New to fish keeping

[CoffeeLover]

Hi everyone

I posted on here a few months ago with some questions, etc and with the replies I realised that I was not knowledgeable enough for it to be ethical for me to get fish at that stage. I've done some research, and started saving the money necessary to start up, but I just wanted to make sure I have the necessary conditions/plan for my fish to be happy

I was planning on getting a ~ 10 gallon tank, but I've come across a second hand tank that I'm actually going to look at today that is 36 gallons.

I am looking to get guppies, all male to prevent breeding and stressed females. I'm thinking around 7-10, is this appropriate for the tank size?
I may also get 1-2 cories.

I have some decorations already for them to hide in, and also plan on getting one or more of the following plants:
- Java moss
- Water sprite
- Guppy grass
Which plant would be best? considering this is my first properly set up tank & it's for guppies

For substrate, I was planning on getting sand

The tank will also have an appropriately sized heater, lights & a filter as well as a form of air pump.

I am also thinking of getting the following products for cleaning & maintenance:
To help with water changes- https://www.petstock.com.au/product/fish/ao-gravel-cleaner-9-16-in/49009
https://www.petstock.com.au/product/fish/aqua-one-floating-magnet-cleaner/49027
Water conditioner- https://www.petstock.com.au/product/fish/api-tap-water-conditioner/53811
Stress coat- https://www.petstock.com.au/product/fish/api-stress-coat-aquarium-water-conditioner/53893
Test kit- https://www.petstock.com.au/product/fish/api-freshwater-master-multi-test-kit-5-in-1/53669

Is there anything wrong with these products/any others I should consider? (I live in Australia)
Is there anything else I should be getting?

Thanks so much

 

[663]

Continue to be this thoughtful and you'll be fine. Go ahead, take the jump and share your experiences.

 

[Circus]

Looks like you are off to a good start! I am glad you are doing the necessary research. I would go with 6 or more corydoras, as they are a shoaling species.

 

[Fishiemang]

Guppies in a 36 gallon? Go nuts! Get 20 of them if ya want...haha.

If ya go with the 10, you'll be limited on how many fish you can keep.

 

[CoffeeLover]

Thanks everyone! I do have one more question though- I was looking to get this filter for my tank, however this is the biggest size that they stock- https://www.petstock.com.au/product/fish/aqua-one-clear-view-hang-on-aquarium-filter/51039
As the tank would have substrate, decorations etc & also not filled up to the brim, as well as me not planning to have a huge number of fish would it still be acceptable?
If the link doesn't work the website says that the filter is suitable for tanks up to 120L (31 gallons), and the one I'm getting is 36.

 

[Colin_T]

If you are getting a secondhand tank, check the silicon that holds the glass together.
Look for cream or white silicon and air bubbles in the silicon.
Touch the silicon and see how hard it is. Good silicon will be firm but you should be able to squish it a down a little bit.

--------------------
Water Sprite and Java Moss are great plants. No idea what guppy grass is.

--------------------
What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Depending on what the GH of your water is, will determine what fish you should keep.
Tetras, barbs, gouramis, rasbora, Corydoras and small species of suckermouth catfish all occur in soft water (GH below 150ppm).

Livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), rainbowfish, goldfish occur in medium hard water with a GH around 200-250ppm.

If you have very hard water (GH above 300ppm) then look at African Rift Lake cichlids or use distilled or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and keep fishes from softer water.

--------------------
The gravel cleaner in the link is rubbish. Get a basic model like the one in the following link.

Aquarium Cleaning Made Easy

Aquarium cleaning should take 30 minutes every two weeks. Learn how the professionals do it in 18 easy steps.

www.about-goldfish.com

Algae magnets are fine or you can use a clean sponge that doesn't have soap in it. Be careful using algae magnets. If they get gravel between the glass and the magnet, it will scratch the glass.

You don't need API Stress Coat. Just get the API tap water conditioner.

The API test kit is fine.

Don't get the Aqua One power filter, they aren't that reliable. Get an AquaClear 70 hang on back (HOB) style if you want a HOB filter.

