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Getting into aquariums again.....

K

KDOG

Diamond Member
I am probably going to go with a 29 or 55 gal tank. I've been doing a lot of reading online and was surprised to learn that a larger tank is easier to maintain than smaller ones because its more comfy for the fish, and changes to the water don't happen as suddenly as in a small tank thus not affecting that fish as harshly. I've had a couple of aquariums in the past with good results, they were 10 gallon aquariums so I'm ready to move up but want to do it right. Any good online sources for setting up a tropical tank? I know to let the water sit and settle for a couple of days or more before adding fish.

Any good online resources for noobs on this?
 
Originally posted by: KDOG
I am probably going to go with a 29 or 55 gal tank. I've been doing a lot of reading online and was surprised to learn that a larger tank is easier to maintain than smaller ones because its more comfy for the fish, and changes to the water don't happen as suddenly as in a small tank thus not affecting that fish as harshly. I've had a couple of aquariums in the past with good results, they were 10 gallon aquariums so I'm ready to move up but want to do it right. Any good online sources for setting up a tropical tank? I know to let the water sit and settle for a couple of days or more before adding fish.

Any good online resources for noobs on this?
Click to expand...

Actually, there's a great deal more to it than just letting the water sit and settle...you have a LOT to learn...

Most of the aquarium sites I frequent are geared towards saltwater reefs, but here's one very good freshwater site:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/

http://www.aquariacentral.com/...301c7fcc062bcf934&f=20
 
I have a 20 gallon tank, I've thought about going freshwater again. Guppies are so freaking easy to take care of 😛
 
Hmmmm, I'm not interested in going saltwater and/or real plants. Thanks for the link to that forum, just joined so I'll post a topic or two tonite...
 
I just recently took care of some fish and it was pretty fun. I recommend starving them for a couple of days, the feeding is so much more fun. The fish body check each other for food, steal each others food, jump out of the tank for food, it's a total frenzy. I would honestly throw in a crazy piranha once a month and see the tank vs it battle. But make sure you get some fish that can fight back half descently, unless you want total carnage. Man I should really get an aquarium too 🙁 or better yet a crazy red ant farm, and drop in a racoon here and there to battle.

Who's with me?
 
I had aquariums for years until I moved. I had the biggest fish that anyone had seen, everyone asked me how I did it.
I found an old book written in the 1950's where he talked about how to feed your fish and a proper diet. He listed things like garden peas, fresh meat, etc. So I thought why not try it.
It worked. I fed my tropical tanks a regular diet of meat. I would take things like chicken I had cooked, wash it off, and tie it to sewing thread. Then I would hang it in the water for a bit.
The fish attacked it and when they were through , I just pulled out the left overs.
 
First thing you need to decide on is what kind of fish you want, "tropical" is a broad term. Basically you want them to be compatible with the type of water they prefer and personality/aggressiveness.

Generally speaking, I agree that a bigger tank is better.
 
Yes I definetly don't want fish that will go after each other. I like the little "Glow" fish I saw in wallyworld the other day. But I just don't want to throw a bunch of fish together.
 
KDOG, I've had two tanks ... a 20 (which has been retired) and a 55. The 55 is a LOT more stable, easier to maintain than the 20.

I do african cichlids, they are tropical, have good color, are decently aggressive but can typically hold their ground, swim a lot, rearrange the tank a lot, and are very hardy. I have had really good success with them. I threw in a few large danios, they swim really quickly and are always on the move and tend to swim closer to the surface.

Don't throw a community fish in to a cichlid tank, or a fish that is too small in a mostly adult tank or it won't make it past 24 hours.
 
I do african cichlids, they are tropical, have good color, are decently aggressive but can typically hold their ground, swim a lot, rearrange the tank a lot, and are very hardy.
Click to expand...

Yep, I have a 72 bow front with @ 15 Cichlids.

They're aggressive enough to keep it interesting.

My favorite hangout was Cichlid Forum.
 
If you are looking for low maintainance, go for live plants.

I have a dirt substraite in my tank (55gal), combined with plenty of low-light live plants. The only thing I do to maintain the tank is to add water to it every few weeks, and replace the filters once a month. No cleaning, vacuuming, scrubbing, chemicals, etc... I have been running this tank for 2 years now, and not a single one of the 20 tetras in it has died. I also have some bamboo shrimp as well.

The fish take care of the dying plant material as well, so no work needed on the plants either. It's all about finding a balance of fish and plants. The snail population will grow and shrink on its own as needed.

The snails take care of the algea, and the live plants take care of the fish waste (as long as you have a good balance of plants and fish).

The only thing you have to be careful of is to get fish that wont uproot your plants (i.e. cichlids)


edit: as far as types of fish go, tetras are easy to keep, and look nice in the tank. I like them because they are dumb, which means they will swim in the middle of the tank. Smarter fish tend to swim up and down on the sides of the tank trying to figure out how to get out. Tetras are oblivious and will school together and make use of the whole tank.
 
Originally posted by: bignateyk
If you are looking for low maintainance, go for live plants.

I have a dirt substraite in my tank (55gal), combined with plenty of low-light live plants. The only thing I do to maintain the tank is to add water to it every few weeks, and replace the filters once a month. No cleaning, vacuuming, scrubbing, chemicals, etc... I have been running this tank for 2 years now, and not a single one of the 20 tetras in it has died. I also have some bamboo shrimp as well.

The snails take care of the algea, and the live plants take care of the fish waste (as long as you have a good balance of plants and fish).

The only thing you have to be careful of is to get fish that wont uproot your plants (i.e. cichlids)
Click to expand...

What takes care of the snails? Anytime I have had those in an aquarium they would populate like crazy.
 
Originally posted by: Linflas
Originally posted by: bignateyk
..)
Click to expand...

