. No room. Not sure what to do with it....Ahh well....I also spent about 20 minutes pulling any leaves that were too overgrown with algae or were yellowing or even worse already brown. Gotta do that ever so often with live plants, but the plants will be much better off for it....Keep us posted on the progress. I feel like I'm living my first days with a big tank all over again....You are going to do well. You have done your homework and are pretty diligent from what I have read. Take your time. Set up the tank. Allow it to cycle properly and then slowly add your fish. Remember, if you ever get a disease in the tank, DO NOT TREAT THE TANK. Most medications tell you to cut them in half if you have scaleless fish and cut in half if you have bottom fish. Cut into a quarter and all you will do is kill your scaless and bottom fish and the disease will kill the original fish that was infected. Treat the fish, not the tank. Goos luck....
TLEF316
Footballguy
yup. im gonna soak the wood, as per the insructions on the labelHere's a picture of what it will probably look like after it is soakedFat Nick said:
Mopani wood
TLEF316
Footballguy
great tank man. That background fooled me for a second.SKribbles said:
Well it's not useless but its time for the FBGs to start sharing some pics of their tanks.
Edit: Pic of my tank
2 Red Belly Pirahnas, 4 Giant Danios and 1 big ### lobster in an 75 gallon.
TLEF316
Footballguy
quick question about rocks. How clean do they have to be. Ive gathered a bunch of extra stone from around my yard. Its a bunch of fairly large flat rocks, most of which is grey or brown (im gonna do a vinegar test and boil them later) The problem is im scrubbing the #### out of them, and they just dont seem to be getting any cleaner. I know its tough to tell without seing pictures, but will these rocks be good if i scrub them, boil them and vinegar test them?
SKribbles
Footballguy
Boil, scrub, boil and they should be fine.
TheFanatic
Footballguy
Be careful tho. If you get any clay based rocks, you can scrub and scrub and the brush is always brown or red is because the rock is water soluable. It will never come clean. Also be careful about rocks from around the house. If you've ever sprayed fertilizer, pesticide, herbacide around the yard and any of that gets into the tank you will be in trouble. The stuff from the landscaping place is OK because they usually haven't sprayed anything near it....
TLEF316
Footballguy
no fertilizer or pesticides, so i dont think that should be an issue. Im boiling all the rocks also, so shouldnt that help? As far as clay-based rocks, who would i know? Thanks again for any advice.edit: i also got two 18" x 24" pieces of slate that im looking to break up. Any advice here? Just bash it with a sledge hammer? If i can get some nice pieces, i can avoid using some of the stuff i collected that might be questionable
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TheFanatic
Footballguy
How do you know if the rock is clay based like Felspar? Keep scrubbing it over and over. If the brush is always the same color as the rock then all you are doing is scraping away the rock and it will only stain the water. If after you get the dirt off the brush isn't discolored, you are good to go....Also, you want to avoid limestone if you are looking to do something with Cory's and other south americans. They generally like a little more acidic water. A couple of pieces of limestone will help buffer the water and keep its chemistry a little more stable. But much more than that you wil raise the PH.Speaking of PH and all those other test kits. I used to use those things all the time. The water chemistry of your tap is what it is. Trying to keep it a perfect PH is tough. Don't mess with it. I haven't used any sort of PH modifier in more than 15 years. Either the fish adapt or I find other fish. And having a Clown Knife that is 18 years old, Angels that have lived for 8 years, I think I am doing OK. The more you jerk with the water chemistry the harder it is to keep it stable. Don't mess with it unless your tap water is really extreme. All I put in my water is dechlorinator and fertilizer....As for the slate, hammer....Have fun and wear goggles....As for that crazy root you bought, I have some of that stuff and love it. First it is usually dense enough to sink right away. Most other drift wood needs to be anchored down. Also, it doesn't tend to leach into the water and discolor it. Other drift wood will do that for a while. Sometimes months before it stops discoloring the tank....
