My First Aquarium, please advise!

[Swayde]

Okay I am set to buy a 29/30 gallon tank. Whichever I can happen to find along with a stand that isn't going to bankrupt me! I am going with glass vs. acrylic. I am not sure what all I will need to purchase with the tank and would rather have a real good idea *before* I go to the store so that the salespeople don't try and talk me into a bunch of *fluff* that is really unnecessary or overpriced.

Here's what I want to do with it. I want to have live plants...I am looking for stuff that grows easily and has low light to moderate light requirements. I don't want my tank overgrown with plants, but I would like it to look as "natural" as possible and I also want it to be fairly easy to maintain as it will be my first aquarium. I plan to include some decorative rocks and logs too. (those Java Ferns and Java Moss look like they may work for me).

I would like a type of schooling fish, some colorful fish, a sucker fish (if I can find them I would like a few Otocinclus) and maybe a mystery snail.

I am prepared to wait on adding the fishies until the tank is cycled properly.

Okay so I know I am going to need the tank (obviously!) and a stand. I know I will need a hood and lighting and from what I have read, flourscent seems best here. I know I will need a water testing kit and a siphon and bucket. I know I will need nets and fish food.

Now here come the parts I am unsure about...What type of filter should I get? What type of heater? Do I need an air pump? What chemicals do I need for water changes, if any? What type of gravel or other substrate material? Is a scraper necessary? Am I overlooking anything? How many watts for the heater, filter, light bulbs?

Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[hungryhound]

Welcome to the board. I am new here so take my advise with a giant grain of salt.

I am however in the process of setting up an aquarium similar to the one that you are interested in purchasing.



Now here come the parts I am unsure about...What type of filter should I get? What type of heater? Do I need an air pump? What chemicals do I need for water changes, if any? What type of gravel or other substrate material? Is a scraper necessary? Am I overlooking anything? How many watts for the heater, filter, light bulbs?

In terms of filter I have found that most people recommend the canister filters, but they can be very expensive. Probably your next choice is the Hang on the back filter. (what I have) Make sure that you get one that has a biowheel, because this provides a large surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow.

No matter what you choose make sure that you get a filter that is rated for 60 to 70 gallons You can never have too much filtration, but you can run into serious problems if you have to little.

You need a heater. I was recommended about 6 watts per gallon, but this may be overkill. But I would rather err on the side of caution.

I have a hang on the back filter and do not use an air pump, and it seems to work just fine. The HOB stirs up the water giving a good oxygen exchange.

Chemicals: You need a chemical to dechlorinate your water. That is the major one.

With plants you will need to be a little selective in your gravel / substrate. I use eco complete, but a 1/8 inch size gravel with fluorite mixed in for a base will work well. With plants you want 2 to 3 inches of gravel in the bottom of the tank to allow their roots to grab hold.

Light bulbs. Lighting is all in what you are planning to do with it. Low level plants need 1 to 2 watts per gallon. You need at least 3 to 4 to grow the more demanding plants. Additionally the height of the tank will factor into how many watts you need as the taller it is the more watts you need to reach the bottom of the tank.

One thing I would highly suggest is looking into fishless cycling. Of Course if you are like me and live in the country you might not be able to find PURE ammonia.

Anyway. Good Luck.

[Sasquatch]

Welcome to the AC.

Well, you're already ahead of the game compared to many aquarists, you're asking questions and making certain of what you want and what that implies. The Aquarium E-Book on this site is a good start (http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/ebook.html), but here's my two cents.

Lighting: I'd go with fluorescent light, they consume less energy and produce less heat and it's also easider to get lighting across the whole width of the tank than with incandescent

Heater: You'll definatly need one or more. I'd probably go with two 100W heaters. A little more than you need, but it's redundant and if one blows, the other is still there. Submersibles are really good and give better heat distribution.

Filter: Go with a canister. For the size of tank you have it's a better bet and it causes less surface agitation, which will be good for your plants. I won't recommend any models since I don't really know them well, but I've never had problems with the Fluval and Marineland HOB filters. I've also heard that Eheim is really good, though a bit pricey.

Chemicals: To start off with you'll need test kits for pH, Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates. They'll let you follow your cycle and make sure there aren't any dangerous waste products accumulating when you have fish in there. You'll also need water conditioner, something to get rid of chlorine and chloramines in your tap water as well as metals which can be very toxic to fish.

Other handy chems are products to boost your beneficial bacteria (Cycle or Biospira), Stress Coat (to help fish heal, reduce stress after transfers) and fertilizers for your plants. Various meds can also come in handy, but wait until you have a problem identified and get what you need.

You might also consider finding pure ammonia to do a fishless cycle.

Misc others: Nets, glass cleaners, siphons, new buckets, extra filter media (floss, foam, bio balls).

For the aquarium itself, gravel and/or sand, rocks, driftwood, cheesy or kitch decorations, whatever suits you personal preferences.

Best of luck and don't be afraid to ask any quetions.

