T1KARMANN
Aquarium Advice FINatic
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2012
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- 629
The op first post says huge tank or anything else need in his first post or did I read it wrong
Sustainable tanks
- Thread starter AquaDave
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
The op first post says huge tank or anything else need in his first post or did I read it wrong
It did say huge tank but if you read a bit further you'll see it slide into a 15g tank with an Orando and 2 Hillstream loaches. The thread jumped around a bit but then once the tank and stock were revealed it went to no way could he do that with a sustainable tank. Then towards the end it was about a 2.5g if I remember right. It hard to follow thread when they jump around.
Joeysdiscus
Aquarium Advice Freak
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2013
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- 387
I don't think this thread is really going anywhere! Many people have have advice on what to do and how to do it right bit I don't think it's ever going to actually happen or be listened to.
Blitz
Aquarium Advice Regular
I am really confused. Pets at home seem to know what they're doing, as well as some sites on the internet that say 1-2 L of water per cm of fish. Also, my mum had a goldfish in a small tank when she was a child and she put orange juice in it because she thought it was thirsty, but the goldfish lived for 9 years, plus had been passed down two or three times and those people had it for years before my mum's family got it. Many people at two different pets at home stores don't say I should get a bigger tank, my parents say "I wouldn't worry it fine isn't it?" AND the chemicals seem OK. Plus, I can't afford a bigger tank unless going into my savings which I don't really want to do, and many fish have survived for years in tanks smaller than mine, and we have no space to put the tank anyway (at the minute).
But then again, lots of people on here say that I should have a tank double the size at least, and others are saying Orangey doesn't have enough etc. I think it's more America vs Britain. Loads of people in Britain r saying the 2 L per cm of fish thing, while (I guess most of u guys r American) the Americans say more the tens of GALLONS per fish.
Some time this week I'l think I'll go to the pets at home near me, ask a couple of people there; then go to the bigger pets at home further away and ask a couple of people there; I'll ask a load of my friends and family; I'll ask a tiny pet shop near me who seem to do better quality hay than at pets at home; I'll ask my local vets (one's American, one's British, one's European (who seemed to know more about things than the other two) and there's the nurse vets there and others); I'll ask my science teacher and finally my cousin who's a vet near the border of England and Scotland.
BTW pets at home doesn't work on profits, as the employees don't care if they make any profit because they get paid the same, in fact one guy said that in the next year or two I should be looking in the 100 L to 200 L range (I should be able to afford by then) but he suggested NOT looking at the pets at home shop as they're way too expensive; he says check on eBay.
PS remember I care for my fishvery much and I will listen to all advice and I've had Orangey in a tank for two years and a bit in a 21 L tank; she/he's only had the 60 L since just after Xmas.
PSS thank u Rivercats and everyone else who's participated for all ur great advice!
This is some funny stuff right here, America Vs Britain over fish tank sizes....He may not be that far off as we in the states tend to do things bigger, and traditionally are used to more open space then Europe, and we want that for our pets as well. But there are more reasons for that then stunting, I'm certain when your Mum had goldfish that she fed orange juice, was some time ago, a lot has changed, even over the last 10 years, I have taken a leave from the hobby and recently come back and there are advancements leaps and bounds in that short time. Even before then, information was not as readily available or easily shared, as the internet was a fairly new thing and although it was around, was not as accessible as it is Today, also did not have the wealth of knowledge that it does Today, and yes, miss-Information as well.
But what it comes down to is "quality of life" for your pets, like Rivercats pointed out, yes, they can live in 15 Gallons, but to make it happy, afford it all of the area it needs to grow and flourish, it should be homed in something that does not have such hard swings/changes in water quality, when you put a bio-load on a tank and it's inhabitants, in a smaller tank, then do 50% water changes, even though your adding better water, it's still a shock to your fish. Larger tanks with more total water volume mitigate those changes. 50% is still 50%, but spread out over a larger area, is less of an impact to your animals. 50% of 15gal = 7.5gal but 50% of 30gal is 15gal......and so on. Hope that makes sense.
I going to try and look for cheapish 200 L tanks on eBay, Amazon etc so by summer i should have a 200 L tank. Thanks guys and yes the thread jumped around to asking about the AquaFarm and if it's all right for 1 Betta fish
https://www.backtotheroots.com/shop/aquafarm
https://www.backtotheroots.com/shop/aquafarm
Blitz
Aquarium Advice Regular
BTW yes of course I'm listening to all of your advice but I can't do it at the minute, probably until at least next summer.
So I could get a 200 L tank, have many, many plants e.g. water wisteria, water sprite, Java Moss, Java Fern, the plant I have at the minute, at lot of duckweed, Elodea etc; many, many shrimp; some snails; maybe some clams; and of course my fish Orangey, Fin, and Wings. Maybe that could become fairly self-sustaining?
So I could get a 200 L tank, have many, many plants e.g. water wisteria, water sprite, Java Moss, Java Fern, the plant I have at the minute, at lot of duckweed, Elodea etc; many, many shrimp; some snails; maybe some clams; and of course my fish Orangey, Fin, and Wings. Maybe that could become fairly self-sustaining?
