29 gallon long tank setup

[Fishman1995]

I talked with mom this morning and we decided on a 29 gallon starting kit that comes with everything you need to set it up except substrate which i can buy seperate, and we decided on the stand that come's with it. Also we decided on an API liquid tester and a Ph adjuster.I have a question about the setup kit, its says it comes with a Bacteria starter. What is that? Does it automatically make it safe for fish, or is it just supposed to make it do the cycling? Here's the link for the page about the Kit

Top Fin® 29 Gallon Starter Kit - Aquarium Kits - Aquariums - PetSmart

 

[TAL]

Stay away from those pH up and down products.....

The bacteria starter kit is a liquid you pour in to help get your bacteria collonies growing......you know, that whole cycling thing we talked about. Are they any good....meh.

 

[Fishman1995]

Ok well they also have a product on there somewhere. It says Ph 6.5, they also have a Ph 7.0, Ph 7.5 and ph 8.2 Says its supposed to set the Ph at the number in the name. Should i get that?

 

[TAL]

Unless you have a fish that requires water to be up around 8....none of the ones you have talked about....you don;t need these products.

You can spend a lot of time chasing pH. Slow pH changes over time will rareyl bother your fish. Fast changes can but that has more to do with alkalinity (buffering capacity) and your weekly or bi weekly water exchanges of 10-120% or so should take care of that for you if you are using regular tap water without special filtration (like a water softener)

I'd spend the money on some decorations instead of any pH stuff.... or if you are curious about your buffering capacity - you could get a test kit for that.

 

[Fishman1995]

I am getting an API master liquid test kit. I have 2 decorations and 1 fake plant right now. I dont even have the fish figured out yet. Im exploring and researching alot before i propose anything in the forums. The forums is gonna be my "tester" if what i propose gets a thumbs up ima get it LOL

 

[misterking]

The bacteria starter thing is generally a bit useless. It's basically bacteria in a bottle which does little to aid the cycle. The best way to cycle your tank would be to insert a bit of old dirty filter media from your 5 (as I know you're dismantling your 10) into the new filter and continue to add a source of ammonia.

I agree with TAL on the the pH stuff aswell. I had a right job trying to keep my pH down for discus years and years ago before I realised my driftwood was doing that for me! What pH is your tap water again? I seem to remember you saying just over 7? Trying to control pH can be a tricky and expensive business.

Congrats on the API master test kit. I think they're by far the superior make on the market.

Why don't you use the cycle period to find a set list of what you want in the tank? When do you think you're getting it?

 

[Fishman1995]

Christmas will be when i get it. THERES SO MANY CHOICES! lol i love fish to death and there's so many choice's. Right now im considering a community with a species of peacful Dwarf cichlid for example right now 1 of my rough drafts is a Bumble bee catfish, a Krib, a Festivum, and a Blue ram. But thats no where near fully stocked. Least i have PLENTY of time to figure out what i want tehehehe i love fish alot.

 

[misterking]

I wouldn't get one of each, I'd settle on ONE type and get a pair. Festivums are lovely, peaceful and one of my favourites. Either that or a pair of rams would be nice.

Then I'd have a big shoal (10) of small tetras and something zipping around the bottom (cories of some description or a smaller type of loach, or as you said bumblebee catfish) and perhaps some otos or a BN pleco for clean-up. You could probably put your gourami in there with that sort of stocking and therefore make your betta and gourami much happier. Then you'd have a lovely, bustling community set-up with lots of colour and activity and more importantly VARIETY which I know you like.

What pH is your tap water? Might be able to save a lot of money if its good.

 

[Fishman1995]

As far as stocking goes this is what im thinkin. A pair of Krib's, a shoal of 6 Tiger Barbs, a rubber lip pleco and Il put my gourami in there. Then im torn between a few species. Im torn between weather to get an African Butterfly fish,a Peacock eel or a rainbow shark. Ive only seen the Butteryfly fish once and ive seen the eel a few times.I guess it all depends on what i can find.


Now as for my tap water, all i know is it's well water. I have never tested it, when i get my API il test it. Can you take a guess at what it would be?

 

[misterking]

Butterfly fish is a definite NO with tiger barbs. I'd go with the rainbow shark, which would make the tank a semi-aggressive tank. If you have space I'd bump the shoal of barbs to 10.

In the UK we don't have well water, or at least all suburban areas don't, so I can't put a guess on it unfortunately. Just wait til you've got the pH test. Don't buy any pH buffers because the likelihood is you don't need it.

 

[Fishman1995]

Ok il bump the shoal up

 

[littletankbigworld]

I'm unsure about the peacock eels but I think that they need strong currents so I would check that out. I'm really uncertain about the butterfly fish. I would definitely not add a rainbow shark as they need tanks upwards of 100 gallons or more and they must be in a shoal.

It is hard to guess what the pH of your well water is. It depends on where you live. I live in PA and my tap water is over 8.2. It goes off the pH chart I have. All my fish are fine. To a degree, it doesn't matter how high your pH is, just as it remains constant. Never add those pH chemicals because pH shock is more deadly than a high pH.

 

[TAL]

My rainbow shark is about fully grown(6 inches or so) in a 38 gallon tank and would go NUTS if I put another rainbow in there......

 

[Fishman1995]

True TAL he would, which is why you purchases them at the same time.

 

[misterking]

I would definitely not add a rainbow shark as they need tanks upwards of 100 gallons or more and they must be in a shoal.

That's not true. Rainbow sharks should be kept alone because they're aggressive to their own kind, whether added at different times or at the same time, it's irrelevant. More than one is a very bad idea fishman so don't do it. 100 gallons is a bit excessive for a fish that only gets 6 inches..

 

[Fishman1995]

I have reached my Final draft on what fish i want for my 29 gallon tank. A pair of Krib's, 6 Tiger Barbs and 3 Upside Down Catfish. The only reason i didnt take your advice on the 10 Tiger barbs MK is im planning on having the Kribs fry live and then donate them to the LFS *thumbsups

 

[misterking]

The only reason I said 10 is it'll stop them nipping your other fish's fins, or at least reduce it. I take it your gourami's going in there too?

It should work well. Though I'm sure it's not final haha you've changed your "final" plan several times a day for the last week!

 

[Fishman1995]

lol yea cause i didnt feel it was good, now i feel it is good

 

[misterking]

You wanted a sand substrate didn't you? There's no reason why that wouldn't work. If not standard fine-grained gravel will work fine. It's up to you really.

 

[Fishman1995]

Ok i think sand will do fine should i do a current or no?