My first real attempt at a freshwater tank

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
F

FNG

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jan 6, 2013
Messages
18
Location
Middle of the Midwest
This is a two minute video of our 29 gallon freshwater tank. The tank and most of its inhabitants were given to us. We added plants and a few more residents. I've gotten some help on what all of the fish are, I'm only unsure of the two biggest shark looking guys. The video says there's twenty fish, but I just moved one of the cory cats to the betta tank so in truth there are nineteen fish, two dwarf frogs, and three snails.

I've added the plants (bamboo being the most recent addition) a brighter light (10,000K, 17watt, T8, 24") and am experimenting with very small amounts of liquid co2, and small amounts of fertilizer tablets placed in the substrate (gravel and sand mixture).

I've been watching my chemical levels and all seems well. We got the tank from a family member who had been "winging it" which really meant he was buying new fish often. I've been doing a sizeable pwc every few days. We didn't get any of his old filter media so I'm not certain if my cycle is set up with whatever bacteria survived the move on the substrate and few decoration pieces.

Anyways, I'm wide open to comments, criticism, and advice so let it fly.

I have been keeping an eye on my angel fish as I'm told the tiger barbs will likely not get along with them.

Here's the link: Freshwater Aquarium - YouTube

Here's a list of my fish (I think):
Two unknown sharkish looking guys, the largest fish in the tank
Four tetras
Two angel fish
One Pleco
Three Cory Cats (two albino)
One swordtail
Six Tiger Barbs (one is easily identified as the outcast, having suffered some past attacks)
Two African Dwarf Frogs
Three Snails (Spiral I think?)
 
FNG said:
This is a two minute video of our 29 gallon freshwater tank. The tank and most of its inhabitants were given to us. We added plants and a few more residents. I've gotten some help on what all of the fish are, I'm only unsure of the two biggest shark looking guys. The video says there's twenty fish, but I just moved one of the cory cats to the betta tank so in truth there are nineteen fish, two dwarf frogs, and three snails.

I've added the plants (bamboo being the most recent addition) a brighter light (10,000K, 17watt, T8, 24") and am experimenting with very small amounts of liquid co2, and small amounts of fertilizer tablets placed in the substrate (gravel and sand mixture).

I've been watching my chemical levels and all seems well. We got the tank from a family member who had been "winging it" which really meant he was buying new fish often. I've been doing a sizeable pwc every few days. We didn't get any of his old filter media so I'm not certain if my cycle is set up with whatever bacteria survived the move on the substrate and few decoration pieces.

Anyways, I'm wide open to comments, criticism, and advice so let it fly.

I have been keeping an eye on my angel fish as I'm told the tiger barbs will likely not get along with them.

Here's the link: Freshwater Aquarium - YouTube

Here's a list of my fish (I think):
Two unknown sharkish looking guys, the largest fish in the tank
Four tetras
Two angel fish
One Pleco
Three Cory Cats (two albino)
One swordtail
Six Tiger Barbs (one is easily identified as the outcast, having suffered some past attacks)
Two African Dwarf Frogs
Three Snails (Spiral I think?)
Click to expand...

You are overstocked
 
FNG said:
I've been afraid of that. How severe would you say? What is the consequence?
Click to expand...

Too many hormones from fish (growth hormone) tells them how much to grow and if to many fish means too many hormones which means unhealthy fish growth

Too many fish>too many hormones> not healthy fish growth>not happy fish
 
How soon will they need a bigger tank? I can't afford a larger one at the moment. I may have to see about getting rid of them.

I am unsure of the filter, I'm sure it came with the tank when he bought it. Aqueon is the brand. I'll look around for a model #.

Right now I'm changing a little over 30% of the water every two or three days.
 
FNG said:
How soon will they need a bigger tank? I can't afford a larger one at the moment. I may have to see about getting rid of them.

I am unsure of the filter, I'm sure it came with the tank when he bought it. Aqueon is the brand. I'll look around for a model #.

Right now I'm changing a little over 30% of the water every two or three days.
Click to expand...

Ok that should be ok for the time being but I would remove the two balas
 
fishyperson3010 said:
Ok that should be ok for the time being but I would remove the two balas
Click to expand...


Alright. Are they of significant value? Any chance of selling/trading at the LFS? (I mean, is that something that is normally done?)

Once I've found them a new home, how overstocked do you think I am?


Also, anyone have any opinions to share on my plants? They seem to be doing well but I'm definitely new to ALL of this.
 
FNG said:
Alright. Are they of significant value? Any chance of selling/trading at the LFS? (I mean, is that something that is normally done?)

Once I've found them a new home, how overstocked do you think I am?

Also, anyone have any opinions to share on my plants? They seem to be doing well but I'm definitely new to ALL of this.
Click to expand...

