First freshwater tank. Ideas, thoughts?

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!

in the pines

AC Members
Aug 27, 2007
91
0
6
just moved to Ruidoso, NM!
After waiting for close to a year, I am finally able to start my tank, and I'm so excited! I have been reading these forums for a number of months, and I have finally settled into my new apartment where I will stay for at least three years.

A friend gave me a tank and extras as follows:

30 gallon long
lid and light
air filter
whisper filter
heater
thermometer
gravel, which was still wet when I broke it out and placed it in the tank
some decorations

I filled the tank to 85% capacity about 24 hours ago, and wasn't able to plug anything in until I bought an extension, which I now have. The water in that time clouded up a bit, but appears to be clearing since I have been running the filters.

I bought the testing kits and today the results are:
pH = 7.4
NH3 = 0.025
NO-2 = <0.3 mg/L

I have added no ammonia to cycle the tank and don't know if I should do that. I also am clueless about whether or not I should buy the bio spira which the dealer recommended. He said that doing it "old school" was a waste of time. Most people here seem to think that "old school" is by far superior, but I don't know the thinking behind any of this. If anyone reads this, I would love your opinion.

For now, I will keep testing. If there are no changes over the next few days, I will add a bit of ammonia to see if my tank has the ability to handle it.

I can't wait to get my first dwarf powder blue gourami in there! Anyone have good mates for him? My son wants some sort of "shark." I like angels, fan tail guppies (which I know will be too irresistible for most fish, so no go with them, right?), and other pretty colorful fish. I would love ideas. Thanks.
 

DAVIDFBT

Extinct? Since when?
Feb 3, 2008
3,584
0
0
30
Great Lakes, Illinois
Real Name
Definitely not David
No angelfish or sharks. Guppies would be fine with the dwarf gourami. Read this link on freshwater cycling, and then go to a LFS and ask for a handful of gravel. What kind of filter is the whisper?
 

in the pines

AC Members
Aug 27, 2007
91
0
6
just moved to Ruidoso, NM!
No angelfish or sharks. Guppies would be fine with the dwarf gourami. Read this link on freshwater cycling, and then go to a LFS and ask for a handful of gravel. What kind of filter is the whisper?
Thanks for the reply.

I have gravel from my friend, enough to fill the bottom of the tank about an inch. It was still wet when I placed it in the tank, do I still need a bit of gravel from an LFS?

Why no angel fish or "sharks"?

Let me go look at the filter. It's a 40i. It sits in the tank.
 

DAVIDFBT

Extinct? Since when?
Feb 3, 2008
3,584
0
0
30
Great Lakes, Illinois
Real Name
Definitely not David
Thanks for the reply.

I have gravel from my friend, enough to fill the bottom of the tank about an inch. It was still wet when I placed it in the tank, do I still need a bit of gravel from an LFS?

Why no angel fish or "sharks"?

Let me go look at the filter. It's a 40i. It sits in the tank.

Did the friends gravel come from a healthy established tank?

Angel fish need a certain height so their fins don't drag along the ground, at least 18 inches. If your tank is at least that high, you can get them. No sharks because any "shark" gets to be 12 inches, and need at least a 55.

I would get another filter, maybe a Penguin 200 to go along with the current filter.
 

in the pines

AC Members
Aug 27, 2007
91
0
6
just moved to Ruidoso, NM!
Did the friends gravel come from a healthy established tank?

Angel fish need a certain height so their fins don't drag along the ground, at least 18 inches. If your tank is at least that high, you can get them. No sharks because any "shark" gets to be 12 inches, and need at least a 55.

I would get another filter, maybe a Penguin 200 to go along with the current filter.

ok. I will get another filter.

She said her tank was healthy. I didn't test it myself, so really, I don't know.

I measured from the gravel floor up and the water capacity is 15.5. inches, so no go with the angels. Next tank when husband graduates, maybe. When I set this up, I started talking with him about my second tank plans and he started grumbling. I think he sees this as a money pit. No appreciation for the beauty of a tank.

No shark or shark looking fisheys under a foot? :(
 

DAVIDFBT

Extinct? Since when?
Feb 3, 2008
3,584
0
0
30
Great Lakes, Illinois
Real Name
Definitely not David
No sharks, most of them are too aggressive for a community tank or just get too big in general. Thanks for the compliment on my tank. :)
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Xythadar

AC Members
Jun 20, 2008
48
0
0
37
Fargo, ND
Real Name
Thomas
No shark or shark looking fisheys under a foot? :(
I think a Ruby Shark / Red Rainbow Shark would work well. Usually not to aggressive, except vs same species, so if you get just 1 it should be fine. They get up to 5" approximately. There are also Bala Sharks and SAE look kinda like sharks. Don't know about Bala's but SAE are a nice community fish that serves the bonus of cleaning up some algae.
 

Lupin

Registered Member
Sep 21, 2006
21,430
13
0
Lupin Information Super Highway/Goldfish Informati
thegab.org
Real Name
Paul
Did the friends gravel come from a healthy established tank?

Angel fish need a certain height so their fins don't drag along the ground, at least 18 inches. If your tank is at least that high, you can get them. No sharks because any "shark" gets to be 12 inches, and need at least a 55.

I would get another filter, maybe a Penguin 200 to go along with the current filter.
A 30g should actually be able to support one angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare.

Not all sharks can reach 12 inches and these aren't true sharks anyway. You are referring to bala sharks and Columbian sharks which do grow to 12 inches and over however you are forgetting the Epalzeorhynchus frenatus and Epalzeorhynchus bicolor which do not grow beyond 6 inches.


No shark or shark looking fisheys under a foot? :(
Don't forget the following.
1. Epalzeorhynchus bicolor
2. Epalzeorhynchus frenatus
3. Puntius denisonii


I think a Ruby Shark / Red Rainbow Shark would work well. Usually not to aggressive, except vs same species, so if you get just 1 it should be fine. They get up to 5" approximately. There are also Bala Sharks and SAE look kinda like sharks. Don't know about Bala's but SAE are a nice community fish that serves the bonus of cleaning up some algae.
I agree.

If you want angelfish, do not attempt to keep the ruby and rainbow sharks at all due to compatibility and space issues.
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store