Hello all. I'm about to set up my first 10 gallon. I need some stocking ideas. Also does anyone have experience with the Tetra Whisper 2-15 Heater? I want to get it but reviews are mainly for smaller tanks. Can it handle a 10 gallon tank? Ambient temp in the house ranges from low 60s to 78. Thanks for any help!
Setting up 10 gallon. Need help.
- Thread starter Denther
- Start date
what I have in my 5 gallon would be perfect for a 10 gallon to give you an idea. maybe add a few more corys and tetras. maybe wait on the otos and/or snails until a good crop of algae gets established.
that heater should be fine. the 2-15 means it can heat 2 to 15 gallons.
don't 4get to cycle before adding fish*thumbsups
that heater should be fine. the 2-15 means it can heat 2 to 15 gallons.
don't 4get to cycle before adding fish*thumbsups
If your filter pad is one of the ones that's like a sponge, you can cut it in half and put half in your new tank's filter, and put half of the one from the new tank in your old tank's filter.
Just be sure to test the water frequently in both tanks for ammonia spikes, as both will only have half their regular bio-filter at first as a result.
Just be sure to test the water frequently in both tanks for ammonia spikes, as both will only have half their regular bio-filter at first as a result.
I have decided that I will get 5-6 neon tetras, 5ish peppered corys, and a snail. I have a couple questions about these.
1. I want to prevent any breeding. I'm new to the hobby so don't want to worry about fry/baby snails. How do I prevent breeding?
2. What kind of snail should I get?
3. What should I feed to each of these fish?
4. I have a gravel vac that I bought at Walmart. It's just 6 foot tube with a hollow cylinder at the end where you just pump it up and down a few times to get the water flowing. It works for removing but I can't get it to work with putting water back in from a bucket that's placed on the floor. How should I get water back into the tank without disturbing the gravel and fish?
Thanks all so much for the help!
1. I want to prevent any breeding. I'm new to the hobby so don't want to worry about fry/baby snails. How do I prevent breeding?
2. What kind of snail should I get?
3. What should I feed to each of these fish?
4. I have a gravel vac that I bought at Walmart. It's just 6 foot tube with a hollow cylinder at the end where you just pump it up and down a few times to get the water flowing. It works for removing but I can't get it to work with putting water back in from a bucket that's placed on the floor. How should I get water back into the tank without disturbing the gravel and fish?
Thanks all so much for the help!
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Hiya,
I don't think you are planning to get anything that is likely to breed on you. The "livebearers" are generally the problems for that. Egg-layers, (what you are looking at) may lay eggs, but they usually get eaten before they hatch, particularly in such a small tank.
Here's how I use my gravel vac. It's the same kind you have:
1. Put a fishtank-use-only bucket on the floor by the tank. (Fish are very sensitive to soaps and cleaning products, so buy a shiny new bucket, rinse it really well in straight tap water, and then never use it for anything other than your tank.
2. Dip the gravel vac into the full tank, so that the wide end and the long tube fill up with water. Pull it out of the tank. You now have a gravel vac full of water.
3. If there are any big air bubbles in the tube part they can disrupt your vacuuming. Put your thumb over the opening of the long tube so no water squirts out and carefully raise and lower one end of the gravel vac until any big air bubbles travel to one end of the vac and burst. Hint: air rises!
4. Keeping your thumb over the long tube end, hold that end low down, and over the bucket on the floor. Insert the wide end of the vac in the tank so that it is completely under water. Take your thumb off the other end. Water should start flowing into the bucket. If it doesn't, you have a big air bubble, or you didn't get the wide end of the vac completely under water before you took your thumb away, or your bucket isn't low enough compared to the height of your tank. (That's one reason tanks go on stands instead of just on the floor).
5. Use one hand to keep the tube in the bucket so you don't splash water everywhere. Use the other hand to guide the vacuuming end gently over the gravel. Gravel will be sucked into the vac, but is too heavy to actually go up the tube. The dirt will go up the tube.
6. When your bucket is almost full, remove the vacuum end from the tank. Let the last of the water drip from the tube into the bucket.
7. Empty the bucket into your houseplants or on the lawn. Fish poop is great fertilizer.
8. Rinse bucket in sink if neccessary. Refill with water that is the same temperature as the tank. You can float your aquarium thermometer in the bucket while you refill it to be sure that you get the temperature right.
