# I need a list



## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

Ok.. since Im getting a new tank, I need a list of things I have to get for the tank.

The tank Im getting is 29gal. Just the tank.
So I know I need: Hood/light, Gravel, plants. and a heater (But can I just transfer the heater from my 10gal to the 29gal??) anything else?? And if I have the plants do I really need the filter? can I use the one in the 10gallon for water movement along with the air pump?
*c/p*

Thank you so much for the help, Love this site lol


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

You can transfer your heater but be warned - it will not be able to heat the tank up to what it says on its temperature setting. And you can use the 10 gallon filter if you have live plants and it will do just fine. Here's my list of what I think you'll need:

Buckets
Siphon hose w/gravel vac
Water testing kit (API Master Freshwater)
Thermometer
Net
Food
Tap water dechlorinator/conditioner
Hood (partial or full, either way)

That's it!

Note: You don't need the hood necessarily, but I like it to prevent excess evaporation and fish jumping out (which does happen, once in a blue moon).


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

my list:

tank
lights
substrate
plants
fish



my .02


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

beaslbob said:


> tank
> lights
> substrate
> plants
> fish


No water test kit?


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> No water test kit?


nope

none needed.








but then I just listed the minumum. Test kits would be a nice to have. But not necessary.


my .02


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

beaslbob said:


> Test kits would be a nice to have. But not necessary.


Agreed. I'm just a nerd and like geeking out over my water results. No need for me to test or even do a PWC or change filter media (probably no reason to have a filter either), but it gives me something to do in my spare time over the weekends, and I like to think I might be improving the quality of my plants` and fish's lives.


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## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

oK, I got a 29gal, with a hood and substrate with active flora in it (3 bags and the guy gave me 50% off on those) it came to a little over $100. Hubby wasnt too please but I told him I won't w/draw a lot of money for the next couple of months LOL

PS. I already have an API testkit so I didn't need a new one


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Sounds good. Get it set up with the filter and heater and add your plants to start cycling, and off you go!

Don't forget to wash the substrate in a colander!


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> Agreed. I'm just a nerd and like geeking out over my water results. No need for me to test or even do a PWC or change filter media (probably no reason to have a filter either), but it gives me something to do in my spare time over the weekends, and I like to think I might be improving the quality of my plants` and fish's lives.


Understand.

FWIW I did finally start measuring stuff because these forums always accused me of not knowing what my water condidions actually were. All I knew was fish lived for years and that wasn't good enough.

So I did a few test setups and the ammonia, nitrIte, nitrate stuff showed very little surprises and reflected why things worked.

The surprise was pH. All my tanks including my Fw planted with a peat moss substrate showed very high pH values. Like purple with the api high range test kit. Which is 8.4-8.8 or so. Yet neon tetras, sliver hatchet fish, angels and others which were reported a needing a pH of 7 (or lower) did just fine.

I would hate to advise a newcomer to use a pH kit then have them "force" the tank with chemicals to the "optimum" pH values. Afterall the plants sucking out carbon dioxide raises pH. And a low carbon dioxide environment could hardly be harmful to the fish.


But that's just me and 

my .02 *old dude


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

Not to mention using dechlor and ammonia locks when all the ammonia is already locked up anyway but still test positive with standard ammonia test kits.

my added .02


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

beaslbob said:


> I would hate to advise a newcomer to use a pH kit then have them "force" the tank with chemicals to the "optimum" pH values. Afterall the plants sucking out carbon dioxide raises pH. And a low carbon dioxide environment could hardly be harmful to the fish.


I hear ya. However, it's also nice to observe things like pH swings, and a pH/KH relationship helps to determine the concentration of CO2 in the water. My only beef with the API Master kit is that they don't have GH and KH included.

However, as if the nitrogen cycle didn't confuse and discourage newbies, hardness and alkalinity might send them running away screaming. *whip*


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

If the room the tank is in is kept at a temperature comfortable to humans (75 or so), there is no need for a heater and heaters can (will) fail.

with plants no need for a filter.


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## GypsyV (Nov 28, 2010)

I have discovered a helpful item to add for anyone who has plants....
A timer! 
I am horrible with schedules so I figured I would need a timer, so I checked the prices. About $5 at walmart for my relaxation and peice of mind is well worth it. I will never go without one again.


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## M1ster Stanl3y (Dec 10, 2010)

Did any one mention fish....or aquatic animals of some sort...lol...jk wanted to be a wise *** for a moment...def need to research what you want In the tank and the environment you want to create


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

I agree whole-heartedly on a timer!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Forget the hood if you are going with plants. Get a glass canopy....about $25.


