Tank hunt

As stated in another thread I have re-homed my fish and am starting from scratch ditching my current 20 gallon cube. I'll be going with a 20 gallon again but NOT a nano cube. Looking at regular 20 gallon tanks, not long. Seems that a regular 20 gallon is 24 inches wide which is exactly the width of the end table it would go on so it is a perfect fit.

I definitely am NOT getting a 'kit tank' but may consider a tank and hood/light combo. I will already have a 100 watt heater, 2 Whisper 20 air pumps, 2 under gravel filter plates and a light. The light is too short for the new tank but would be a good supplementary light that can even be mounted under water.

The filter plates are actually too small for the new tank but I THINK I can add a third as, in the current cube, there is empty space all around both plates. I can get a third plate and just cut it down a bit if needed. With three plates I would, of course run three risers. Two risers would have small power heads and the third, probably center, would use one of the Whisper 20 air pumps with the other Whisper 20 driving a bubble bar. This will give fairly strong water flow with a lot of bubbles which will be good for the Panda Garras I want as the main species.

So a couple of questions...
1) Any suggestions as to the tank I want? Of course the tank source would need to be in the U.S..
2) The old tank has a ceramic chamber as a bacteria bed. Any real advantage in putting the ceramics in the new tank in a container to jump start the cycle a bit or just toss and cycle from scratch?

Don't get a 20H. Its pretty much the worst sized tank out there. Is there any way you could get a 30 instead? 20H limits your options.

connorlindeman said:

Don't get a 20H. Its pretty much the worst sized tank out there. Is there any way you could get a 30 instead? 20H limits your options.

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I'm restricted to a 24 inch width.

I think 3 uplifts are overkill in a small tank. Really, I want to say skip UGF & go with 2 HOBs, Aqua Clears are my preferred kind. 20, 30 or even maybe 50s would work well.

Panda garras grow to close to 3 or even 4 inches. I would NOT keep them in a 20g of any dimensions. Think hard & research more. Sorry to be a buzz kill

Personally , I think that the standard twenty gallon high is the PERFECT size aquarium . 24 x 16 x 12 fits anywhere , is easy to maintain and isn’t so deep that you need super lights for whatever plants you might want . A great consideration at my age is that I can still physically lift and move it . I can keep all but the biggest fish and it works well as a fry rearing aquarium when I get too many fry . I have two right now and I could actually use another one . All the equipment from your other aquarium will work perfectly . Use your undergravel plates off in one corner , or wherever , and leave one spot bare for a deep rooted plant . Aqueon aquariums are made in Franklin Wisconsin USA and are available almost everywhere .

Back in the fold said:

Personally , I think that the standard twenty gallon high is the PERFECT size aquarium . 24 x 16 x 12 fits anywhere , is easy to maintain and isn’t so deep that you need super lights for whatever plants you might want . A great consideration at my age is that I can still physically lift and move it . I can keep all but the biggest fish and it works well as a fry rearing aquarium when I get too many fry . I have two right now and I could actually use another one .

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Its major downside is many shoaling fish are unhappy in it. Not long enough.

connorlindeman said:

Its major downside is many shoaling fish are unhappy in it. Not long enough.

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As with anything you need to tailor what you want with what you have . The 20 high works perfectly for my needs but it won’t for somebody else’s . I’m only interested in Killifish right now in my fish journey so I’m set .

Back in the fold said:

As with anything you need to tailor what you want with what you have . The 20 high works perfectly for my needs but it won’t for somebody else’s . I’m only interested in Killifish right now in my fish journey so I’m set .

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I am sure for killifish a 20H is perfect.

fishorama said:

I think 3 uplifts are overkill in a small tank. Really, I want to say skip UGF & go with 2 HOBs, Aqua Clears are my preferred kind. 20, 30 or even maybe 50s would work well.

Panda garras grow to close to 3 or even 4 inches. I would NOT keep them in a 20g of any dimensions. Think hard & research more. Sorry to be a buzz kill

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I may be old school but am a strong believer of UG filtration. In my opinion it is the closest to nature and there is no other filter system that has as much surface area and/or less needed maintenance.

I'm thinking three air risers more for the fish than actually needed for the tank. They like high oxygen levels and high water flow. Two risers with power heads would give good water movement and a third with air, along with a bubble bar, would cause enough surface agitation to give high oxygen.

My formula for swimming room is the tank should be 8 to 10 times the total adult length of the fish that go into it. I have no problem with 1.5 to 2 inch tetras, killies, barbs, Cichlids (for whom swimming space isn't as much as issue) in a 20H. 24 inches is plenty of room for a shoal.

If you are into larger fish, a 20 L probably lacks the water volume for them anyway, and you should be looking for more space. Offer me a 4 inch fish, and I'll be looking for a 4 foot tank.

As long as your interest in small fish species, then a 20H is great.

I would go with the UG you have. Space it out, and stay with two risers. Consider adding an HOB as well, as it's not only good to have two filters on a tank, but to have two types of filters. The HOB can be more of a mechanical filter, with the UG providing more biofiltration. I have a couple of set ups like that, and they work well. I have combined UGF and HOB set ups, as well as sponge and HOB tanks.

GaryE said:

My formula for swimming room is the tank should be 8 to 10 times the total adult length of the fish that go into it. I have no problem with 1.5 to 2 inch tetras, killies, barbs, Cichlids (for whom swimming space isn't as much as issue) in a 20H. 24 inches is plenty of room for a shoal.

If you are into larger fish, a 20 L probably lacks the water volume for them anyway, and you should be looking for more space. Offer me a 4 inch fish, and I'll be looking for a 4 foot tank.

As long as your interest in small fish species, then a 20H is great.

I would go with the UG you have. Space it out, and stay with two risers. Consider adding an HOB as well, as it's not only good to have two filters on a tank, but to have two types of filters. The HOB can be more of a mechanical filter, with the UG providing more biofiltration. I have a couple of set ups like that, and they work well. I have combined UGF and HOB set ups, as well as sponge and HOB tanks.

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May or may not have been a typo on your part but looking at a 20 gallon tank, not 20 liter.

Another reason I want to go with three filter plates (hence three risers) is that the two plates I have are small and actually designed for a 5 gallon tank. Fit well in the cube with left over space but I think they would be too small for a 20H.

Multinational stuff - 20L was 20 Long, the US standard.

jaylach said:

May or may not have been a typo on your part but looking at a 20 gallon tank, not 20 liter.

Another reason I want to go with three filter plates (hence three risers) is that the two plates I have are small and actually designed for a 5 gallon tank. Fit well in the cube with left over space but I think they would be too small for a 20H.

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Or you could order an undergravel filter that’s made to fit a twenty high from www.jehmco.com Probably the last place you can still get them .

Jehmco has two different styles .

Back in the fold said:

Or you could order an undergravel filter that’s made to fit a twenty high from www.jehmco.com Probably the last place you can still get them .

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Thanks for the link.