Help, I cant make up my mind....

[Skifflexie]

I have a 15g tall, and a mini glow fish 5g..... The petco sale is driving me mad. Here's my current tanks....

I want to buy a new tank, either a 29g or 40g or something in between....

After getting a larger tank I want to eventually, probably a year from now make my 15g into a reptile cage for a chameleon.

Here's my dilemma, the $1 per g sale doesn't include a hood, and I would have to upgrade my filter and heater....

I'm a college kid and will be moving every year or so...

I need help deciding on a good size, and between aqaun or marine land filters the large size I was looking at cycles 200 g a hr. they seem the same except the marine land one is $4.00 more, but I currently have an aquan one that seems to work pretty good. The penguin one my marine land has the wheel, the other just uses a square filter.


P.s I know that bamboo will rot, I plan in removing it, if it starts looking unhealthy.

 

[Mebbid]

If you can get a 40 breeder I would definitely go that route. They have a very nice footprint which makes aquascaping a lot more fun

As for the filter I would suggest going with 8x-10x tank volume turnover per hour.

 

[maxwellag]

Even a 20 long would be good (and easier to move since you're in college). I would move the glofish out of the 5 and into the 20 since they'd be better off in there (the 5 is just a bit too small). You could also move the neon tetras, bristlenose pleco and dwarf gourami to the 20, and you'd be able to stock the 15 and 5 with different fish. I would put a betta in the 5 and some nano fish (such as chili rasbora, ember tetra) in the 15. As for a filter, usually what manufacturers recommend is fine. So for example, for a 20 gallon tank, an Aquaclear 20 (for 20 gallon tanks) would be fine.

 

[KTpoopenstein]

Out of curiosity, what do you have in your 15g? I've had the same tank since late March and this is my first time with a tank this small...I've had a 30g that I just don't have room for right now.

 

[Freakgecko91]

Just an FYI, not many true chameleon species will fit in a 15 gallon, except brookesia and rampholeon. Plus, if you're a college kid, the stress of moving would kill a chameleon unfortunately

 

[Skifflexie]

If you can get a 40 breeder I would definitely go that route. They have a very nice footprint which makes aquascaping a lot more fun

As for the filter I would suggest going with 8x-10x tank volume turnover per hour.

I really want a 40g, but I would need to bring up a different table from home, which isn't out o the question, but do they sell hoods for a 40? I've looked at the pet stores in town and have been unable to find one that big?

 

[Skifflexie]

Even a 20 long would be good (and easier to move since you're in college). I would move the glofish out of the 5 and into the 20 since they'd be better off in there (the 5 is just a bit too small). You could also move the neon tetras, bristlenose pleco and dwarf gourami to the 20, and you'd be able to stock the 15 and 5 with different fish. I would put a betta in the 5 and some nano fish (such as chili rasbora, ember tetra) in the 15. As for a filter, usually what manufacturers recommend is fine. So for example, for a 20 gallon tank, an Aquaclear 20 (for 20 gallon tanks) would be fine.

The 5g has been set up for months and done fine with the two glow fish, one mini albino cat, a mini placuasamist (sorry for my spelling) and some ghost shrimp. I would change them to a bigger tank like a 10g but the blue led system I have for the glow fish doesn't fit well on other tanks.

I dont really like the look of the 20g long, and I don't want to only go up by 5g from what I currently have......

 

[Skifflexie]

Out of curiosity, what do you have in your 15g? I've had the same tank since late March and this is my first time with a tank this small...I've had a 30g that I just don't have room for right now.

I'm horrible with spelling of some I the fish.

I know that I'm overstocked- another reason why I need to upgrade to a bigger one.
But I currently have two filters running, a huge bubble wall and a densely planted tank and do 25% water changes biweekly.
These fish have done well together and I've had them in the tank since I first set it up. (With the exception of the neon tetras, I got them a few weeks ago) I understand the barbs are semi aggressive, and like to school in larger groups. But everyone is living happy and healthy currently.


I have a dwarf frog
A Cory catfish
A "sucker" fish
A dwarf gnami
3 tiger barbs
10 neon tetras (they are the newest addition)
A swordtail
2 mystery snails
A few ghost shrimp
A random Molly from cycling that survived, but looks out of place by itself lol.

 

[dragonfisher33]

Craigslist my friend. they have awesome deals if you wait for them. most of the time they sell the entire set: filter, stand, heater, tank, light, hood, and the misc. i have been in your situation and was using Craigslist for my first time. i have gotten 3 tanks from CL since then

 

[Skifflexie]

Just an FYI, not many true chameleon species will fit in a 15 gallon, except brookesia and rampholeon. Plus, if you're a college kid, the stress of moving would kill a chameleon unfortunately

I've had multiple species of reptiles. I currently own a 6 ft iguana. I understand that the chameleon will grow, but it's not good for a baby chameleon to be in a tank that is too large either. I currently have a 100g tank from a bearded dragon I owned. ( I gave him to a friend whose son is deaf and really connected with him). When I say I will use the 15g for the chameleon I mean while its young, and will eventually move him to my 100g. I'm looking into getting a panther chameleon, but as of right now, I simply can't afford that.

