want fresh water :D advice

[special lighting]

Hello everyone I want to start a freshwater tank. I already have experience with salt water. The tank that I want to start is 30 gallon eclipse system. Its just a filter and a two bulb lighting lol. This tank used to be saltwater. Ima cleanit out tomorrow and add gravel and heater and keep filter running. How do i cycle? Thanks. Will i be able to keep anglefish and balasharks?

 

[Convict2161]

Hello everyone I want to start a freshwater tank. I already have experience with salt water. The tank that I want to start is 30 gallon eclipse system. Its just a filter and a two bulb lighting lol. This tank used to be saltwater. Ima cleanit out tomorrow and add gravel and heater and keep filter running. How do i cycle? Thanks. Will i be able to keep anglefish and balasharks?

Hi and welcome!! There are 2 methods of cycling your tank. Fish in or fish out. You'll probably get a lot of opinions. I've never done fish out so I can't help with that part. Most dose pure ammonia. I did fish in and just kept up on water changes and testing. Sometimes 2-3 water changes a day!!!

There are good articles and stickies here on the forum about both methods. Use the search feature and you'll find them.

What are you planning on stocking the tank with?

 

[tamtam]

Hello everyone I want to start a freshwater tank. I already have experience with salt water. The tank that I want to start is 30 gallon eclipse system. Its just a filter and a two bulb lighting lol. This tank used to be saltwater. Ima cleanit out tomorrow and add gravel and heater and keep filter running. How do i cycle? Thanks. Will i be able to keep anglefish and balasharks?

Welcome to the freshwater world!

A 30 gallon isn't big enough for any shark. You would want 50-55gal min to keep 1. In a 30 you can keep a single angel. You would want bigger to keep a pair. You could happily do the single angel and some other fish however. Do you have any other fish that interest you. There are really a lot of options

Do you know what type of filter it is? GPH, brand or anything? Are you planning a planted tank or just using fake plants?

as for cycling there are some great articles on the site

here is one for fish in cycling
Fish-in Cycling: Step over into the dark side - Aquarium Advice

and this for fish less
The (almost) Complete Guide and FAQ to Fishless Cycling - Aquarium Advice

both have their pros and cons. Read them through and see what would work best for you and what you plan to stock. Some fish are too sensitive to survive a fish in cycle too so that will weigh in.

You certainly came to the right spot for help.

 

[Calypso77]

Here is a great article is use as my guide every time I do a fishless cycle and it works perfect everytime.

Fishless Cycling - Article at The Age of Aquariums - Tropical Fish

And yes 30 gal is way too small for even one Bala Shark. You will need a 55 gal tank at a minimum to keep even 1 shark.

 

[special lighting]

Welcome to the freshwater world!

A 30 gallon isn't big enough for any shark. You would want 50-55gal min to keep 1. In a 30 you can keep a single angel. You would want bigger to keep a pair. You could happily do the single angel and some other fish however. Do you have any other fish that interest you. There are really a lot of options

Do you know what type of filter it is? GPH, brand or anything? Are you planning a planted tank or just using fake plants?

as for cycling there are some great articles on the site

here is one for fish in cycling
Fish-in Cycling: Step over into the dark side - Aquarium Advice

and this for fish less
The (almost) Complete Guide and FAQ to Fishless Cycling - Aquarium Advice

both have their pros and cons. Read them through and see what would work best for you and what you plan to stock. Some fish are too sensitive to survive a fish in cycle too so that will weigh in.

You certainly came to the right spot for help.

Thanks one angel, and those blue and red tetras, how many can i keep? Also guppys and gouramis!

 

[special lighting]

Here is a great article is use as my guide every time I do a fishless cycle and it works perfect everytime.

Fishless Cycling - Article at The Age of Aquariums - Tropical Fish

And yes 30 gal is way too small for even one Bala Shark. You will need a 55 gal tank at a minimum to keep even 1 shark.

You reccomend fishless?

 

[special lighting]

Welcome to the freshwater world!

A 30 gallon isn't big enough for any shark. You would want 50-55gal min to keep 1. In a 30 you can keep a single angel. You would want bigger to keep a pair. You could happily do the single angel and some other fish however. Do you have any other fish that interest you. There are really a lot of options

Do you know what type of filter it is? GPH, brand or anything? Are you planning a planted tank or just using fake plants?

as for cycling there are some great articles on the site

here is one for fish in cycling
Fish-in Cycling: Step over into the dark side - Aquarium Advice

and this for fish less
The (almost) Complete Guide and FAQ to Fishless Cycling - Aquarium Advice

both have their pros and cons. Read them through and see what would work best for you and what you plan to stock. Some fish are too sensitive to survive a fish in cycle too so that will weigh in.

You certainly came to the right spot for help.

Ohh and ijust want fish with fake plants its a regular hob

 

[Calypso77]

You reccomend fishless?

Yes I do recommend fishless. I have done both and fish in takes a very long time and I lost a lot of fish cycling my tank. My fishless took 2 weeks and then added fish and had no issues or deaths.

 

[special lighting]

Yes I do recommend fishless. I have done both and fish in takes a very long time and I lost a lot of fish cycling my tank. My fishless took 2 weeks and then added fish and had no issues or deaths.

