It's a 20g tank (24x12x16) with a Whisper 40 Power Filter, dark gravel substrate, and currently only four really tiny plants. I also have some driftwood and am planning on getting a Java fern.
I would like to stock the tank with:
1 Bristlenose Pleco (Ancistrus Temminckii)
2 Peacock Gudgeon (Tateurndina Ocellicauda)
6 Neon Tetras (Paracheirodon Innesi)
6 Hatchet Fish (Gasteropelecus Sternicla)
I realize that once these grow full size the tank might get a bit crowded, but I'm planning on buying and setting up a bigger tank within the next month or so, and transferring one of the schools and possibly the Pleco to it, if needed.
From everything I've read, they seem to be compatible. A 7.0 PH, 5-6 GH, with a temp of 76 should keep them all happy. It says that the Gudgeon's will defend a breeding spot, but they all seem to be fairly non-aggressive fish.
I also have a question about driftwood - how are you supposed to boil it? Maybe the piece I got was just too big, but there's no way it could fit in a pot...the LFS said that it'd be fine if I just soaked it, but everything on here says it needs to be boiled.
Thanks in advance for any replies!
New Fish Tank
24 posts • Page 1 of 3
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faile486 - Posts: 65
- Joined: Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:20 pm
I was hoping someone had an idea that wouldn't involve spending another $30! I guess I'll be able to reuse it when I get a bigger tank...and we can always start eating more soup ^.^
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a1k8t31524 - Posts: 939
- Joined: Sat May 26, 2007 5:10 am
well if your LFS has any wood in there show tanks see if you can buy the wood out of there, that is what i did, it was a little bit more expensive, but i did not have to boit it, deal with any leaching and it gave my cycle a nice little boost, alond with the plants...
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Zambize4899 - Posts: 499
- Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:35 am
You don't have to boil it, you can soak it. Soaking just takes longer. I've boiled driftwood and it worked fine. I've also bought driftwood out of tanks at the lfs and that was much easier. Besides, if the water in the driftwood boils down and you don't notice it....it really smells.
You can also just put the chunk in your tank, it'll stain the water, but putting charcoal in your filter and doing frequent water changes will clear it up soon.
You didn't say whether or not your tank is fully cycled. I'm not sure about all the fish, but those tetras are sensitive and need a mature tank.
Zambize
You can also just put the chunk in your tank, it'll stain the water, but putting charcoal in your filter and doing frequent water changes will clear it up soon.
You didn't say whether or not your tank is fully cycled. I'm not sure about all the fish, but those tetras are sensitive and need a mature tank.
Zambize
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faile486 - Posts: 65
- Joined: Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:20 pm
My ammonia and nitrites were at the lowest that my testing kit detects (0.0-0.3 maybe? I'd have to go pull it out and check to be sure). I've got 8 plants in there right now, bought 4 more when I went to the fish store earlier, and they're a bit bigger - also got a piece of rock with some caves/tunnels in it.
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edub6307 - Posts: 32
- Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2008 2:36 am
when you have a freshwater aquarium you dont need Test Kits, and that PH stuff. I had a 20G freshwater tank, with 2 power filters and thats all. (for 5 years) No fish died because of the PH or anything else!
(but I dont know, every tank is diffrent!)
(but I dont know, every tank is diffrent!)
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a1k8t31524 - Posts: 939
- Joined: Sat May 26, 2007 5:10 am
i think that many of the people on this site will strongly disagree with you on that point. water testing is essential to any aquarium fresh or salt water,
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a1k8t31524 - Posts: 939
- Joined: Sat May 26, 2007 5:10 am
i mean if you wanna test it do buy yourself a couple nice expensive Discus with no testing equipt. and see what happens :)
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faile486 - Posts: 65
- Joined: Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:20 pm
I lived with two vet majors for a year, who had a ton of aquariums...it's what got me into it. This tank has actually been set up before, but they took it over and I didn't really learn anything from it...other than the need to test your water. The LFS that we used wouldn't let you buy a fish without a water sample unless they knew you had a fully established tank. I just decided to do it myself this time rather than driving somewhere to have it done ^^;
