Trying to start first ever tank

[doctorb]

I was recently given a tank by somebody who never got around to using it herself, and am trying to get it started up. I have been reading forums like this for the last few weeks though, and have quickly become overwhelmed. This hobby is a lot more indepth than I first gave it credit.
I thought that I could start by listing the items I was given, and maybe somebody would have some advice whether it is worth going ahead with, or if I'm better off buying different stuff. I really want to get this done the right way.

All items are new in box from what I can tell.

36"x18"x12" aquarium (33G I believe)
Aquaclear 300 Powerfilter
Foam filter insert
Activated carbon insert
150 W Thermal compact preset submerable heater
Power-glo high intensity aquarium light 25 W 18000K

 

[LandGhoti]

Welcome to AA!

Congratulations on your free tank and stuff, too. It's always nice to come by things cheap and/or free (if it's worth it).

I think your tank is 35 gal(?).
That filter is plenty good for that size tank.
I believe the heater also is adequate wattage.
Your lighting is good for doing some low-light plants (if you decide to go natural and not plastic).

More things you need to get your tank going:
*A liquid test kit to check your water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH). We (most of us) recommend the API Master Freshwater Test Kit, which you can buy at Petsmart (or online for much less).
*A dechlorinator for when you do water changes (Seachem's Prime is a good one).
*An ammonia source for a fishless cycle.
*A thermometer.
*Anyone else have stuff ??? (I'm sure I'm forgetting something)

Once you get going, it is not as overwhelming as it might first seem. But I agree it is a lot of information.

You will never go without an answer for long if you post on AA. Someone is always around.

 

[doctorb]

Thanks for the info! I will order one of those test kits. I was also wondering if there was a good resource online for the basics of aquarium care. I have been reading some of the stickies on things like the nitrogen cycle, but I think I need to start a little more basic. For instance I wouldn't even know where to start on things like water changes.

 

[severum mama]

I was also wondering if there was a good resource online for the basics of aquarium care.

You're already here! Post questions about anything you don't understand, and you'll get lots of help.

But seriously, I understand how complicated this all seems. And at least you're doing research first! That's MUCH better than the way I started out in the hobby.

In addition to everything LandGhoti mentioned, you'll also need a gravel vacuum (siphon) and at least one 5 gallon bucket, or a Python (basically a gravel vac that hooks up to your sink and eliminates carrying around those buckets of water), which is a more expensive option, but much much easier for water changes. Also, you'll need the substrate of your choice, and you can use gravel or sand, it's up to you. Grab whatever decorations you want, and you're good to go.

You can start cycling your tank as soon as you get the substrate in and buy your test kit, pretty much. The easiest way to cycle your tank will be to get a raw shrimp from the grocery store and drop it in (if you put it in a new nylon stocking, it will be easier to remove later). Then you test your water to see where you are in the cycling process- don't worry, we'll help- and wait for the cycle to finish. You don't even need to do a water change until you are ready to add fish. Cycling without fish will greatly increase your chances of success IMO, and it's much easier on you and the fish. That's a really quick explanation of where to start, so keep reading those articles and let us know if we can help you out!

Welcome to AA and good luck with your new tank!

Oh, I almost forgot... do you have a stand with your tank? It will be heavy enough when full that setting it on regular furniture is really not a good idea in most cases. Just checking.

 

[shelleygirl]

There is always something to get for a new tank and setup, my list is endless! Theres plants (live or plastic) decorations, fish food and most importantly the fish!!

 

[Yeti]

Welcome to AA! you have the best resource online at your fingertips right here on these very forums!

your best bet is to get a python, you can pick one up at wal-mart about $20.. it will save you LOTS of hassle in the long run.. good luck with your tank make sure your tank COMPLETELY CYCLES before you add fish

make sure you also post some pix!

 

[Sidi]

Water changes are easy. Pythons are certainly nice, but a plain gravel vac and a bucket will work just as well. Basically what you want to do is dig into the substrate some with the end as you're sucking up water (if you go with gravel, the easiest choice). With sand, you often have to be more careful so you don't suck up the substrate. Both the vac and python are basically a siphon with a one way valve in them, so if you move them up and down in the tank water you can create a siphon without having to suck on the end of the hose, the water will start flowing into wherever it's being collected. As you start digging into the gravel with the end you'll see all the fish poop that's collected being sucked out (it makes great plant water though, free fertilizer).

Most of the time removing 15-30% of the water volume per week is plenty (some tanks going two weeks is perfectly fine as well), unless you're trying to breed or have delicate/overstocked fish, so one or two buckets per week is plenty. Once the water is removed you then replace the water with dechlorinated water. I recommend Prime from a cost standpoint for removing both chlorine and chloramine (the two main toxic additives in tapwater). If you're using a python you just add an appropriate amount of dechlorinator to the tank, or the end of the python as you start adding water. With buckets just add the appropriate amount to the bucket as you start adding water, then dump in the tank.

You want to be careful that the water you add to the tank is very close to the same temp as the tank itself, within a degree or so.

