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Starting a 29 gallon freshwater tank

14K views 29 replies 7 participants last post by  Gunney87 
#1 ·
Whats up everyone im going to be purchasing a tank later this evening used from craigslist but basically brand new, come with the light , filter, heater, hood. Ive been reading up on starting a tank for a while but i figured if i started my own thread it would just be easier. I originally had a 55 gallon but sold it cuz i just didnt have the money to put into it.

So im thinking im gonna go with crushed coral for the bottom? I also will be purchasing a powerhead so im hoping to have it all set up tonight. Does anyone know how many bags of crushed coral i will need for this size tank?

As for the fish im not to sure what im getting yet id like to get an eel though eventually. Right now my main concern is just cycling the tank and getting it going

Any tips or suggestions are welcome! hopefully i can get some pics up of my set up later on :D
 
#2 ·
Why did you settle on crushed coral? Crushed coral will increase the pH and hardness of your water substantially, so in freshwater tanks it's usually only used with African Rift Lake cichlids that prefer those conditions. Most tropical fish (tetras, barbs, loaches, dwarf cichlids, etc etc) generally prefer softer water and a lower pH.

Also, if you're looking to get some sort of eel, they'd really prefer a soft sand substrate rather than that jagged coral. Keep in mind that you're somewhat limited when it comes to eels, especially in a tank that size.

Why the powerhead? Generally powerheads used just for water movement purposes are reserved for saltwater tanks. For freshwater, you don't need to add water movement unless you're keeping river fish or something. Usually the filtration you'll have in the tank provides enough water movement to keep the fish happy.
 
#3 ·
hmm lol ok these were things just recommended to me at of course petco id rather not have to deal with sand so what would you suggest?

also can someone explain then purpose of the things at the bottom of the tank that creat bubbles? sorrry for the noob questions i just wanna do everything right the first time
 
#5 ·
I would look at natural colored gravel as opposed to colored gravel. Some of the painted gravel over time can leach out into your water.I have used river pebbles in a couple aquariums. If you think you may want live plants at some point it might be wise to consider a substrate designed for planted aquariums. You can cover it with a layer of gravel or not. But it is difficult to add this type of substrate after you have already went with gravel. DrsFosterSmith.com is a good place to explore and perhaps help you to decide what you may like in substrates, lights, plants, and even fish. The first thing I would purchase would probably be a test kit such as API freswater master kit. It will help you monitor your water quality and is an important tool for setting up a new aquarium and preparing it for fish. I am not sure what bubble things you are referring to except for possibly air stones which help bring more oxygen to the fishes. Hope some of this helps.
 
#11 ·
haha i actually got it at petco, there was a seperate back part to the ship also but my tank is too small i think for both. It cost 50 dollars but theres a lot of hiding room which i really liked and it didnt look to tacky to me. I still would like to get something else to provide more hiding spaces just in case one fish claims the ship but im worries about overcrowding it
 
#17 ·
Gunney87 said:
i need to find a better local fish shop, the petco here is brand new and has a good selection but lately theyve been low on supplies
I've found this to be a great resource:

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/pet_shop.html

Just click on your state, and it will give a listing of fish stores people have added to their database along with comments. I've found a bunch of really good fish stores I had no clue existed from this directory.
 
#19 ·
so its been u a week and 2 days since i set my tank up. I opted to cycle my tank with fish, i got 2 albino tiger barbs and a blood parrot. During the middle of the week my tank started to get cloudy. Thursday morning i woke up to find my 2 barbs had died :( but my blood parrot has been doing very well. Ive done 3 small water changes and have been testing my water. My ammonia level has been at 0, ph 7.0, and both nitrite and nitrate at 0. My tank still remains cloudy so im just trying to remain patient. Anybody have any suggestions / advice ?
 
#20 ·
well,who ever told you to cycle your tank with those fish
is a wally. !!
you are having a bacteria bloom in the tank at the moment,
it will clear.
in my honest opinion take the fish back to the pet store,
and if you really wish to cycle the tank with fish,then pick
black widow tetra,platys,danios.
 
#21 ·
hmm yea i though bout bringin the blood parrot back after the others went but hes been swimming around a lot and seems to be doing alright but maybe il take him back tomorrow. Since ive had this bacterial bloom since last sunday is there any time frame as to when i can expect things to spike?
 
#22 ·
well the cycle can take anything up to 5-6 weeks.
do you have any friends with a fish tank ?
if you do ask them if they would donate some of their filter media
to you,that would help otherwise it's a case of waiting. :(
sometimes i've heard people say that the LFS has given them some sqeezes from there filters,you never know unless you ask. :)
don't have your light on for too long either.
 
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