Advice Needed For A First Timer (Multiple Questions)

[sharkalark]

hey all, just made my account, and this is post#1. i need advice big time, and i have a number of questions. unfortunately in the past few weeks i've had a lot of trouble with stress, my sleep cycle, and it's starting to have problems with my health, so i have no choice but to take a medical leave of absence from college for the semester. i was told that while i'm home, i'm gonna need to find some relaxing things to do so i can get back into a routine and have some structure in my life.
I remembered seeing in a bunch of places that fish tanks have been proven to relieve stress and are placed in doctor/dentist waiting rooms for just that reason. however, i'm well aware of the work that needs to go into keeping a nice tank running well, which brings up my first question:

in general, is it more relaxing or is it more of a hassle to keep a tank running? i know there's the whole water change thing, but that's fine because it'll help me by giving me something to do, but that doesn't bother me. i just need to know if it's gonna make me more stressed or less.

if keeping a tank running is actually gonna help me, then i'll definitely get it. however, this would be my first tank, not counting the goldfish in a bowl that died in a week that every kid seems to have had. i know that i have to cycle the tank before putting the fish in, and i've read a couple articles about how to do it, but they all seem to differ on key points. some say to go with the suicide fish method (i refuse to do this as i won't be cruel to a living thing), some say to put fish food and let it decompose, others say to run a filter with the aid of pure ammonia. i know that using a filter cartridge (or whatever it's called) from an established aquarium, and/or a cup of gravel from an established aquarium speeds up the process because of the live bacteria already there, so i'll try my best to get my hands on at least one, if not both. but what i want to know is:

how can i cycle the aquarium as quickly as possible while still keeping the water safe for the fish? and how would i be able to get my hands on those pre-established filter pieces/gravel, considering i don't know anyone with a fish tank? (i.e. if somebody on here is willing to spare one and just so happens to live in miami, fl near me, could i buy/have it)

i'm hoping that won't take more than 1-2 weeks assuming nothing goes terribly wrong. i'm gonna need more help with the next step. again, it's my first tank so i don't quite have the experience to know what fish are compatible and which aren't. i've been doing research, and the only thing i know for a fact i want is a redtail shark. i understand they require around 30 gallons if you're keeping just a redtail in a tank by itself, and 55 gallons if you're starting a community. so:

to start off, should i just get a 30 gallon with just the one redtail? or should i get the 55 gallon and put some other fish in there too? i'm not sure if it'll make a difference, but this will probably become a family tank for my parents, my 13 year old sister and i, so i'm thinking i should get the 55 gallon so we each "have our own fish," so to speak.

assuming it will help me, and i get my tank cycled/running, and i do end up getting the 55 gallon, then on to this one:

due to the aggressive nature of the red tail shark, could you recommend any fish to put in with it? again, i'm new to the hobby (technically haven't even started yet), so as specific information as possible. i'm tired of reading sites that tell me "fish of similar size and speed, and non nippers," because i have no idea what fits that description.

and the last question i have is in regard to the tank, whatever size i get. i've discovered, sadly, that as an unemployed student with a very limited allowance/budget, starting a tank is not a cheap task, although the fish are inexpensive. which leads me to ask:

is it practical to purchase a used tank? before i had to go on leave, i was planning on getting a 20 gallon tank for my dorm, and with an available budget of $75, i naturally searched for the best deal possible. i found someone selling a 20 gallon long tank (no hood/top/lighting or anything else) for $15, when the cheapest new tank i saw was around $60 or so. obviously it's stupid to buy it used if, for example, there's a chip in the glass. and some things are not made to be bought used (xbox 360, for example, as i've sadly learned), and wanted to know what the general consensus is with aquarium equipment.



i know i'm asking quite a bit, and i know these questions have each probably been answered somewhere on here before, but i don't feel like searching and finding a question asked 2 or 3 different times with a different answer each time. please help me out, as the sooner i've got my finned friend, the quicker i'll get better

Sharkalark

 

[laxation]

I have a used tank, which has been fine for the 2 months I've had it.

Fish are relaxing to watch, but I've found a bit stressful because I keep worrying that they're a bit sick, or that the water isn't good them... I worry like this because I came into buying fish with no knowledge, so killed a bunch of fish before I knew what cycling was!
Now my tank is fine and the fish are enjoying themselves, I don't worry to much at all about them.

This site seems to advocate fishless cycling with pure ammonia, but a product called Seachem Stability gets your tank up and running within 10 days. The bottle says you can put fish in the first day, but I waited 10 days. Then adding a couple of fish each week, the tank has stayed with little to no ammonia and saved the 6-8 week ammonia cycle.

You should get the biggest tank you can afford, but obviously 55gallons means the water changes take more effort and time and is more expensive because you will need a big filter.

Some good tank mates for the shark include Silver Dollars, Angelfish, Bala Sharks, Plecos, Cory Cats, Swordtails and clown loaches

 

[sharkalark]

yeah, I'm definitely glad i found out about cycling by accident. somehow i doubt your average petsmart would warn you about it. there's nothing worse than losing a pet to something that's not entirely your fault, yet is preventable if you knew about it. which is why i'm kinda making a big deal about the cycling.

and i'm glad you mentioned adding a couple of fish each week, because i forgot about that part. the articles i'd seen said to add only a few at a time, but i assumed that meant every couple hours or something. good to know!

hmm. i could probably handle the bigger water changes, but i'd have to teach someone else how to do it and how frequently, i supposed.

and don't bala sharks grow to around a foot long and need to be in a school with others too? i'd need more than 55 gallons for that wouldn't i?

 

[laxation]

Yeah, you're right. I just copied a list of compatible stuff and added clown loaches.
i dont have first hand experience in it, just going by what I have read from other people.

as far as adding fish, you can add up to 4 small fish (tetras, rasboras and the like) a week, or 1 larger fish - the bacteria cant handle too many fish.

 

[Mark Z.]

Red-tailed sharks are one of my favorites. I have one in my tank along with angelfish, mollies, Congo tetras, neon tetras and plecos. They get along fine, except sometimes the shark will chase somebody, but nobody gets hurt. I put an algae wafer on each side of the tank at feeding time to try to separate the plecos, because they get kind of aggressive while eating. The shark seems to appreciate a hiding place. I have a log with a depression under it where he goes sometimes. I've had guppies, swordtails, platys, danios and many other fish in the past and never had an issue with the shark. My previous shark grew to 9" in my 48 gallon tank. The one I have now is about 6".

My tank is a definite stress-reducer! Sometimes, I come home after a stressfull day and just stare! Get the biggest tank you can afford...aside from the larger water change amount, there isn't much more work for a large tank than a small tank, and there is more room for the fish to swim and then they will have less stress, too!

Good luck!