[Chrona]

My recommendations:

Don't get java moss if you don't want to get overgrown with plants. Java ferns, crypts, anubias are all great low light plants that grow fairly slow.

I would recommend you get some olive nerite snails, along with the otos, and possibly a True Siamese Algae eater

In a moderately planted tank, you can get away with using a filter rated close to your tank size. A larger one may very well provide too much current for plants. Also, do not get a filter with a Biowheel, as it causes too much CO2 to be released, especially in a non-injection tank, and your plants will suffer. The plants themselves will absorb a ton of ammonia if they are growing well, so biological filtration is hardly ever a concern in a planted tank. Most people that start a planted tank don't even need to cycle, because with a certain amount of plant biomass, there is never an ammonia spike.

If you have a light fixture with a reflector that concentrates light instead of spreading it out (which is often the case), depth of the tank will not affect light penetration. Look for a fixture with a parabolic reflector, not those traditional trapezoidal ones.

Flourite is good. Make sure you rinse it THOROUGHLY and let it dry completely for a day or two before putting it in. Also, pour the water into a bucket in the tank so you don't stir up the Flourite. DON'T use a water clarifier to clear the Flourite dust out. Just wait.

You will want 2 watts per gallon. How wide is your tank? A 65 watt compact fluorescent fixture would be perfect if your tank is 24" wide.

You want to adjust your filter so it doesn't stir the water up. Any surface disturbance causes more CO2 to be released. This is why planted tanks and air pumps are a bad combo. The plants themselves will saturate the water with oxygen during the day. At night, you can use an airstone to provide O2, since both the plants and the fish will be using it, but in almost all cases, there is enough oxygen to hold both over until the morning.

[Lady Hobbs]

Just pick up the kit. 29 gallon kits come complete and are in every WalMart.

You could get one of those iron stands and that wouldn't run much over $40 unless you have a very sturdy shelve- type stand right at home. I have my 29 on a rollered micro-wave cart. Others have used TV stands. Mine is about 4 inches longer than the cart so I have a piece of 3/4 inch plywood under it that's been water- proofed.

You can come up with some good money saving ideas if you put a bit of thought into it. I actually measured my dresser for a 48 gallon. LOL Too bad I need a dresser as it would fit perfect.

Check the salvation army or on of those stores to see what they have in used furniture. You might be able to pick up something for $10.

I'm always buying something for my "next" aquarium. Saves coming up with so much money all at once.

[hungryhound]

My recommendations:


In a moderately planted tank, you can get away with using a filter rated close to your tank size. A larger one may very well provide too much current for plants. Also, do not get a filter with a Biowheel, as it causes too much CO2 to be released, especially in a non-injection tank, and your plants will suffer. The plants themselves will absorb a ton of ammonia if they are growing well, so biological filtration is hardly ever a concern in a planted tank. Most people that start a planted tank don't even need to cycle, because with a certain amount of plant biomass, there is never an ammonia spike.



Like I said take my post with a grain of salt. I did not know this and might possably have the wrong filter on my tank. Oh well. My plants haven't complained yet, but it is still early in thier life span.

[Swayde]

Thanks for the awesome and quick replies!

Here are a couple more questions.

When I add the initial batch of water, do I just carry it straight from the sink in buckets until my tank is full and then add the dechlorinating chemicals or do I have to treat each bucketful first before pouring it into the tank?

Will the plants be okay if I buy them at the same time I buy the tank and everything so that I can get them planted right away or would it be better to get everything set up and then go buy the plants?

Oh by the way, if it matters at all. I live in Tampa, Florida so it never gets very cold here. Ammonia shouldn't be a problem for me to find. Apparently within a 5 mile radius are some very large tropical fish farms and this are is called the tropical fish farm capital of the world so hopefully finding the fish I want won't be too hard!

I haven't purchased the tank yet, but would like to this evening or tomorrow to get ball rolling. I've been waiting a few months already and now that I got my hubby's okay and a good location for the tank picked out I am quite eager to get it started =)


Thanks again! I am so very excited =)

[Swayde]

Just pick up the kit. 29 gallon kits come complete and are in every WalMart.

You could get one of those iron stands and that wouldn't run much over $40 unless you have a very sturdy shelve- type stand right at home. I have my 29 on a rollered micro-wave cart. Others have used TV stands. Mine is about 4 inches longer than the cart so I have a piece of 3/4 inch plywood under it that's been water- proofed.

You can come up with some good money saving ideas if you put a bit of thought into it. I actually measured my dresser for a 48 gallon. LOL Too bad I need a dresser as it would fit perfect.

Check the salvation army or on of those stores to see what they have in used furniture. You might be able to pick up something for $10.

I'm always buying something for my "next" aquarium. Saves coming up with so much money all at once.


Thanks for the suggestions! I have been eyeballing the metal stands since every surface I have in my house is all used up and those seem to be fairly inexpensive. I hadn't considered looking for used furniture and that is not a bad idea.

