37 Gallon Tank

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taiter42

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Aug 20, 2013
Messages
25
Location
bloomington, in
Hello just figured I would start off by saying i just bought my first tank. It is a 37 Gallon with led starter kit from Topfin. Following the instructions from petsmart I added the gravel after rinsing it off. and have filled the tank with water. I have added the Stability and to keep adding for the 7 day according to the stability instructions. I know I need to get decor and fish yet. I want to put some live plants in the tank and I am thinking towards a tropical tank.

As i said I am just starting out and any information would be greatly appreciated.
 
taiter42 said:
Hello just figured I would start off by saying i just bought my first tank. It is a 37 Gallon with led starter kit from Topfin. Following the instructions from petsmart I added the gravel after rinsing it off. and have filled the tank with water. I have added the Stability and to keep adding for the 7 day according to the stability instructions. I know I need to get decor and fish yet. I want to put some live plants in the tank and I am thinking towards a tropical tank.

As i said I am just starting out and any information would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

Welcome to this Amazing Hobby! :dance:

First i recommend making sure u have a good test kit! : ) the stability is good stuff i used it also, however chemically treating your tank to promote bacteria growth can be a little unpredictable so u want to make sure ur water parameters are safe, there are several good links/threads on here about Nitrogen Cycle, i suggest doing some research on fish-less and fish in cycling and decide whats right for you!

Next as for Live plants, they are wonderful, fish love them for hiding spots, sometimes food, and gourami will use live plants to make bubble nests : ) kinda neat. but they are also good for your tank, and good to help cycling. live plants provide an attractive look to your tank while using some of the toxins(ammonia, nitrate) as food, which helps keep your fish a little safer. i recommend live plants to any fresh water person : ), anubias and amazon swords are good start plants, but check out Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums for more info on fresh water plants/type/and specs!

as for decor, i always say natural looks best but do as u like, just remember sharp edged items(plastic, some rocks, ect.) can harm fish just as a sharp edge knife can harm a person.

but make sure your as informed as possible so u can prevent many of the mistakes some of us have made and learned from!

Any other Questions i can help with ill be happy to help just let me know : )
 
I think you just bought the same one I did! I am about 5 days in with my fishless cycle. I guess the first question you have is "fish in" or "fishless cycle" it can be done safely with the fish in but the first thing you need is an API master test kit don't get the strips they end up being more expensive in the long run. If you decide on a fish in cycle you will be testing constantly and doing a tun of water changes to keep your ammonia and nitrites which are poisonous to fish under .25ppm or parts per million. Where as if you do a fishless cycle you just dose your tank up using pure ammonia (like nothing else in it no fragrance sufactants just ammonia) to 3-4ppm, turn up the heater to around 86f get a better thermometer one that goes in the water. Turn off the lights, unless you have plants then keep lights to a minium, algae and your plants love the light and the conditions you have created to grow your go bacteria, turn on the filter get an air pump with an air stone get those running. Then you just wait and test everday. When your ammonia starts to drop start testing for Nitrites too. once your ammonia drops to 1ppm remember to redose to 4ppm and keep feeding your bacteria. When your nitrites start to drop start testing for nitrates. Once you dose 4ppm ammo if you drop down to 0 ammo 0 nitrites and your have Nitrate around 10-20ppm then your tank is cycled and you are ready for fish. The night before you are going to get your fish do a massive water change with treated water and you can go ahead and introduce your fish and you have a bio filter that will handle most any thing you can throw at it with in reason of course. But until you get your fish you need to keep dosing with ammo to keep feeding the bacteria and keep the cycle going.
 
Thanks for all the advice, on day 3 now of my stabilizer. Have added some plants and decor now need to add some more but its a start. Trying to upload a picture of my tank with this post.
 
Testing water

Finally just got my API Fresh Water Master Test Kit. Now i just got to figure out what all i need to do. I have been adding plants and decor to my tank over the week and i have also added the Stability as the instructions said for each day. I had my water tested by Pet-smart. They told me my Ammonia level was to high for me to add Fish yet. They estamited it would be another 3 to 4 days till i can add fish plan to use my testing kit tomorrow as long as i can figure it out. I'll post my results later.
 

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I think thats same tank i have. I am waiting for the stand before i set it up though: im interested to see how urs turns out. I plan to do a 5 day fish out cycle and a few weeks with my tetras in before i buy new fish, personally. Im going to add a bit of my water from my 10 and bits of gravel to get a good start on bacteria. I may buy a bacteria wtarter kit, too.
 
Right on : ) finish your stability treatment and after the 7 days u can do a water change if ammonia is still high! Do your research and make sure u get the hardiest kind first
 
API Master Freshwater test kit results

I tested my water myself for the first time. My 37 gallon tank has been in fish less cycle now for a week. I got it last Tuesday added the wate and the initial stabilizer today is the last day to add the daily amount to it.

My test results as well as i can make them our are as follows:

High Range PH Ammonia
7.4 .25 ppm

Nitrite Nitrate
0 ppm 0 ppm

Questions i have now is how soon can i start adding fish. as i know the ammonia level should be at 0 ppm
 

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Do a partial water change and you'll be good to go just remember not to add to many at once and make sure to acclimate them to temp and pH to prevent pH shock it'll kill'em
 
was thinking of doing about 3 to start with as I am going for a tropical community tank need them to have someone to swim with. My Local PetSmart gets a new shipment of fish in tomorrow so I think i'll stop by and get some tomorrow. need to go do some research to see want i want.
 
Indeed indeed 3 is a good start, when I add fish I do it 3 at a time at most( depending on size) and make sure to add your hardiest fish type first as your tank is still very young : ) and just check your water at least once a day after adding fish to make sure levels stay safe
 
The tank is a top fin blazed.
If you are trying for a fishless cycle it doesn't look like it has gotten going yet. If you are going for a fish in do a 90% water change and get that ammo down as far as you can. It looks to me like it is at .5ppm. After that go for it watch your parameters, do lots of water changes when you need them and you'll do just fine! =]

http://www.petsmart.com/product/ind...Aquariums+&+Bowls&f=PAD/psNotAvailInUS/No
Here is the link on the tank but the system comes with an led lighting system
 
thats cool i wanna do a custom light set up anyway : ) just a nice size tank for my dining room : ) and taiter, i agree do big water change before getting fish, its important!
 
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