Oh, here's a big one nobody has mentioned, a thermometer is great to have. Most heaters are off by at least a little bit (if they have a numerical reading, rather than just +/-), so a real thermometer is great. You can usually get a digital one for under $10, and a floating alcohol one for under $5 or so...I would avoid the stick on ones, because I find them unsightly and they can't be moved to check the water you're adding.

 

[Yeti]

yeah and most of the stick on ones take the temperature of the glass and not so much of the water IN the tank.. the floating thermometers (heck even the ones with a suction cup) are perfect for the job

 

[Marconis]

More will probably go into this later, but let me be the first to tell you about fishless cycling. When I first began, I used "pure" ammonia as my source. Turns out it had a bad ingredient in it called surfactant. Not good at all, this can contaminate the water. If you are planning on using pure ammonia to cycle your tank, make sure it doesn't have an ingredient such as that. I used Pure Ammonia from ACE Hardware the second time around and it didn't even have any ingredients on it. (Which meant it was 100% pure)

Another way to do a fishless cycle is with shrimp, which I am sure you have also read about. When I did my fishless cycle, it was taking long and I was getting very frusterated (27 days). Now I don't want to scare you, as it is unlikely your cycle will go on for almost 4 weeks (or at least I think.) To end my cycle, I used a product called Bio Spira. This is pretty much bacteria in a packet. It is guaranteed to cycle your tank within 48 hours of adding it. You also have to add this product with your fish since it needs an ammonia source.

I know that is a lot of info lol, but it'll give you something to come back to when you get your tank going. I hope I didn't confuse you, and now I'll let the pros take it from here.

 

[NeonJulie]

Yeah my fishless cycle was 36 days. Well worth the wait. Bio-Spira works for some, and not for others.

You can use Bio-Spira if you have an ammonia or food source, such as the ACE Janitorial Strength, so you don't add fish if you have ammonia coming from elsewhere. (Especially don't add fish if you're part way through your cycle and you have elevated levels of NitrItes or Ammonia.)

 

[doctorb]

Thanks for all the tips guys, I have lots to look into now.
The first order of business has to be a stand though, for some reason I didn't even think of that . Is 36"x12" a fairly standard tank size? Im wondering if it is going to be easy to find a stand at any of the pet shops around here.

 

[rich311k]

35 Gallon is a pretty standard size you have little trouble finding a stand. Lots of tank sizes are 3 feet long.

 

[severum mama]

I agree with Rich, 36x12 is a very common size and you should have no problem finding an appropriate stand in either your LFS or chain pet stores like Petsmart or Petco. You can probably expect to pay anywhere from $60-$120 in a store, depending on what kind of stand you choose (metal, particle board, wood). Otherwise, you can check places like Ebay, Craigslist, or garage sales to save some cash, but it will likely take longer to find exactly what you want.

 

[doctorb]

Well I think I found a stand HERE. It's $100 but its the only one I could find where I live, and I think it looks pretty good.

I was wondering about gravel though. The fish store said you need a pound/gallon. Is that about right? And does this stuff look ok?

 

[LandGhoti]

I used Estes white gravel in my tank's first incarnation and I found it was too bright when I tried to take pics of my fish. It looked pretty neat, though, since I was trying to go for a white sand/beach look. Anyway, that's my opinion on the white (which you probably don't care about!), but to answer your question, it is just fine to use in your tank.

 

[doctorb]

Thats the sort of look I was going for, with a black background. I did wonder if the color of the fish would stand out enough against it though.

 

[rich311k]

I know white sounds like it will be cool. It will not stay white and it will show every speck of fish waste. Black is a much better chice. If you want a lighter look you could try pool filter sand. It is almost white and makes a nice natural looking substrate.

 

[doctorb]

I finally got around to buying all the stuff I need. The only thing I couldn't find unfortunately was pure ammonia. So instead I bought some raw shrimp.
I was wondering how many shrimp I need to put in for a 35 gallon tank. I bought 2 jumbo shrimp, so Im not sure if I need them both in there or not. Any idea?
I was also wondering if I am supposed to have an activated carbon filter (it came with the power filter) installed during the cycling period or not.

 

[rich311k]

Since you bought two throw them both in. Put them in a mesh bag or a new stocking. It will be much easier to get them out that way.

No need to use the carbon until the fish are in the tank. Even then it is debatable if you need it or not.

Make the temp about 83 or so. the shrimp will rot faster and the bacteria will grow faster. Leave the lights off. You wont want to look at it and it avoids any premature algae battles that way.

 

[doctorb]

Well I reached a milestone, there is now water in the tank! Everything seems to be working ok. The water is 56F right now, so I guess I'll find out if that heater is any good . Thanks everyone for the help so far.

I was looking at some rock at the LFS today, but its really expensive. I read before that you can boil rocks you have and they will be ok to put in the tank. Is that true?

Edit: One more question In 7Enigmas article on cycling, he says to add in the dechlorinator before cycling. Seachem Prime says that it also removes Ammonia, but don't I want the ammonia to build up?