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## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

Ok.. this is what I have:

A hood w/ a light (still need to get a special light for the plants) 29gallon (a lot bigger than I thought it would be) and some Activ Flora (It says it will instantly cycle your aquarium, need some advice/thoughts about that) and that is all that is in there right now. I added my filter from my 10gallon tank, I will go out tomorrow and get some plants for it.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Your other filter will be good to speed the cycle up. The other stuff you added will not do much without at least a source of ammonia....which comes from fish or some other source.


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## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

its funny, I don't know if you ever used Activ Flora before but it came with what looked like bits of spinach in it. I suppose its there to create the ammonia. I did a water test and the Ph is way too low, like at a 6, how can I raise the Ph to become the Ph that is the same of the other tank 7.8?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

How is the other tank 7.8? Different source of water?


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## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

No same water source. A while ago, I added PH up to the thank and it was brought up and stayed that way, even with water changes :/ I was just wondering if the Activ flora caused this to make the PH lower somehow

PS.. ok I retested the water... I must have mixed something up before. But the Ph is at 7.4 which sounds about right The NI:0 NA: 5 and AM:0


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Do not use ph up/down products. They are dangerous to your fish and just end up creating toxic soup of your water. The buffers in your water tend to bring the ph right back to where it was. It is more imporatnt to create a stable value vs a certain ph value.


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## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

Okey Dokey  but yeah, the ph was retested and I got a 7.4 so that's acceptable for my guppies. What can I do to start cycling, fish-less? I have transferred the filter and some plants from the other tank to the new one. DO I just add a little bit of fish food every day?


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

You could do the food route, or you could drop in some raw seafood, or you could add pure ammonia with a dropper or a measuring spoon. You would have to dose the fish food and ammonia daily, but the seafood you can just leave in there.


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## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

How long for each method?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

A fishless cycle can take 2-4 weeks. How many plants did you transfer to the tank? I don't think that going fishless works with planted tanks too well. A planted tank shouldn't see the same type of ammonia spikes that a non-planted would and generally is less of a risk to fish.


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## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

right now I have just a fern type plant n there. Im going out today to buy some more plants for the tank. 
How will I know when it is done with the cycling? Will everything test 0?


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## PolymerTim (Sep 22, 2009)

danilykins said:


> right now I have just a fern type plant n there. Im going out today to buy some more plants for the tank.
> How will I know when it is done with the cycling? Will everything test 0?


No personal experience, but I've heard its a bit trickier with plants to tell when the cycle is done. But then, if you have enough plants, you generally don't have as much of a problem with the spikes, which is the dangerous part for fish anyway.

I personally dosed direct ammonia (in my 29 gal FW non-planted). One advantage of that is that you can immediately measure the ammonia and then see it go away. In that case, I knew the bacteria were well established when I could dose to 4 ppm ammonia and it was reduced to nitrates in less than 12 hours. Since I was starting with brand new everything, it took almost 8 weeks, but it should go much faster for you, especially if you kept your old filter floss wet and in dechlorinated water.

The difference for you will be that both plants and bacteria will consume ammonia, but if the two combined can reduce 4 ppm ammonia to zero in 12 hours, I don't see how your fish would have a problem.

As for the need for a chemistry test kit (I know that was brought up much earlier), it seems to be one of those things you don't really need (unless you're just a geek like me and curious about what's going on), *until* there is a problem. Once you have a problem, knowing your water chemistry can often help point you in the right direction.


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## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

I ended up getting 3x4inch Amazon sword plants today, and 2 ghost shrimp. One thing I think ive noticed (not 100% sure) is some nipping between my guppies, how do I make this stop? Is it just because I have all males in a small 10gal? Im also starting to think about what I want to stock in the tank. Any suggestions on middle to bottom dwellers? Because 5 guppies are gonna be very tiny in a 30gal LOL THX


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## GypsyV (Nov 28, 2010)

I say you need some schooling fish, they always look great.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

danilykins said:


> Any suggestions on middle to bottom dwellers


For middle swimmers, I would suggest a school of some sort of tetra or rasbora. They're docile, stay small, are very pretty, but they are somewhat delicate. When they die, they have a habit of decomposing so rapidly people say "my fish disappeared!"

For bottom dwellers, I would strongly suggest shrimp. As with tetras, they are very docile, eye candy, and delicate. The benefit is they eat almost anything.


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## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

I was thinking about Rasbora yesterday at petsmart when I bought my plants and ghost shrimp. 

How many do you think would be nice for a school? And how many shrimp should I have for the 30gal? rightnow I have 2 and my son and I like to play find the shrimp LOL they are hard to find and fun to watch when they climb the walls


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

For a school, a minimum of five is what I've heard many say and as far as how big...well...the sky is the limit there I think.

You can jam pack a tank full of shrimp, as they have very low bioload (they eat garbage and produce very little of the same). I've got close to 50 shrimp (5 Amano's and 40-50 RCS, or Red Cherry Shrimp), in my 30 gallon, along with everything else. Seems like everywhere you look, you see an RCS or five. They put rabbits to shame.


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