 

[663]

Think overfiltration if possible, at least that's my methodology. Perhaps someone can opine on filter make/type? BTW, I think it's deeply cool that you live in the exotic Australia, CL.

 

[ClownLurch]

Corys like the company of their own kind so six is usually the recommended minimum.
Don’t buy any fish until you know your water hardness, it’ll be on your water providers website. If it’s extremely hard the guppy’s will probably be ok but not Corys.

 

[CoffeeLover]

If you are getting a secondhand tank, check the silicon that holds the glass together.
Look for cream or white silicon and air bubbles in the silicon.
Touch the silicon and see how hard it is. Good silicon will be firm but you should be able to squish it a down a little bit.

--------------------
Water Sprite and Java Moss are great plants. No idea what guppy grass is.

--------------------
What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Depending on what the GH of your water is, will determine what fish you should keep.
Tetras, barbs, gouramis, rasbora, Corydoras and small species of suckermouth catfish all occur in soft water (GH below 150ppm).

Livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), rainbowfish, goldfish occur in medium hard water with a GH around 200-250ppm.

If you have very hard water (GH above 300ppm) then look at African Rift Lake cichlids or use distilled or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and keep fishes from softer water.

--------------------
The gravel cleaner in the link is rubbish. Get a basic model like the one in the following link.

Aquarium Cleaning Made Easy

Aquarium cleaning should take 30 minutes every two weeks. Learn how the professionals do it in 18 easy steps.

www.about-goldfish.com

Algae magnets are fine or you can use a clean sponge that doesn't have soap in it. Be careful using algae magnets. If they get gravel between the glass and the magnet, it will scratch the glass.

You don't need API Stress Coat. Just get the API tap water conditioner.

The API test kit is fine.

Don't get the Aqua One power filter, they aren't that reliable. Get an AquaClear 70 hang on back (HOB) style if you want a HOB filter.

Thanks so much for the help, I've looked up my water supplier's water details etc and for my area the average water hardness was 16 mg/L. Is there a way to convert this to ppm? Is it even the same thing? Sorry I'm a bit hopeless with maths.

The pH is also 7.51, and I can't find results for the KH- is this also super important? Because I can call them if needed.

 

[Colin_T]

16mg/L is the same as 16ppm, so you have ver soft water that is ideal for tetras, barbs, rasboras, etc, but not good for livebearers like guppies, mollies and platies.

A pH of 7.5 is fine for most fish except wild caught fishes from South America, and it's unlikely you will get them. They are expensive and don't come in very often, and they will be labelled "wild caught".

Don't worry about the KH, it will be really low as well but isn't that important unless the pH in the tank drops between water changes. If it does, you can help stop the pH dropping by adding some shells, limestone or dead coral skeleton/ rubble to the tank or filter.

-------------------
If you want guppies, get some Aquasonic Rift Lake conditioner (it's a fine white granule/ powder like salt) and use it at half strength. You will need to make the water up 24 hours before you use it so the mineral salts can dissolve in the tap water. Then use that water for water changes.

The Rift Lake conditioner will increase the pH, GH & KH.

 

[CoffeeLover]

16mg/L is the same as 16ppm, so you have ver soft water that is ideal for tetras, barbs, rasboras, etc, but not good for livebearers like guppies, mollies and platies.

A pH of 7.5 is fine for most fish except wild caught fishes from South America, and it's unlikely you will get them. They are expensive and don't come in very often, and they will be labelled "wild caught".

Don't worry about the KH, it will be really low as well but isn't that important unless the pH in the tank drops between water changes. If it does, you can help stop the pH dropping by adding some shells, limestone or dead coral skeleton/ rubble to the tank or filter.

-------------------
If you want guppies, get some Aquasonic Rift Lake conditioner (it's a fine white granule/ powder like salt) and use it at half strength. You will need to make the water up 24 hours before you use it so the mineral salts can dissolve in the tap water. Then use that water for water changes.

The Rift Lake conditioner will increase the pH, GH & KH.

Thank you so much!