Im not sure if there worth much and your still quite overstocked
 
FNG said:
This is a two minute video of our 29 gallon freshwater tank. The tank and most of its inhabitants were given to us. We added plants and a few more residents. I've gotten some help on what all of the fish are, I'm only unsure of the two biggest shark looking guys. The video says there's twenty fish, but I just moved one of the cory cats to the betta tank so in truth there are nineteen fish, two dwarf frogs, and three snails.

I've added the plants (bamboo being the most recent addition) a brighter light (10,000K, 17watt, T8, 24") and am experimenting with very small amounts of liquid co2, and small amounts of fertilizer tablets placed in the substrate (gravel and sand mixture).

I've been watching my chemical levels and all seems well. We got the tank from a family member who had been "winging it" which really meant he was buying new fish often. I've been doing a sizeable pwc every few days. We didn't get any of his old filter media so I'm not certain if my cycle is set up with whatever bacteria survived the move on the substrate and few decoration pieces.

Anyways, I'm wide open to comments, criticism, and advice so let it fly.

I have been keeping an eye on my angel fish as I'm told the tiger barbs will likely not get along with them.

Here's the link: Freshwater Aquarium - YouTube

Here's a list of my fish (I think):
Two unknown sharkish looking guys, the largest fish in the tank
Four tetras
Two angel fish
One Pleco
Three Cory Cats (two albino)
One swordtail
Six Tiger Barbs (one is easily identified as the outcast, having suffered some past attacks)
Two African Dwarf Frogs
Three Snails (Spiral I think?)
Click to expand...

If you can't get a bigger tank I would remove:
Bala sharks
Angel fish
Pleco ( depending on type)
Maybe the tiger barbs.
 
FNG said:
Geez that many?
Click to expand...

Well the tiger barbs would be aggressive, depending on what stock you would like to add with them.
It also depends on what type of pleco you have
And I would only do one angel in a 30g.
 
Beautiful tank! I agree with the overstocking. On the plants, bamboo is not fully aquatic. It will rot and make a big mess in your tank, so that may be something you want to get rid of as well. I don't know what kind of lights you have, but are you adding fertilizers or co2 to the water?

Edit: I just saw your light and fert description, sorry. I didn't read very well. Lol. If it were me, I would add another light just like the one you have. But I'm a bit of a newbie when it comes to plants. Someone else may know about the lights a little better. Other than that, you sound like you're on track!
 
Also, corycats are schooling fish and need to be in groups of 3 or more. They like to shoal with cories of their own kind as well. I used to have a 29 with 9 cories: 2 albino, 2 peppered, 2 julii, 1 lonely panda(couldn't find another,) 1 bronze and 1 emerald(which look very similar, they were pretty good buddies.) It was a really fun little group and they make a good part of a cleaning crew!
 
Update

Okay so it's been a couple months and I think things are finally coming together. Here's the latest look: Aquarium March 2013 - YouTube

-Eliminated all the "man made" decor and added two pieces of driftwood.
-Added a DIY CO2 Generator that seems to be doing a great job.
-Switched to a rather bright light (I know you want the specs, but I'm not certain off hand.)
-Switched to an aquaclear 70 filter. It is rather oversized for my 29gallon tank so I keep the water level high enough to ensure there isn't too much water movement.
-Sold a bunch of my fish to the LFS
-Lost several fish to a fungal infection (that sucked but I learned a lot)
-My plants are growing steadily
-My chemical levels are maintaining with weekly PWCs.

I've just turned my light timer way down after discovering some fuzzy gray/black algae growing on my plants. (I had the lights on for over 13 hours a day) I'm also cutting back on adding plant food. IF that doesn't take care of it, I'll consider adding something else to fight the algae. Still reading on that topic.

Anyways, here's what I've got in the tank at the moment, and everyone seems happy as far as I can tell:

Three angel fish
Three Mollies (a dalmation, a male swordtail and a female swordtail who may be preggers...)
Three cory cats
Four Tetras
Two dwarf frogs
and a few snails. We had several baby snails for a while, some have grown and been donated to my kids' school. Some have been found after meeting their demise in the filter.

I moved one of the corys to my betta's tank and also added a shrimp to the same tank (three ish gallons?) One of these days I'll take a video of that one.

I'm still very much the rookie, but I am really starting to enjoy this hobby!:fish2:

Bring on the criticism, advice, etc....:popcorn:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

J
New Freshwater tank setup
Replies
5
Views
664
Big Ron
B
F
What to put in a 60l planted tank (first planted tank)
Replies
5
Views
252
Fish00
F
lil_bluebird
Gourami & Guppy Acting Weird—Help!
Replies
2
Views
332
lil_bluebird
lil_bluebird
M
New Freshwater Crayfish
Replies
3
Views
737
Colin_T
C
K
Seeking advice regarding a mysterious freshwater aquarium problem
Replies
5
Views
523
Colin_T
C

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom