hey, i had a 55 gal tank that had an escalating algae problem, last weekend i got fed up with it, sold the fish and drained the tank and decided to start from scratch. Anyone have any ideas as to what new fish to put in, i want something low-maintance because i dont have a ton of time. Again, all ideas welcome, im just brainstorming. Thanks, Jacob
Suggestions for low-maintenance tank
- Thread starter angelfish123
- Start date
Tell us about the tank like it was before you drained it. That will help. How long was it set up? How often did you do water changes, and how big were they? How much light, any plants, how many and what kind of fish, what kind of substrate, and how many and what kind of fish. Do you know what kind of algae you were dealing with? All the info you can supply will help
The basic formula for a low maintenance tank is lots of low light plants (with low light), low stocking level, and good filtration.
I personally have like coldwater fish because they require less monitoring and if you away for too long just turn the heat down in my house and they require less food and produce less waste.
You also will need a timer for your lights and a python for your water changes. You may also want to get a automatic fish feeder. I've got one that the batteries last for 6 months (I change them every 3-4).
After you get it set up and established for 2-3 months you can leave not worry about it for 2 weeks or more other than check to see if they have food.
I do this in the spring and summer when I'm flying around the world and working 70 hour weeks.
I personally have like coldwater fish because they require less monitoring and if you away for too long just turn the heat down in my house and they require less food and produce less waste.
You also will need a timer for your lights and a python for your water changes. You may also want to get a automatic fish feeder. I've got one that the batteries last for 6 months (I change them every 3-4).
After you get it set up and established for 2-3 months you can leave not worry about it for 2 weeks or more other than check to see if they have food.
I do this in the spring and summer when I'm flying around the world and working 70 hour weeks.
coldwater fish such as goldfish acctually create much more waste than most tropical fish such as angelfish, tetras, corydoras, etc.
fish feeders are unreliable and often will stop working, and plus they have been known to overfeed the fish.
fish feeders are unreliable and often will stop working, and plus they have been known to overfeed the fish.
A room temperature tank with low lighting and very hardy low light plants such as java fern, java moss and anacharis. Stock could include 2 or 3 weather loaches on the bottom, one male and one or two female Florida flag fish and shoals of white cloud minnows and/or Killies.
Coldwater fish produce the same or less waste as tropical fish of the same mass at normal species temperature. Angels, tetra's, and cory's all don't come close to the same mass.. so guess what, they produce less waste.
As for there digestive tracts not being as efficient although this may be true, the lower energy at requirements at lower temps means the calculations are almost identical. Or more plainly: at 78F tropicals produce less waste than goldfish but in comparing a 78F tropical to a 60F goldfish, the goldfish produces much less.
Yes goldfish are big messy fish but look at the whole picture. If you are feeding and stocking right and keeping them cool, they are much easier to care for than tropicals IMO. (I've done both and tropicals were a lot more work, though very pretty). There's a reason they are the oldest and most popular aquarium fish.
As for the automatic feeder. Buy a quality one and set it to slightly underfeed your fish while your away. Cheap ones don't work well most of the time... surprise.
mellowvision
Seafood Lover
I agree. Shrimp are a little more forgiving as you will most likely keep getting more anyways...heavily planted helps but isnt a subsitute for maintence of course