Newbie To Aquariums: Am I Missing Anything?

[daffodille]

Hey everyone! Get ready for a wall of text and a fair few questions.
 
 
I am in my final year of college, and keeping a fish as a pet is kind of a tradition here. So last January, armed with good intentions and very little knowledge, I picked up a little red betta I named Jarvis. For the last nine months he's been living in a one gallon jar with a ball of moss. He received a 50% water change every other day with treated water and has always been fed twice a day. So he's been surviving but not exactly thriving. 
 
A few days ago my boyfriend surprised my by telling me he'll be getting me a fishtank for my birthday this year and asked me to go ahead and pick one out. After reading tons of reviews and watching dozens of youtube videos, I have settled on the Fluval Spec V, an attractive 5 gallon model. I have compiled a check list of all the things I think I'll need, and was hoping you guys might be able to tell me if I've left anything important out.
 
*25 watt heater (Leaning towards Hydor brand, as it had the best reviews. Any other suggestions?)
*Thermometer
*API water testing kit (This is the kit people mention most. I want to do this right.)
*Fungal and bacterial meds (recommend any brands?)
*Betta Hammock
*Gravel siphon?? 
 
***Substrate
I have read everything I could find about sand vs. gravel and I'm so lost at this point. I would like to have a planted tank, starting with some pretty low maintenance greens until I figure out what I'm doing. (Java fern, micro sword, anacharis.) What sort of substrate ought I get for those? I've read good things about Caribsea's substrate; would a gravel siphon work on that?
 
 
As you can see I have a lot of questions. If you can answer any of them or refer me to other sources I would really appreciate it. Thanks so much!

 

[BettaBarbara]

Congrats on getting Jarvis a new home!  He will certainly be much happier there I'm sure.....and live plants are great and I like anacharis, amazon sword and anubias--all low maintanance. I haven't used Caribsea  but I have heard good things about it.....I use gravel myself.....do you know about water condition and are you going to cycle your tank? The test kit is going to be an important part of your set up for sure.....good luck! Hopefully you can post some pictures in the future!

PS---there are some really good pages on this site that you should read, I don't know how to put the links in this post
but maybe somebody else will, otherwise you can find them, look under the Betta heading in the forums for more help.

 

[daffodille]

I don't know about water condition yet but I do plan to fishless cycle the tank. I'm impatient to get Jarvis into a better home but I don't want to torture him haha. Everything I've read has said the API testing kit is well worth the investment and I don't want to cut any corners. I've poked around the forum and read the awesome cycling pages--I am so thankful for the daily instructions, those are going to come in handy for sure.
 
I've heard amazon sword doesn't do super well in low light, so I figured I'd hold off on getting that one either until I have a better idea of what I'm doing or upgrade the lighting on the tank. Will my plants grow alright in gravel? I don't know if Caribsea would get sucked into a siphon so I really don't know how I'd go about cleaning it.
 
Yet another question: I keep hearing that the filter for the fluval is going to need baffling. Anyone know where I can find some instructions on how to go about that?

 

[BettaBarbara]

I don't know about water condition yet but I do plan to fishless cycle the tank. I'm impatient to get Jarvis into a better home but I don't want to torture him haha. Everything I've read has said the API testing kit is well worth the investment and I don't want to cut any corners. I've poked around the forum and read the awesome cycling pages--I am so thankful for the daily instructions, those are going to come in handy for sure.
 
I've heard amazon sword doesn't do super well in low light, so I figured I'd hold off on getting that one either until I have a better idea of what I'm doing or upgrade the lighting on the tank. Will my plants grow alright in gravel? I don't know if Caribsea would get sucked into a siphon so I really don't know how I'd go about cleaning it.
 
Yet another question: I keep hearing that the filter for the fluval is going to need baffling. Anyone know where I can find some instructions on how to go about that?

Hi again, I know what you mean about being impatient....but its worth the wait so he is comfortable in his new home

I have Amazon sword and it's doing well with the LED lighting that my tanks came with so far....I think the tank you are getting comes with LED lighting, right?
I have all my plants in gravel....so far so good.....I have heard that the fluval filters do need baffling....I don't have one though. Does your tank come with a lid?

 

[daffodille]

Thanks for helping me out here.
 
Yes the tank I'll be getting used LED and also has a pretty good lid. Jarvis would have to have excellent aim to get out of the slot on the top, but I figure I'll either drop the water level a smidgeon or put on some cling wrap just to be on the save side. I like the look of the amazon sword so it's nice to know they've worked well for you. 
 
You can see the lid here: http/www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0089E5VLC/ref=s9_simh_gw_p199_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=050MRQ2C356F5ED8MGV9&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1389517282&pf_rd_i=507846
 
I've heard more than once that stuffing a bit of filter sponge in the outflow of the filter ought to do the trick. I just don't want to accidentally break anything.

 

[Meeresstille]

Hi daffodille and welcome,
To clean the sand you wave the gravel vac over the area, swirling the debris up into the water column and the suction of the gravel vac will remove it. If you get a bit of sand up too it is OK. I have many times intentionally stuck the gravel vac into the tank and all you have to do to get the sand to flow down again is to squeeze the plastic hose with your fingers, stopping the suction.
 
