Novice wants to start small tank

[jazz1180]

Hi everyone,

This is my first time visiting the site and there is so much info!

Anyway, I want to start up a small (10-15 gallon) freshwater tank. I live with a fish aficionado but I am determined to do this by myself! Having said that I need to know where to begin.

1)What basic equipment do I need?
2)What types of fish will be appropriate for this size tank and how many?
3)Any start up advice you can give!

Thanks. I look forward to hearing back from everyone!

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Basic Equipment: Tank, Stand, Hood, Light, Filter, Heater, Net, Dechlorinator, Gravel vac, Liquid Reagent Test Kit.

Your options are limited to small fish, but that doesn't mean it's a problem. You could have (not at the same time) Tetras, Guppies, Betta, snails, shrimp, a few cories, minnows. Lets just say you have options, but what are you interested in?

Startup advice? Go big. LOL Start with the biggest tank you can afford. The bigger it is, the easier it is to maintain. Cycle before you add fish. You will cause yourself less headaches this way. Purchase liquid reagent test kits. NEVER the strips. They are expensive and not as accurate. My biggest piece of advice: Don't trust the lfs. They will try to sell you everything they have on their shelves THEN some. And when their meds/products don't work, you'll end up 3 steps back from where you started. Water changes can clear up ALOT of stuff.

 

[iceywater101]

I would at least start with a 20gal, ideal would be a 29 gal but; its understandable that some people dont have the room or money. Good luck with whatever you decide on.

 

[jazz1180]

Thanks for all the helpful tips so far. As for what I'm interested in... I'd like fish that have a little flair/color, not overly aggressive and are fairly simple to maintain (i'll move up to more particular fish later!). I've been reading about cycling my tank. What is the best way to go about doing this? I want to do a "fishless cycle". Is there a preferable way to start the cycling (seeding the tank with gravel form an already established tank vs. usinga shrimp?). How often should i test during the cycle?

 

[PrettyFishies]

Check out:

http://www.liveaquaria.com/default.cfm

and http://www.absolutelyfish.com

 

[7Enigma]

"Is there a preferable way to start the cycling (seeding the tank with gravel form an already established tank vs. usinga shrimp?). How often should i test during the cycle?"

The preferable way is to use pure ammonia, as you have the least amount of mess, and can accurately dose the amount (and easily monitor the bacteria's activity). You may be slightly confused. Adding gravel from an established tank is a great way to SPEED up the cycle by starting with more bacteria at the beginning, but it does not supply any food source to the bacteria (ammonia). You need to either add pure ammonia, a raw shrimp, or flake food to the tank (in order of my personal preference).

I would also recommend going with at least a 20gallon tank. I just started out recently and a 20gallon is perfect IMO as a compromise between money/maintainence/fish number and sizes.

If you cycle without gravel or other items from an established tank normal cycle times are between 4weeks to 3-6 months in some cases. If you have media to establish the cycle it can be much shorter (mine took about 3 weeks with some gravel from a friends tank).

The fishless cycle is definately MUCH better in terms of both the amount of effort required, and cost (due to fish dying). It is VERY difficult however to have the patience required to do it the fishless way. Many people have started out going fishless only to get bored and throw the fish in. If you successfully wait until the tank is cycled you can have a much more enjoyable experience in this hobby. Goodluck!

justin