General Newbie Questions (itemized)

[InaneCathode]

I've a few questions as my tank is (hopefully not much longer) currently cycling:
20 Gallon tank, Longish bubble bar, OTB Filter, Decent heater

1) I've always liked puffer fish, more specifically the small bumble bee looking ones (dwarf puffer?) and any other interesting/weird fish. I do understand though, this being a smallish new tank that this might not be attainable yet

2) I've always liked real plants (not been a real fan of fake anything to be honest) what kind of challenges and changes should i expect to come up against if sometime in the future i decide to go planted?

3) I'm a complete newbie to aquariums and either i'm too blind to find any, or havent looked hard enough to find any guides on maintenance. More specifically, cleaning. I know water should be changed, but how much, and how often i have no idea. Filter changes, scrubbing, gravel vacs i know need to be done but when and how often?

Thanks for reading this and hopefully helping an aquavirgin out!

 

[14gtr14]

Plants

Read the planted tank section in this forum, it is really helpful.

Find out your light wattage and divide that by 20 gallons to find out your watts per gallon. Then you can see if your tank is low medium or high lighting. This'll also probably decide if you'll go for a low-tech or high-tech tank.

What gravel/sand/substrate do you have? If you have inert substrate (eg gravel or sand on their own) you'll probably want to add laterite or use root tabs to help your plants.

Dwarf Puffers.

Once i've got my main tank sorted I'll set up a dwarf puffer 15 gallon tank. I've heard that they need good water conditions and they prefer planted tanks. They are only suitable in species only tanks (+ maybe ottocinclus).

Here are some links that'll help:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showforum=58

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showforum=10 ( the "pinned topics")

I have also pm'd you a dwarf puffer site that is very helpful. (can't be posted as it has a link to another forum)

cheers 14gtr14

 

[Zafirah]

I currently have a Green Spotted puffer and he is agressive
so if you get a dwarf puffer make sure its a 1male to 2-3 female racio

 

[miriena]

I think puffers (well, at least figure eight puffers) would prefer to have about 10-15 gallons all to themselves, they are pretty agressive, so they will have to be the sole inhabitants of that space (I want a puffer, too!). The need room to swim around, but do like planted tanks. There's some stuff on puffers in the Brackish forums, check it out!

If you have time to go through the Forums here, there's a lot of info about tank maintenance in Beginner Questions. For our 10g tank we do about 40% water changes weekly, which includes a gravel vac (well, sand vac, as we have sand). Get a gravel vac from a pet store, doesn't have to be expensive at all, make sure it's something you'll be comfortable using. Start a syphon and suck the nasties from the bottom! Good, quality fun. Gravel vaccing doesn't take long and is not very laborious in my opinion.

 

[14gtr14]

Figure 8 puffers are brackish water fish so I would leave them until you have more experience.

Not all puffers are brackish, Dwarf Puffers aren't, but as I said in the pm, i would stick to something else just now. I'll give you a shout when mine's is set up.

greg