Hello all, I'm brand new to this board and appresciate any help. I have a thriving 75 gal. salty tank w/ live rock, mushrooms, and healthy fish, but I want to set up a 29 gal. frewhwater community tank, and frankly, I'm a bit confused! Since I was a youngster I always thought that freshwater tanks were a simple add water + fish affair. But after some researh I've found that I may have missed quite a bit. So, I have a 29 gal. glass tank, and am serioulsly thinking about purchsing the Eclipse hood, 150W heater and an air pump/or PH for extra cirsulation. First, is the Eclipse hood a good idea? Second, I plan on putting in a moderate amont of substrate (1") or so of store bought gravel. So. after setting up, what are my options to cycle the tank? I would like to cycle with a fish (or 2 or 3 if needed), but I really have no idea what to start with. I would greatly appreciate any help on how to initally set up this system to let it cycle and then what livestock to initally add. Thanks all!
Super Newbie Question
- Thread starter Teledude
- Start date
Start with the fish-- in a different sense-- and build out from there. You have two givens: one is your 29-gallon tank, the other is your water in Ogden UT. You need to find a species of fish that's not going to get too large for a 29-gallon tank (i.e. not an Oscar or other big Central American cichlid) and that will thrive in your alkaline hard water.
Then you'll set up to suit that fish.
As for cycling the new tank, read the current thread about using BioSpira, since you don't want to do a "fishless" cycle. The LFS that carries BioSpira (it needs to be constantly refrigerated) may be the most progressive one in your locale.
Consider buying fish fromn the Internet, if you use one of the major on-line suppliers.
Then you'll set up to suit that fish.
As for cycling the new tank, read the current thread about using BioSpira, since you don't want to do a "fishless" cycle. The LFS that carries BioSpira (it needs to be constantly refrigerated) may be the most progressive one in your locale.
Consider buying fish fromn the Internet, if you use one of the major on-line suppliers.
i got some water (about 1 1/2g) and a red claw crab from my LFS. i let that cycle for a week and put a CAE and a ghost catfish(with 2 more gal of LFS water)and they seems to do fine (i'm about 4 weeks in)BTW i have hard water(7.8ph)
Zebra Danios are great fish for cycling a new aquarium, they are very hardy and extremely active. I also have a 29 gallon freshwater aquarium and initially added 6 Zebra Danios, and all has been well.
Happy Fish Keeping
Happy Fish Keeping
I'd second WetManNY's recommendations. If you don't cycle fishlessly, and if you can't find BioSpira, you will need to start slowly when you choose your fish, adding only a couple at a time. You'll have to check ammonia/nitrite during the cycle and change water sufficient to keep those levels fairly low (e.g., below 1.5 ppm ammonia and below .5 ppm nitrite). Some people who cycle with fish use 'hardy' fish like danios, but unless you plan to keep them, you then have to arrange for the LFS to take them back. Sure you don't want to try fishless?
As for your setup, the Eclipse seems to be pretty well regarded. It has a biowheel filter, of course, so it should do fine with regard to biofiltration. Depending on your fishload, you may not need any additional filtration or circulation. If you stock heavily, you'll probably want a backup filter or prefiltered powerhead.
The one thing I'd suggest you reconsider is the 150w heater. That's a pretty good-sized heater for a tank of that size, and if it ever stuck in the 'on' position, you'd have parboiled fish. You can probably get buy with 100 watts of heating, unless your house undergoes dramatic temperature shifts over the course of the day (e.g., if you live in a cold climate and have the thermostat set to drop 10 degrees at night). In any case, you'd be safer splitting the heater load up over a couple heaters, say 2 50w or 2 75w heaters.
HTH,
Jim
As for your setup, the Eclipse seems to be pretty well regarded. It has a biowheel filter, of course, so it should do fine with regard to biofiltration. Depending on your fishload, you may not need any additional filtration or circulation. If you stock heavily, you'll probably want a backup filter or prefiltered powerhead.
The one thing I'd suggest you reconsider is the 150w heater. That's a pretty good-sized heater for a tank of that size, and if it ever stuck in the 'on' position, you'd have parboiled fish. You can probably get buy with 100 watts of heating, unless your house undergoes dramatic temperature shifts over the course of the day (e.g., if you live in a cold climate and have the thermostat set to drop 10 degrees at night). In any case, you'd be safer splitting the heater load up over a couple heaters, say 2 50w or 2 75w heaters.
HTH,
Jim