New Aquariamist: failed first try now starting the right way

[mpatz9697]

Hello everyone!
My new Biocube 29g is in the mail and should be arriving just after xmas. I had failed at a first try of having fish by doing a BIG beginner mistake, actually multiple big oopses(even though no fish died). #1 never under any circumstances think that a walmart fish department can give you good advice, you will indeed get burned.
Approximately2 weeks ago I spontaneously decided to buy fish while shopping at walmart. Not having had fish since I was 7 and being a impulse buy it was not at all a good choice.
here were my mistakes
1. buying TWO shubunkin goldfish
2. and only a 3 gallon tank
3. not cycling the tank
needless to say evil ensued there after

Anyhoo after said mistake I started research and talked to my father(who used to keep a large aquarium for most of his youth)
I decided on the 29 gallon biocube and a fresh water planted set up(whether the goldies are going to be in it is another topic all together...)

After fishless cycling I'm not sure what plants I want to use if anyone has any advice that would be wonderful.
Along with The bio cube I also ordered :

Eco Complete aquarium substrate Eco-Complete Planted Aquarium Substrate | Aquarium Supplies | PetSolutions

large 1/4" to 3/8" gravel Cumberland River Gems | Aquarium Supplies | PetSolutions

and a piece of Mopani wood Mopani Wood | Decorations, Gravel & Sand | PetSolutions

after cyling and planting I'd like to have an Angel fish, two guppies, and 8 neon tetras, a common pleco, and a banjo catfish

Any advice is welcome! esspecialy with choosing plants for those fish and the size of the tank.
Thanks!

(also I intend to put up youtube videos of my tank from unboxing to fish being added)

 

[neilanh]

Welcome to AA!

Good way to start is just to research everything first. Lots of info here to learn about. Check out our Articles section for a lot of great information.

As for plants, there's a few things to look at. Which version of the biocube did you get? specifically, how much lighting does the one you have come with? The amount of light that you have will determine what kinds of plants you're able to keep.

As for your fish, don't get a common pleco. If you want a pleco, get one of the dwarfs. The common ones get way too big for that size tank.

 

[An t-iasg]

Welcome to Aquarium Advice!

You'll have to choose between the angelfish and the neon tetras or guppies, or, as you put it, evil will ensue (that's clever ) Neon tetras are the natural prey of angels, and I've also read some posts where members report that angels have eaten adult guppies too. One angelfish will appreciate 8 neons to snack on, although you won't!

How tall is this tank? Angels need a tank of a good enough height to accomodate their elongated top (dorsal) fin and bottom (anal) fins. They may be the size of a quarter when you buy them but they can grow up to 12 inches (or possibly more) top to bottom.

 

[mudraker]

Those cubes are beautiful. I want one someday for sure.

You might want to start leaching the mopani in a seperate bucket of water before adding it to the aquarium. The tannins in it will lower your ph and color the water in a reddish tint if you don't.

Also, do you have a water test kit? If not, you will need one to monitor the aquarium during the cycling process. You already shelled out a lot of money, but an API master test kit can save you a lot of money and grief down the road.

Unless you are looking to lower the ph level in the water, start leaching your driftwood in a bucket of water as soon as you get it. Plus, mopani leaches color

 

[mpatz9697]

The lighting is
Size 29 BioCube
36W 10K Daylight (16")
36W Actinic 03 Blue (16")


10,000ºK Daylight - High-intensity purified super daylight
The 10,000K compact fluorescent lamp is a purified super daylight lamp that simulates the high-intensity lumen output of the midday tropical sun. It contains rare-earth color enhancing phosphors to emit sparkling, blue-white rays.
Actinic 03 Blue - 100% blue actinic 03 phosphor that peaks at 420 nanometers
The Actinic 03 Blue provides light in the 420 nanometer range that reflects color pigments in organisms such as corals, fish and invertebrates causing them to fluoresce glowing colors. Its spectrum resembles that of the absorption peak of chlorophyll-a, which is the most important pigment found in plant cells.

Which I think will work well if not I can always opt of low light plants.


As for the mopani wood I plan to boil it and then soak and repeat until it stops leaking tannins

Also I heard that if you introduce neon tetras first and then get a small young angel that they generally are compatible, is that not true?

 

[An t-iasg]

As for the mopani wood I plan to boil it and then soak and repeat until it stops leaking tannins

Also I heard that if you introduce neon tetras first and then get a small young angel that they generally are compatible, is that not true?

I don't know (never had this pair) but I wouldn't count on it. I've read threads where the member had the same idea - angels and neons raised together from a young age/small size are ok together - but after about 8 months or so, as the angel grew, the neons "mysteriously" disappeared. The member "trusted" the angel not to eat the neons since the angel had behaved for several months, but most likely, as the angel grows, the neons will become snacks. If the neons can fit in the angel's mouth, they are not safe. They may not fit for several months but one day, when the angel is big enough, the neons will be eaten. If one fish can fit into another fish's mouth, the likelihood of the smaller fish being eaten is pretty high, no matter if they "grew up" together.

 

[mudraker]

I'd agree with An on that.

Angels are in the cichlid family, meaning they are aggressive omnivores at heart.