What takes care of the snails? Anytime I have had those in an aquarium they would populate like crazy.
Click to expand...

The snail population in my tank fluctuates on it's own, but has never gotten out of hand. There might be 100 or so in my 55gal tank.
 
Man. I used to have a 100gal tank once and had an extremely expensive array of fish. The upkeep of this cost me a bloddy fortune. And the tank broke and floodded my apartment and several below me so I gave it up and got a cat. Much easier to maintain. 🙂 but having a nice aquarium is so freaking relaxing and beautiful.
 
Originally posted by: Oyeve
....the tank broke and floodded my apartment and several below me ...l.
Click to expand...

Yikes. I bet THAT sucked. Did they charge you to clean it up? 100 gallons must've made quite a mess.... ugh.

I'm going to look around for dedicated fishtank stores and look around. Who knows I may want to go with one of those big hexagonals I saw a while back.

 
As a general rule, do NOT get your fishy advice from pet stores. MOST of the time, they don't really have a clue, and their sole purpose is to sell you something...even when you don't need it or it won't help your problem.

There are some very good internet forums out there with knowledgable folks whose only goal is to help you succeed...NOT make a profit on you...
 
i guess ATOT would be a decent online resource.

a 55 would be great for a little community tank. if you throw 3-4 of each species into it youll get a little bit more flexibility as far as aggresiveness towards other fish goes. some of the aggresive fish tend to harass thier own kind before going after others.
 
Originally posted by: randay
i guess ATOT would be a decent online resource.

a 55 would be great for a little community tank. if you throw 3-4 of each species into it youll get a little bit more flexibility as far as aggresiveness towards other fish goes. some of the aggresive fish tend to harass thier own kind before going after others.
Click to expand...

Some of the worst aquarium advice I've ever seen has been on ATOT...NOT the place I'd recommend. While there are a few knowledgable people here, the vast majority are clueless about aquariums...

Kind of like the customers they complain about when they're doing whatever IT/helpdesk job they have...
 
Originally posted by: BoomerD
Originally posted by: randay
i guess ATOT would be a decent online resource.

a 55 would be great for a little community tank. if you throw 3-4 of each species into it youll get a little bit more flexibility as far as aggresiveness towards other fish goes. some of the aggresive fish tend to harass thier own kind before going after others.
Click to expand...

Some of the worst aquarium advice I've ever seen has been on ATOT...NOT the place I'd recommend. While there are a few knowledgable people here, the vast majority are clueless about aquariums...

Kind of like the customers they complain about when they're doing whatever IT/helpdesk job they have...
Click to expand...

well to be fair he'll probably get pretty bad advice anywhere. its up to him to use decide whats good advice and whats bad.

its a learning process anyway. you cant make an omelet without killing a few tankfuls of fish... uh... yeah.
 
Originally posted by: Oyeve
Man. I used to have a 100gal tank once and had an extremely expensive array of fish. The upkeep of this cost me a bloddy fortune. And the tank broke and floodded my apartment and several below me so I gave it up and got a cat. Much easier to maintain. 🙂 but having a nice aquarium is so freaking relaxing and beautiful.
Click to expand...

One of the reasons I went with an acrylic tank for my reef. I can't imagine having that much water spill out onto the floor.

OP, you don't just let the water sit to settle...you want it to cycle.
 
They're awesome when done right, but reef tanks pretty much require you to replace any copper plumbing in your house, or buy all your water for the tank, which is 10% of the total per week, not counting evaporation.

A 55 gallon tank, which is quite small for saltwater, requires you to replace about 6 gallons of pre-salted/elemented de-chlorinated water per week. Your startup and maintence cost for a project like this will be considerable, and it will also make quite a dent in your free time.

Have fun with that.

If you remain serious, I would consult with Old Town Aquarium in Chicago regardless of where you live.
 
Originally posted by: BoomerD
Originally posted by: KDOG
I am probably going to go with a 29 or 55 gal tank. I've been doing a lot of reading online and was surprised to learn that a larger tank is easier to maintain than smaller ones because its more comfy for the fish, and changes to the water don't happen as suddenly as in a small tank thus not affecting that fish as harshly. I've had a couple of aquariums in the past with good results, they were 10 gallon aquariums so I'm ready to move up but want to do it right. Any good online sources for setting up a tropical tank? I know to let the water sit and settle for a couple of days or more before adding fish.

Any good online resources for noobs on this?
Click to expand...

Actually, there's a great deal more to it than just letting the water sit and settle...you have a LOT to learn...

Most of the aquarium sites I frequent are geared towards saltwater reefs, but here's one very good freshwater site:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/

http://www.aquariacentral.com/...301c7fcc062bcf934&f=20
Click to expand...

To do salt water right involes-- $$$$$$!!
 
Originally posted by: Old Hippie
I do african cichlids, they are tropical, have good color, are decently aggressive but can typically hold their ground, swim a lot, rearrange the tank a lot, and are very hardy.
Click to expand...

Yep, I have a 72 bow front with @ 15 Cichlids.

They're aggressive enough to keep it interesting.

My favorite hangout was Cichlid Forum.
Click to expand...
- excellent site

 
Originally posted by: randay
i guess ATOT would be a decent online resource.

a 55 would be great for a little community tank. if you throw 3-4 of each species into it youll get a little bit more flexibility as far as aggresiveness towards other fish goes. some of the aggresive fish tend to harass thier own kind before going after others.
Click to expand...

Not all the advice you would get even in this thread is correct.

For example......it was mentioned by Bignateyk that Tetras are easy to keep and look nice in the aquarium........which is true!
What was not mentioned was that Tetras can be and are often aggressive towards othger fish.....not all tetras but quite a few!!

But to be honest is there is a learning curve and you will lose a few fish before you get up to speed!

Good Luck!!
 
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