TLEF316
Footballguy
i dont plan on messing with the water chemisty (other than using water conditioner to get rid of the chlorine)
As for the clay based rocks, i think i may have a few, but i cant be sure. I boiled about 1/2 of my rocks this afternoon. I dont think any of them are clay based, although im gonna scrub them one more time to be sure. Ill leave out anything that is questionable and just replace it with the soon to be created slate pieces.
At this point, ive got enough rock to really go nuts. My plan is to build a formation that stretches over at least 75% of the back of the tank, and goes about 10-12 inches high. The pieces i have arent that heavy, so i dont think siliconing them will be necessary. Tonight, im gonna build the stand and decide the final positon of the tank. I was going to keep it in my room, but figured i should move it into the living room so everyone can enjoy it.
As of now, my plan is to spend tonight building the stand, moving the tank, and hopefully puting in the sand, rock and other decor (except for the wood, which is gonna soak for another day or so)
Hopefully ill be able to fill the tank sometime tomorrow and being cycling
o yeah, 2 more small things
1) any ideas for decorating the top of the tank? I know that getting some top dwelling fish will help, but with no plants or rocks, it still might look boring. (ideas for some top dwelling fish would be great as well. )
2) ive read that using charcoal as a chemical filter is basically useless, as it uses its effectivness quickly and has to be changed. Alot of people recomend just dumping it and replacing it with another sponge or something. Any thoughts, especially from the guys who use power filters?
As for the clay based rocks, i think i may have a few, but i cant be sure. I boiled about 1/2 of my rocks this afternoon. I dont think any of them are clay based, although im gonna scrub them one more time to be sure. Ill leave out anything that is questionable and just replace it with the soon to be created slate pieces.
At this point, ive got enough rock to really go nuts. My plan is to build a formation that stretches over at least 75% of the back of the tank, and goes about 10-12 inches high. The pieces i have arent that heavy, so i dont think siliconing them will be necessary. Tonight, im gonna build the stand and decide the final positon of the tank. I was going to keep it in my room, but figured i should move it into the living room so everyone can enjoy it.
As of now, my plan is to spend tonight building the stand, moving the tank, and hopefully puting in the sand, rock and other decor (except for the wood, which is gonna soak for another day or so)
Hopefully ill be able to fill the tank sometime tomorrow and being cycling
o yeah, 2 more small things
1) any ideas for decorating the top of the tank? I know that getting some top dwelling fish will help, but with no plants or rocks, it still might look boring. (ideas for some top dwelling fish would be great as well. )
2) ive read that using charcoal as a chemical filter is basically useless, as it uses its effectivness quickly and has to be changed. Alot of people recomend just dumping it and replacing it with another sponge or something. Any thoughts, especially from the guys who use power filters?
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Eli2Shockey
Footballguy
TLEF316
Footballguy
my first attempt at rock work is a massive failure.
The damn slate just wont break clean. It keeps fracturing at its various layers, leaving literally razor sharp edges (which obviously arent safe for fish.) They all look like This (the grey ones) if not sharper.
any ideas?
edit: some precision work with a small hammer is rounding off the edges nicely, but not perfect. Dont want to harm the fish
The damn slate just wont break clean. It keeps fracturing at its various layers, leaving literally razor sharp edges (which obviously arent safe for fish.) They all look like This (the grey ones) if not sharper.
any ideas?
edit: some precision work with a small hammer is rounding off the edges nicely, but not perfect. Dont want to harm the fish
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TLEF316
Footballguy
nice work. I looked at that exact ornament yesterday at petsmart. Decided to go with the mopani wood insteadThe big rocks look great. Are the plants real?
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kbreaker
Footballguy
Mbuna rock!
mvp2112
Footballguy
Nice thread!