I was wary of buying one of those kits because I didn't know if there was stuff I wouldn't need or more stuff I would need or if I would end up having to replace things because it wouldn't work for what I want to do. I've found that sometimes pre-packaged convenience ends up costing you more in the long run, but I don't have any fish equipment buying experience so it could be just what I need to get the ball rolling.

[hungryhound]

Don't be so sure that finding ammonia will be easy. You need to make sure that the only ingredients are water and ammonia. Any surfactants or added perfumes will kill your fish when you add them later.

I found ammonia at 12 stores, but never pure ammonia. In the end I went with zebra fish to cycle my tank. Good luck finding it though.

[Chrona]

Thanks for the awesome and quick replies!

Here are a couple more questions.

When I add the initial batch of water, do I just carry it straight from the sink in buckets until my tank is full and then add the dechlorinating chemicals or do I have to treat each bucketful first before pouring it into the tank?

Will the plants be okay if I buy them at the same time I buy the tank and everything so that I can get them planted right away or would it be better to get everything set up and then go buy the plants?

Oh by the way, if it matters at all. I live in Tampa, Florida so it never gets very cold here. Ammonia shouldn't be a problem for me to find. Apparently within a 5 mile radius are some very large tropical fish farms and this are is called the tropical fish farm capital of the world so hopefully finding the fish I want won't be too hard!

I haven't purchased the tank yet, but would like to this evening or tomorrow to get ball rolling. I've been waiting a few months already and now that I got my hubby's okay and a good location for the tank picked out I am quite eager to get it started =)


Thanks again! I am so very excited =)

I would get everything set up first, minus the fish of course. Then add plants in.

[Lady Hobbs]

Same as above. Plant the tank, add some ammonia and start doing your testing with your test kit. I would not add the fish until all your testing is perfect.

[Swayde]

Okay got my tank, stand and gravel, a couple ornaments and water testing kit as well as some water conditioner. I went ahead and got the 29 Gallen kit because it was the only way to purchase a 29 gallon tank in my area without having to drive pretty far and it did seem like a good deal when I tallied up all the costs of the individual items.

I also went to a few stores and had no luck with the ammonia, any advice there?

Gotta cook dinner and then I can begin rinsing all the gravel and ornaments and setting up the stand and tank.

Yippeee! This is exciting =)

[hungryhound]

The advise i got when lookign for ammonia was to check out your lower end stores.

The dollar store
wallmart
and some hardware stores may have it.

The other trick that i was told was that if you shake the ammonia it should form only a couple big bubbles that dissapate imediately. IF it forms a lot of small bubbles then it is not what you are looking for.

Good luck

[Swayde]

My tank has been running for about 15 hours now. I performed my first tests and here are the results...

Temperature 78-80F I have got to buy a glass one, the strip is difficult to read
PH s 8.0
Ammonia is either 1.0 or 0.5 or somewhere in between, none of us could tell for sure from the color guide.
Nitrite is 0 so I didn't bother testing Nitrates

I have only a couple decorations and gravel in it currently, well aside from the heater and filter.

How long should I wait before putting in some plants? I am going to try and find some Java Fern and Anubias to start off with. I think those will work with my tank.

[jeffs99dime]

My tank has been running for about 15 hours now. I performed my first tests and here are the results...

Temperature 78-80F I have got to buy a glass one, the strip is difficult to read
PH s 8.0
Ammonia is either 1.0 or 0.5 or somewhere in between, none of us could tell for sure from the color guide.
Nitrite is 0 so I didn't bother testing Nitrates

I have only a couple decorations and gravel in it currently, well aside from the heater and filter.

How long should I wait before putting in some plants? I am going to try and find some Java Fern and Anubias to start off with. I think those will work with my tank.


you should still test for nitrites because there may be nitrates in your tap water. furthermore, all parameters should be tested from the tap before introduction into the aquarium. it's very helpful later down the road to know what your levels are from the tap. it will help you problem solve later issues--jeff

[Chrona]

You can put the plants in now. I was just concerned that they may dry up a little if you kept them in the baggy while setting up the tank.

[Swayde]

I got my plants in now yay! My husband thinks I am a nut because I've been doing nothing but reading up on aquariums, fish and plants for about the past week. I had gone through this phase a few months ago with goldfish and realized that I didn't really want to keep goldfish and that tropical fish would be better for me. I decided to wait until my son got to the lesson on fish in his science book. He is homeschooled and just started the chapter this week =)


Anyhow on to my plants. I got 2 Swordplants a few Java Ferns and some type of Grass. When I was taking the plants out of their bags I discovered a small Banana Plant in with the Swordplants so I ended up getting one of those for free :19:

The Anacharis they had didn't look good and the guy told me that if I wanted some to come back in a day or so when they get a new shipment of it in. I will see how well these plants do before I add anymore though. I really like the look of the tank currently.

[Faith_at_Large]

If you haven't found some already, I picked up my pure ammonia from the house-hold cleaning section of my grocery store. I used a no-name brand on the bottom shelf, and it only has water and ammonia, no additives.