Excellent news! All read and offer advice please!

[Fishman1995]

So my mom just told me i will be workin for her and daddy during the summer babysittin my sister and i can have $10 a week for it. She said i can buy myself a tank if i wanted and a stand maybe! I asked her if i could do a 29 gallon or a 20 gallon long and she said yes!!!!!!! Im so happy i could scream! but i wont il stay calm. So now to work on a plan. Slowly, and calmly i will step by step go to the petsmart website and look at Decor options ect. Now i can finally have some more fishes. I wont this tank to turn out beautiful and right this time. I dont want just a few large fish either i want alot of smallerish ones il let you guys know what i decide tommorow after i go threw aqadvisor and research. Give me some options and opinions

 

[Fishman1995]

So ive decided on a 27 gallon Cube with stand. Its the cheapest stand tank combo. So when i put the dimenstions in on Aqadvisors it says 31 gallons. The size is 20LX18DX20W
Which do i belive? So far for stocking i know im doing only plant safe fish. I was thinkin of gettin an Angelfish but if i did could i still include a trio of otos without any bullying? If not i suppose i could just do a Clown Pleco or a Panda Garra. What are some good school fish that go with a single Angelfish in a planted aquaria. Offer me some ideas that fit around an Angelfish. Also can i keep more than one angelfish and still have a few tankmates.

 

[Thyra]

Fishman, if we are looking at the same tank at Petsmart, that tank is $207.99 without shipping or tax, etc. If you are only baby sitting in the summer months, at $10 a month you will be long out of college before you can pay for it, let alone put anything in it.

 

[achase]

Fishman said $10 a week. Which assuming that most school children get out in June and summer goes until the end of August. Fishman could possibly earn $130 in 13 weeks. I must admit $10 a week for babysitting is kinda slave labor. Lol! Although I'm sure your parents really appreciate you helping with your sister!! You should find a summer job at some sort of big chain company such as Walmart. At least then you would be making minimum wage.

Anyways good luck with your tank fund and hopefully you will be able to get something in the near future. Although remember when budgeting for your tank to include substrate, decorations (including plants), fish, filter and heaters (if those don't already come with the kits - although most kits include a heater and filter). I would focus on getting the tank/stand before working on a stocking plan.

 

[misterking]

So I'm confused, are you not doing the 10g anymore?

The only advice I can offer right now would be don't make any plans until you have the tank. Because let's face it, we've thrown a lot of ideas around over the months for tanks and set-ups that never materialised.

Oh also, why not just look at second hand tanks? You'll get tanks just as big for a fraction of the price. No need to go all sparkly and new just for the sake of it. If you got something cheaper, you'd have MUCH more money left over to buy fish, equipment, plants etc instead of throwing all your hard-earned cash at something new, but ultimately unnecessary.

 

[ryanoh]

I'm not sure how close you are to Raleigh, but here you go just for example.

Aquarium = fishtank with stand

30 Gallon Aquarium for Sale

29 Gallon Aquarium with Stand

Well, you get the point. Just pick a big city near you and cruise the crap out of craigslist. That will leave you a lot more money for the things that aren't the tank and the stand, and some of these even come with heaters and filters and stuff.

 

[Fishman1995]

Well if i dont earn enough money i just ask mama to give me the rest. And i agree i shouldn't really get my hopes up to high until i get the tank, it'l end up being my christmas present probably.

 

[Thyra]

Kind of interesting - a year ago when you first got on the forum one of your earlier entries was about getting your aquarium for Christmas, now that Christmas is past and you are again waiting for Christmas. I realize I mistakenly said, $10 a month instead of week, but I was thinking week and that is only about $130 for the summer. You once said you got an allowance ($20 a week if I remember right) obviously that isn't happening. You also said when you turned 16 you had been offered a job at one of the LFS. Have you ever actually written down a plan? With costs? You have frequently agreed to get a siphon and test kit, but I don't think that has happened. It will take your first months pay to do that. I doubt your parents can come up with another couple of hundred dollars just like that. The fish you want are usually expensive (from my point of view) The most I have spent on a fish so far is $3.47 and that was a betta. Mostly I wait until Petsmart has their $1 deals and I have stocked my tanks with those fish. I bought the siphon and liquid test kit before I put water in that first tank. Then I got smart and checked Craigslist and found a tank and stand for the same price I paid for just the previous tank and 10g bigger. BUT the biggest expense isn't in the tanks, it is all the stuff that goes with it, like heaters, filters, substrate, decor, & plants. Just go to Petsmart.com and instead of just looking, make a list with the prices. Also remember that the prices on line are mostly much lower then in the store, but you have to pay shipping. Petco.com is the same way. I watch for deals when the on line store has specials and then the shipping might be free or at least less.

 

[Fishman1995]

So to start off with I did my presentation today and EVERYONE loved it. Thanx for the help guys especially MK i used his outline to guide me.

Now back to my tank, i sat down with mama today and told her that id be makin roughly $130 durin the summer and that the tank that was cheapest for tank and stand new was $210 and she said if i saved my $130 that she'd pitch in the rest for my tank. She also doesnt want to buy a used tank from someone she wants a brand new one. She said we'd put the tank where my old dresser was (where the old 20 gal was sittin on).

So now that i know that i will be gettin the tank can we please work just a tad on stocking?

 

[Fishman1995]

Correction, i found a cheaper deal, 25 gallon tank plus stand is 159.99 regular plus gravel and a filter totals $215.94 so mama agreed on that. She told me no live plants thou, but i have plenty of fakes and decorations.

Id like to build a community around a Angelfish if at all possible.

