Help me get back into fish keeping

[TheTenthDoctor]

Things have kinda gone down the drain for me. I haven’t really been into fish keeping. I just have been really really sick. Plus school. Now I’m done with school forever, so I need other stuff to do. I’m back to fish keeping. I need help to get started again and please drop your advice below

 

[AmyKieran]

Well first off I’ll fire some questions

1. What size tank do you have room for?
2. What is your water hardness?
3. Do you have a budget in mind?

 

[TheTenthDoctor]

Harder water…I work 3 jobs so money is definitely in mind but I’m not 1050 % broke. Also I am moving out to live by myself so room isn’t an issue
@AmyKieran

 

[AmyKieran]

Harder water…I work 3 jobs so money is definitely in mind but I’m not 1050 % broke. Also I am moving out to live by myself so room isn’t an issue
@AmyKieran

Okay do you have your kh and gh ? You can usually find this in your water companies website. Just find the numbers and post them here

 

[Naughts]

Things have kinda gone down the drain for me. I haven’t really been into fish keeping. I just have been really really sick. Plus school. Now I’m done with school forever, so I need other stuff to do. I’m back to fish keeping. I need help to get started again and please drop your advice below

Sorry you've been so poorly. I hope you're feeling better now. Do you still have any fish right now?

 

[TheTenthDoctor]

Sorry you've been so poorly. I hope you're feeling better now. Do you still have any fish right now?

A couple of guppies that are camped out in a half assed Walstad tank

 

[TheTenthDoctor]

Carlisle, PA

Carlisle, PA

www.carlislepa.org

Here’s the water report for my local municipality

 

[Naughts]

A couple of guppies that are camped out in a half assed Walstad tank

Do you have any other tanks (empty)?
What fish do you like? Are there fish that you've not had but would like to try? If so what are they?

 

[AmyKieran]

Okay so you have relatively hard water . It states on the website that throughout different seasons of the year the hardness will vary from 5-13.8 grains per gallon but averaging at 9.8. Do you have any hard water fish in mind?

 

[TheTenthDoctor]

So I’m a guppy fanatic. I’m also a beta fanatic. I use Indian almond leaves and never had any problems. But I need some suggestions. I’ve got quite a few tanks. 10,20,5.5, and 29

 

[Guyb93]

I’d go small low maintenance simply because your working a load you’re young and want your own place iv been there it’s great do what you want when you want and something that requires lots of maintenance is going to become a hindrance to your life style and possibly make fish keeping even worse . All I’m saying is that pointtt in life things change often and swiftly don’t buy something that is a financial commitment as once you live on your own all the energy that’s required to run this tank is out of your pocket

 

[emeraldking]

Just start simple to keep the costs down. And basically, even as an experienced aquarist things can be kept basic to have a successful hobby. If you'd go with the commercial flow, you seem to need a lot of things to establish a successful hobby. Which is nonsense, of course... A few decades ago, the aquatic hobby went just fine with a basic set up. That can still be done. Even I do that. It's the commercial world that made making choices harder. My motto is: Think basic and be creative...

 

[Naughts]

So I’m a guppy fanatic. I’m also a beta fanatic. I use Indian almond leaves and never had any problems. But I need some suggestions. I’ve got quite a few tanks. 10,20,5.5, and 29

Cool, So you could set up a ten gallon betta tank or 29 gallon for the existing guppies plus a new species or two? The 29 could have a group of 10-12 corydoras (Aeneus, Sterbai...) and/or cherry shrimp for the lower tank, maybe a school of x-ray tetra? You have experience of live plants and these would be ideal in either/both tanks.

 

[TheTenthDoctor]

So should I dirt my tank or use substrate??

 

[Naughts]

Cories will need sand. Do you want cories?