With all the discussion about cycling the tank I am surpised that none of the experienced fish keepers here suggested adding some used items to the new tank. If you know of anyone that is willing to part with a piece of driftwood, or some gravel, those will have a healthy population of bacteria on them to jumpstart the cycle. An even better option is to get some used media from a filter (a bio wheel is an excellent choice) and put it in your own filter. You could purchase new media and trade it to either the LFS or someone else in the hobby. Put in some fish to provide the ammonia to allow the bacteria colony to grow, and you are good to go. Never any worries about losing any fish.
As far as the plants go, if you are looking for low-tech (not much additional light, no CO2 injection) then I agree with the multiple other posters. You can't go wrong with Java Fern, Java Moss. I have never had a problem with filter clogging. I would also add to the list virtually any kind of Crypt. They are pretty maintance-free also. Many different varieties available too. Anubias are also good low-light plants. They are pretty slow-growing though. Also many varieties. My favorite is Anubias ver. Nana. Stays pretty short, but will spread out nicely.
Cool thing about plants is that when they are growing well, you can thin out the herd and trade it for credit at the LFS. Develop a good rapport with them, and they will treat you very fairly on your trade-ins. With the Java Fern and Anubias, attach it to a piece of driftwood or lace rock. After a few months, it will have secured itself to the supporting structure. If you have a plant that is self-anchored like this, and you trade it to the LFS, it is like gold.
Oh yeah, I have a 150 and a 55. The 150 has been through many different lives: Dwarf cichlids, Altum Angels, Mbuna, Peacocks, and now South American Dwarfs, and Angels again. Lots of fun trading in fish and reinventing the tank.
Good Luck!
With all the discussion about cycling the tank I am surpised that none of the experienced fish keepers here suggested adding some used items to the new tank. If you know of anyone that is willing to part with a piece of driftwood, or some gravel, those will have a healthy population of bacteria on them to jumpstart the cycle. An even better option is to get some used media from a filter (a bio wheel is an excellent choice) and put it in your own filter. You could purchase new media and trade it to either the LFS or someone else in the hobby. Put in some fish to provide the ammonia to allow the bacteria colony to grow, and you are good to go. Never any worries about losing any fish.
As far as the plants go, if you are looking for low-tech (not much additional light, no CO2 injection) then I agree with the multiple other posters. You can't go wrong with Java Fern, Java Moss. I have never had a problem with filter clogging. I would also add to the list virtually any kind of Crypt. They are pretty maintance-free also. Many different varieties available too. Anubias are also good low-light plants. They are pretty slow-growing though. Also many varieties. My favorite is Anubias ver. Nana. Stays pretty short, but will spread out nicely.
Cool thing about plants is that when they are growing well, you can thin out the herd and trade it for credit at the LFS. Develop a good rapport with them, and they will treat you very fairly on your trade-ins. With the Java Fern and Anubias, attach it to a piece of driftwood or lace rock. After a few months, it will have secured itself to the supporting structure. If you have a plant that is self-anchored like this, and you trade it to the LFS, it is like gold.
Oh yeah, I have a 150 and a 55. The 150 has been through many different lives: Dwarf cichlids, Altum Angels, Mbuna, Peacocks, and now South American Dwarfs, and Angels again. Lots of fun trading in fish and reinventing the tank.
Good Luck!
Englishteacher
Footballguy
My family owned the largest privately owned pet-wholesale company in the country and is one of the largest koi breeders in the U.S.
PM me if you need anything.
PM me if you need anything.
SKribbles
Footballguy
10 Gallon
2 Emerald Tetras and all live plants.
I have a real problem with everything dying in this tank. It once housed a bunch of guppies which all slowly died. No signs of sickness or infection. Just randomly popping up dead. So I left the tank empty for about 2 months. Did 3 complete (90%) water changes and then went and picked up 3 Dwarf Ghourmis and 3 Emerald Tetras. Well, now I'm down to 2 Tetras. The little snails that hitched a ride on a plant have absolutely no problem living through all the changes and what not.