You have to have lighting adequate in order to keep plants AND goldfish eat plants. Duckweed is like candy for them. I kept a large container of it growing outside every summer and would scoop up a handful for each 55g tank for the goldies. Three of them would polish off every piece in a couple hours. The only plants mine left completely alone were crypts, swords, bolbitus, anubia, and java ferns. They ate all mosses. Water spite, elodia, wisteria, and everything else they ate. So IMO no you would not be able to do a 200L (53ish US gallons) self sustaining tank that contains even 1 goldfish. Not to mention the copious amounts of waste and ammonia they produce causes buffers to be used up quite quickly. A large WC weekly is needed in order to add enough buffers back into the water to keep ph stable.
Fishman007
Aquarium Advice Addict
Instead of getting this for you B-day you should start saving up for the upgrade to a 55g (200L) tank where you could keep some of the fish you have long term if given the proper conditions
Fishman007
Aquarium Advice Addict
Also OP you are asking for help but when people try to help you you start argueing eith them on who is right and what the lfs said, many of these guys have been in the hobby 10+ years, i would take their advice if i were you. But back to the topic, hill stream loaches are demanding fish, i would get rid of them if i were you.
Fishman007
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well a guess your not argueing but you keep opposing the helpers and saying they were wrong
Blitz
Aquarium Advice Regular
.......I think AquaDave is a youngin, and there is also that language barrier, being from another country and all 
I think we've all been there where we want a nice tank and we try to do what others have said won't work, and when you have a LFS telling you what you want to hear....it's hard to blame him. But, I think he wants to do the right thing.
I think we've all been there where we want a nice tank and we try to do what others have said won't work, and when you have a LFS telling you what you want to hear....it's hard to blame him. But, I think he wants to do the right thing.
Fishman007
Aquarium Advice Addict
.......I think AquaDave is a youngin, and there is also that language barrier, being from another country and all
Yes, i know that feeling when everyone on the forum says you cant keep somthing with this or that and the lfs says you can.
BBradbury
Aquarium Advice Addict
- Joined
- May 24, 2011
- Messages
- 5,011
Low Maintenance FW Tank
Just a thought...
If you're having trouble keeping the nitrogen levels from the fish waste low enough to keep the fish safe, then get some small Chinese Evergreens from the local Lowes, Home Depot and or the grocery stores that carry them. Remove the pot and rinse all the potting mixture off and emerse the roots only into the tank. The roots are real "nutrient hogs" and will remove most of the nitrogen from the water. The leaves stay above water and require only room light.
The plants take in the nitrogen faster than the beneficial bacteria. As long as you maintain the plants, your fish have near pure water conditions. I keep these plants in my planted tanks along with aquatic plants and the water consistently tests "0" for ammonia and nitrite and nitrates stay in 10 to 15 ppm range.
B
Just a thought...
If you're having trouble keeping the nitrogen levels from the fish waste low enough to keep the fish safe, then get some small Chinese Evergreens from the local Lowes, Home Depot and or the grocery stores that carry them. Remove the pot and rinse all the potting mixture off and emerse the roots only into the tank. The roots are real "nutrient hogs" and will remove most of the nitrogen from the water. The leaves stay above water and require only room light.
The plants take in the nitrogen faster than the beneficial bacteria. As long as you maintain the plants, your fish have near pure water conditions. I keep these plants in my planted tanks along with aquatic plants and the water consistently tests "0" for ammonia and nitrite and nitrates stay in 10 to 15 ppm range.
B
Good idea! The only problem is how can I only submerse the roots and not the rest of the plant? Also, it will mean I will have to take the lid off won't it? That's the only source of light for the tank. It sounds like a good idea though so hopefully I'll try it soon!
BBradbury
Aquarium Advice Addict
- Joined
- May 24, 2011
- Messages
- 5,011
Self-Sustaining Tank
ADave...
The leaves remain above the water to take in the carbon dioxide from the air. I use a glass canopy so the standard strip lighting has a place to sit. The plant or plants can sit behind the strip in a long plastic tray with holes with an airstone attached to an air pump. The airstone is positioned under the plant roots. This aerates the roots and the aquatic plants still have their own lighting.
A variation is to use a taller tank and lower the water level to accommodate the land plant and its leaves.
B
Good idea! The only problem is how can I only submerse the roots and not the rest of the plant? Also, it will mean I will have to take the lid off won't it? That's the only source of light for the tank. It sounds like a good idea though so hopefully I'll try it soon!
ADave...
The leaves remain above the water to take in the carbon dioxide from the air. I use a glass canopy so the standard strip lighting has a place to sit. The plant or plants can sit behind the strip in a long plastic tray with holes with an airstone attached to an air pump. The airstone is positioned under the plant roots. This aerates the roots and the aquatic plants still have their own lighting.
A variation is to use a taller tank and lower the water level to accommodate the land plant and its leaves.
B