9. Add dechlorinator to the bucket.
10. Pour the clean, dechlorinated water into your tank. Use your free hand to break the stream of water, so that it doesn't wash your gravel and decorations all over the tank. Depending on how tall your tank is, how tall you are, and how big your bucket is, it may be helpful to have a buddy be the extra hand for this until you have practiced a bit.
If you want so practice without bothering your fish, fill a big mixing bowl with water and put it on your kitchen counter (warning, be careful of dish-soap residue contaminating your fish tank equipment!) and use your gravel vac to empty the water into your fish bucket, or a second bowl sitting on the floor.
I don't think you are planning to get anything that is likely to breed on you. The "livebearers" are generally the problems for that. Egg-layers, (what you are looking at) may lay eggs, but they usually get eaten before they hatch, particularly in such a small tank.
Here's how I use my gravel vac. It's the same kind you have:
1. Put a fishtank-use-only bucket on the floor by the tank. (Fish are very sensitive to soaps and cleaning products, so buy a shiny new bucket, rinse it really well in straight tap water, and then never use it for anything other than your tank.
2. Dip the gravel vac into the full tank, so that the wide end and the long tube fill up with water. Pull it out of the tank. You now have a gravel vac full of water.
3. If there are any big air bubbles in the tube part they can disrupt your vacuuming. Put your thumb over the opening of the long tube so no water squirts out and carefully raise and lower one end of the gravel vac until any big air bubbles travel to one end of the vac and burst. Hint: air rises!
4. Keeping your thumb over the long tube end, hold that end low down, and over the bucket on the floor. Insert the wide end of the vac in the tank so that it is completely under water. Take your thumb off the other end. Water should start flowing into the bucket. If it doesn't, you have a big air bubble, or you didn't get the wide end of the vac completely under water before you took your thumb away, or your bucket isn't low enough compared to the height of your tank. (That's one reason tanks go on stands instead of just on the floor).
5. Use one hand to keep the tube in the bucket so you don't splash water everywhere. Use the other hand to guide the vacuuming end gently over the gravel. Gravel will be sucked into the vac, but is too heavy to actually go up the tube. The dirt will go up the tube.
6. When your bucket is almost full, remove the vacuum end from the tank. Let the last of the water drip from the tube into the bucket.
7. Empty the bucket into your houseplants or on the lawn. Fish poop is great fertilizer.
8. Rinse bucket in sink if neccessary. Refill with water that is the same temperature as the tank. You can float your aquarium thermometer in the bucket while you refill it to be sure that you get the temperature right.
9. Add dechlorinator to the bucket.
10. Pour the clean, dechlorinated water into your tank. Use your free hand to break the stream of water, so that it doesn't wash your gravel and decorations all over the tank. Depending on how tall your tank is, how tall you are, and how big your bucket is, it may be helpful to have a buddy be the extra hand for this until you have practiced a bit.
If you want so practice without bothering your fish, fill a big mixing bowl with water and put it on your kitchen counter (warning, be careful of dish-soap residue contaminating your fish tank equipment!) and use your gravel vac to empty the water into your fish bucket, or a second bowl sitting on the floor.
tetras and corys should eat the same food. the corys will clean up the food that the tetras miss and end up on the bottom of the tank.
apple (mystery) snails, trap door snails, nerite snails all would be happy in your tank. if your really concerned about breeding get nerite snails. their eggs will not develope and hatch in freshwater.
apple (mystery) snails, trap door snails, nerite snails all would be happy in your tank. if your really concerned about breeding get nerite snails. their eggs will not develope and hatch in freshwater.
Okay. I've got everything I wanted in without incident. When I was at petsmart getting my cories the lady strongly advised against me getting any cories at all. She said the 6 neon tetras was already to much. I ended up buying them anyway due to people here saying it was okay. She wasn't happy so she told me she wouldn't give me the 2 week warranty.
Now tell me, was she right and am I overstocked? (see sig)
Now tell me, was she right and am I overstocked? (see sig)
Aqadvisor.com has spoken:
Recommended water change schedule: 44% per week.
Your aquarium stocking level is 128%.
You're overstocked, but you should be okay if you regularly test water and keep up on the water changes.
Since you just added a ton of messy catfish, don't be surprised if your cycle gets overwhelmed and you start reading ammonia. Keep testing, and watch carefully so you can make the necessary changes.
Recommended water change schedule: 44% per week.
Your aquarium stocking level is 128%.
You're overstocked, but you should be okay if you regularly test water and keep up on the water changes.
Since you just added a ton of messy catfish, don't be surprised if your cycle gets overwhelmed and you start reading ammonia. Keep testing, and watch carefully so you can make the necessary changes.