About baffling the flow, I've tried baffling mine with some sponge filter at the outflow, but in time it somehow eventually got pushed off by the water flow. Maybe I did it wrong. lol What I have done now instead is, I placed some driftwood in the tank placing it so a branch is directly under the outflow. I've also added some floating plants. It did the trick for me.

 

[BettaBarbara]

Thanks for helping me out here.

 
Yes the tank I'll be getting used LED and also has a pretty good lid. Jarvis would have to have excellent aim to get out of the slot on the top, but I figure I'll either drop the water level a smidgeon or put on some cling wrap just to be on the save side. I like the look of the amazon sword so it's nice to know they've worked well for you. 
 
You can see the lid here: http/www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0089E5VLC/ref=s9_simh_gw_p199_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=050MRQ2C356F5ED8MGV9&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1389517282&pf_rd_i=507846
 
I've heard more than once that stuffing a bit of filter sponge in the outflow of the filter ought to do the trick. I just don't want to accidentally break anything.

I really like that tank.....can't wait til you have it up and running.....like I said, I have the swords, and I love the look of them and so far they are doing OK in my LED lighted tanks.....though they are doing better in my full spectrum lighted tanks....but as long as they stay green and alive I'm ok....lol....I do use a fertilizer for them in the tanks too. I really love live plants for so many reasons in my tanks. I wish I had better lighting in my tanks, but I just have too many of them to change it up now. I did order moss balls which I have heard so many good things about. When are you getting your tank by the way?

 

[daffodille]

Thanks for the info, Meeresstille. I guess at this point it's just a matter of which substrate I prefer the look of. I am a little worried about getting sand caught in my filter; I haven't heard of that ending well.
I'm thinking some frogbit might be nice to float in the tank, if I can get my hands on any.  But yeah plants and driftwood sound like they ought to do the trick!
 
 
Thanks BettaBarbara! It's such a pretty tank, and one that I anticipate I'll keep well out of college. The clunkier models with the huge hoods are what I had when I was growing up so this one seems like a bit of an upgrade. My birthday is on the 13th of October so I figure I'll get the tank a week or two before then. It seems like such a long time to wait!
I am really hoping I can get my tank fully planted at some point. I just love the way they look and it would be nice to have a solid little ecosystem going.

 

[BettaBarbara]

Ok so it's exactly a month from today! Ugghhh, I am terrible at waiting for things....lol....don't know about you?! My hubby got me a Betta for my birthday and I convinced him to get it early for me....well in the meantime you can do more research on what you want to get for the tank. It's a lot of fun setting up a tank...

 

[daffodille]

Yeah it's driving me a little nuts. But I'm using the time well I think and doing as much research as I can. Once it finally gets here I should be ready to dive right in and hopefully not make any mistakes haha. I gave my boyfriend his birthday present about two weeks early--maybe he'll return the favor? :b

 

[BettaBarbara]

I think he should

 

[Meeresstille]

I think he should too. Since you already know when your 'birthday' is, and 'what' you're getting for it, the 'when' you're getting it can still be a surprise then! 

 

 

 
I had a look at a picture of the tank you are getting, I can't exactly see where the intake of your tank's filter is, but as long as it is not near the substrate you needn't worry. Just don't turn on the filter while there is still swirled up sand in the water column. If it is in fact close to the substrate then I think gravel would be better to avoid damage to the filter by sand getting stirred up and sucked up into the filter housing.
 
If you are planning on making a planted tank you could look into eco-complete substrate or Fluorite (from Seachem) as the substrate. For the biotope I'm planning for my female Betta I have already the Fluorite sand (clay) from Seachem, and I will top it off with some dark smooth gravel. The only thing is those eco complete and fluorite bags are kind of large, but what you don't use in your 5 gallon tank you could keep for, imagine a whisper voice now: more tanks lol, or you could sell it!

 

[daffodille]

I think he should too. Since you already know when your 'birthday' is, and 'what' you're getting for it, the 'when' you're getting it can still be a surprise then! 

 

 

 
I had a look at a picture of the tank you are getting, I can't exactly see where the intake of your tank's filter is, but as long as it is not near the substrate you needn't worry. Just don't turn on the filter while there is still swirled up sand in the water column. If it is in fact close to the substrate then I think gravel would be better to avoid damage to the filter by sand getting stirred up and sucked up into the filter housing.
 
If you are planning on making a planted tank you could look into eco-complete substrate or Fluorite (from Seachem) as the substrate. For the biotope I'm planning for my female Betta I have already the Fluorite sand (clay) from Seachem, and I will top it off with some dark smooth gravel. The only thing is those eco complete and fluorite bags are kind of large, but what you don't use in your 5 gallon tank you could keep for, imagine a whisper voice now: more tanks lol, or you could sell it!

 
Hahaha oh man I would love to have more than one tank. Considering I'm as green as they get I should probably wait and see if I can keep just one under control.
 
I looked at some zoomed in pictures of the Fluval and some reviews and I believe there are actually two intakes: one little one at the bottom and some bigger slots up top. I've heard people say you can shut the bottom one though, (so long as the water level doesn't drop below the slots up top,) so I think a fine substrate is still an option. I really would love to have a nice little water garden going so I'll certainly take a look at the stuff from Seachem.