I'm new :)

[KreativJustin]

Hello,

My name is Justin. I'm a full time worker, part time student, based in North Eastern, Indiana.

A few weeks ago I got a new (older) 50-55 gallon tank from our neighbors who were just tired of cleaning it. I fell in love with it instantaneously.

I literally traded off the 5 cichlids that had came with the tank due to the problem of them picking on each other, and not being able to co-exist well enough with small fish. These cichlids were all in the excess of 2 inches.

Here is how I now have my tank stocked for now (and I emphasize for now.)

• 2 Female Fancy Guppy's
• 2 Male Fancy Guppy's
• 6 Neon Tetra
• 1 Rainbow Shark
• 1 Dalmation Lyretail Molly
• 1 Angel Fish
• 2 Regular Platy's, 1 Mickey Mouse Platy
• 1 - 10 inch Pleco

This is how my tank is setup

• Marineland Bio-Wheel 350 (using 2 filters of 4 slots for now)
• Under Gravel Filter (2 blowers)
• 1 Bubble Strip (small bubble size)
• Tank bounces between 79-80 (to the liking of my angel fish)

Ok, now on to my questions

My mickey mouse platy is choosing to stay right under the top filter for some reason, is it because he is nervous? The other platy (added the same day) are doing just fine investigating the tank.

My angel fish is swimming very slowly, she doesn't appear to be dead or anything of that nature. She is eating just fine. When you move your finger close to her, she zooms off. Is this natural for an angel fish?


Thanks in advance, and thank you for having me on your community forum!

 

[melosu58]

Welcome aboard. We are glad you found us here at AA.

 

[alLexX]

welcome to AA,you ahould have 3 female guppys to every male

 

[Ausfish]

Hey and welcome! In my experience angel fish, like discus are very calm and gracious fish. Angels can get aggressive though if they choose so. One thing I'd watch out for is my ph.

Dom

 

[KreativJustin]

Hey and welcome! In my experience angel fish, like discus are very calm and gracious fish. Angels can get aggressive though if they choose so. One thing I'd watch out for is my ph.

Dom

Thanks for your welcomes and recommendations.

After posting I had called Aquarium 33 (where I had bought my last bundle of fish, including the Angel) and the fella told me that he could be suffering from pH shock. I don't have any plants or rocks that disperse pH, and I don't have a tester either.

So, he said that I could bring in a sample from the tank, and a sample from my faucet that I fill the tank from and he would test them for me. He had said that Angel fish prefer around a 6 pH, but the ones that he gets from a specific breeder keeps his at 8 solid and that it rarely ever changes.

So, I gotta pick up a pH tester, kinda shallow on money right now; will one of the cheap $20-$30 portable test ones work for now?

 

[Ausfish]

Tropical fish usually prefer a low ph but what's more important is that it's stable! If I were you I wouldn't worry with buffers. A liquid freshwater test kit for ph, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate should be near your tank at all times. I use the one from API but there are many good brands.

Make sure you do frequent water changes and use dechlorinator before you fill up your tank!

Drift wood is known as a natural ph buffer for tropical tanks, might want to look into that as well if your ph is really high.

 

[jcolon]

Thanks for your welcomes and recommendations.

After posting I had called Aquarium 33 (where I had bought my last bundle of fish, including the Angel) and the fella told me that he could be suffering from pH shock. I don't have any plants or rocks that disperse pH, and I don't have a tester either.

So, he said that I could bring in a sample from the tank, and a sample from my faucet that I fill the tank from and he would test them for me. He had said that Angel fish prefer around a 6 pH, but the ones that he gets from a specific breeder keeps his at 8 solid and that it rarely ever changes.

So, I gotta pick up a pH tester, kinda shallow on money right now; will one of the cheap $20-$30 portable test ones work for now?

In that price range is the API test master which is one AA members recommend. Also invest in a good de-chlorinator like Seachem Prime.
I wouldn't worry too much on trying to change your pH, just keep it stable and your fish will adapt to your tank's pH. Read up on the drip method for acclimating new stock to your tank to lessen pH shock.

