# Total Newbie...HELP!!!



## Chloe'n'Holly (Jan 28, 2008)

Hey,
So I am new to this forum or any forum for that matter. I am 22, live in Canada and I love animals. This will be my second post here

I have a dog and two mice and I just got a very tiny fish tank to start myself off with. My parents have had many aquariums over the years but I have never been allowed to help them care for the fish or clean or test or anything like that. I once got to pick out some new fish but thats about it. I am very excited to finally start my own tank. I have a 50 gallon tank I want to set later in the year when I figure out how to get my smaller one going. I figure....start off small and work my way up!

I need some tips and suggestions though so maybe some of you could help me. I have a 1.5 gallon tank and I haven't set up ANYTHING yet. No water, no plants I havent't even got any gravel yet. My questions are #1 - What type of filter should I get? # 2 - What plants should I put into it? # 3 - And most importantly what kind of fish should I house in the aquarium? I was thinking maybe some rainbow tetras or a few mollies? I don't know, any help is appreciated and any other bit of info or tips/suggestions that anyone can give me are also welcome. Thanks so much!


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## Guest (Jan 28, 2008)

You are starting off with a very small fish tank and if you have the room, I'd suggest something larger to begin with. Even a 10g would be better and you'd have better fish choices.

Actually, the bigger tank the better and with larger water volume, there is less room for error. So, if you can get the 50g setup now, you'll definitely be happier IMO.

1.5g tanks are really only large enough for a single Betta or some shrimp. I would not put Tetras or Mollies in there because there is not enough swimming room for either.

Plant choice depends on your lighting if you are wanting live plants. How many watts is the light fixture?

If you decide to setup the 1.5g, then look for a nano filter, like this one http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3579+3608+9821&pcatid=9821.


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## Chloe'n'Holly (Jan 28, 2008)

I am going to get a 10 gallon tank from my brother. I will keep the 1.5 gallon but maybe I will use it for something else?

The reason I don't want to set up my 50 gallon yet is because I don't have a proper stand or a good spot to place it yet. And by good spot I mean somewhere not in direct, constant sunlight or near a drafty door/window. 

Now if I switch to a 10 gallon what types of plants can I put into the tank? I want to use live plants because I don't like plastic plants and I have heard that live plants in an aquarium are better for water and fish health. 

I am going to have to buy everything for this tank and I am sort of on a limited budget. Are certain types of filters better than others? I assume certain lights are better than other by your question of wattage (btw there is no light on the 1.5 gallon). How long do I have to wait to add plants, and fish after putting water into the tank. I was just reading something that said I have to let my tank "cycle" before I put fish into it? 

My brain hurts haha!


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## Guest (Jan 28, 2008)

Chloe'n'Holly said:


> I am going to get a 10 gallon tank from my brother. I will keep the 1.5 gallon but maybe I will use it for something else?


You could get some shrimp for the 1.5g or use it for fry, if you choose to get livebearers.



> The reason I don't want to set up my 50 gallon yet is because I don't have a proper stand or a good spot to place it yet. And by good spot I mean somewhere not in direct, constant sunlight or near a drafty door/window.


Ohh, I see. Well a 10g is alot better than a 1.5g.  The 50g will have to wait.



> Now if I switch to a 10 gallon what types of plants can I put into the tank? I want to use live plants because I don't like plastic plants and I have heard that live plants in an aquarium are better for water and fish health.


That depends on your lighting.  I'll talk about it below.



> I am going to have to buy everything for this tank and I am sort of on a limited budget. Are certain types of filters better than others? I assume certain lights are better than other by your question of wattage (btw there is no light on the 1.5 gallon). How long do I have to wait to add plants, and fish after putting water into the tank. I was just reading something that said I have to let my tank "cycle" before I put fish into it?


I understand being on a budget.  If the 10g you get doesn't come with a hood, I suggest getting a hood that holds 2 screw in bulbs. They usually come with incandescent bulbs (orange-red looking when turned on), but you can replace them for cheap with bulbs from the lighting department. The bulbs are Compact fluorescent bulbs that you can screw in the hood and you want to get the daylight ones. 

Some filters are better than others. Usually, you get what you pay for, so if you go really cheap, you aren't getting a good quality filter. I suggest getting a hang on back (HOB) power filter. Aquaclear brand filters are really good. I suggest getting the Aquaclear 20 for a 10g. Also, if you order online, they ship to Canada and this filter looks good: http://www.bigalsonline.ca/BigAlsCA/ctl3664/cp17903/si2580134/cl0/aqueonpowerfilter10, although i've never used it.