2 Emerald Tetras and all live plants.
I have a real problem with everything dying in this tank. It once housed a bunch of guppies which all slowly died. No signs of sickness or infection. Just randomly popping up dead. So I left the tank empty for about 2 months. Did 3 complete (90%) water changes and then went and picked up 3 Dwarf Ghourmis and 3 Emerald Tetras. Well, now I'm down to 2 Tetras. The little snails that hitched a ride on a plant have absolutely no problem living through all the changes and what not.
TLEF316
Footballguy
haha, sorry. still having camera issues. Im gonna borrow one tomorrow. The stand is set up. (although i thought i broke it for a minute) Im doing the final washing of rocks, sand and wood tomorrow morning. pictures after that.
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TheFanatic
Footballguy
I don't use carbon anywhere. In my canister filter I added another cartridge of biowheels. I did it mainly because carbon strips fertilizer from the water. Forget the carbon and add another floss filter cartridge....
chuckorc
Footballguy
Just a question for those in the know. How do you vacuum with the sand. Won't the sand get sucked up if you use a normal gravel vacuum?Love the thread, I used to have a 55 and a 150 setup at my mom's place when I was a kid. Now they are just sitting in the basement empty. I've been thinking about setting up a small 20 gallon at my apartment until I can afford to buy a house, and then I'm bringing back the big boys.
SKribbles
Footballguy
I just vac as normal. It sucks up some sand but not enough to worry about. Just make sure you have your filters turned off when you're cleaning. Sand in the filter is a veeery bad thing.
Eli2Shockey
Footballguy
plants are fake. rocks are from outside around my house. I actually got the tank off craigslist and transported the 5 fish about 35 minutes and added a sailfin pleco and have no reported fatalities to date. knock on wood..edit to add: got the tank in august.
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BigRed
Footballguy
Just because YOU did that doesn't mean others will.TLEF if you're not sure how much you'll like/be into this, I suggest you start out with a 30G tank, not 55, and get a variety of "heartier" tetras....get used to the routine of checking the water for various things (temp, pH balance etc), see how you like it overall and go from there. Zebras, blue neons, mollys, maybe a few cherry barbs....things like that are good to start with; they're hard to kill and have some bright/mixed colorings. IMO anyone telling you to start with a 55G is giving bad advice; you don't start out in a hobby with some of the more expensive/labor intenstive options available. That's like saying "I'm thinking about getting into golf but never played" and someone goes "dude buy a set of Pings!" Walk before you run. Not everyone who tries this goes ape-sh-- about it.
kbreaker
Footballguy
Just because YOU did that doesn't mean others will.TLEF if you're not sure how much you'll like/be into this, I suggest you start out with a 30G tank, not 55, and get a variety of "heartier" tetras....get used to the routine of checking the water for various things (temp, pH balance etc), see how you like it overall and go from there. Zebras, blue neons, mollys, maybe a few cherry barbs....things like that are good to start with; they're hard to kill and have some bright/mixed colorings. IMO anyone telling you to start with a 55G is giving bad advice; you don't start out in a hobby with some of the more expensive/labor intenstive options available. That's like saying "I'm thinking about getting into golf but never played" and someone goes "dude buy a set of Pings!" Walk before you run. Not everyone who tries this goes ape-sh-- about it.