Driftwood and peat is a good way to naturally lower pH.

 

[KreativJustin]

Well I was out at my moms today and she had some little test strips that they gave her with her pool that she bought recently. Only useful things on the strip were the Chlorine level and pH level, how accurate I'm not sure.

It said my Chlorine level was at 0, so I'm sure that is good. It said my pH level was at 8, is that bad? I've read around the net that a 7 is about average.

I do clean my tank every Sunday, leaving about 15 or so gallons left inside of the tank before I fill it back up. I have a sucker cleaner for the rocks, the basic one. I have a stick scrubber for the walls, which I only clean the front and the sides, and leave the back a lone for the Pleco. I clean out from underneath the bottom filter every 2 weeks, as it does get pretty dirty. I fill up my bucket from the bathtub at luke warm, the tank usually ends up around 76 degrees. I do remove all of the fish except for the Pleco when cleaning out the tank, only because I don't wanna smack the fish when I'm cleaning it out.

I try not to over clean the filtration system, rocks, and little fixtures as to not remove too much of the algae.

I'm just having so much fun with this fish tank, this is my first time owning one, never knew they would be such a blast.




---Edit---

My friend was over when I put the fish in, he said he usually just lets em sit for 10-15 minutes for the water in the bag to get to temp and dump them in. I really shouldn't listen to this guy as his tank is very disgusting. I have read that you should get a smaller tank for them to live in temporarily, adding water from the tank he's going to live in to help with the pH and to check for diseases/ick/ect.

Do you have a product link for this test kit, hopefully I can afford it soon.

 

[KreativJustin]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f19/55-gak-showoff-07-09-11-a-159895.html

This is my Showoff for my tank if you care to look It's under moderation now I believe.

 

[jcolon]

Well I was out at my moms today and she had some little test strips that they gave her with her pool that she bought recently. Only useful things on the strip were the Chlorine level and pH level, how accurate I'm not sure.

It said my Chlorine level was at 0, so I'm sure that is good. It said my pH level was at 8, is that bad? I've read around the net that a 7 is about average.

I do clean my tank every Sunday, leaving about 15 or so gallons left inside of the tank before I fill it back up. I have a sucker cleaner for the rocks, the basic one. I have a stick scrubber for the walls, which I only clean the front and the sides, and leave the back a lone for the Pleco. I clean out from underneath the bottom filter every 2 weeks, as it does get pretty dirty. I fill up my bucket from the bathtub at luke warm, the tank usually ends up around 76 degrees. I do remove all of the fish except for the Pleco when cleaning out the tank, only because I don't wanna smack the fish when I'm cleaning it out.

I try not to over clean the filtration system, rocks, and little fixtures as to not remove too much of the algae.

I'm just having so much fun with this fish tank, this is my first time owning one, never knew they would be such a blast.




---Edit---

My friend was over when I put the fish in, he said he usually just lets em sit for 10-15 minutes for the water in the bag to get to temp and dump them in. I really shouldn't listen to this guy as his tank is very disgusting. I have read that you should get a smaller tank for them to live in temporarily, adding water from the tank he's going to live in to help with the pH and to check for diseases/ick/ect.

Do you have a product link for this test kit, hopefully I can afford it soon.

Forget any test strips ... they're practically junk .. very inaccurate ... the API test master is as good as you'll find at a good price range.

Do you have a gravel vac? If not get one to vacuum out the waste. I don't remove any of my fish while doing a water change, just poor the water in slowly ... believe it or not, your fish will adapt. The stress of netting a fish and putting it in a different container during PWC's could lead to problems.

In terms of the filter, in case no-ones mentioned ... only rinse out the filter media with tank water ... never with tap water. That filter media is full of Beneficial bacteria so it's like gold in this hobby.

And yes your friend only letting new fish acclimate for 10 or so minutes helps explain why his tank is disgusting. To properly acclimate a fish should take well over 30 minutes. Again look up drip method for acclimating fish.

And yes ... more experience fish-keepers have QT tanks where they put new stock first to observe them for up to 1 month ... to make sure they're healthy, disease free and have not physical ailments ... etc. Only then are those fish introduced into the Display tank.

