erasei
Aquarium Advice Newbie
Hello all, just wanted to say this is an awesome site and has given me all of the information needed to get started. Been lurking here for a while reading everything I can about getting started so that I don't ask any stupid questions that have been covered 100 times already.
Having digested all of the information (hopefully) I have started my first tank. Its a 29g freshwater tank. I used to have a big Oscar but he recently passed on so now I'm starting over. He was sick so I decided to break down the tank completely and start over fresh, just to be safe. I scrubbed the tank and all parts with clean hot water, changed gravel. I am using an over-the-back style filter and changed the little drop in carbon filter, and scrubbed clean the housing. Only the titanium water heater (the oscars would break a glass heater about once a month) remains the same (but was cleaned as well). My first question is this: Do you recommend canister style filters vs the over-the-back style for a 30g tank? My father is a beautiful 125g with a canister filter and he swears by it, but for my smallish tank, is it needed?
After reading through a lot of posts in Getting Started, this is what I have come up with. After having oscars and therefore no other life in the tank (other than a pleco) I now want plants, small schooling fishes and other peaceful non aggressive wildlife.
We'll start with the plants. I have recently purchased a "plant bulb" light, which is a "pure white" 20 watt bulb. The plants I am considering are any of the following 5: Moneywort, Red ozelot, Floating Liverwort, Dwarf hairgrass, and moss balls. These plants are ones that I like the look of, but I don't know anything about their light requirements. Is the 20 watt bulb enough to support these? I will only be getting 3 of the 5, which 3 depends on which best work in the tank and work together.
The fish I'm considering are small fish. Probably barbs or like fish. Barbs don't school, and I was hoping for some schooling fish. I don't know why, but I want little schools of fish, its fun to watch them 'hang out with their friends' as my girlfriend says. Any recommendations here? The tank colors are very natural.. brown and tan gravel, natural backdrop.
The plants are the focus of the tank, with the fish providing the 'action'. The only fish I do not like are angelfish, and any fish that will outgrow the tank. This is the only tank I have, or want for the near future, so I would have to give them to the LSF which I'd rather not have to do.
Also, about CO2. With a lot of plants and a few fish, I'm guessing I will need some sort of CO2 system. Would you recommend using the homebrew yeast setup, or would using the liquid 'plant food Co2' be acceptable?
My tank is currently cycling. After reading the 'does it work' article about Cycle and Bio-spira I decided to give Cycle a try. It was the only product my LFS had in stock. I am currently on Day 4, still reading 0 on Nitr*tes. I am going to wait until Day 14 to have a full water sample done. I don't have a kit yet but the LFS does free tests if you have a preferred customer card (free).
Thanks for all of the previous posts, and thanks for any advice you can give me.
Having digested all of the information (hopefully) I have started my first tank. Its a 29g freshwater tank. I used to have a big Oscar but he recently passed on so now I'm starting over. He was sick so I decided to break down the tank completely and start over fresh, just to be safe. I scrubbed the tank and all parts with clean hot water, changed gravel. I am using an over-the-back style filter and changed the little drop in carbon filter, and scrubbed clean the housing. Only the titanium water heater (the oscars would break a glass heater about once a month) remains the same (but was cleaned as well). My first question is this: Do you recommend canister style filters vs the over-the-back style for a 30g tank? My father is a beautiful 125g with a canister filter and he swears by it, but for my smallish tank, is it needed?
After reading through a lot of posts in Getting Started, this is what I have come up with. After having oscars and therefore no other life in the tank (other than a pleco) I now want plants, small schooling fishes and other peaceful non aggressive wildlife.
We'll start with the plants. I have recently purchased a "plant bulb" light, which is a "pure white" 20 watt bulb. The plants I am considering are any of the following 5: Moneywort, Red ozelot, Floating Liverwort, Dwarf hairgrass, and moss balls. These plants are ones that I like the look of, but I don't know anything about their light requirements. Is the 20 watt bulb enough to support these? I will only be getting 3 of the 5, which 3 depends on which best work in the tank and work together.
The fish I'm considering are small fish. Probably barbs or like fish. Barbs don't school, and I was hoping for some schooling fish. I don't know why, but I want little schools of fish, its fun to watch them 'hang out with their friends' as my girlfriend says. Any recommendations here? The tank colors are very natural.. brown and tan gravel, natural backdrop.
The plants are the focus of the tank, with the fish providing the 'action'. The only fish I do not like are angelfish, and any fish that will outgrow the tank. This is the only tank I have, or want for the near future, so I would have to give them to the LSF which I'd rather not have to do.
Also, about CO2. With a lot of plants and a few fish, I'm guessing I will need some sort of CO2 system. Would you recommend using the homebrew yeast setup, or would using the liquid 'plant food Co2' be acceptable?
My tank is currently cycling. After reading the 'does it work' article about Cycle and Bio-spira I decided to give Cycle a try. It was the only product my LFS had in stock. I am currently on Day 4, still reading 0 on Nitr*tes. I am going to wait until Day 14 to have a full water sample done. I don't have a kit yet but the LFS does free tests if you have a preferred customer card (free).
Thanks for all of the previous posts, and thanks for any advice you can give me.
