New Aquarium Owner

[Galligak]

Okay. Afternoon long hunt for pure ammonia is done. Wow that stuff is hard to find.

29 gallon tank. Thoughts on good starting amount of ammonia?

Yay! You found some! I just put in a few drops for my 8g but it's different for each one. I'd put in a tiny bit, take an ammonia test and add more if need be. Just until you get around 4ppm of ammonia.

 

[millerb7]

Just wanted to thank you all. My tank is setup, heat is rising, then adding my ammonia. I'm glad to be doing a fish less cycle (didn't know anything about it until I joined here) instead of torturing the poor guys in a fish cycle.

That guide is fantastic. I have everything I need, now it's just a wait game. I would have been doing it all wrong, replacing my filter once a month, having fish die, probably having the pH going nuts.

Nice to have some friendly help.

 

[George9]

Good luck with your cycle!!


Don't forget pictures!

 

[millerb7]

Good luck with your cycle!!


Don't forget pictures!

Things are going well for now

One more question though... I know at the fish store they told me I couldn't get an angel fish lets say, or a "sucker" fish (for lack of a better name at the moment) until like 3 months after I had cycled my tank... but this was doing a "fish cycle"... I'm doing a "fish-less cycle" though which builds the bacteria up much more strong.... could I buy a "sucker fish" right away or still wait 3 months?

I know my LFS has like 3 kinds of them, and the most popular kind everybody seems to buy is the black one... pleco I think it is... but man they get like 12-14" long... and I only have a 29 gallon, so that's out of the question... I was thinking of one of the little guys that only gets 4" long.

Thoughts?

 

[millerb7]

Also, anybody bought from Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums ? It worth buying from a place like that or just stick to the LFS?

 

[glassbird]

I might be wrong, but it may be that the store wants you to hold off on a "sucker" fish for a few months because a brand new tank has not yet built up enough of the stuff that sucker fish eat. If they eat algea off the walls, a brand new tank may not have enough to sustain them.

 

[Ibrahim]

Yea but there are algae wafers to feed them and if there is enough bb it'll be fine

 

[Christina717]

Hello good luck on your fishless cycling!!! Im on day 11 the only thing soo far is ammonia is dropping. I just need to have patience!d which is getting easier as the days go on! hope everything goes good for you!

 

[agwats]

Welcome! Im glad you found us here at AA! Just keep an eye on your levels and you cycle will go fine. As far as fish go make sure to research any fish you want b4 making any purchases and feel free to ask here I find that people love to discuss stocking. As far as suckerfish go you have to be careful, lots of LFS will sell you fish that are too big or not compatible with your tank. And do yourself a favor, avoid chinese algae eaters like the plague, they start of good algae eaters and peaceful enough but as they mature they stop eating algae and become aggressive. I honestly don't know why pet stores still sell those things. Ok that's my rant for the day lol. If your looking for a good beginner sucker fish for a 29 id recommend a bristle nose pleco, they are easy to care for and are good algae eaters

 

[millerb7]

Well I'd LOVE an angel fish but at 6" it'll most likely be to big for a 29 gallon is my guess. My GF wants a "sucker" fish really bad. Pleco's are to big so we'll get another.

I love betta's as well. Other than that not 100% sure yet on what were getting. I would also like a shark, either red fin or rainbow, but again not sure they would work in a 29 gallon lol.

Seems most fish I want I'll have to wait until I get a second larger tank.

Tons to choose from. Lots of choices. I have some time still during the cycle to look around.

Any suggestions?

 

[agwats]

Lol MTS (multiple tank syndrome) hits quick! In the 29 a community with a betta as a centerpiece fish would be easy and pretty. Im a fan of gouramis personally, if you like them they would do well in a 29 gal community tank. The angel would be pushing it IMO. 1 would probably survive but it prolly wouldn't be too happy...

 

[millerb7]

MTS is horrible! I'm struggling here haha!

Yeah, I REALLY want an angel fish badly, but I just don't want to get one to get one, and stick it in a 29 gallon. My next setup will be a 55 gallon so I'll probably add one to that.


I'll have to check out gouramis

 

[agwats]

Haha tell me about it! B4 I had my 1st tank finished I had 2 more waiting to set up. Now the 2nd one is cycled and waiting for fish and im doing preliminary planing on the 3rd.

A 55 would be much easier to do a community in with a couple angels as centerpiece fish. And as far as the 29 goes when looking up gouramis make sure to pay attention to the adult size. Some like the dwarf and honey gouramis max out around 3 in while others can get over 10. For a 29 id look at the dwarf, pearl or 3 spot varieties. There are several color variations of the dwarf and 3 spot and the pearls are beautiful.

 

[millerb7]

Can the gouramis go with a beta fish? Or is it one or the other?

 

[agwats]

Definitely one or the other. They both get along fine with smaller fish but can be aggressive toward fish that are close to there size. Male betta + gourami = tank warfare

 

[glassbird]

Yea but there are algae wafers to feed them and if there is enough bb it'll be fine

IF the sucker fish will eat algea wafers, then yes, it might do ok that way. But some types and some individual fish just do not understand the concept of an algea wafer, and they will starve to death sitting right next to one.