As far as other equipment goes, I'm assuming you know to get a heater (50 watts will work), gravel or sand, a thermometer, and water dechlorinator. Also, some driftwood would look nice and would be useful to put plants on. It would also serve as a hiding spot.

You can add plants to the tank right away. You'll just need to have the hood with new bulbs in it first. As for the fish, you'll want to cycle the tank first. There is a link in the plant section on plants. 

on plants: http://www.fishforums.com/forum/aquatic-plants/18027-so-you-want-planted-tank.html. There is a link to the pics of the bulbs I was talking about above, in this article (the screw in compact fluorescents).

Read this about the nitrogen cycle: http://www.cichlidforum.com/articles/cycling.php

As far as fish choices go, I'd get a school of small tetras and a trio of Platies. The get a big smaller than Mollies. Or you could go with a school of tetras and a dwarf gourami or male betta. Or, get some shrimp and some tetras. Or, you can go with guppies, although I'd suggest against mixing sexes in a small tank (overrun with fry).


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## Chloe'n'Holly (Jan 28, 2008)

Yes I know to get a heater, gravel, thermometer, and filter. The tank I am getting from my brother was used to house a turtle (RIP poor Ralph). He is giving me a hood but I will have to get the bulbs for it. 

I would like to put some tetras into the tank. I will have to look up gourami. I am sure I know what it is (looks like of like a chiclid with long thin tendrils by the front pectoral fins?) but I am not that great with fish species. I know live bearers and chiclids because of my parents but not much else. 

My ultimate hope is to set up my 50 gallon (or bigger) with a pair of Tiger Oscars or something like them. My parents have a beautiful adult pair (Tiger Lily and Oscar) and I love them, they are so pretty. 

I will go out tonight after work and get myself a filter, heater, gravel, thermometer, the tank and some bulbs and start setting it up. I have a petsmart near my house that sells live plants so I will ask the people there what plants I can put in. 

I will let you know how it goes tomorrow. Thanks for your help so far!


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

i'd recommend harlequin rasboras instead of the tetras, just because they're so gorgeous and fun to watch!

honestly, a 50 gallon could really only hold one oscar, and a 75 is a better idea for one. i would not put 2 oscars in a 50. 

petsmart does sell live plants, but steer clear of the ones in plastic tubes, more often than not they're not truly aquatic and they won't do so well. some good beginner plants are java fern, anubias, anacharis, etc.


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## Clerk (Nov 22, 2006)

Ive only seen plastic tube plants (bulbs and otherwise) at Petco. Petsmarts around here only sell plants that are submerged in a separate aquatic system.

Agree on the beginner plant recommendations, you can try crypts as well, but they usually suffer from crypt rot (their leaves all wither away), but fret not, they grow back with leaves that are adjusted to your water properties and light.


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## chaotrix2 (Jan 28, 2008)

I would put some cherry barbs in the 10g if it's going to be quite heavily planted. They can be quite lively once they get settled in, if they don't appeal to you then i would go with the harlequins  

EDIT: oh and for the 1 and half gallon i would choose something like a pair of dwarf african frogs, i love those things =D


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## Chloe'n'Holly (Jan 28, 2008)

Thanks everyone for the pointers. I got the 10 gallon yesterday night and spent about four hours setting it up how I like! 

I got some gravel called flourite dark (??the guy at petsmart said it is good gravel for growing plants and keeping water clean??) and three plant bunches called anubias barteri. They are neat looking! I spent about two hours looking at all the fish and I think I am going to get some rasboras like you recommended Trashion...they were so neat looking! And also I will get some tetras....I have always loved phantom tetras and neon tetras. I also got a few rocks and made some nice little swim throughs and cave for my fishies when I get them.

Unfortunately I don't have any test kits yet because I was dumb and forgot to pick some up. That is another question I have, what kinds of test kits should I have? I will get an ammonia and a nitrate kit but are there other things I should keep an eye on as well?

And thanks trashion, I didn't know Tiger Oscars would need a bigger tank until I looked it up after reading your post. My parents 2 TO's are in a 150 gallon custom made aquarium. They are both over 10 inches long. I still hope to get a pair so maybe my 50 gallon can become a chichlid tank one day? Ahhh...dreams!

Thanks everyone for the help so far. I will probably have lots more questions when I get my fishies. 

One more question...How long does it normally take a tank to cycle?


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

don't get tetras and harlequins, pick one or the other as they are schooling fish. 1 school of tetras. i keep six harlies in my 15 gallon, though i may go with a few more. i think you could put 6 in your 10.


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## oliesminis (May 7, 2007)

all tanks take different amounts of time, depends if you have ammonia source however if you have no established source of ammonia then it wont cycle, however NEVER USE FISH to source ammonia


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## Chloe'n'Holly (Jan 28, 2008)

Ok so I have my test kits and I ended up buying a little meter that will tell me the ammonia level automatically. It only lasts 4 to 6 weeks before I have to replace it but hey its doing the job so far. 

