An old dog needs to learn new tricks!!

[nashnut]

Years ago I successfully maintained several tanks and bred everything - angels, betta, cats, gourami, etc. Back then you set up a tank, ran the filter for a day to remove the chlorine and tossed in the fish. Never had a problem and the fish lived for years... and years.

Now I'm thinking of starting up a 20 gallon tank when I move later on in the fall. I'm confused with all this cycle stuff, bio wheel, etc. If I decide to cycle with fish, just how many fish would be best? What type? I am interested in going back to the Kuhli Loaches which I loved back then as well as a small tetra or barb collection for schooling. I've been reading about the weakness in both the barbs and tetra fish as well as the Kuhlis. Would it be advisable to use them or should I rethink and stock something else - Kuhlis will hopefully be a part of the community.

As for a tank I'm torn between the type with a filter built in, or a regular acrylic tank with some sort of power filter. What are the props and cons on this idea?

Thanks for the suggestions and help. I know I'll need plenty of it!!

 

[Menagerie]

I just wanted to say~
[center:7d248ae03a] Welcome to AA, nashnut!! [/center:7d248ae03a]

Briefly, it is easiest on the fish if you go with a fishless cycle using straight ammonia.

I'll check back tomorrow (but I'll bet others will finish answering by then )--I really need to get some sleep!

 

[BrianNY]

Welcome to the board fellow LIer.

For an old dog, I think you're going about this the right way. When it comes to equipment, personal wants and cost should be the main factors to consider. I have always shyed away from anything built in to a tank. My thinking is simply that I'd rather have versatility, and if something breaks down the replacement or repair might be expensive.

You've got so many options in filtration today. My preference for the tank you've described would be a small cannister filter (Fluval 204). JMO

I also agree with Menagerie on the fishless cycling

 

[Endgame319]

I'll third the fishless cycling

I also reccomend you get a power filter (or if you are willing to spend the extra $$$, a canister) instead of the built in filters. Good brands are aquaclear, penguin, and emperor. If your going for a canister look at the rena filstar series, I've had great experience with them. I'm not really a fluval person myself :?

 

[mr_tee0419]

Fishless cycle is what I did in my 20 FW. It may take a while though, it took me 2 months. I'd suggest adding some fish food to the fishless tank to create extra ammonia. I use a whisper HOB powerfilter, and my tank is crystal clear. For my SW tank I use Cascade canister filters. I have had good experience with them and they are inexpensive. Here is the link to the site that I found the best price on: http://store.yahoo.com/animalworldnetwork/peplcafi.html Good luck..HTH

 

[Meiko]

My boyfriend said the same thing when I asked him about his old fish tank. He said he just threw the fish into it after setting it up, a bunch of kisser fish. They fed them once a week or so, and once a month they took apart the tank cleaned it top to bottom and put fresh clean water in it. The fish lived for years and years and years... In fact.. I think it was the same when I was a little girl with our tank.. Maybe three tetra died, but they always die.

What's so different between now and then that people started worrying over cycling, water temp, ph, no2, no3, na, an, o2 (insert more random acronyms/chemical equation thingies here)? @.@;

 

[nashnut]

I think you're right. I cleaned out a tank one day... cleaned the gravel, the tank, etc and put on a new filter and filled it up. The following day I put in a pair of gouramis... had a nest within a day and babies a couple days later. No problems except about 150 babies that I needed to find homes for!!!!

 

[Meiko]

Maybe back then the hobby wasn't as globalized, so less hatcheries for a smaller market, less mass breading, and less use of chemicals to quarantine breeding tanks to keep all harmful germs from babies and all that other stuff they use for farm raised fish, resulting in higher immune systems for earlier fish from days gone by. @.@; and now it's become such a popular fad that the need for fish has forced people to use highly controlled environment to get their little babies popping with less death rates, resulting in lesser immune and tolerance systems once the fish are introduced into a home conditioned tank, forcing people to come up with the whole cycle monitoring system andand umm...rr..yeah.. I just confused myself.. *lost*

 

[BrianNY]

I use a phrase that I call a "quiet cycle". Some fish weather the effects of modest ammonia and nitrite spikes better than others. It just means that you aren't seeing the effects of a cycling tank on your fish. It's placing them in a state of stress none the less and can result in permanent gill damage.