TheFanatic
Footballguy
I actually suggested starting with a 75. The bigger the tank, the easier it is to maintain up to a point. A buddy of mine just bought a 225 and he hates it. 75 gallons with the extra 2 full square feet of surface area over a 55 makes it a great starter tank. The bigger the tank, the less pollutants can foul the water. The less likely one has to have a PH spike or drop. The water chemistry and temp is much more stable the bigger the tank is. The only extra work that has to be done is a few more buckets during a water change. I will say this it is MUCH harder to maintain a 10 gallon tank than it is to maintain a 100 gallon tank. That being said, if the guy hates the hobby his initial outlay will be much higher than if he were to buy a 30 gallon.30 gallon isn't a bad starter tank but you are limited to the smaller schooling fish and as stated above, the water chemistry is harder to keep consistent. I would also disagree that Mollies are good, hardy fish in terms if a community tank. They have very strange water chemistry requirements. They can actually be aclimated to live in full salt water. Mollies by themselves with the water chemisty to their liking are very hardy. Mollies in a community tank, not so much. But they are easy to breed and are fairly colorful so they will continue to be offered up cheap in pet stores...As for the issue of buying more and more tanks. That happens to a lot of people. Happened to me. At one time I had a a 45 high, 55, and 110. I wanted a tank in every room in the house. My buddy that just bought the 225 bought a 75 and within 6 months had a 125, 58 and 55 as well. Sold me the 55. Sold his neighbor the 75, sold the 58 in the paper, and now has the 125 and the 225. After hearing about all the crap he had to deal with to keep those tanks up and running I had a realization. If I wanted to have a social life I couldn't possibly do that. I got rid of the 45 a couple of years ago. I am perfectly content with the 110 and the 55. The 110 is in my family room in the basement. The 55 is in my office. Both tanks are well planted with fish that have lived literally for years in them. Once a month I do a water change, trim the dead leaves, and fertilize the tanks. I can do all of that in less tham 40 minutes. If I can maintain a 110 and 55 with about 40 minutes a month, I think the 75 will be just fine for a beginner. Oh, and forget about all those testing kits. Just do your water changes and don't overstock and the tank will be fine....
TLEF316
Footballguy
i appreciate all the advice, but ive already bought the tank, and have spent the last 2 days boiling and cleaning rocks and sand. Im having some issues with the decorating. I cant settle on how i want the rocks and wood. Still sort of moving stuff around.
I bought a test kit. Its not a strip one(i read that those suck) It tests for amonia, PH, nitrates, nitrites and high range ph.
I bought a test kit. Its not a strip one(i read that those suck) It tests for amonia, PH, nitrates, nitrites and high range ph.
TheFanatic
Footballguy
When you first get started this is the best part. Aquascaping is really cool. You might settle on something for a while and then see something in a book or a pet store and go in and change things all around. You might come across some really cool, gnarled piece of driftwood and decide to make it your focal point. Or see a tank with certain type of rocks that have a cool effect and have to have the same stuff.That's one of the draw backs of live plants. It's not as easy to change things up in a well planted tank. It's not good to uproot the plants a lot and move them around. You have to be very carefull as to where you put things. I try to keep the front middle of my tanks plant free and allow them to grow up on either side and the back. I have an amazon sword that is bigger than a basketball in my 55. If I had put that in the middle front of the tank I wouldn't be able to see anything but a giant plant....
Eli2Shockey
Footballguy
fanatic, ive seen you talk about your tanks alot, but what type of fish do you have?
TheFanatic
Footballguy
I have a 110 that is mainly Mbunas. Africans. Yellow Labs. Pseudotropheus. Acei. I also have a monster Clown Knife that just won't die. I've had him 18 years. He's about 20 inches long. How does he not eat the africans? He's got cataracts. As long as they don't plant in front of him I'm OK. Bought a $22 male Ahli a couple of weeks ago. He decided to hide in front of the CK's nose. $22 feeder fish. I also have a 14 inch sailfin - Gibbiceps.In that tank I have 1 ginormous amazon sword, about 5 smaller ones, some jungle val and some java fern nicely attached to a big piece of driftwood...When the CK finally dies (and I have him mounted much to the chagrin to my wife) I will add a bunch more africans to the tank. In my 55 I have two different breeding pairs of angels, some serpae tetras, tiger barbs, clown loaches, ottocinclus cats and siamese algae eaters (had a problem with hair algae at one point). The tank has my other ginormous amazon sword and a few other large ones as well as two really good size crypt wendtii. My future plans for this tank are to add some cories (pandas) and maybe a crazy pleco or two (green phantom, red tail sternella, gold nugget, royal farlowella, or whatever else I think looks cool that day)
TLEF316
Footballguy
a few members of my family made a good point today. Even though the tank isnt filled, we can tell its gonna be a little bit bland looking. I thinking of going with some sort of jungle stream type of background, and colorful fish will obviously help, but i need some more color.
