Hi! Looking for advice on freshwater tank
- Thread starter iVintage87
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
dinokath
Aquarium Advice Activist
By algae eaters you mean shrimp? I don't have experience with those, so I cannot answer that one, but I do know they are sensitive to the nasties that go along with cycling so they may not be a good choice for a cycle.
I'd go with 3-4 zebra danios to cycle with, especially if you do a 10 gallon tank. There is an 'inch of fish per gallon' of water rule out there that you will come across. Some swear by it, some say it is dependant on your tank and I think they are both correct. Remember, there are 1000 different ways to do this hobby and your job is to decide which of those 1000 different ways will work for you and then post here to see what everyone thinks!
A planted tank can handle more than 1" of fish per gallon (and remember, that is when the fish is all grown up, not when you bought it as a baby!) but again, it all depends. Personally, I do not like an overcrowded tank, hence my advice to start of with something bigger than 10 gallons. I have a 55 gallon tank and like 7 fish it in it. I plan on getting a few more, but I am not in a rush. Plus, I am cheap like that...
I'd go with 3-4 zebra danios to cycle with, especially if you do a 10 gallon tank. There is an 'inch of fish per gallon' of water rule out there that you will come across. Some swear by it, some say it is dependant on your tank and I think they are both correct. Remember, there are 1000 different ways to do this hobby and your job is to decide which of those 1000 different ways will work for you and then post here to see what everyone thinks!
A planted tank can handle more than 1" of fish per gallon (and remember, that is when the fish is all grown up, not when you bought it as a baby!) but again, it all depends. Personally, I do not like an overcrowded tank, hence my advice to start of with something bigger than 10 gallons. I have a 55 gallon tank and like 7 fish it in it. I plan on getting a few more, but I am not in a rush. Plus, I am cheap like that...
FishCrazyBenBOMB
Aquarium Advice Addict
I strongly suggest doing a fishless cycle. I would not cycle with any type of fish even if they are only danios.
Just let all your equipment and such run in your aquarium with nothing in it beside plants and your substrate and such. No fish at all. Let it cycle naturally. Do not let the fish suffer through the cycle.
Just let all your equipment and such run in your aquarium with nothing in it beside plants and your substrate and such. No fish at all. Let it cycle naturally. Do not let the fish suffer through the cycle.
dinokath
Aquarium Advice Activist
Old school vs. new school on that one Ben! I agree that the fish suffer during a cycle but the old ways always come out just out of habit.
Fishless really is the way to go... It simply works without the possibility of killing fish. You can speed it up by getting some gravel from an established tank (and a trusted source since you could infect your new tank with someone else's diseases) but if time is not an issue or you are not in a hurry, just let it run like Ben says.
Fishless really is the way to go... It simply works without the possibility of killing fish. You can speed it up by getting some gravel from an established tank (and a trusted source since you could infect your new tank with someone else's diseases) but if time is not an issue or you are not in a hurry, just let it run like Ben says.
iVintage87
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I was planning on doing fishless...in fact I heard its better to let your tank settle with just the plants for a least a few weeks before adding fish...is this correct?
Most people use ammonia to cycle the tank, since I am very allergic to ammonia I use fish food. It took me a few weeks longer on the first tank I cycled that way but it did finally cycle. I know people say just use a shrimp from the deli but I was afraid it would make the tank funky.
iVintage87
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
So I read a few things including the article on this forum about fishless cycling.
So should I cycle with or without my plants?
Also am I correct in assuming I wont add my algae eaters until the cycling is complete correct?
Then after letting them settle in slowly add in more fish
So should I cycle with or without my plants?
Also am I correct in assuming I wont add my algae eaters until the cycling is complete correct?
Then after letting them settle in slowly add in more fish
I always cycle with plants, most do very well, crypt does better in a well established tank. Algae eaters do best in a well established tank as well not only because of the amount of algae but also they are sensitive usually. Not all algae eaters eat the same type of algae my favorite is oto cats (Otocinclus) and brstlenose plecos. Oto cats are wild caught so always quarantine them. I have a clown pleco that I seldom see and seems to like the driftwood better than algae.
Most algae eaters are a bigger bioload than other fish so consider that when you are chosing them. Shrimp don't add to the bioload but they do get eaten when the molt.
Most algae eaters are a bigger bioload than other fish so consider that when you are chosing them. Shrimp don't add to the bioload but they do get eaten when the molt.
iVintage87
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
so i went to the pet store today.
I checked out what plants and fish are available at this pet store (its the closest one to me)
the only plant i saw there that had a name that wasn't just bunch plants. was a sword, but it didn't say the type....
I saw a dwarf lilly bulb at walmart, but when i tried to look it up when i got home...theres apparently a lot of variety of dwarf lilly bulb.
I did end up buying a tank kit today. It's a 10 gal tank with all the equip stuff. It was like $40 which was a great deal thanks to walmart when a $10 tank alone no top or anything at my local pet store was $50...
So I was thinking for substrate a mix of say whites and natural colored gravel would be cool.
Oh but my question for this day, at the petstore I only saw common plecos, now I think these get far too big for my tank. I really like the way plecos look, I read BN plecos get to 5 inches in length, would that be ok for a 10 gal? I have the feeling it's too big. Otto cats like one member suggested seem a good size. there werent any at my lfs so imma have to find them elsewhere.
But lets say I have trouble finidng them is there another small species of algea eating fish, maybe ones that have that pleco look to them?
I checked out what plants and fish are available at this pet store (its the closest one to me)
the only plant i saw there that had a name that wasn't just bunch plants. was a sword, but it didn't say the type....
I saw a dwarf lilly bulb at walmart, but when i tried to look it up when i got home...theres apparently a lot of variety of dwarf lilly bulb.
I did end up buying a tank kit today. It's a 10 gal tank with all the equip stuff. It was like $40 which was a great deal thanks to walmart when a $10 tank alone no top or anything at my local pet store was $50...
So I was thinking for substrate a mix of say whites and natural colored gravel would be cool.
Oh but my question for this day, at the petstore I only saw common plecos, now I think these get far too big for my tank. I really like the way plecos look, I read BN plecos get to 5 inches in length, would that be ok for a 10 gal? I have the feeling it's too big. Otto cats like one member suggested seem a good size. there werent any at my lfs so imma have to find them elsewhere.
But lets say I have trouble finidng them is there another small species of algea eating fish, maybe ones that have that pleco look to them?
If you want a smaller pleco yet you can check out a clown pleco or pitbull pleco. My clown pleco is smaller than my bristlenose but is more shy I only see it when I give it brocoli. I haven't been able to find a pitbull locally. Most plecos enjoy driftwood.
If you do get oto cats remember they are wild caught so it is a good idea to quarantine time for a longer period than other fish.
If you do get oto cats remember they are wild caught so it is a good idea to quarantine time for a longer period than other fish.
iVintage87
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
alright! Thank you so much for those suggestions joy. I quickly looked them up and read that clown plecos stop eating as much algea after maturity but that pitbulls are algea eating monsters. So I'm thinking I'mma go with the pitbull pleco! ^_^
Although some people say that Guppies and Tetras don't go well together because Guppies need a little bit of salt in their tanks, I disagree. I am successfully keeping 3 Blue Flame Tetras, 2 Silvertip Tetras and 5 Male Fancy Guppies in a 15g tank. ( Although they also say that the ratio in Guppies is 2 female per one male.) I Guess I don't follow these rules very much!
iVintage87
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
well ive noticed a lot of people agree there are a million and one ways to do this hobby and some people have more luck in places that others. Looks like you may have gotten lucky! ^_^ I guess the only way to find out is to trY?
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