# new member needing a lot of help getting set up please



## champ198 (Jan 3, 2014)

hello all. I am a new member here and am looking for some help. I had years ago a nice tank set up but never really had the best place for it and never as much info as needed and went through quite a bit of fish for one reason or the other. I haven't had a tank in probably close to 10 years but still have the same tank and it's in great shape but needs a good and light. 
I'm hoping to get some advise and help getting my tank set up with now being married and having young kids who love the fish they have (betas) I would really like to get my tank set back up again but need all the help in getting it set up right so I don't have a lot of fish die off. I could really use help in about all aspects of getting a tank set up from start to ready for fish as far as good equipment to get suck as heaters and filters. to what to do to the water to get it right and what kind of fish to put in as well. I know this is a lot of things to ask but I would really like to get my tank set up so my kids can get some enjoyment out of the tank as well. 
when I had my tank before I had mainly cichlids. which I did not do very well with and they do quite a bit of "digging" I would call it. 
I really can't tell you as to how big my tank is yet as I will have to measure it as I can't remember but I am thinking it is some where in the 30 gallon area and is more tall than long. 
is anyone could help out I would really appriciate it a lot in getting me started

thanks 
Luke


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## dalfed (Apr 8, 2012)

http://www.aquariumforum.com/f66/fishless-cycle-15036.html good reading to start.
What are you interested in? Do you want a planted tank? Cichlids? Peaceful community? Lots of small active fish? One Centerpiece? lol Give some hints and the ideas will flow, trust me every one here has an opinion!!


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## champ198 (Jan 3, 2014)

after having not so great luck with the cichlids in the past I don't think I'm going to try with them again. would like a more peaceful type tank I think with maybe a few larger fish and more smaller fish like schooling type fish. .....I think lol. I really would just like a tank that I don't have to be buying fish all the time because the ones I have die off


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I would set up now and get the cycle started like the method mentioned above for it will take at least 2wks and this will give you time to work on other stuff and stocking plans. You will need a filter and likely a heater as well for the cycle to get going properly. I know you still have the tank, do you also still need to buy all the other equipment? Once you confirm tank size we can help with that.

I wouldn't be thinking any large fish if your tank is only a 30g. Maybe one Angel, if an Angel is considered large.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

I had a single koi angel and 10 neon tetras in a 30G a few years ago and it worked out great, I'd suggest that and maybe a pleco, a school of otos, and/or snails as a cleanup crew.


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## jackalope5000 (Jul 23, 2013)

You might find some help on this site/youtube channel.
Best of luck in your journey! 

DIY AQUAPROS - YouTube


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## dam718 (Nov 25, 2013)

If it's taller than it is long and in the 30G realm, I'd guess you have a 29 Tall tank... 

Measurements will help...

If you want peaceful community fish, there are lots of options... 

Some things to consider now... 

Find a hood that will suit your needs... I like the Aqueon deluxe hoods for a simple fluorescent setup, and decent options for filter openings. LED's with a glass top will be more expensive, but use quite a bit less energy and last a good while longer. They also offer some neat features, such as a daylight and moonlight mode.

Also, consider the substrate you want to use... Sand, pebbles, crushed coral... Lots of options here too... Do you want something that looks natural? Something crazy, like pink and black? Does your water need a Ph buffer?

You'll need a heater most likely. Most tropical fish will live in the 76-80F temp range, and for cycling I've seen recommendations all the way up to 86F. That seems a bit excessive to me, I was able to cycle just fine at 82F. The bacteria like a bit higher temps. For heaters, I would go ahead and get one that is fully submersible. I like the Aqueon Pro heaters, but there are a lot of good alternatives out there. For that size tank, you can probably get away with 100 Watt thermometer, maybe 150 depending on how far you need to raise the temp from ambient.

You'll need a thermometer to monitor the temps... Again, lots of options... Digital thermometers, thermometer tape strips that go on the outside of the tank, and old school glass thermometers. I like the glass thermometers.

You'll need a liquid master test kit so you can track your nutrient levels. Specifically Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. The API Freshwater Master Test kit seems to be the most popular.

I'd select a décor now as well... Your beneficial bacteria grows in your substrate, sides, décor, and filter... So if you have it in during cycling, there is more surface area throughout the tank for beneficial bacteria to live. Décor is completely up to you. Unless you want live plants, then a few things have to be considered like substrate, lighting, and types of fish you want to keep. Fake plants keep things easy for now.

I'll mention filters last... Reason being, this is one of the mistakes I made when recently setting up my own tank. I bought a filter that was too small, so I got a second one thinking that would help... Then I decided I hated them, so I ended up with something completely different. This will also be somewhat dependent on your substrate choice, as some filters do better with sand than others. I've read, for example, that the AquaClear filters don't do so hot with sand. Something else I'd like to point out with filters is not to pay much attention to what tank size a filter says it can support, but more about how many gallons per hour it circulates. A rule of thumb I have seen repeated over and over is you want at least 6x turnover in your tank. Meaning, you want your filter to support a circulation of 6 times the size of your tank, so all the water in your tank is getting filtered 6 times per hour, at a minimum. So, in the case of a 29G tank, you would be looking for a filter that supports a flow rate of at least 174GPH to keep up with an average bio-load (fish waste). For ease of use, price, and media choices, I would recommend an AquaClear filter as a first filter. You're not stuck using carbon if you don't want to... You can run sponges only, sponges with bio media, filter floss... whatever you want! Most of the other hang on back filters have proprietary filter cartridges that include active carbon. You don't really need carbon all the time... The aquaclears can support all three filtration types (mechanical, biological, and chemical). If you're looking for something more advanced, you can step immediately into a canister filter which basically opens up a world of possibilities when it comes to filter media... You could filter your water with gym socks and potato sacks if you wanted to in a canister! LoL... Something you should consider, especially if you choose a Hang on Back style filter, is adding an air driven sponge filter. They're amazing as a biological filter, and will hold beneficial bacteria even when you change the cartridge on your HOB. You can also use sponges only. There are other filtration options out there, like in tank filters which are too basic IMO for your tank size, and sump systems which are a bit too much IMO for your size tank.

Bah, sorry for the wall of text... Like others have said, once we know the size of your tank we can recommend specific products as opposed to general recommendations.  Good luck!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

jackalope5000 said:


> You might find some help on this site/youtube channel.
> Best of luck in your journey!
> 
> DIY AQUAPROS - YouTube


I guess their videos are better than nothing in most cases, but most of their stuff is crap, IMO. They oversimplify the important stuff and get way too technical on the easy stuff. Their recommendations on things to buy are very poor recommendations as well. I have yet to find a video I liked on there. Maybe just me.


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