Hello, I'm looking to get started with a freshwater aquarium, probably in about two weeks. This would be my first tank.
Assuming I can re-arrange some furniture in a way I like, I'm planning to get a 30 Gallon tank. I'm still researching the options for stocking, but in general I'd like a school and one-two larger fish. My girlfriend has a tank with platy's and tetra's and I'd sorta like to do different fishes.
From a few of the books/sites I've been reviewing I've been thinking about 2 Blue Gouramis, 1 Flying Fox and 6 Zebra Danios. Using the 1" per gallon guideline I should be fine when they are full grown and significantly under while they are still juvenile. AqAdvisor suggests that its only 71% "stocked" even at full growth, so perhaps I could increase the danio school a bit, but beter safe than sorry. I'm not really attached to any of the species listed though (and will be checking local availability this weekend). I did like the look of some of the swordtails, but I think I read somewhere that they don't mix well with the gourami's (both being showy fin fish). I'm not at all attached to the flying fox, just seemed like the most interesting (and smallest in total inches) of the easy options for the bottom of the tank region, since the small corys want a school.
Now my more specific questions:
1) I'm interested in a planted tank -- do you think its wise to try that with a first tank, or is that just asking for trouble? I haven't found references yet for figuring out appropriate amounts of live plants to make a difference in nitrates, while not also taking over the entire tank, so any links or book recommendations would be appreciated!
2) When it comes time to slowly stock the tank, I understand about fishless or with-fish cycling. And I understand in either case the need to slowly introduce fish once the cycle has been established. However I've seen information about the need to introduce a school all at once, otherwise the newcomers get beat-up on. What's the safe, correct way to build up to the listed load. (Or what if I were doing 1 flying fox, 1 gourami, and 9 zebra danios for a larger school)
3) If i'm going to have a short (4.5 days) business trip near when I want to start the tank, would it be possible to start a fishless (with or without plants) cycle before I leave, or would the ammonia levels drop too low to keep to keep the bacteria alive near the end of the trip and just be wasted time?
Thanks!
Assuming I can re-arrange some furniture in a way I like, I'm planning to get a 30 Gallon tank. I'm still researching the options for stocking, but in general I'd like a school and one-two larger fish. My girlfriend has a tank with platy's and tetra's and I'd sorta like to do different fishes.
From a few of the books/sites I've been reviewing I've been thinking about 2 Blue Gouramis, 1 Flying Fox and 6 Zebra Danios. Using the 1" per gallon guideline I should be fine when they are full grown and significantly under while they are still juvenile. AqAdvisor suggests that its only 71% "stocked" even at full growth, so perhaps I could increase the danio school a bit, but beter safe than sorry. I'm not really attached to any of the species listed though (and will be checking local availability this weekend). I did like the look of some of the swordtails, but I think I read somewhere that they don't mix well with the gourami's (both being showy fin fish). I'm not at all attached to the flying fox, just seemed like the most interesting (and smallest in total inches) of the easy options for the bottom of the tank region, since the small corys want a school.
Now my more specific questions:
1) I'm interested in a planted tank -- do you think its wise to try that with a first tank, or is that just asking for trouble? I haven't found references yet for figuring out appropriate amounts of live plants to make a difference in nitrates, while not also taking over the entire tank, so any links or book recommendations would be appreciated!
2) When it comes time to slowly stock the tank, I understand about fishless or with-fish cycling. And I understand in either case the need to slowly introduce fish once the cycle has been established. However I've seen information about the need to introduce a school all at once, otherwise the newcomers get beat-up on. What's the safe, correct way to build up to the listed load. (Or what if I were doing 1 flying fox, 1 gourami, and 9 zebra danios for a larger school)
3) If i'm going to have a short (4.5 days) business trip near when I want to start the tank, would it be possible to start a fishless (with or without plants) cycle before I leave, or would the ammonia levels drop too low to keep to keep the bacteria alive near the end of the trip and just be wasted time?
Thanks!