How Much Would All Of These Supplies Cost?

[ZephyrStarPlaties]

I need to know about how much this would cost in total. If anyone has tips on saving a bit of money, those would be appreciated as well!

- 10 gallon tank
- 5 gallon tank
- A bag of gravel
- 10 gallon filter
- 5 gallon filter
- 1 dwarf gourami
- 2 platies
- 2 cories
- 1 silk plant
- 2 small rock caves/similar hiding spots
- water test strips
- 4 real plants
- 2 in-tank thermometers (I don't really trust external thermometers to be accurate)
- various fish medications
- 10 gallon heater
- 5 gallon heater
- 2 lights (the kind that you put on top of the aquarium, they have their own hood)

I got a total of 300 dollars, but I think I overshot it a bit.

 

[KittyKat]

I can't help you with the costs, as you are in a different country, but some comments on your choices…

- 10 gallon tank
- 5 gallon tank

Why do you need two tanks? The fish you name will fit into the 10 gallon without problems.

- A bag of gravel

Corys should have sand, and play sand tends to be cheaper than aquarium gravel.

- 2 platies

You should get only two males or two females, not a male and a female. If you want to keep platys of both sexes, then you should have at least two females per male as some individual males can be quite nasty.

- 2 cories

Schooling fish, please keep them in groups of at least 6+ per species and ideally in groups of 10-15+ per species. I have come up with a list of suitable species for a tank that has a 24*12 inch bottom area, you might find it useful: http/blog.natureaquarium.co.uk/?page_id=278#sa-bottom

- 2 small rock caves/similar hiding spots

The fish you have do not require these, so a better alternative could be just some wood or rock decoration (in terms of cost for you, in terms of aesthetics for me).

- water test strips

These are very inaccurate, to the point of being useless. It's well worth waiting a little longer and getting a liquid test kit.

- 2 in-tank thermometers (I don't really trust external thermometers to be accurate)

The external thermometers are called liquid crystal thermometers and measure the air temperature of the room as much as the glass (note, not even the water!), so you are right to not trust them.

- various fish medications

I recommend one good, generic anti-microbial (this includes anti-bacteria and anti-fungal) and one anti-white spot.

For 300 USD, I could set up a really fancy 24*12*12 inch tank including some quite nice stock, so I don't think you should have any problems if you get cheap tanks. Have you had a look at second hand ones on eBay and Craig's List? And plants from hobbyists instead of shops?

By the sound of things, you're trying to set up a breeding tank and a fry tank, is that right? If that is the case, then could you not start with only the platys in the 10 gallon (I really recommend that you invest in a tank that is 24" long, the fish would like the extra space) and sell off the fry to fund a second tank, and only then get the other fish?

 

[ZephyrStarPlaties]

I'm going to put the platies and cories in my existing tank that has 4 more of each XD. Sorry about the confusion. I'm using the 5 gallon for a betta and the 10 gallon I'm going to set up as a quarantine tank. Are quarantine tanks generally considered helpful? Some people have said they're essential and some have said that they're a waste of money.

 

[KittyKat]

Are quarantine tanks generally considered helpful? Some people have said they're essential and some have said that they're a waste of money.

I say it's more complicated than that (as always). If I am receiving a fish after it has been quarantined, then I do not quarantine. If I am receiving a fish from an unknown source, I quarantine. Wild caught fish always have to go through quarantine. "Rescue" fish also get quarantined. Fish that are aimed at tanks with fish that are likely to have health problems are quarantined. Fish from my family and friends (who I trust) are never quarantined unless I know there is a problem.

Keep in mind that for quarantine to be effective, you should aim to make it last for 6 weeks (4 is realistically the minimum).

If you or someone you know is any good at DIY, what about making your own tanks? It's usually cheaper and not *that* complicated

 

[ZephyrStarPlaties]

Are quarantine tanks generally considered helpful? Some people have said they're essential and some have said that they're a waste of money.

If you or someone you know is any good at DIY, what about making your own tanks? It's usually cheaper and not *that* complicated

I didn't know DIY tanks ever worked XD I'd be a bit worried about the materials like glue being fish safe. I'll see if I can find a nice tutorial.

 

[OldMan47]

Let's keep things simple. You can get a full 5 gallon kit from places like Petsmart for about $30 to $40. A Q tank can be as simple as a 5 gallon water change bucket with a heater and a HOB filter. Never use any gravel or decor in a Q tank, it makes sterilizing after use too hard.

 

[FishFanatic04]

I got 2 10g tanks from petsmart for $30 each, {tank, hood, filter} then I added heaters, which I found cheap. maybe $10. It was worth every penny. I have a platy in quarantine with a bare bottom and just some rocks around for her to hide behind. easy to clean like Oldman47 said.

oh and in-tank thermometers are about $2.50 at petsmart OR petco.

 

[ZephyrStarPlaties]

I got 2 10g tanks from petsmart for $30 each, {tank, hood, filter} then I added heaters, which I found cheap. maybe $10. It was worth every penny. I have a platy in quarantine with a bare bottom and just some rocks around for her to hide behind. easy to clean like Oldman47 said.

oh and in-tank thermometers are about $2.50 at petsmart OR petco.

Wow, I didn't know you could get them that cheap! That makes things a lot easier then.

 

[FishFanatic04]

They have sales all the time, the tanks I got are $34 regular price, so still a good deal.

 

[OldMan47]

You can go far cheaper than that if you are willing to use a used tank. I often pick up a used 10 gallon at club auctions for a dollar or two each. I have to buy my own filter and light strip but those are sometimes available in the same auction for just a dollar or two each. I even bought a 6 pack of box filters for about $3 total. Fish are another matter. If you are picky about your stocking, you might spend quite a bit unless they happen to show up at a local club auction. In my case, I look for rare livebearers but do not get picky about which particular species I get on a given day. That flexibility often rewards me with dirt cheap fish that simply cannot be found elsewhere. If you want to operate on a shoestring, use club auctions and places like Craig's List to search for supplies. It can be done if you are flexible in your wants.
I bought a 55 gallon off of Craig's list for $50 that came with 2 heaters, substrate and a decent cover. I tossed the filter because it was beyond repair. The chemicals that I got with it were out of date and the test kits told me the former owners were having troubles with ammonia, probably from a lack of understanding the process of cycling. Who has 3 ammonia test kits and things like ammo-carb material when they understand cycling?