Hello everyone!
My name is Jacob. I am a high school senior in a small town in Alabama. The only LFS's i know of are Wal-mart, Petsmart, and Pet Co.
The past several weeks, i have been heavily researching how to set up and run a quality freshwater aquarium. I have had tanks when i was younger, to different (usually low) levels of success. Needless to say, i have learned a TON!! I kinda feel bad about how those fish i had were living! but never again!! not on my watch, haha!
Yesterday I finally broke down and bought a aquarium kit from Wal-mart and most of the supplies I will need.
I started a journal to keep things somewhat scientific, and to help me keep track of changes and things of that nature.
Budget being an issue, it will be a while before i get fish, which I had sort of planned.
list of supplies
aquarium kit- filter (bio media, charcoal secondary filter), hood with 2 incandescant 15W bulbs, 10g tank.
Start Right
Start zyme
10 pounds of small size gravel for substrate
"digital thermometer" (the stick on tank kind. definitely NOT digital. haha!)
4 dwarf lily bulbs
1 terra cotta pot (i think i finger painted it in kindergarden. for use as a hiding spot)
1 marble dolphin sculpture my sister bought in cancun in 2002 ish
I have tried to do everything by the directions. Youll see on the journal I added 2 tbsp of table salt. Since iodine is very close to chlorine, the water conditioners I used SHOULD take any iodine away especially by the time i get fish.
10/29
6:15 PM--- 10 #/ gravel +9.5 G H20
6:25 --- 1 TSP Start Right
6:27 --- Start Zyme
6:34 --- Placed 4 Dwarf Lily’s, dolphin, pot.
7:15 --- 2 TBSP table salt.
7:30 --- water temp: 85*
8:20 --- WT 84*
10:30 ---- WT 83*
10/30
9:45 AM--- WT 81* turned hood lights on
11:30 --- WT 82*
9:45pm ---WT 81*
***tomorrow, i will start a fishless cycle to setup the bio environment.
things to buy:
Heater???
water test kits
REAL digital thermometer
questions:
How will the marble dolphin and terra cotta pot affect the water's chemical structure?
THE FUTURE OF MY TANK:
I will buy/make a few more hiding spots... the tank seems bare.
If i need a heater, i am thinking about the Hydor Hydrokable..... any ideas/pointers? I like that it is pretty much invisible and will distribute heat evenly.
tank was set up last night, temp has held consistent around 81-83*
Maybe some kind of bottom carpet plant, like 2 or 3 palm sized patches. maybe java moss or similar
FISH!!!!
1-2 panda Corys
5-7 neon or cardinal tetras
3 female guppies(of different varieties)
1 male guppy
a few ghost shrimp
again, I am open to ANY AND ALL suggestions, criticism, feedback, and questions... I don't mind explaining why i did(n't do) something. This is a learning process for me and my goal is to be like a sponge and soak it all up!!!
I will post pictures in just a minute!!
My name is Jacob. I am a high school senior in a small town in Alabama. The only LFS's i know of are Wal-mart, Petsmart, and Pet Co.
The past several weeks, i have been heavily researching how to set up and run a quality freshwater aquarium. I have had tanks when i was younger, to different (usually low) levels of success. Needless to say, i have learned a TON!! I kinda feel bad about how those fish i had were living! but never again!! not on my watch, haha!
Yesterday I finally broke down and bought a aquarium kit from Wal-mart and most of the supplies I will need.
I started a journal to keep things somewhat scientific, and to help me keep track of changes and things of that nature.
Budget being an issue, it will be a while before i get fish, which I had sort of planned.
list of supplies
aquarium kit- filter (bio media, charcoal secondary filter), hood with 2 incandescant 15W bulbs, 10g tank.
Start Right
Start zyme
10 pounds of small size gravel for substrate
"digital thermometer" (the stick on tank kind. definitely NOT digital. haha!)
4 dwarf lily bulbs
1 terra cotta pot (i think i finger painted it in kindergarden. for use as a hiding spot)
1 marble dolphin sculpture my sister bought in cancun in 2002 ish
I have tried to do everything by the directions. Youll see on the journal I added 2 tbsp of table salt. Since iodine is very close to chlorine, the water conditioners I used SHOULD take any iodine away especially by the time i get fish.
10/29
6:15 PM--- 10 #/ gravel +9.5 G H20
6:25 --- 1 TSP Start Right
6:27 --- Start Zyme
6:34 --- Placed 4 Dwarf Lily’s, dolphin, pot.
7:15 --- 2 TBSP table salt.
7:30 --- water temp: 85*
8:20 --- WT 84*
10:30 ---- WT 83*
10/30
9:45 AM--- WT 81* turned hood lights on
11:30 --- WT 82*
9:45pm ---WT 81*
***tomorrow, i will start a fishless cycle to setup the bio environment.
things to buy:
Heater???
water test kits
REAL digital thermometer
questions:
How will the marble dolphin and terra cotta pot affect the water's chemical structure?
THE FUTURE OF MY TANK:
I will buy/make a few more hiding spots... the tank seems bare.
If i need a heater, i am thinking about the Hydor Hydrokable..... any ideas/pointers? I like that it is pretty much invisible and will distribute heat evenly.
tank was set up last night, temp has held consistent around 81-83*
Maybe some kind of bottom carpet plant, like 2 or 3 palm sized patches. maybe java moss or similar
FISH!!!!
1-2 panda Corys
5-7 neon or cardinal tetras
3 female guppies(of different varieties)
1 male guppy
a few ghost shrimp
again, I am open to ANY AND ALL suggestions, criticism, feedback, and questions... I don't mind explaining why i did(n't do) something. This is a learning process for me and my goal is to be like a sponge and soak it all up!!!
I will post pictures in just a minute!!