Just starting out, New tank!

[joejeff]

Hey don't stress every detail. Just make sure your doing Pwc and using conditioner. Nvr straight tap. Also since ur doin daily. Consider leaving water out in bucket overnite to help it gas off as an added precaution, if u want to... Hey ur bud works at a pet shop... Here's a cheat... See if he can get you a wad of filter media , ie filter floss, from their filter. This is called seeding. Get the used media from the petshop and stick it in ur current filter... This should carry bb to ur tank as long as it stays wet... And speed ur cycle....BTW don't throw ur media away. Rinse in tank water and reuse till it falls apart. Ur good beneficial bacteria build up on that and real down ammonia.

 

[joejeff]

Hey don't stress every detail. Just make sure your doing Pwc and using conditioner. Nvr straight tap. Also since ur doin daily. Consider leaving water out in bucket overnite to help it gas off as an added precaution, if u want to... Hey ur bud works at a pet shop... Here's a cheat... See if he can get you a wad of filter media , ie filter floss, from their filter. This is called seeding. Get the used media from the petshop and stick it in ur current filter... This should carry bb to ur tank as long as it stays wet... And speed ur cycle....BTW don't throw ur media away. Rinse in tank water and reuse till it falls apart. Ur good beneficial bacteria build up on that and real down ammonia.

Clarification. I was talking about getting used media rt out of their filter on their freshwater setup and adding it to urs wet to carry bb over.

 

[tertatorres]

So, Ive ran into two questions.
My filter wont let me do more than 40%, is that fine for now?
around there the water is too low and the filter will stop running.

also, how long do i let the water sit after i condition it?

 

[jlk]

So, Ive ran into two questions.
My filter wont let me do more than 40%, is that fine for now?
around there the water is too low and the filter will stop running.

also, how long do i let the water sit after i condition it?

Turn everything off when you do water changes!! This is the safest route to avoid electrocution & to avoid burning out the motor in your filter (from lack of water). Your fish will be fine for hour without anything on-just dont go take an extended lunch break! I wouldnt recommend letting your water sit to condition it- letting it sit overnight will help to dissipate chlorine levels but not chloramines. Just dose water conditioner to your buckets of new water or to your tank before you refill with new water. You can let the new water sit in your tank for @15mins before restarting everything if you dosed the tank. If you dosed the buckets, you dont have to wait to restart everything.

 

[paytertot]

So, Ive ran into two questions.
My filter wont let me do more than 40%, is that fine for now?
around there the water is too low and the filter will stop running.

also, how long do i let the water sit after i condition it?

Do you mean that you can't bring the water level past a 40% change because it goes below your filter intake? Because I just unplug mine when I'm doing high PWCs lol someone correct me if that's bad

 

[paytertot]

Turn everything off when you do water changes!! This is the safest route to avoid electrocution & to avoid burning out the motor in your filter (from lack of water). Your fish will be fine for hour without anything on-just dont go take an extended lunch break! I wouldnt recommend letting your water sit to condition it- letting it sit overnight will help to dissipate chlorine levels but not chloramines. Just dose water conditioner to your buckets of new water or to your tank before you refill with new water. You can let the new water sit in your tank for @15mins before restarting everything if you dosed the tank. If you dosed the buckets, you dont have to wait to restart everything.

Oh never mind haha you got it before I was finished

 

[blert]

So, Ive ran into two questions.
My filter wont let me do more than 40%, is that fine for now?
around there the water is too low and the filter will stop running.

also, how long do i let the water sit after i condition it?

You can turn your filter off when you do your PWC. This is especially important if you have a sand substrate as you don't want any sand getting sucked up into the filter.

Most water conditioners are "instant" but I will usually let mine sit for a few minutes just to be sure. Remember to match the water temperature of the new water to your tank temperature. By feel is good enough, you don't have to break out the thermometers and be exact.

Edit: LOL. People are all over this thread this morning. Sunday's are usually slow around here. You are in good hands.

 

[tertatorres]

SO update!!!
It took just about 30 mins, I used a 5 gallon water jug. One question too haha, i used the same bucket...is that ok? (i used it to take out water, and conditioned water back in)
Since i kind of rushed it(SORRY) and i just did a 40% change, I wasnt sure so i just left the filter on>.< Buttt oh well, 50% for the rest. Now i know what to do
Honestly, i would have no clue if it wasnt for you guys. Im really enjoying this!!,


SO in review.
50% water change-(now i understand what to do till i get my master kit)
DONT STRESS-(thats just who i am, but yes i will try not too)

What else, what else....
i feel like the little fanboy, just fascinated with the amount of help and support you guys have for this hobby..Its great!, Honestly you guys are helping me WANT!! to learn more and keep my little guys happy.

 

[paytertot]

SO update!!!
It took just about 30 mins, I used a 5 gallon water jug. One question too haha, i used the same bucket...is that ok?
Since i kind of rushed it(SORRY) and i just did a 40% change, I wasnt sure so i just left the filter on>.< Buttt oh well, 50% for the rest. Now i know what to do
Honestly, i would have no clue if it wasnt for you guys. Im really enjoying this!!,

SO in review.
50% water change-(now i understand what to do till i get my master kit)
DONT STRESS-(thats just who i am, but yes i will try not too)

What else, what else....
i feel like the little fanboy, just fascinated with the amount of help and support you guys have for this hobby..Its great!, Honestly you guys are helping me WANT!! to learn more and keep my little guys happy.

