# My new 10 Gallon Hex tank



## jbrown5217

For $30 I couldn't pass it up. It came with a stand (no place for it in my room so its in my car for now), the tank, a heater, an aquaclear 150 filter, a sponge for the filter, carbon for the filter, and Decorations. 

The only sad part is the tank has a sealed up crack in it so I need to test it to make sure if it holds water, which I am doing tonight. Even if it doesn't I can always seal it up tighter. Even if I don't I paid less for all of this than I would in a store. So hooray! If the tank holds water it will become my white cloud mountain minnow tank and hopefully I still get the 20 gal for xmas so I can make a tropical tank as well 

Pictures below none of the stand though as it has some mold on it (the guy was keeping it in his shed) so I need to get that off.


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## SuckMyCichlids

thats a great deal bro congrats, im sure your white clouds will definetly enjoy that one a bit more lol


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## Rob72

good deal on it man, hope you can fix it and set it up and have a great tank


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## jbrown5217

thank you, the patch job the guy did on the crack was well done as it isn't showing any signs of leaking, but I am gonna leave water in overnight to be sure.

Also I removed the backing. I ddin't really like it. Are there any other options I could do so it isn't see through past the back of the tank?


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## Rob72

you could paint it, if you wanted to, or petsmart, petco has lots of just solid color backgrounds


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## SuckMyCichlids

you could just use a normal background and cut it when you have the back half covered?


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## jbrown5217

Cool the solid background color backings sound like a good idea. Maybe if I am ambitous enough I will paint it, probably not though lol.


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## SuckMyCichlids

yea i wouldnt trust my painting skills to do that haha


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## psionic

My idea is probably going to be laughed at, but I let my nieces draw my background for me lol. I just gave them a large piece of paper and I said to draw fish, water, whatever they wanted. They just went to town with it. It may not be the prettiest, but I love looking at it. It always makes me laugh.


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## jbrown5217

I like that idea. However, I do not have any nieces or nephews. I could have my gf paint something for the back of it, she is an illustrator after all.


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## susankat

Nice looking little tank, wish the pics were a little smaller though I have to scroll from left to right to see it.


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## psionic

I like it just because it seems more... personal in a way. Most backgrounds are just those plastic sheet things. You could go all out and craft one from Styrofoam lol. I however am not that talented at all. Your idea sounds good too. It would be nice to look in and see a little bit of what she added to it for you.


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## jbrown5217

susankat said:


> Nice looking little tank, wish the pics were a little smaller though I have to scroll from left to right to see it.


I made the images smaller Susan, they were huge when I edited them down they were over 3,000 pixels wide. I brought them down to 600 wide


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## susankat

Thanks, makes it a lot easier to see.


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## jbrown5217

np 

Quick update. I left water in overnight and there is no leaking so it looks like I will be all set to start cycling the tank when I get home for winter break. I would like to do a fishless cycle, but I don't know if that is possible because I would only have 5 weeks to do it, and I would like to get the fish into the tank as soon as I can (so they have more swimming space).

That being said I will also need to bring my 10 gallon back to school, after I get fish in it and that seems like it would be super stress on the fish.


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## jbrown5217

Update. Tank has been filled with water. No decorations or gravel or fish, but I set up the filter to test it over night. I has a video.

aquaclear 150 filter test - YouTube


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## jbrown5217

Stand update! I cleaned it up a bit.

Stand with all the moss



Stand w/o the moss



Stand in a normal view cleaned up


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## jbrown5217

Update: I found a small leak in the tank near the base. And I mean really small. I am going to do some research on how to seal it properly and then go to petsmart tomorrow and ask some advice and see if the advice matches.

I am also hoping for a 20 gal tank for xmas too, so we will see how well I can fix the leak.


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## jrman83

The only recommended fix should be a re-seal, which means removal and re-seal of glass pane that is leaking.


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## jbrown5217

I think I am going to sell the tank and the stand (and keep the filter and deco), after reading up on cracks (there is one that was sealed by the previous owner) I don't feel comfortable with the tank. Maybe I can get my $30 bucks back, who knows. Then I will get a new 10 gallon that I have been looking at as a possible replacement Top Fin® 10 Gallon Aquarium Hood Combo - Gift Shop - Fish - PetSmart


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## jbrown5217

Well I took a picture of the crack it came with (the one that was sealed up).



And honestly the leak that I thought I found was just condensation. Anyway I am gonna going to put water into it again and see if it holds until Wednesday because I think I am just being paranoid. I did put an ad up on craigslist to see if the tank gets any interest, if it doesn't I will use it (maybe get a piece of glass cut for the side with the crack?) and keep a good eye on it. 

What will happen -- #1 the tank sells and I get a standard sized 10 gallon
#2 the tank doesn't sell and my original plan is still a go

I am looking for opinions on what you guys think I should do.