When I say "moving" I mean literally across the street, I can see my new apartment complex from my front door. The year after next I hope to find a rental house vs a college living community. Rent will be loads cheaper in an actual house than where I live this year and next year.

 

[Skifflexie]

Craigslist my friend. they have awesome deals if you wait for them. most of the time they sell the entire set: filter, stand, heater, tank, light, hood, and the misc. i have been in your situation and was using Craigslist for my first time. i have gotten 3 tanks from CL since then

Yeah I've been trolling Craigslist daily lol. The sad thing about it, at a local thrift store/animal rescue I volunteer at we had a 100g+ with a beautiful black wood stand, I think it was previously a saltwater tank come in, it was priced for only $40.00 and it was before I was into tanks, about thanksgiving last year.... Well my boyfriends brother is a huge reef junkie, so I bought it for him.... Now I can't seem to find any deals like that for myself lol. ;(

 

[dragonfisher33]

Yeah I've been trolling Craigslist daily lol. The sad thing about it, at a local thrift store/animal rescue I volunteer at we had a 100g+ with a beautiful black wood stand, I think it was previously a saltwater tank come in, it was priced for only $40.00 and it was before I was into tanks, about thanksgiving last year.... Well my boyfriends brother is a huge reef junkie, so I bought it for him.... Now I can't seem to find any deals like that for myself lol. ;(

i don't know where you live at and i don't mean to rub on you or anything but yesterday i saw one 45gal bow front complete package for $50, it was a complete steal. but recently i have seen 55gal complete package for around $150 because summer is the season of relocating. i wouldn't be surprised if more tanks roll out in the next month or so

 

[Skifflexie]

i don't know where you live at and i don't mean to rub on you or anything but yesterday i saw one 45gal bow front complete package for $50, it was a complete steal. but recently i have seen 55gal complete package for around $150 because summer is the season of relocating. i wouldn't be surprised if more tanks roll out in the next month or so

I live in central Missouri. Columbia to be exact, but I'd be willing to drive to almost any part of Missouri. That tank didn't happen to be in Missouri did it lol?

 

[dragonfisher33]

I live in central Missouri. Columbia to be exact, but I'd be willing to drive to almost any part of Missouri. That tank didn't happen to be in Missouri did it lol?

no, i don't. i live in Atlanta, GA lol. i pretty much have craigslist bookmarked on my browser and i check it every hr or so lol

 

[Skifflexie]

I found this tank in Craigslist, I looks like a pretty good deal. What do you guys think? I'll have to drive at least a hour and half away to pick it up.

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/pet/3893744960.html

 

[dragonfisher33]

I found this tank in Craigslist, I looks like a pretty good deal. What do you guys think? I'll have to drive at least a hour and half away to pick it up.

29 Gallon Aquarium and Stand

100 is too much. i never liked the metal stand. i can get 40gal with wood stand near that price range. also the gas mileage is too much for this setup. 100 is too much

 

[dragonfisher33]

try this
55 gallons fish tank priced reduced!! $100

or this
50 gallon fish tank

these are at least within my range price wise. but of course i don't know who far you have to drive

 

[Skifflexie]

try this
55 gallons fish tank priced reduced!! $100

or this
50 gallon fish tank

these are at least within my range price wise. but of course i don't know who far you have to drive

Thanks, those are both nice tanks, that would be the same distance as the 29g . I'm gonna look into those. Does a 55g compared to a 29g use a noticeable difference electricity wise? I live in a two bedroom, and we split utilities, I don't want to make her mad lol.

 

[dragonfisher33]

Thanks, those are both nice tanks, that would be the same distance as the 29g . I'm gonna look into those. Does a 55g compared to a 29g use a noticeable difference electricity wise? I live in a two bedroom, and we split utilities, I don't want to make her mad lol.

i would say around $5-10 more, not that big of a deal. and if you have everything on a timer, then it's only a few dollars a month. i also saw some other tanks and i think you should consider to talk to the sellers privately and as detailed as possible. i wouldn't want to waste your gas money for things that only look good on pictures. there's also other deals that i saw and you should weigh on those as well. for instance, the first link doesn't tell you whether it has a hood or light. so i want you to be careful when it comes to CL postings

 

[Skifflexie]

^^^ in contrast, she has 2 bedroom fans, a tv, a roku, and a lamp that she leaves on all day.

I have no tv, no roku, no fans.... Just my tank..... Does that seem like a similar use of energy? Or am I still using way more?