Ill head back to the pet store tomorrow for some more colorful, yet realistic looking decorations. I cant have a tank that is all brown, beige and green.
Ill head back to the pet store tomorrow for some more colorful, yet realistic looking decorations. I cant have a tank that is all brown, beige and green.
TheFanatic
Footballguy
My tanks are all brown, biege and green. Makes the fish that much more colorful and noticeable. As I recall I wanted everything to be all colorful and bright when I first started. Now I want as natural as possible. Picked up 4 pandas on the way home. And he undercharged me $1 per fish. I like it. Almost bought a Queen Aberesque Pleco but they all had bellies that were a little sunken in. When buying plecos from a pet store, particularly the exotic (see expensive) ones, always get a look at their bellies. If it's concaved don't buy it. And if you don't get the response I got from the owner, don't go back which was, "we'll be throwing some extra zucchini in there for the next week to fatten them up." If the pet store person tries to tell you it's OK that the stomach is caved in, and even worse that the eyes are sunken in, you know you are dealing with a shady shop....The deal is that most pet store tanks don't have much algae in the tank for them to eat and they don't usually eat anything in shipping so they arrive starving and if they throw all of them in the same tank there's not much to go around....Just another aquarium tip from the fanatic....
KGB
Footballguy
well I just moved and got inspired by this thread. I have a great spot and am going to jump in.
my only experience is that I had a 10 gallon when I was a kid. all my fish were dissappearing and I figured it was just one eatig them all. then the last fish was gone. i was like WTF!
Turns out they committed suicide by jumping out of the tank. I had a cover on it but where the hoses came in there was just enough room to squeeze out I guess. It was like finding nemo except they didnt know there was no large body of water behind my table, just dust and other dead fishes.
so, did I read right that there is no maintenance on a saltwater tank with plants. I want low maintenance. What size tank should I get for 44 inches across?
great thread btw. lots of info, almost too much, im getting confused.
my only experience is that I had a 10 gallon when I was a kid. all my fish were dissappearing and I figured it was just one eatig them all. then the last fish was gone. i was like WTF!
Turns out they committed suicide by jumping out of the tank. I had a cover on it but where the hoses came in there was just enough room to squeeze out I guess. It was like finding nemo except they didnt know there was no large body of water behind my table, just dust and other dead fishes.
so, did I read right that there is no maintenance on a saltwater tank with plants. I want low maintenance. What size tank should I get for 44 inches across?
great thread btw. lots of info, almost too much, im getting confused.
TheFanatic
Footballguy
44 inches is tough. 48 inches and you are golden. Otherwise you are looking at a 45 high or even better a 58. Both are 36 inches. Planted salt tanks? Most people go with corals or live rock or both. Planting a salt tank seems kinda tough. And salt tanks are not maintenance free. You will be scraping algae every single night no matter what you put in there to prevent that if you have your light on for more than an hour or so. They have some great new algae scraper products tho....
TLEF316
Footballguy
update:
spent all day scrubbing and boiling rocks. At this point, they are as clean as they are gonna get. I tested all of them with white vinegar, and they all passed. However, i have read that vinegar isnt always a strong enough acid to tell. Ill watch the ph carefully.
I also washed some sand. It took a pretty long time to get what amounted to about 3 gallons of sand. Im going for about 1.5-2 inches of substrate in the tank, so i lll need to do another bucket tomorrow to finish it. Right now ive got about 1 inch of sand over most of the tank. Its a little darker than i expected, but i think it will look good once it settles.
pictures coming in next post
spent all day scrubbing and boiling rocks. At this point, they are as clean as they are gonna get. I tested all of them with white vinegar, and they all passed. However, i have read that vinegar isnt always a strong enough acid to tell. Ill watch the ph carefully.
