Tank is up and started

[Brandon3000]

Took the water to my lfs other than PetsmArt and it's all good to go. The BB survived. So I added the sand and a school of neons and harlequin RasborAs! Here's a pic.

 

[venymae]

Cool! Looking good. Because you dramatically increased your tanks bio load all at once, instead of gradually, you might want to monitor your tank closely still for a few weeks just to be on the safe side. I'm curious, are you doing a minimalist look, or are you going to put plants in too?

 

[Brandon3000]

Thanks! I've been testing the parameters once in the morning and once at night. Everything seems to be okay so far. 0 ammonia 0 nitrites 7.2 ph and 10 nitrates or so.
Well it's complicated. I had to fill the tank the night I got it and all I had was that piece of driftwood. No substrate. Nothing at all. Had to fill it toget filter running to try and save the BB. The next day I went out and got sand. added it. Then decided it was time for a few schools once I saw the parameters were doing what they were supposed to do. I want to upgrade my light soon but the goal is to add live plants. Nothing fancy. Just some low light low requirements. Before I do that I will probably add a dark rockscape. Just taking it a step at a time. Hard to convince the wife that I need to spend money when our baby boy is due next month haha!

 

[tnfinfan]

Now can I say I told you so?

 

[Brandon3000]

haha you sure can!

 

[venymae]

Hard to convince the wife that I need to spend money when our baby boy is due next month haha!

Congrats on the little man to be! Hope everything goes well there.
You might try a local stream bed or off the highways to find some nice rocks that wont break your budget, also craigslist can sometimes be a god find. I get most of my stuff that way, it just takes time sometimes. We have kids (and are still in grad school) so I feel your budget pain!

 

[Brandon3000]

Congrats on the little man to be! Hope everything goes well there.
You might try a local stream bed or off the highways to find some nice rocks that wont break your budget, also craigslist can sometimes be a god find. I get most of my stuff that way, it just takes time sometimes. We have kids (and are still in grad school) so I feel your budget pain!

Yeah my wife is done with graduate school and I'm finishing up my undergrad (but then again she started university when she was only 14 haha...was homeschooled). We just hit our 1 year mark of marriage and are still getting accustomed to married life so budgets are definitely there. What kind of rocks would I be looking for? how would I know what's safe to bring into my aquarium and what isn't?

 

[venymae]

I would say most rock is ok for your aquarium, just make sure you clean it first (vinegar and regular bleach work well, just rinse after using and let dry before placing in aquarium). If it's calcium or lime based rock (think limestone) it might affect you pH very slighly but I wouldn't worry about it. I pick rocks that I like the look of. SIze shape texture. I am a fan of glacial till (smooth quarts based rocks) that I find in our stream, but really it's whatever you like to look at/scapes well in your tank.