Haha I know right? I've been using this place for a few months now and I LOVE it! I'm so much more into the hobby now haha it's amazing

 

[tertatorres]

SO, looking into the future. I see fish...Not really sure what fish...but i see fish.
Anyone have some advice about certain fish for my setup.
3-Neon Terta
1-Bala shark
1-guppy
1-dalamation mollie
1-peppered cory cat
1-lyretail ballon molly
1-chinase allegy eater
thats what i have now,
since, i cant keep the eater and bala. What are some of your fav fish that would go along with this set..
i dont have a theme set yet. Im looking to add plants and more decor as i go on. its all about the start up first.
So far, all fish are doing very well.

 

[jlk]

Using the same bucket to remove & replace water is fine! I cant help with stocking (i do coldwater fish) but i am sure others with more experience will advise!

 

[joejeff]

Hey a repeat. Try to get some seeded media from ur buddies lfs. That's lonesome used filter floss out of their filter. The used media will carry beneficial bacteria to ur tank and jump start ur cycle and hopefully speed it up...

 

[joejeff]

Get more cories. Same type. They are cooler in groups. Some platies may be nice. And up ur Tetras numbers a little. That should be good. Avoid mollies rt now. Too messy. And can be fin nippers

 

[tertatorres]

Hey a repeat. Try to get some seeded media from ur buddies lfs. That's lonesome used filter floss out of their filter. The used media will carry beneficial bacteria to ur tank and jump start ur cycle and hopefully speed it up...

Oh course, im going to head over there in a little bit. thanks for the extra help guys!

 

[derail]

I feel ya

Don't worry about it, friend, it happens to the best of us. I will say that you have a cool story, and I know what it's like to just kind of fall into the hobby and be given wrong advice. At least you didn't have to take the advice of a Wal*mart employee (no offense to anyone who works at wal*mart.

You should be fine with the CAE, even though a lot of people claim they get very aggressive and territorial when they're older. I haven't had this problem with them much at all, and keep them to help maintain my tanks. What I do notice, is if you feed them every day, they can get lazy so be easy with the Algae Wafers, only feed 'em if there's no visible algae.
Anywho, I would say with the Guppy and Molly's, you're set pretty well, get you a few more of them and they'll be happy. Of course, if you just want variety, Platy's go well with them, and like somewhat similar water conditions.
I hear that swordtails are great with them as well, but I've never kept them. A few suggestions:
Corydoras (yeah, they get timid so add one or two more )
Platy's --livebearer and easy to maintain.
Red Rasboras are beautiful, and if kept in groups of 6-8 are quite peaceful to watch (I personally enjoy shoaling fish along with non-schooling fish, it looks nice.
Flying Fox--not to be confused with Siamese algae Eater. Non-schooling, and enjoys being alone.

Best of luck to you, if you get some male's and females (among guppy's and Molly's), please PLEASE, be sure to have a good ratio of males to females (1 male to 2-3 females) as the male molly or guppy will harass the females for breeding and it can be quite stressful to her. So having more females spreads this out and everyone's happy!
--Sidenote: be prepared to buy another tank to rearing fry if you do that!

 

[joejeff]

Imo SAE are not good fish for a community. They get large and can turn to meat eating... That is ur other fish... Or so many members here tell me. And don't get a pleco either bc they get too large. Get a couple otocinclus instead, but wait till tank is fully established. So there is actually algae for.them eat.

 

[joejeff]

Imo SAE are not good fish for a community. They get large and can turn to meat eating... That is ur other fish... Or so many members here tell me. And don't get a pleco either bc they get too large. Get a couple otocinclus instead, but wait till tank is fully established. So there is actually algae for.them eat.

CAE that is.

 

[derail]

Imo SAE are not good fish for a community. They get large and can turn to meat eating... That is ur other fish... Or so many members here tell me. And don't get a pleco either bc they get too large. Get a couple otocinclus instead, but wait till tank is fully established. So there is actually algae for.them eat.

I will agree that Oto's are a better bet than CAE, especially from research I've done. Hopefully I don't wake up one day and my CAE's are out for molly/guppy, cause then I've got to take care of it lol.

I would be remisce if I didn't point out something about Molly's. I haven't experienced them being fin nippers, but out of the livebearers (Guppy's, Molly's, Endler's, Platy's, Swordfish, Mosquitofish) they are the most aggressive (which isn't saying too much), and will establish a pecking order. The biggest Molly will decide it's top dog and must eat first. Rearranging the decor and reintroducing works wonders for this though

 

[joejeff]

My mollies only cause troubles for the cories, bc the mollies love the shrimp pellets... But they leave everyone alone usually, except one another, usually

 

[tertatorres]

Again i cant stress enough how much help you guys are! thanks!! really.

Well the whole cae thing, to be honest im not really interested in them all to much. I know once i start hitting algae ill need some help with that, but i know there are better options for that. The guy at the store told me to get one-.-.(which i know now he just knew i was new at this so he wanted to sqeeeze out as much out of my wallet as he can)

Im really into schooling fish. I love the whole idea of being together as a pack.
Guppies and mollies are the same thing too, not that much interested in them. My girlfriend wanted those hahah. Im more into the bala shark, which is why im sad i have to let it go eventually.

SO, update on the fish.
my bala seems more aggressive today. Hes really alert. Maybe it was from the water change?..also about feeding. It seems like they want to fight over the food, like the fastest one wins. the mollies and the bala eat up top. than the tetras and guppie stays down, but by the time the food comes down its already been attacked. So feeding wise what kind of schedule should i keep. Im not always waking up at a certain time. specially around night time too, im usually home but sometimes ill have to work late.
what signs should i be looking for with the fish.Like aggression while eating or super alertness?..it just seems like everyones more awake. but it seems more in a panic. i cant really explain it..-.-.. So yea tips. If you need pictures i could try but no promises