Heaters?

[brunettebaby4571]

Ok I have a few questions today so please bare with me! I am getting ready to set up an either 6 gallon tank or a ten gallon tank for my grandma this week. What fish would work well in them? She was going to get a single betta but I showed her some guppies and she really liked them. Would some guppies be okay in a 6 gallon or a ten gallon? If so how many? Would we be able to put anything else in with the guppies? Like some shrimp or otos or snails? I am just trying to find some options for her. So any suggestions would be awesome! My next question is about heaters. I am going to be giving her my heater which is a preset (it was all I could afford at the time but it heats up my 20 gallon pretty well) and I am buying a new heater. I was looking at aqueon ones. Are they any good? Any other suggestions would be great! Nothing to ridiculously expensive but in the 20-30 range would be good! And my last question when I start her tank up can I just seed the filter with one out of my fish tank? Mine has been up and running for almost a year now. Would that be okay but I have also been treating for internal parasites in my tank. Would they be transferable from transfer of filter? If yes is there anything I could do? Or would I be better just trying to cycle her tank? She is older and just thinks you can throw fish in a new tank and that be that she doesnt quite get the cycle thing haha so thats why I am trying to help her and I will be doing the weekly (or more if needed) water changes. Ok I am sorry this was so long! I just always have new questions everyday! So thank you guys in advance!

 

[brunettebaby4571]

Also would it be bad if I got a heater that was made for a larger tank? Or would it be better? I have a 20 gallon and I found an aqueon pro heater 250 watt heater on for 30 bucks. Or would that be complete over kill?

 

[senemedar]

I would think you don't need heater that big. I'd save some money and put a 100W in there for half the price, preferably with thermostat build-in so you (or your grandma) won't have to plug/un-plug it all the time. (Do they still doing one without one anymore?)

Shrimps will be perfectly fine with guppies as well, I'm not sure about quantity though. I think 6 will be all right (guppies, not shrinps). And an Apple Snail- they're awesome!

 

[brunettebaby4571]

Yeah the heater I am giving my grandma for her 6 or 10 gallon is preset so it keeps the temp at 78 degrees without having to adjust it or anything and it heats up my 20 gallon aquarium decently well I just don't like that I can not make it warmer than 78 degrees. So I am going to be getting a new one. I was going to end up probably getting the 100 watt one it says for up to 30 gallons but if I ever get a bigger tank it would be nice to have one a litle bigger. Would 150 watts be too much? It says for up to 55 gallons and I am wanting to get a 40 gallon sometime soon. Also what do you mean do they still have one without one anymore?

 

[senemedar]

What I meant is that they probably don't do one without thermostat anymore
I believe you can have it as big as you want, it won't hurt - except of your electricity bill But it makes sense of you plan to upgrade it in the near future.

 

[brunettebaby4571]

They actually still sell the ones without a thermostat I bought mine less than a year ago and they still sell them for smaller tanks. But I think I am just going to get the 150 or 200 watts one bc I am trying to get a 56 gallon tank right now. Do you know anything about broken frames on a fish tank? I found a 56 gallon tank on craigslist for 25$ but it says it needs new top and bottom frames so I didnt know if it would hold water or what all would have to be done?

 

[College Kid]

Sounds like your heater problem is getting worked out, so that's good. As for seeding the new tank with an old filter, it should do that just fine. After some advice on this forum I moved a filter from an old tank to a new one and it instantly cycled my new tank. Provided that the bioload on the old filter was about the same as the new tank setup, it should instant cycle IME.

 

[brunettebaby4571]

My tank is a 20 gallon and the new one is going to be either the 6.6 gallon or a 10 gallon so would that be okay even though mine is bigger? Also if my fish still have the parasites would they be transferable through the filter I put in there? Ughh stupid parasites!!

 

[College Kid]

The parasites are a different story. I can't speak on that aspect (personally I wouldn't risk it, or move it after treatment is complete). What parasites are you treating for?

Do you have another filter for your 20g?

Size shouldn't really matter with filters- more filtering power is fine, but it's the current you should worry about.

 

[senemedar]

I don't know neither about a frame nor parasites, but I - personally - wouldn't risk it and just cycle it from scratch...

As for the frame, as far as my knowledge going (I've no experience with that, so I hope someone else will add a thing or two) the bigger tank's glass can buckle without the frame and start to leak.

 

[brunettebaby4571]

Ok thank you guys. I didnt know for sure about the parasites but Im not going to chance it. And honestly I really dont know what type of parasites only that they have really crazy poop and its either clear and stringy or white and stringy and sometimes from my mollie its reddish and stringy so I have been treating with parasite guard because a few people have suggested it and said it would get rid of the internal parasites but I have given them three treatments (about to do a 4th) and have been putting some of it on their food and I am still seeing some odd poop. But they have been a lot more energetic (except for my betta who has been looking kind of bloated) I have tried feeding peas but my fish refuse to eat them so Im kind of just at a loss and dont know what to do. they are all acting fine now and eating like mad and swimming around very well. Whew sorry I get carried away on this website sometimes