Not too much longer before I will get some fish to add to it.

Oh and btw I set up my 1.5 gallon and I will add some ghost shrimp to it...they are so neat looking! I am having a hard time deciding if I want tetras or rasboras or barbs or guppies....I will be at the pet store for a while I think haha! I am leaning towards a little school of phantom tetras.


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

phantom tetras are very cool and very pretty fish. i'd recommend them.


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## Guest (Jan 31, 2008)

Your Anubias should be tied to wood or rocks. Don't plant them in the substrate.  The hard stem-like part will rot. A. barteri get huge! But, hopefully we'll talk you into setting up that 50g soonish.  The plants take a good while to get that large though.

As far as your school of fish go, Phantom tetras should be fine. If you can find the Harlequin rasboras and like them, they would be good too as an alternative. Like trashion said above, only choose one type and get 6 of them.

I'd skip the Barbs.....Tigers get too large and other Barbs are really too active for a 10g. Cherry Barbs would be ok, but I suggest having alot of plants for them to hide in.


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## Chloe'n'Holly (Jan 28, 2008)

Oh no worries JustOneMore20 I will be setting up my 50 gallon very soon I think. Haha...I have been all over the internet and the petstore. I think I will make my 50 gallon into a nice huge tropical freshwater aquarium. I like bala sharks and I want some of those....so the 50g looks like a nice place to set up a tropical tank! I will get an even bigger tank later on for the Tiger Oscars I want. 

My plants are zip tied onto a two pieces of drift wood. One bunch had some rot on the bottom wooden bits so I tossed before I even put it into the tank. They are nice tiny bunches so hopefully they will do well in my ten gallon and when I set up my 50g I will have some nice big healthy plants to add in there.

Do I have to wait for my 1.5 gallon to cycle before I put the ghost shrimp in?


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

even bala sharks are a poor choice for the 50 gallon. they do best in schools, and they'll reach a foot long, so if you figure 6 12" fish, you need a BIG tank.

i wouldn't put ghost shrimp in an uncycled tank. often they're bred as feeders, so they probably aren't the most hardy things.


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## Guest (Feb 1, 2008)

What you could do for the 1.5g is either cycle it before you put the ghost shrimp in, or wait for the 10g to cycle and take some of the gravel from it and then put the shrimp in with the gravel. The gravel will hold some good bacteria. Either way, you'll have to wait, but atleast you know the shrimp will be safe.

Ghost shrimp don't add a whole lot to the bioload, so you might be able to add in a few and then check the water parameters and do water changes accordingly, but it would be risking it.


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

hehe, 50 gallon really isnt that big. Balas get way too big for it. I wouldnt put anything that grows over 9, maybe 10" in there. Even a single oscar would not work.

With the 10g, go with some nice small tetras, maybe a betta, etc. Cant go wrong there. Make a new topic when you want to stock the 50g and Ill help you out- Cichlids are kind of like my "thing", and I know lots of cool species you may be interested in.


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## Chloe'n'Holly (Jan 28, 2008)

I had no idea that bala sharks got that big. My best friend has a 50 gallon tank with four bala sharks and she has had them for like 5 years now and they are all about 4 inches long. They are healthy and active and normal fish IMO. wow....learning new things here ALOT!!!

Gourami Swami...I will definitely keep you in mind when I get my oscars and if I ever set up a chichlid tank.


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## Madam Macaw (Jan 29, 2008)

Gourami Swami said:


> hehe, 50 gallon really isnt that big. Balas get way too big for it. I wouldnt put anything that grows over 9, maybe 10" in there. Even a single oscar would not work.
> 
> With the 10g, go with some nice small tetras, maybe a betta, etc. Cant go wrong there. Make a new topic when you want to stock the 50g and Ill help you out- Cichlids are kind of like my "thing", and I know lots of cool species you may be interested in.


I just saw this one and thought the colors were beautiful:
http://www.petsolutions.com/Wild-Chimba-Red-Moorii-Cichlid+I97600L+C80.aspx

How long have you had Cichlids? There are so many kinds that are just beautiful.


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## Chloe'n'Holly (Jan 28, 2008)

Sucess!! I got my fish! YAYAYAYAY!

I got a school of 7 phantom tetras. I got them yesterday afternoon and they are all doing well. All seven of them are less than 1.5 cm long so tiny little things for now. The guy at the fish store said that they will get to be maybe 3 or 3.5 cm long. So hopefully I will have transfered them to my 50 gallon by the time they are that size.

