Newbie introduction

[macapowder]

Hello!
I'm Maca, currently an art student and a fishtank owner, since I didn't get the fish yet.
I started looking into fishkeeping when I was 14, I saw videos and pictures of very nice looking fish tanks filled with natural plants and with a couple of beautiful fish in them. I thought it would be really cool to keep some fish of my own when I have the money to get what I need.
I recently got a 54L fishtank, and made a little setup. I got some fake plants for the ground and some natural floating plants (duckweed and limnobium) since I saw they're good for beginners. I also have a piece of mopani wood and a sansibar stone in there. I really tried my best to make it look nice with everything I had, and tried to make a hiding spot for the betta behind the sansibar rock and the artificial plants.

I'm planning to get a betta fish from my LFS (I learned that they like to stay alone mainly, they're on the easier side of fishkeeping and I don't want to deal with fish making babies, I can't afford to get extra fish tanks for them), but I'm still waiting to make sure the conditions in the fish tank are right.

I'm happy there's a community for this hobby and I can't wait to meet more experienced folk/passionate people on this forum.

 

[Geoffrey]

Welcome to the forum! Lots of helpful and knowledgeable people here. You’ll enjoy it.

 

[The603]

Welcome to the forum, lots of experience here.

 

[Fishies4Ever]

Welcome to the forum!! We’re here if you have any questions related with your little fishies!

 

[TNG]

Hello!
I'm Maca, currently an art student and a fishtank owner, since I didn't get the fish yet.
I started looking into fishkeeping when I was 14, I saw videos and pictures of very nice looking fish tanks filled with natural plants and with a couple of beautiful fish in them. I thought it would be really cool to keep some fish of my own when I have the money to get what I need.
I recently got a 54L fishtank, and made a little setup. I got some fake plants for the ground and some natural floating plants (duckweed and limnobium) since I saw they're good for beginners. I also have a piece of mopani wood and a sansibar stone in there. I really tried my best to make it look nice with everything I had, and tried to make a hiding spot for the betta behind the sansibar rock and the artificial plants.

View attachment 322458

I'm planning to get a betta fish from my LFS (I learned that they like to stay alone mainly, they're on the easier side of fishkeeping and I don't want to deal with fish making babies, I can't afford to get extra fish tanks for them), but I'm still waiting to make sure the conditions in the fish tank are right.

I'm happy there's a community for this hobby and I can't wait to meet more experienced folk/passionate people on this forum.

Welcome to the forum.

A nice tank and hope that your cycling goes well.

Unless I get sansibar rock confused with something else, this rock will raise the pH and GH too high for the bettas. I suggest you test the tank water for pH and GH, and may have to remove the rock if the pH & GH are too high.

Bettas will appreciate live plants and they don’t normally hide unless they are sick, get harassed by other fish, or the temperature is too low, below 18C.

Enjoy the hobby!

 

[macapowder]

Welcome to the forum.

A nice tank and hope that your cycling goes well.

Unless I get sansibar rock confused with something else, this rock will raise the pH and GH too high for the bettas. I suggest you test the tank water for pH and GH, and may have to remove the rock if the pH & GH are too high.

Bettas will appreciate live plants and they don’t normally hide unless they are sick, get harassed by other fish, or the temperature is too low, below 18C.

Enjoy the hobby!

Hello!

Thanks a lot for the suggestion. I was actually struggling to keep the GH at an ok level, it was too low for the past 3 readings, only yesterday I got an ok GH reading after adding a bit more tap water (with conditioner and dechlorinator, of course) the ph stays around 7.5. Is that okay? The guide on my testing strips say that but I need an extra opinion too. If anything ehat can I do to lower the pH and what other rocks do you suggest?

My local fish store has a pretty nice selection to choose from

The temperature is at a steady 25 C°, but I think I have to lower the water flow since the duckweed gets sucked to the filter, I don't know if that's normal.

 

[TNG]

If your GH is 3 to 5 then it’s OK for bettas.
pH 7 to 7.5 is good but you wouldn’t want it to be much higher than 7.5

You can leave water in the tank to stabilise for a few days or a week then take the readings. If the readings are higher than 3-5 and 7.5 then I’d remove the rock. Removing the rock should lower pH and GH.

You only need to agitate the water gently to increase oxygen level in the water, no need fast flowing water especially if you keep a betta.

 

[jaylach]

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Welcome! Can you tell us more about "sansibar stone"? I generally recommend choosing fish that fit your water chemistry, rather than trying to alter water chemistry to fit the fish. If your water is super-soft, there are many fish that will enjoy it.

 

[macapowder]

Welcome! Can you tell us more about "sansibar stone"? I generally recommend choosing fish that fit your water chemistry, rather than trying to alter water chemistry to fit the fish. If your water is super-soft, there are many fish that will enjoy it.

About the sansibar stone, I picked it because it had a hole for the fish to interact with and it was the smoothest I could find at the home depot aquarium section (I didn't know the town I live in now had a local fish store until after i got the rock) and then I saw the same stones at the fish store too. I don't know much about them, I was mostly advised to just pick a rock that's on the smoother side.

This is what results when I look for it online, mine is a lot smoother in real life and with a lot less holes.


About the fish, I'd like a fish that can live by itself and is easy to keep for a first time fish owner. I got redirected to the betta by all the pet store employees I asked, including the local fish store employee. I also want a single fish because I can't handle a fish having babies rn. Either way, I didn't get the fish yet, I'm taking my time to adjust the aquarium and learn more, I'm open for more suggestions and examples.

 

[macapowder]

Welcome! Can you tell us more about "sansibar stone"? I generally recommend choosing fish that fit your water chemistry, rather than trying to alter water chemistry to fit the fish. If your water is super-soft, there are many fish that will enjoy it.

Also I just realized I was reading the GH on the strip test wrong. It was at ok levels before too but now it got higher, it might be from the stone like TNG suggested, I might take it out and change it with a different rock, any suggestions?

 

[Slaphppy7]

Welcome to TFF

 

[emeraldking]

Hi and welcome to TFF...
Just let that tank run for a bit more before fish the desired betta will be put in...