I also washed some sand. It took a pretty long time to get what amounted to about 3 gallons of sand. Im going for about 1.5-2 inches of substrate in the tank, so i lll need to do another bucket tomorrow to finish it. Right now ive got about 1 inch of sand over most of the tank. Its a little darker than i expected, but i think it will look good once it settles.
pictures coming in next post
TheFanatic
Footballguy
Can't wait....I just took some shots of my 55. If anyone can host them I would send you a couple shots and I would really appreciate it....
TLEF316
Footballguy
ok, since i promised a few pics, i figured i better deliever.
As of now, the only thing in its final place is the rock formation i built. I will be moving the slate and wood around to diferent places, and will add the plants and maybe some other accessories later (im thinking of doing an air stone)
Ill post more tomorrow after i fill the tank, put a background on it and put in some more decorations.
Tank and Stand
Rock tower (its 7 inches high and pretty steady, although it may not look like it in the picture)
The wood(not the best picture)
The slate (i havent really stacked it high yet. Gotta work on it)
So thats all i have so far. Sorry about the flash on the pictures.
As for stocking, im thinking of going with the following
- 6 zebra dainos as the first fish
- 6 panda cories (or 3 pandas and 3 bronze or speckled if they will be ok like that) I might also go with 4 of each
- 1 Red tail black shark- i love these guys
- 10-12 tetras. I may go all neon, but might mix in some cardinals or black neons, as ive read they will shoal together
- I really like marble hatchet fish, and may get a shoal of 6 of them for the top of the tank
- probabaly some sort of gouramis. I like the paradise gouramis. Some of the dwarfs are cool too.
- 1 or 2 pair of some more docile chiclids. Maybe German Blue rams or Bolivian rams
Ill add slowly and stick to the 1 inch per gallon rule at first. If i feel i can push the stocking limits later (after i gain some experience) i may give that a shot to squeeze a few more fish in
As of now, the only thing in its final place is the rock formation i built. I will be moving the slate and wood around to diferent places, and will add the plants and maybe some other accessories later (im thinking of doing an air stone)
Ill post more tomorrow after i fill the tank, put a background on it and put in some more decorations.
Tank and Stand
Rock tower (its 7 inches high and pretty steady, although it may not look like it in the picture)
The wood(not the best picture)
The slate (i havent really stacked it high yet. Gotta work on it)
So thats all i have so far. Sorry about the flash on the pictures.
As for stocking, im thinking of going with the following
- 6 zebra dainos as the first fish
- 6 panda cories (or 3 pandas and 3 bronze or speckled if they will be ok like that) I might also go with 4 of each
- 1 Red tail black shark- i love these guys
- 10-12 tetras. I may go all neon, but might mix in some cardinals or black neons, as ive read they will shoal together
- I really like marble hatchet fish, and may get a shoal of 6 of them for the top of the tank
- probabaly some sort of gouramis. I like the paradise gouramis. Some of the dwarfs are cool too.
- 1 or 2 pair of some more docile chiclids. Maybe German Blue rams or Bolivian rams
Ill add slowly and stick to the 1 inch per gallon rule at first. If i feel i can push the stocking limits later (after i gain some experience) i may give that a shot to squeeze a few more fish in
TLEF316
Footballguy
after all the work ive done over the past few days, im really having trouble with the idea of doing a fishless cycle. I've worked hard at this and done a ton of research. Its gonna be hard staring at an empty tank and taking amonia readings for a month or so without seing results 
I think ill probably still do it, but just going with some hardy fish and adding very slowly is damn tempting, especially since a few of you guys do the same thing
I think ill probably still do it, but just going with some hardy fish and adding very slowly is damn tempting, especially since a few of you guys do the same thing
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