I also got two ghost shrimp for my little tank and they are doing well. I bought three but one died about two hours after I put them into the aquarium and I took it out right away. 

I am feeding them TetraAqua Tetra food and I also got some little blister packs of crushed brine shrimp because I read those were good for my tetras, are there other things I can give them as well? And what about my shrimp? I have a shrimp food (I can't remember what its called) they are sinking pellets, what else can I give them?


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## Guest (Feb 5, 2008)

Awesome!

Now that you have fish, you'll need to check your ammonia and nitrIte every day and do small water changes when the levels get about 0.5ppm of either.

You could get some algae wafers for the shrimp, if that's not what you have now. They'll like those.

For the tetras, if you have pellet food, you could get some flake food to alternate with (or the reverse if you have flakes).


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

BTW, if she has had them for 5 years and they are 4" long, they are FAR from healthy. SHould be at least a foot after that long. Most definately stunted,

And you say when you get you O's... your not still planning to get them for a 50g, right? There are many other similar fish.

And madam macaw, that cichlid would be a very bad beginner choice. Tropheus are notoriously violent, expensive, and need a species- only tank.

Again, when your ready to stock the tank, just ask me  I have lots of useful cichlid information.


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## Madam Macaw (Jan 29, 2008)

Gourami Swami said:


> BTW, if she has had them for 5 years and they are 4" long, they are FAR from healthy. SHould be at least a foot after that long. Most definately stunted,
> 
> And you say when you get you O's... your not still planning to get them for a 50g, right? There are many other similar fish.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the advice, but I am not interested in getting any chichlid - just thought they were pretty. My tank will hopefully be a peaceful one. 

I think I have it narrowed down to:
6 Gourami (Pearl or Dwarf) - though not 100% on these because of the susceptibility to parasites
10 Skunk or Julii Cory
2 Pleco (Medussa and Bristlenose I think)
6 Black Widow/Skirted Tetras

I think I will keep the Mollys and swordtails that I already have in the 10 gallon.


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

This is a 55 your talking about? Sounds good.

And yes, that tropheus local is very pretty.


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## Madam Macaw (Jan 29, 2008)

Gourami Swami said:


> This is a 55 your talking about? Sounds good.
> 
> And yes, that tropheus local is very pretty.


Yes, the 55 gallon.

The colors were absolutely breathtaking.


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## Chloe'n'Holly (Jan 28, 2008)

Well sadly two of my tetras died yesterday. I came home from work and they was floating....poor guys ... or gals .... All my levels are in the norm, I checked them right away. 

I am feeding my tetras a flake food. And the food I have for my shrimp are algea wafers. I experimented last night by giving my tetras and my shrimp each a little thingy of brine shrimp and they LOVED them! So that is good news. 

I want to add a cory or two to my 10 gallon. They have two kinds at my fish store, bronze cory's and harlequin cory's.....I think I will get the bronze ones because they are less expensive and they are sparkly to.....and I like shiny things haha!!!

I should add my nitrate and ammonia levels are 0 in both tanks. So....so far so good.

And Gourami Swami I am not going to put the oscars in my 50 gallon. I am going to make my 50 gallon into a nice tropical freshwater tank.

I actually am trying to talk my friend into giving me her tank. She has an old one sitting in her garage that is 120 or 130 gallons and hasn't been used in a long time. It has a nice stand and everything too! She thinks her husband might want it for something.....but he is the type of guy who will say he wants to do something and then only does it 5 years later after someone says "Hey why didn't you do that thing you wanted to do five years ago?"


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

cories need to be kept in groups, so "a cory or two" is a bad idea. plus, most species get too big for a 10 gallon, with the exception of dwarf species (habrosus, hastatus, pygmaeus)


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## Guest (Feb 8, 2008)

Cories also aren't very hardy, like tetras, so I would not add them until the tank is cycled (and it isn't yet). You should see some ammonia readings soon. Wait on the cories. You'll be happy you did.

Also, Bronze Cories get too large for a 10g and I'm not sure what species Harlequin Cories are. If you are sure that you'll setup your 50g in the next year, then the Bronze might be ok until then, but you'll need to move them to the bigger tank eventually.


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## Chloe'n'Holly (Jan 28, 2008)

I don't know when I will get more fish. I put my ghost shrimp into my ten gallon because my friend got rid of her betta. She gave him to me so I put him into my 1.5 gallon tank. He seems to like...been in there for almost two days know and is pretty active. 

I am going to set up my 50 g soon. I got a stand and my friend gave me her 120 gallon tank. It is in my basement and I will set it up much later on in the future. I am way excited about that. 

Anyways...I will keep the updates commming ttyl.


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