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## Summer

lookin good


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## jbrown5217

Looks like I was worrying over nothing. I ended up selling a few items that will allow me to replace the tank in an emergency situation (only if need be) and the tank seems to be holding water perfectly fine. I also just got such a good deal on the tank that the filter, filter media, and decorations alone are worth more than what I paid so I am ok with it. I did get one response to my add on craigslist for the tank and if it does sell, I am going to pick up a normal 10 gal.

Edit: I found a leak where the crack was sealed. Also the craigslist ad was a no go on the person who had interest. Looks like my paranoia was correct. I am going to call the guy I sold it to and tell him that there was a small leak in the crack and offer to return it and offer to buy the filter and decorations. This will give me $30 back and I will have enough money for the normal 10 gal and a nice filter. although I would rather keep the filter and stuff I got with the hex tank.


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## jbrown5217

Called the guy and he isn't willing to do a refund, which is fine. I am gonna try selling it on craigslist or giving it away for free. Then with the money I got for my HDD I am gonna pick up a 10 gallon with hood for $30 at petsmart. I will have to find a light at some point for it. Also was wondering if this gravel would be ok to use in my aquarium 50 lb. All-Purpose Pea Gravel-205.50.AG at The Home Depot


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## dirtydutch4x

I use that gravel just rinse it good first, I made the mistake the first time of not rinsing and found out the hard way how dirty the rocks were.


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## jbrown5217

Cool, I bought a standard 10 gallon tank. I'll post pictures of it once I get the gravel and decorations up since I would like to start the cycle.

Also I left my test kit at home for my dad so I can't tell what my water levels are, could I still theorectically start the cycle and then test it when I get home? Or should I pick up a $10 ammonia testing kit?


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## jbrown5217

UPDATE: I got rid of the Hex tank and got a 10 gal standard. It is funny, I could have gotten a 10 gal with a hood, but no lights for $30 or a 10 gal with a filter, hood and lights, water conditioner, tropical flake food, a sample of flake food and water conditioner, and a bio-bag for the filter, for $30. So now I have a 10 gal with a aquaclear 150 (with all the media I need) a backup tetra 10i (I believe) with all necessary media, extra water conditioner, extra food and decorations. This is all without the worrying of the damn crack in that hex tank (I found someone to take it off my hands). Anywho Pics below (tank not filled with anything).



Also a 50lb bag of gravel for $3.28 at home depot rather than a 10lb bag at petsmart for $8.



I am gonna wait till I get home to start the cycle. I may need to do a fish cycle (sadly) because since I have the 10 gal my sisters xmas present is the 3 gal + a male betta. Hooray making sure water parameters are in check! Depending on the temperment of the betta, I may have Gary stay with the betta as well, since id like to keep my white clouds at a temp of 68 degrees.


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## alyssabentley

Oof! that's the hard part about getting an aquarium off craigslist. Sometimes they leak.  I'm glad you went with a new standard 10 gallon. Your fish will have more horizontal room to swim in now, anyway.  

Good luck! I hope it all goes together well.


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## jbrown5217

So tomorrow I will be adventuring home. So I will be finding some rocks and boiling them as well as washing about 15 pounds of gravel (1.5" as opposed to 1" of gravel on the bottom of the tank) to put in tomorrow. After everything is in there I will be filling the tank with water. On Friday I will be going to buy some crockscrew vals, jungle vals, and possibly some Moneywort Plant as well. I will be getting two 13w CFL 6500k bulbs as well. I am going for a simple and elegant look to the tank.


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## jbrown5217

Pic update. Added gravel and some rocks it is getting there. Plants are soon to come. Should be getting some new 13w cfl 6500k lights tomorrow as well.


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## SuckMyCichlids

well i'd say that turned out for the better lol, tanks off to a good start


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## Rob72

yea you dont have to worry about leakin now, looking good Jon


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## jbrown5217

Ended up going with two 13 watt cfl 5000k due to recommendations from summer and bev as they said 6500k would cause a ton of algae w/o co2, and I am not running co2. Anyway new lights are in. May be a bit hard to tell the difference from the pic, but trust me the other lights I had in were a much more orange color.


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## jrman83

jbrown5217 said:


> ....going with two 13 watt cfl 5000k due to recommendations from summer and bev as they said 6500k would cause a ton of algae w/o co2, and I am not running co2.


Did you happen to misunderstand what they said? Because that doesnt even make sense. I know few people that use anything other than 6500 or 6700k. The different spectrums would not drive the need for CO2. Wattage will.


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## jbrown5217

I am pretty sure I read correctly, but it is very possible I didn't. All I know is that the 5000k were recommended over the 6500k for my tank.


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## aquaninja

Looks good! That same Petsmart 10 gallon starter kit is what introduced me to the hobby. It's held up for a few years now and I still use it for my guppies. It's a good tank.