 

[KreativJustin]

Good deal, my girlfriend and I want to get a 20/30 gallon tank for our bedroom. We'll probably use it as a medicine tank.

I do use a vacuum cleaner for our rocks and to drain the tank.

What do you mean by this?

... only rinse out the filter media with tank water ...

Are you referring to the actual filter gunk? I do rinse them out once under tap water, and then reuse it for a week before applying a new filter. Or are you talking about getting the new filters and pouring some tank water on them before putting them into the filtration system, as I again use tap water.

Also, can I go down to the beach and grab some sand, or do I have to buy it from a fish/pet store? I haven't done it, just wondering as I like the sandy look. I also have heard that sand is hard on filtration systems, but I do have a nice one.

I have a lot to learn


Oh and his tank is disgusting because he said he cleans it about once every six months — which to me is absurd. He also sits his tank in front of a window without any back coverage, which isn't bad, unless you don't clean your tank that often. I just don't understand how his fish aren't dead.

 

[Ickletas]

The filter media is the stuff inside the housing like filter floss, bio balls, ceramic rings, sponges etc. That is where almost all of the good guy bacteria live. When you need to clean the fiter just swish the media around in a bucket of water that you have siphoned from the tank. The chlorine is tap water kills the bacteria so rinsing under a tap is not advisable. As for replacing filter media, you can wait until it is literally falling apart before you replace and even then you should try and jam as much of the old stuff in with the new so that you keep the bacteria.

 

[Ausfish]

I totally agree with the above! You wait until your tank is cycled so that beneficial bacteria can establish in your filter! If you get rid of all your filter material you cycle will basically start over and there will be ammonia, nitrates and nitrites which will cause your fish to suffer/die

Do NOT use sand from the beach for a freshwater tank since lots of stuff lives inside and between the sand! Even in marine tanks collected sand can be a dangerous business. if you like the look I would recommend pool filter sand, it's cheap and looks awesome. Whatever sand you use, make sure you rinse it properly or you tank will be cloudy for days which can harm your fishes gills.

Let us know how you go

 

[KreativJustin]

Right on! I saw this 70 gallon tank at PetSmart that I wanna buy, it was $229 for the tank itself (with the top kit and light kit) and then I'm going to build the actual base for it myself. It'll give me an accomplishment. I'm going to follow the guide on here on how to cycle a tank fishless Probably won't be going with sand

 

[alLexX]

Right on! I saw this 70 gallon tank at PetSmart that I wanna buy, it was $229 for the tank itself (with the top kit and light kit) and then I'm going to build the actual base for it myself. It'll give me an accomplishment. I'm going to follow the guide on here on how to cycle a tank fishless Probably won't be going with sand

does it come with a heater and filter?if so,make sure its not topfin,that brand sucks

 

[KreativJustin]

I don't believe so, even if it did, I would replace the filter(s). I'm going to run dual Marineland 350 bio-wheels. I'm going to be splitting the tank dead center about 10 inches up from the bottom with a plexiglass and 1 bubbles strip on both sides as the base of plexiglass, so I want to make sure I have good filtration. It will put a dent in my pocket, but I will probably build a sump for it on day. Plus I will be putting 2 smaller heaters in there, 1 on each side and see how that does at balancing the heat.

--edit--

Do you guys recommend the stripped thermometers, or digital? I will be using two, to make sure the heat is equivalent on both sides.

 

[alLexX]

I don't believe so, even if it did, I would replace the filter(s). I'm going to run dual Marineland 350 bio-wheels. I'm going to be splitting the tank dead center about 10 inches up from the bottom with a plexiglass and 1 bubbles strip on both sides as the base of plexiglass, so I want to make sure I have good filtration. It will put a dent in my pocket, but I will probably build a sump for it on day. Plus I will be putting 2 smaller heaters in there, 1 on each side and see how that does at balancing the heat.

--edit--

Do you guys recommend the stripped thermometers, or digital? I will be using two, to make sure the heat is equivalent on both sides.

ok,thats fine then. and i reccomend digital,AFAIK there more accurate