Originally Posted by mdywglr4x4

I have a book shelf in my office that is used for random junk and would like clean it up and put in a freshwater tank with some colorful fish if possible and stock it as best I can. The shelf itself can easily fit 25x15x10 tank. With some math I can see that is ~16 gallon tank. Here are my questions.

With those dimensions, a ten gallon tank might be possible. Keep in mind that some of the needed stuff (like lights and filters) are going to extend beyone the dimensions of the tank itself so you have to consider that. Also, you'll have power cords to think about so you might need a hole in the back of the shelf.

Is that a small/medium tank?

That would be considered a small tank.

Approx how many fish can I fit comfortably in this?

That all depends on what kind of fish you get. Some are much messier than others, and many types of fish get much too large for a tank that size.

What all is involved in this "cycling" of the tank? What fish should I use for this? Do I get fish I want to keep in there forever? From what I have found it appears to be a 4 week cycle. There is extra cleaning and I need to recycle 10-15% of the water on a cycle or something.

You're talking about cycling using fish. Usually people recommend a hardy fish for this, like zebra danios. You could have a small school of danios in a 10g tank. I would do some research on a "fishless cycle" as this doesn't harm any fish and will allow you to stock the fish you want to keep in the aquarium. The length of the cycle can range anywhere from about two to eight weeks. A good liquid test kit is your best friend during the cycling process. At the end of a fishless cycle you'll usually have to do a pretty substantial water change in order to bring the nitrates down to a reasonable level before any fish are added.

Do I need/want a filtration system or air pump and how do they work?

You need a filter of some kind. For a ten gallon tank, usually a hang-on-back power filter with a biowheel (like a Marineland Pengiun filter) is the best option. However, with the limited shelf space you mentioned, you might need to go with some sort of internal filter in order to save space outside the tank. You could look into sponge filters, in-tank power filters, or undergravel filters. Filters provide varying degrees of mechanical, biological and chemical filtration. Mechanical filtration removes particulates from the water. Biological filtration breaks down toxic compounds in the water that come from fish waste into less dangerous compounds. Even with the best filter, you still need to perform weekly water changes to keep nitrate levels in check.

Are there many types of food and do I need to consider what types of fish I get so I can use only one type to feed?

There are many, many types of food. Usually they fall into a couple of categories: prepared foods like flakes, pellets, crumbles, wafers, etc., freeze dried foods, frozen foods, live foods, and vegetables. Fish always do better with some variety in their diets, but usually it's best to find a good flake or pellet to use as a staple for their diet. Frozen or live foods can be used as supplemental treats. Some fish are herbivores and require vegetables in their diets.

Live plants or fakes? Safe to have little ships and other items in there as well? When do I add those? What other items do I need to have in the tank? How deep do I make the pebbles on the bottom? Special type of pebbles?

You can use live or fake plants. There are benefits to having live plants - they can use up the nitrates in the tank, effectively using fish waste as fertilizer. Live plants also oxygenate the water. Live plants look good. Silk plants can look almost as good (or better, if you've got dead/dying live plants) and are easier to maintain than live plants, which can require special lighting, fertilization and sometimes added CO2. Some live plants like java moss and java fern are very low maintainence and can survive in low-light conditions. Any sort of plants and other decorations (aquarium-specific decorations sold at pet stores, driftwood, rocks, etc.) can serve as home to beneficial bacteria so it's best to add them as early as possible in order to have them help in the cycling process. The aquarium gravel can be anywhere from maybe an inch to three inches deep. You can buy aquarium gravel from a pet store, although I'd urge you to stay away from the brightly colored stuff as it can lose color over time and some are known to be unsafe for fish. Natural looks and works better. You can also use pea gravel sold at home improvement stores. Any gravel you use should get a good rinse first to remove any dust/dirt that could cloud up your water.

I am reading on a couple sites but looking for some help from bf.c OT.

I'm not sure I understand this part.

What say you guys? Looking for some guidance on a basic tank with as much "cool" stuff as I can have that the fishes will be happy

Also planning on stopping off at a local specialty store and see what they say about it as well. Would like to have some information before I go.

Keep in mind that fish/pet store employees will often try to sell you stuff you don't really need. Also, a lot of employees aren't exactly very knowledgable about the hobby, so it's best to take their advice with a grain of salt and do your research before you go.

Also I see a lot of people seem to have 1 or 2 "algae eaters". Any particular catfish or small bottom feeder I need to put in?

Not yet. There are several different "algae eaters" on the market. Most labelled "algae eater" are Chinese Algae Eaters. These fish can do alright at controlling algae when they're young, but they grow to at least six inches, stop eating algae and can be extremely aggressive. The similar but better behaved and better at algae control Siamese Algae Eater is usually harder to find, but it will also outgrow a 10 gallon tank. Most plecostomus species will also get too large, although you might be able to get away with a bristlenose or clown pleco. Oto catfish stay small and do a number on algae, but are delicate and can be difficult to keep alive. Mystery snails can also do a good job but won't scrub your glass clean of algae. There are some freshwater shrimp that also eat algae. I don't think you need to consider a fish for algae control until the tank is long-established and has some algae for the critter to munch on.

Also if need be I can go to a slightly larger tank and maybe into the 20 something gallon tank. Wouldn't be the end of the world.

A bigger tank will ultimately be a better choice. You have more options to stock it with more fish. Bigger tanks are also more resistant to temperature swings and water parameter swings that can be devastating for your fish. Bigger tanks can be less maintenance than smaller tanks. However, they cost more and take up more space, so that's also a consideration.

One last thing: in addition to lights and a filter, you also need an in-tank heater to keep tropical fish. Most tropical fish like a temperature of 78-80 and will get lethargic and eventually die if kept at regular room temperature.

Originally Posted by iamntbatman

Sounds good to me. Ghost shrimp will probably work with that stocking list, depending on what gourami you choose. The shrimp are too big for the neons and probably even the cories to eat. I would recommend waiting until the aquarium is well established with some good algae growth before adding the Otos, though.