Newbie Questions
 

Thankyou everyone for your patience with my questions. I've got some more for you:

1. A friend of a friend has a 20 gallon tank that I can have for free. It has been previously used as a tank for rodents and lizards as well as fish. Should I clean it with something other than tap water?

2. I'd like to get some real plants for my aquarium (don't know what kind yet) at what point in the Cycling do I add plants?

3. I would like to have danios, some glow light, neon, or cardinal tetras, and a ghost shrimp. Are these species compatible?

4. From what I've been reading, danios and tetras seem to like being at about 75 degrees Farenheit. Is this true? Do ghost shrimp also do well in this temperature?

5. Will I need an air pump for the species mentioned above (Will have a filter as well.)?

6. What filter cappacity should I have for a 20 gallon tank?

Hi Reina-
I'll answer the fist two and let everyone else do the rest:
Clean the tank with vinegar, rinse well, and let it dry completely before using it.
Plants can be added right at the get go. :)

1. No, you don't have to. A good scrub/rinse is all it will need. I tend to advise people to stay away, stay far far away from using any kind of cleaning chemicals in the tank; vinegar would be the only exception.

2. You can add them any time you like. In many cases, the sooner, the better. They tend to help with the cycle, and absorb more toxins better than any kind of filtration.

3. Sounds compatible to me. Many of these are schooling fish, so be sure to have at least 5 or 6 of each so they feel more comfortable.

4. 75-78 would be a good range to stick with.

5. An airpump and airstone are optional, I would not say you need to have them, the filter alone should provide the tank with ample oxygen. But if you are using for the look of bubbles, then it would be fine.

6. You should have a power/internal filter that is rated for at least 20-40 gallons, or you could use other methods of filtration as well. Depends also on how many fish you plan to stock the tank with, and if it will be planted. Maybe if you provide more information, we could help you further. Do you have a certain type of filter in mind?

iv got zebra danios and neon tetras in a 50 gallon tank and they do fine i notice the ocasional chasing but all fish do that every once in a while. my two zebra loaches chase each other around the tank all the time but i swear they are having the time of there life doing it though i know there should be more in there.

forgot to mention it but if you plan on having a planted aquarium you should research lighting and dont put an air stone in the aquarium as this will draw any co2 out of the aquarium which the plants need

The friend of a friend said that they had a filter as well. I have no idea what kind it is or even if the tank hold water. I'll let you guys know as soon as I get it.


Thankyou so much for the answers!

Eventually, I'd like to have 6 Danios, 6 Tetras, and 2 ghost shrimp. Is that ok for the 20 gallon?

How many Danios should I use for cycling?

If it does leak, what kind of silicone do you reccommend? Will standard, everyday sealant hurt the fish?

There's aquarium silicon, BUT I'd personally not recommend this, unless you're experienced in doing it. The smallest of a trapped air bubble within the silicon that you may not even see can cause your tank to leak or at worst bust. Murphy's Law such things always happen when you're not home or at night. Thou you do have a small tank, this would still create a great mess in your home.

As you intend to have plants, plant them at the start, as many as possible. Someone mentioned that plants help in cycling; if you have enough there will virtually be no cycle. With sufficient plants, six zebras on day one (with the plants) will do fine. Add the tetras a couple days later.

Byron.