Fishless Cycle Finished! A good read if new to the forum

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Still nothing....I know its the holiday's but I'm thinking the free tank is not going to happen. I still have a question though. If I go the 29gallon route (originally going for 20gallon), should I get the 200/50 aquaclear instead of the 150 I currently have (but haven't taken out of the box yet). The 150 is for 10-30gallon tanks, while the 200 is for 20-50gallon tanks. Will the 200 be overkill if I only get a 20 gallon, as due to Big Al's pricing (and free shipping till tomorrow night) they would be practically the same price. I just concerned about stirring up the bottom or pushing the fish around with the stronger filter in a 20 gallon tank? Thanks for the replies!

Also I have a 100watt heater unopened that could be returned and a higher wattage one could be purchased from Al's for about the same price. Should I do that even if I end up with only a 20gallon tank? I'm a fan of redundency as well so 2 smaller wattage would be great, but I really don't want to double the cost of an already expensive build (based on my original budget).

justin
 
7Enigma said:
Thanks for the replies. I see from another thread that bigal's (where I plan to buy a good amount of stuff) has free shipping until jan 2nd. I'll have to check and see if they sell tanks, and if so if the free shipping applies to them.
Click to expand...

I'm setting up a new tank myself and just took advantage of the free shipping and all the fish goodies.

I went page by page and added everything to my cart(fish net) that I thought I might need. I bought a whole lot of stuff and it cost a lot less then buying at my lfs. My husband told me that I should support the local stores, but I saved 77.00 on the filter alone!

Good luck on your fish tank set-up

I paid 399.00 for my 46g with hood, Oak stand and 25.00 worth of fish. :oops:
 
Rondory, you bring up a good point about supporting the local fish stores. The big problem with that is they jack up their prices so high. And yes, they do have to make a profit, so it is understandable. BUT, think about it this way, the more money you save buying equipment from Big Al's, the more money you can spend on that new tank from the LFS. Plus, they make most of their money from tank sales. At least thats what a friend of mine told me who manages a lfs. I kind of like to think about it as the money I save from Big Al's allows me to purchase more expensive fish and larger tanks. Thus giving the fish store more money in the long run. LOL Ok, so it may not be entirely true, but that's what I tell myself. :D
 
Justin: For heaters, aim for about 5 watts per gal. If you purchase a 150 watt heater, you can still put it on a 20 gal tank. It just won't have to work so hard. Just make sure you monitor the temp for a few days while it stabalizes. The filter gph depends on the fish you want to keep. Some fish like a stronger current, thus 10x tunover rate per hour. You could easily get a filter rated for 200 gph and put it on a 20 gal tank as long as you aren't looking for fish that do not like the current. It will also fit on the 29 gal tank perfectly fine. The filter is generally purchased based on the fish that will eventually inhabit the tank. Until you have a tank size determined, it may be a bit difficult to figure out which filter to get. But, if it were me, I'd go with a filter rated for about 200 gph and look for a 29 gal tank. It will be easier to find a 29 than a 20, at least in my experience.
 
also the more cash you save online the more you can spend on fish at the fish store!!! And the stores i go to are pet stores so I buy snake stuff, aspen subtrate, mice, dog food, catfood, cat litter.. etc.
 
Can you guys/gals give me some more products that I should have for my order at Big Al's before tomorrow night? I've already listed a bunch but things that I most likely need but don't know about yet would be very helpful as I'll save on shipping costs. Any item #'s from Big Al's would be great as well. Thanks again, and i'll probably get the 29 gallon if prices are similar and it takes up the same footprint on the floor.

justin
 
get a veggie clip
get a mag float
get a python
heater
filter
thermometer
filter media
 
Go with a digital thermometer. Don't get the stick-on that goes on the glass. I had one and when I got my digital, found it was 8 degrees off.
 
yeah i digital or regular glass thermometer that sits in the water is more accurate than the stick on.. the stick on ones take the temp on the glass which isn't always neccessarily the same as the water temp.
 
Digi Therms are the best and are not really that expensive. Lets see, the basics: Tank, lights, stand, hoods, filter, heater, Freshwater Master Test Kit, thermometer, background, Python(or gravel vac), dechlorinator (Prime), air pump (if desired), air tubing/stone (if desired), veg clip (if feeding raw vegs), flake food, misc food, algae scraper, net, that's all I can think of at the moment.
 
oh i forgot, Freshwater master kit.. definitely get one of those!!!

mag float.. mag float.. vegi clip.. vegi clip.. 2 of my favorite pieces of equipment!!! LOL.
 
LOL We never did get a mag float. A good ol Algae scraper (metal handle with scrubber end) always worked good for us.
 
I just got my mag-floats and i love em!! Even though i never see algae on my 55 i still ran it across the sides and i dunno.. just looks clearer to me. But my 10 gallon gets algae and it has helped a lot in there.
 
I have heard that the Mag Floats are the best for getting algae off the tank but the only algae we ever get is the green spot that has to be scrubbed off. We borrowed a mag from our friends across the street and it didn't take it off so we had to get something that we could put a little "elbow grease" into. But it does have a good reputation for being a good algae remover.
 
Hey all,

Thanks for the mag float recommendation. Looks to be a good product. I still can't get over the prices at Al's. I have like 12 items in my basket and still am under 90$. I'll be returning my small filter and less powerful heater to PetSmart. And if any local aquarium store are open today (Jan. 1st) I'll be going out and biting the bullet and getting a tank, stand, and top. Estimated prices for a 29gallon setup? Under $150? or am I dreaming?

justin
 
Depends what the stand looks like. If it's an el cheapo, you could do it for $100, but if it's a very nice stand, like a Sedona, then you're looking at about $300. Prices vary from place to place, so you may find a good deal for a 29 gal tank at $150.
 
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