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## jbrown5217

Plants arrived from summer. I also got a small snail surprise and I always feel bad killing them so he was kept in the tank.


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## Summer

Looks good jon! and for the record, I do not recall giving you lighting advice....lol Plant, maybe. But the lights I dont think I would have commented much on because I do not know too much yet, let alone what would cause algae and what wouldnt.


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## jbrown5217

Welp someone said use 5000k. Anywho another update got a blue background and some airstones for the tank. I tested my water yesterday and:

Ph: 7.6
High Ph: 8.0
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: .50 ppm (it might have been .25, but the colors were very close)
Nitrate: 40ppm

So no fish added yet, but hopefully I will be able to add some next week.

Picture update


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## jaguayo

Looking good!


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## jbrown5217

added some more plants. Banana plant and java fern. One picture didn't go through but thats ok


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## jbrown5217

Small update.

My snail laid some eggs and there are already about 4 live. The original one I posted and 3 smaller ones that I found as I looked in the tank. I am gonna have to remove them eventually because I don't want this to be a snail tank. I was thinking about using my 1 gallon bowl and putting some snails in there (1 maybe 2). 

Also my tank isn't ready for fish yet. Ammonia is good (0 ppm), nitrites are too high however (2.0 ppm), and nitrates are fine at 40 ppm.


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## jbrown5217

I bought some driftwood for the tank, I also has a ton of algae which I suppose is good for the snails, so ima leave it alone for now.


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## jbrown5217

Driftwood has been added to the tank. I will be adding fish after I go back to school.


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## SuckMyCichlids

looking very nice Mr. Brown


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## Cadiedid

When I went to the member site map I found that you are probably the closest active member to me.  Wanted to ask: What method are you using for cycling?


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## jbrown5217

My dad is from New York!

Anywho, thanks to summer one of the wisteria she sent me came with a snail. That snail then laid so many eggs and I have a whole bunch of snails that I do not particularly want. So I have been letting them do the cycling. They eat from any algae growth on the plants and sides of the tank, granted there is less and less from my daily doeses of excel. 

So yea, I am just using snails.


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## Cadiedid

Cool. I have a tank that I use as a snail farm that I'd also like to use as a QT tank if I ever need it. (Don't know why I would, now that I think of it though, since my current 10 gallon is at capacity I think, but anyhow...) So, since I want to keep it cycled I had been wondering if the snails were enough of a bioload to keep it cycled. Let me know if you would how your cycle does with just these guys in it. I'd be interested to know. In the meantime I've been "feeding" my tank some leftover goldfish flakes every day to keep up the ammonia levels. Those snails are pretty tough so I doubt the decaying food will hurt them. BTW-If you ever get overrun by snails, you just trap those bad boys and I will take them! I had a pest snail problem in my tank so I got some assassin snails and the pest snails can't keep up! Now I love my assassins and they are turning out to be pigs. I hope my "snail farm" can keep up!

(Sorry to hijack your build thread.... I got excited by the concept of cycling with snails!)


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## Summer

Sorry about that jon


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## jbrown5217

lol, it is okay summer 

Also cadie so far it has been going well. I am down to .25ppm for nitrites so I am almost finished cycling. Hopefully it won't be too much longer. It has been about 3 weeks.


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## jbrown5217

Update: I found an aquarium store that I could donate my white clouds to. I hope they find a good home in NH. Also gary (my mystery snail) is loving the 10 gallon and it looks like I lost a bunch of pond snails in the move which is good cause it was getting ridiculous.


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## jbrown5217

My Ammonia is 0ppm, my nitrites are 0ppm, and my nitrates are 20ppm. I can finally get some fish. I will be going out today to get some


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## hanky

nice looking tank there, I was just wondering, I just got the same driftwood you had in your pic. from petsmart, did you soak it or boil it? did your water turn brown at all? I've had mine soaking for 24 hours and the water looks pretty clear. What kid of fish did you end up with?


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## jbrown5217

I boiled my mopani driftwood. I boiled for about 8 hours and the water did turn brown.

I am slowly adding Harlequin Rasboras. I will be adding 3 blacks first then three normal. After that I will be adding a powder blue dwarf gourami (planning on getting a female) and maybe 1 - 2 more rasboras. I have extra filtration so I am not worried about the stocking levels.


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## jbrown5217

Here is a video of the first inhabitants! Sorry about the quality I used my phone.

Black Harlequin Rasboras and Harlequin Rasboras - YouTube


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## jbrown5217

update, tank has had a complete rescape and super duper gravel vacuum clean, with the removal of so many pond snails.


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## Fishaholic

Looks great! What are the thin-leaf plants you have in there?


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## Arayba

Looking great there good sir


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## jbrown5217

Why thank you, the long flowy plant is willow hydro.


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