Okay is their any other way i can inteoduce ammonia into tank?

 

[tamtam]

Thanks one angel, and those blue and red tetras, how many can i keep? Also guppys and gouramis!

hmm, that set up is sort of a hit or miss set up. lol. A lot really comes down to your fish and there own temperment

Gourami and angel sometimes do well together but gourami can kind of be butt heads. Sometimes those long angel fins can become a tempting target. Same with the guppies and gourami. I've heard a lot of situations where it didn't work out but at the same time I've heard plenty where it has. I'm actually setting up a 30 gallon myself with an angel, I'm going to try a sunset gourami in the tank with it, I already have the gourami in my 20 gal community. He's pretty timid so I thought I'd try and if it doesn't work than he can go back in the 20.

Do you mean cardinals or neons. They are both pretty similar in looks and get mixed up a lot. Cardinals have the red the whole way up their body and the neons only about halfway. I would personally go with cardinals as they are a bit bigger than the neons. As the angel grows the neons may become a snack to the angel. IT's one of those things that may or may not happen. I've often heard that if you get angels when they are small and have them grow with the neons than they will sometimes forget about them but it's no guarantee.

Stocking wise you could manage 10 neons, an angel, a honey gourami and 4-5 guppies well enough and still probably have some room for something else. Your angel, gourami and neons though are all upper level swimmers so I would pick something that would be more lower level. Guppies are generally all over.

Another good option if you wanted to replace the guppies are platy. They are really good fish and do great with angels, gourami and tetras.

as for the ammonia, using pure ammonia is the easiest way. You could use a raw shrimp or fish food but that can get pretty nasty/messy and who knows how much it will take to get the levels up high enough for the cycle. There is fish in *** well but gourami can be a bit sensitive so I would forgo fish in with him.

 

[special lighting]

hmm, that set up is sort of a hit or miss set up. lol. A lot really comes down to your fish and there own temperment

Gourami and angel sometimes do well together but gourami can kind of be butt heads. Sometimes those long angel fins can become a tempting target. Same with the guppies and gourami. I've heard a lot of situations where it didn't work out but at the same time I've heard plenty where it has. I'm actually setting up a 30 gallon myself with an angel, I'm going to try a sunset gourami in the tank with it, I already have the gourami in my 20 gal community. He's pretty timid so I thought I'd try and if it doesn't work than he can go back in the 20.

Do you mean cardinals or neons. They are both pretty similar in looks and get mixed up a lot. Cardinals have the red the whole way up their body and the neons only about halfway. I would personally go with cardinals as they are a bit bigger than the neons. As the angel grows the neons may become a snack to the angel. IT's one of those things that may or may not happen. I've often heard that if you get angels when they are small and have them grow with the neons than they will sometimes forget about them but it's no guarantee.

Stocking wise you could manage 10 neons, an angel, a honey gourami and 4-5 guppies well enough and still probably have some room for something else. Your angel, gourami and neons though are all upper level swimmers so I would pick something that would be more lower level. Guppies are generally all over.

Another good option if you wanted to replace the guppies are platy. They are really good fish and do great with angels, gourami and tetras.

as for the ammonia, using pure ammonia is the easiest way. You could use a raw shrimp or fish food but that can get pretty nasty/messy and who knows how much it will take to get the levels up high enough for the cycle. There is fish in *** well but gourami can be a bit sensitive so I would forgo fish in with him.

Ohh okay i see, im not going to put angel fish then lol, can i put in ballon ram? And as to the ammonia were can i buy it?

 

[Pipedreamer86]

I got my ammonia from the dollar tree

 

[special lighting]

I got my ammonia from the dollar tree

Lol ill check my local dollar tree then

 

[tamtam]

Ohh okay i see, im not going to put angel fish then lol, can i put in ballon ram? And as to the ammonia were can i buy it?

most hardware stores. You want to be sure it's pure, with no cleaners/dyes, ect.. If you are in the state Ace Hardware Janitorial Strength is popular on the forum.

Rams should be fine. They are very sensitive fish so you want your tank well established before adding them. Especially a balloon belly, balloons typically are less hardy but temperament wise they will be fine. You could actually do a pair in 30 gallons and since they occupy the lower level it will add a nice balance.

So yea you could do the 2 rams, gourami, 10ish neons/cardinals and then a few guppies. Make sure if you do both sexes on the guppies you have at least 2 females to 1 male. The males will stress the females out trying to breed, so having more females helps with that. Depending on your filtration/GPH you might have a bit more room.

 

[special lighting]

most hardware stores. You want to be sure it's pure, with no cleaners/dyes, ect.. If you are in the state Ace Hardware Janitorial Strength is popular on the forum.

Rams should be fine. They are very sensitive fish so you want your tank well established before adding them. Especially a balloon belly, balloons typically are less hardy but temperament wise they will be fine. You could actually do a pair in 30 gallons and since they occupy the lower level it will add a nice balance.

So yea you could do the 2 rams, gourami, 10ish neons/cardinals and then a few guppies. Make sure if you do both sexes on the guppies you have at least 2 females to 1 male. The males will stress the females out trying to breed, so having more females helps with that. Depending on your filtration/GPH you might have a bit more room.

Alright will do it their any recommendations for other fish?