Get ready for all the same old questions.......

[kwi]

After years of talking and the appearance of a boy child that also wants an aquarium we've decided that a family xmas present shall be a small tank in a quiet corner of the living room.
We've been given one of those octaganol 30l tanks but it needs a bit of TLC and a new top and base made and we decided through the week to get something a touch bigger and have ordered a 55l 40cm cube (Aqua One Aqua Aspire, £40 off.) and are now researching what to put in it. Of course the son (7yo) wants stuff that won't fit (Red tail shark....) so I'm steering him towards the idea of one or two center piece fish and a shoaling group or two, and maybe some snails later, though am beginning to realise a lot of what I like the look of also won't fit.
We're also hoping that the hobby will impart some patience to the wee lad, once we cycle the tank then slowly bring the stock levels up he should of learnt some surely.
So my first set of questions:
Essential other equipment?
Live or plastic plants? And how do live plants effect cycling? And how much space should be taken up? Can I start with plastic and change to live once tank is established?
Substrate choices? Play sand? Really?
Quick start, waste of time? Or useful to speed up cycling?

 

[GFAJ]

Hey kwi
Welcome to the hobby !
To answer your questions
The must haves on equipment are a heater,a filter, thermometer and very importantly a test kit for all fish and tanks. Other than that I recommend a gravel vacuum, light,net, fan and some hiding spots.
I recommend live plants because they have so much advantages. Oxygenating the water, sucking up ( a very small but nevertheless) amount of nitrates, offering hiding places and imo just look better. There are some really easy plants that with a good light will only need an occasional trimming. Live plants do not affect cycling in any significant way. Some could say that they help by introducing a small amount of ben. bacteria to the tank but don't think it should change anything.
How much space should be taken up depends on the fish. There are some fish (almost nothing that can fit in your tank) that need lots of swimming space open but most will not mind any amount of vegetation as long as they can swim easily.
For substrate. Play sand can indeed work as can pool filter sand. There is bare bottom, gravel , sand ,tiled, nutrient rich for plants, dirted and a mix between the above is possible.

Bottled bacteria is , in my opinion of course, a big waste of time and money. All of the comercially available with the exception of tetra safestart do not work because they do not have the right strains of bacteria. Tetra safestart might work but it depends on how it was handled during shipping, selling and packaging. It's quite a gamble but can work. This changes nothing ofcourse because you should still do the whole cycling process normally but it might be sped up a little.

 

[ClownLurch]

A tank of those sizes are very limiting in the number, variety and type of fish you can keep AND give a nice life too in which they don’t die prematurely.
Most on here are more knowledgeable than myself but as someone whose recently returned to fishkeeping after over 20yrs I’ve had all the above dilemmas myself recently.
This lot will look after you though. Make sure you have fun deciding your eventual path though.
Best of luck.

 

[BoomerXIV]

I think @GFAJ almost cover anything, so here's a little tips for me, search fish species that can live in your water parameter, rather than conditioning the water to the fish needs, its better to choose fish that can live in the same water parameter as yours. So water test kit is a must

 

[PheonixKingZ]

@GFAJ said it perfectly.

Live plants definitely do help with your cycling process.

(I also suggest getting the API Master Freshwater Test Kit. It runs around $30, but well worth it, and will last you a long time.)

 

[kwi]

I think @GFAJ almost cover anything, so here's a little tips for me, search fish species that can live in your water parameter, rather than conditioning the water to the fish needs, its better to choose fish that can live in the same water parameter as yours. So water test kit is a must

That was my thinking, easier to cope with what I have than try to remember all my school boy chemistry. I did test my water earlier, using an API strip and it is quite soft, GH of 30mg/l hardly shifted the colour on the KH and has a pH of 6.5.

 

[Essjay]

A 40 cm (16 inch) cube does restrict your fish choice as even the smallest fish usually need at least 45 cm swimming length. With your hardness and pH, maybe look at one of the Boraras species https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/search/boraras
A well planted tank with a large shoal of these fish would look stunning.
If you could find any (I've only seen them once) perhaps Sundadanios https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/sundadanio-axelrodi/

I would usually suggest shrimps for this sized tank, but your water is a bit too soft for them.

 

[seangee]

I have celestial pearl danios in that size tank. https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/celestichthys-margaritatus/
They will work in your water. I keep mine with red cherry shrimp but you will need to add some minerals if that is what you decide. No other fish but 20-30 would make a lovely display. Just make sure that you have plenty of plants that are actively growing before you add them.
Here are a few of mine with some of their shrimp buddies

Oh and no other fish. They are best in a species only tank.

 

[Fishmanic]

Welcome to TFF. If you have a minute, please vote in our Fish of the Month contest.
Just click THIS LINK to view the entries and then cast your vote at the top.

 

[kwi]

A 40 cm (16 inch) cube does restrict your fish choice as even the smallest fish usually need at least 45 cm swimming length. With your hardness and pH, maybe look at one of the Boraras species https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/search/boraras
A well planted tank with a large shoal of these fish would look stunning.
If you could find any (I've only seen them once) perhaps Sundadanios https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/sundadanio-axelrodi/

I would usually suggest shrimps for this sized tank, but your water is a bit too soft for them.

Thanks, Chili rasbora look like the way forward, need to get some floating vegetation......and a duller light.
We would like a community rather than a species tank to keep the sons interest, thinking a few gourani and maybe some cory or has my tank choice scuppered me again?
(Though if I need peaty water you should see the local rivers.....almost like Guiness.)

Is Ammonia good for killing Covid or something? Went looking for some today to start cycling and the local chemist is saying even the wholesalers can't get any. Have ordered some on line.

I have celestial pearl danios in that size tank. https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/celestichthys-margaritatus/
They will work in your water. I keep mine with red cherry shrimp but you will need to add some minerals if that is what you decide. No other fish but 20-30 would make a lovely display. Just make sure that you have plenty of plants that are actively growing before you add them.
Here are a few of mine with some of their shrimp buddies

Oh and no other fish. They are best in a species only tank.

They do look nice and are certainly on the consider list.

 

[Essjay]

I noticed that ammonia has all but disappeared from Ebay. I can't believe that it's all been bought for fishless cycling

 

[kwi]

I strongly suspect it's all the hairdressers reopening........a lot of grey needing covered out there......
Well I did find some, but I think I've paid well over the odds.......though got free delivery

 

[kwi]

Yay, Ammonia and testing kit arrived today. Ammonia added and just waiting to test to make sure I added enough, due to a lack of Ammonia I actually bought a bottle of Dr Tims which was comparatively costly, I used their recomended dose which I think only takes you to 2ppm, if that's the case I'll add 1/2 again.
Also got a thermometer and it's showing a lower temp than the heater is set for, I suspected that would be the case so have cranked that up a touch.

Do I time my filter life from when it gets wet or when I add livestock? Also got a 100l filter, does that mean I can stretch the time between media changes a bit? I already know to stagger changing each bit of the media.

 

[ClownLurch]

I’d get two thermometers just to double check.

 

[Essjay]

Do I time my filter life from when it gets wet or when I add livestock?

The Aqua Aspire seems to be a tank made just for Pets at Home and they give little information on it so I don't know which filter you have.
Filter manufacturers usually tell you to change the media needlessly as they make more money. But the type of media will determine if you do need to change it.
Sponges and ceramic media don't need changing, just washing in old tank water.
Carbon cartridges are different. Carbon is not actually needed routinely, it's main use if to remove medication from the water after treating sick fish. If you have carbon cartridges, the best option is to replace them with sponge and don't change them.


Tell us what's inside the filter and we can be more specific.