 

[Thyra]

You can do the stocking after you get the tank set up while it is cycling - or go back and read your threads about stocking plans from the past year. One thing I wanted to be sure to mention: It most likely wasn't your dresser that caused the problem. Most likely your floor isn't exactly level. That means you must level the stand before you put the aquarium on it both front and back and side to side, which is sometimes a little tricky. Personally I am not that enthused about aquarium stands. They don't hold very much, they usually don't have a back (which I understand so you can run wires from airpumps, etc,) but also things fall out, and they are much lighter than the tank therefor top heavy. I have found furniture at thrift stores or garage sales that were much more suitable and the right high that look nice and were quite solid.

 

[kenny1tothe6]

lol Angelfish aren't the best idea for a community, to be honest...I tried Carbon, my big male halfmoon doubletail plakat[short finned] betta in with Doom today so Arc another one of my bettas could have the 10gal Carb had, and things went less then ideal...she's just too freakin' curious and nippy + has a bad track record with eating fish...

Oh...and I wouldn't try an angel in anything less then a 29gal[cuz of it's height/footprint not exactly because of the gallonage]...they get big...

 

[Fishman1995]

I will take a picture of my dresser and show you its off level but i also intend to level the stand once i get it. And thankx for the input kenny, no angels ;D

Okay Thyra, we'l work on stockin once i get my tank, but i intend to do a fish in cycle with my hardy Tetra's or whatever i choose as i did the same with my guppys and CAE in my 5.5 gallon and it didnt do a bacteria bloom nor did my fish seem bothered. I intend to add 3 schooling fish and wait a month then add in 3 more schooling fish then wait another month...so on and so forth.

Il also upload a picture of my 5.5 gallon, i added my large conche shell and removed the castle. I use the conche shell as a common feeding ground for my Algae eater and guppys as the shrimp pellets look the same as gravel.

 

[Thyra]

I agree your dresser is off level, but isn't it the floor that is causing it to be? Unless there is something radically wrong with the way a piece of furniture was built (like if it was homemade or altered) Its usually the floor and BTW that is not unusual as a house settles. Just drop a marble on a tile or wood floor. Stoves are notorious for being a problem that way and its hard to figure out if its the elements, the levelers under the corners or the floor, but put a little oil or butter in a fry pan and it all goes to one area.

 

[Fishman1995]

I cant even read anymore of my old threads! i went threw 5 of them and im appauled at the things i asked you guys and some of the things i did i didnt realize now! (Bad memory i guess) I thought you guys were jokin when you said i used to be bad! I agree 100% now! Im Sorry for the crap i did! Even before Thyra was here!

Thyra, if you look at the dressers top its pulled down on the front right corner. My floor does roll marbles so il have to level the tank some with cardboard i suppose. I may just move it to the level side of the room where stuff dont roll and where my other dresser plus fishtank is and its level there so i may do that.

Id like to start plannin stockin now as you know how i am guys, im terrible at keepin to a plan but this time im gonna try my very hardest too

Btw i officially dont trust Aqadvisor as i tried to tell me i could put a lesser spiny eel or a spiny eel in my 25 gal with no issue when clearly research says 55 gallon. I hit show me suitable species.

 

[Thyra]

Don't level the tank! Level what it sets on because other wise you could leave gaps under the tank so the tank frame becomes the support for it and you don't want that. Cardboard is not good either because it compresses. Hardware stores sell small packs of wood or plastic called "shims". They should be pretty cheap for a pack - like $1. You could practice on your dresser to see what it takes even if you aren't going to use it. They have a tapered thickness and you wedge them in til you get what you want. Then if they are sticking out, you removed them, cut the end off that sticks out and tap them in place again. In fact depending on how your dresser is built it might be possible to shim just the top - if its not warped - which is a completely different problem. Sometimes I have had to use a whole strip of think lumber under one side of an object. It needs to be solid and not jiggly.

The fact is at one point early on (I got on the forum just a few days after you) I even copied and saved many of your threads. Remember? I threatened to send them to you to prove that you kept repeating, "This is my final plan" and sometimes with in just a couple of hours it would be changed again, and again....and*SUNSMILE*

 

[Fishman1995]

Yes thyra, i know but now i dont have so many species i want, as ive marked off any dwarf cichlid, not my style. Ive marked off any livebearer, to many babys. Ive marked off anything to big, ive marked off Bettas and ive marked off most large catfish except Farowella's.

NOW WHAT THE WORLD i just plugged in the tank stats on Aqadivisors tank selections as the Petsmart website say 25 gallon tank with dimensions 13-1/2"L x 24-3/4"W x 48-1/2"H and according to aqadvisor thats 70 gallons WHICH IS WHICH!

 

[Thyra]

Fishman, you must have that height dimension wrong, Just visualize something that narrow and then 4 feet high! I just went through Petsmart.com and couldn't find anything like the one you are describing. Read the small print too, some show a stand, but it is not included and some are on sale and only available at certain stores. This also means they may no longer be available by the time you acquire the money as they are probably discontinued models.

 

[Fishman1995]

Aqueon® Aquarium and Stand - Sale Category - PetSmart

at the bottom of this page it says available in a 25 gallon size with dimensions _____ tell me im not hallucinating last thing we need is me on meds for being crazy LOL!

I hope its a misprent of the website bcz 4 feet tall and only 1 foot across and 2 feet back is slightly scary In my opinion. Gosh what would live in there properly!

 

[OrangeCones]

The overall dimensions are likely including the stand. A 'standard' 25 gallon tank would be 12x24x20 high. It has the same footprint as a 15 gallon or 20 gallon high tank, just taller.

Aquarium Sizes and Weights - An Aquarium Sizes and Weights Chart