30 g tank - what do i need??

mindy

i may be getting a 30 g tank from a friend - they bought it and never even took it out of the box! it is just a tank, nothing else.

so, i know that i need a hood, a filter, rocks/sand, etc but i don't really know anything else :)

i would like to have live plants so i know i need a specific light for that. i used to have a 10 g tank and i had live plants then and also guppies. i DON'T want guppies again. they were pretty but, boy, do they multiply!

i want freshwater fish. what kind of filter should i get? i was looking online and some filters i found are for "up to 30 g" should i get a filter that is good for up to 50 g or something? or will a stronger filter be bad? i really don't know anything about any of this!

also, can you suggest some fish that are pretty easy for a newbie? i would love brightly coloured fish. i also had kissing gouramis (sp) in my 10 g at another time and they were very pretty. they were orange and blue. i only had 2 in there and i had an algae bloom. i couldn't see the fish for about 2 weeks! the person at the fish store said that the fish were fine in there but it was very strange.

i have heard that larger tanks are easier to take care of than smaller tanks, as in getting the water chemistry right. is this true?

thanks so much for all your advice :)

Unrulyevil

you came to the right forum my friend. As a good rule you need to get everything that is designed to fit more than just 30 gallon. Meaning that.. heater should be not for the tanks up to 30 g but let's say up to 50g.. same goes for filter. You want plants? Good man! I recommend getting this: Fluorescent Aquarium Lighting: All-Glass Twin-Tube Black Strip Lights

cheap and has good range of bulbs to play around with.
+ you will need a glass canopy and... umm.. fish! When it comes to fish.. sky is the limit.. just make sure that fish that you choose ..sort of... like same surroundings or just make sure that they don't kill each other, for this purpose you can use fish comparison chart on this forum.

When it comes to chemistry you are referring to biological cycle. and yes it is easier to work with a large tanks. You can also read everything about cycle on this forum by going here.http://www.fishforum.com/freshwater-...ium-cycle-252/

mindy

thank you for your help. i will read about the cycling for sure.

i should mention that i live a 2 1/2 hour drive from the fish store so whatever i get will have to be transported.

elliott03

If you want easy fish to take care of that are colorful I suggest platys and mollies. Both have many breeds so you can get whatever kind you want. There is a precaution though. Both of those fish are livebearers so will probably multiply quite rapidly. However some online stores allow you to buy only male or only female. In that way you could get as many males as you want then if you wanted to breed them you could get females for however fast you want them to reproduce. Hope this helps and good luck with the tank. I'm expecting pictures when it's up and running =)

1077

You will need ..
Test kit (API freshwater Master Kit)
Heater
Thermometer
Filter (rated for 50 gal)
Gravel vaccum or Python
Dechlorinator (PRIME or AMQUEL+)
Substrate.
With the above mentioned, I have started many successful Aquariums. Patience is needed along with understanding the Nitrification process or (cycling). Do read up on the process.

mindy

thanks guys :)

i will be going into town within the next week so i will check out all those things when i get my dog food.

will transporting the fish for 2 1/2 hours cause them problems? are there any precautions i should take?

1077

It will in my view, be some weeks before you can safely add fish to your aquarium. Should you decide to use live fish for the maturing or (cycling ) of the tank,, I would utilize SMALL active fish and no more than four or five fish such as Pristella Tetras, Silver Tipped Tetras,Or small danios. Feed these fish sparingly while using your test kit to monitor the ammonia and nitrite levels. Do not add any more fish until the tank has matured or cycled which normally takes four to six weeks.
As for transporting fish,, Google Info on... "Acclimating new fish to the Aquarium" As stated previously ,, Patience will be needed.

mindy

thank you for the info. i am going to read read read before i do anything. i was thinking that i was going to do a fishless cycle because i don't want tetras or danios in my tank and i don't know what i would do with them after the cycling was done.

thank you again

1077

Maybe consider using a couple small ,uncooked,raw shrimp as ammonia source for nitrification process. You could place them in toe section of nylon with small rock to hold it down. This method is used by some for fishless cycling and does not require adding drops of raw ammonia daily or daily testing. You simply leave the shrimp in the tank until NitrAtes appear and ammonia,and nitrites read zero for two or three consecutive days. Then remove the shrimp and toss it away. Then perform fifty percent water change using dechlorinator such as PRIME for the new water you add. Making sure temp of new water is close to or same as temp in your tank. After that,, It simply becomes a case of performing weekly 20 to 25 percent water changes for your fish to remain healthy.
Do also read up on the fish you intend to keep to become aquainted with their needs (ie) Desired pH values,adult size,foods,and compatibility with other fish you may wish to place with them.

mindy

thank you.

i will do the shrimp thing for sure.

we have a natural spring here which we use for drinking water for us and the pets. can i use that water for the tank or should i use tap water and decholorinate it? someone we know tested the tap water in a bunch of small communities around here (and this one) and the natural spring and he said that the spring actually has the best water out of all of it. the spring is underground right up to where the hose is attached so the water is very clean.

i was in the pet store when i was home this weekend past looking for food for my new puppy and i glanced at the fish and i saw a fish that i liked but i didn't have time to check what it was. he was bright orange and kind of looked like short Goldfish that was holding his breath - his cheeks were puffed out. i thought he was cute but i don't know what he was so i don't know what he needs or who he can live with! can anyone tell me what he is from my little description?