Please Help Dad And I Setup Up My Fish Tank...

[-germ-]

Good thing is your overfiltered, 30gal filtration 15 gal tank, although i'm clueless as to how good biowheels are, i'd personally go for a trio of colisa gourami (2 female, 1 male) honey or thick lip; link.
Although it is debatable as to whether these would appreciate more space....
They're fairly tough fish, both can be aggressive but thick lips tend to be the more peaceful of the 2.

 

[Marlin&Nemo&Mac]

Hi,

I went back, and remeasured, and yes it is a 15 gallon tank. Funny thing is the hood with light that fits it says it is a 20. We went to Pet-Smart last night to get the ammonia, cousre they did not have it, so off to the hardware store today.

The tank I have is an old style(I'm told by the store) hex tank, but it is glass, I just have a magnetic cleaner that works for acrylic.

Still wondering what to clean the sides of the tank with before I put the water in? Also, do you fill it to the top, or?

Found a Fresh Water pH Test Kit Indicator Solution (Bromothymol Blue) by API, without any instructions, went to their website, but no help, can anyone tell me how many drops and what color it should be?

Thank you,

Mac

 

[Biulu]

I thing a dwarf gourami would be nice in that tank.

Gouramis are really nice fish, but unfortunately the dwarf gourami has become very prone to diseases due to inbreeding. If you want a similar size fish, go for honey or thicklipped gouramis.

 

[-germ-]

Biulus right, don't get a dwarf unless you can guarantee they come from a good source particularly avoid those that have had contact with or been imported from singapore (which is hard if not impossible to be sure of). Your probably best off avoiding them altogether.

 

[vinylman]

The best fish for beginners are livebearers. They are the easiest to take care of, and are quite decorative. Livebearers are fish such as platies, mollies, guppies, swordtails, etc. These fish are also extremely easy to breed, so don't be suprised to turn on the lights one morning to find little baby fish swimming around. As said before, the amount of fish you can have depends upon the size of your tank. Good rule of thumb is 1 square inch of fish per gallon.

Mollies prefer a little salt in their water, whereas others don't. Guppies aren't great first fish for a tank, due to being weakened by so much inbreeding.

 

[indigoj]

Hi, I'm quite new myself but hope I can help a bit on the fish side of things. I have gouramis in a 105l (23gal) tank, including a pair of thick lipped as a previous poster mentioned and they are lovely fish. My pair love playing in the air bubble wall and appreciate having a cave and plants to play hide and seek in. I have been told they are quite hardy fish and quite flexible on water chemistry so quite good for a beginner.
I also have a 10 gal tank with 6 platies in, they come in a variety of colours including ones called 'Mickey Mouse' (google and you will find out why) which could appeal to a young fish keeper. They are pretty, quite hardy and peaceful, I was also told they are a good fish to put into a new tank (after cycling) because they are hardy. Be warned though, if you go for livebearers you will at some point get baby fish (fry)
As for how high to fill the water? Gouramis need to be able to surface for air (read up on Labyrinth Fish) so leave a couple of inches between the top of the water and the top of the tank. Personally I tend to leave a gap anyway.
Good Luck and Have Fun!

 

[Marlin&Nemo&Mac]

I am sooo bummed, my tank sprung a leak during cycling, lost half the water....

Now what ....

Mac

 

[jourdy288]

How many gallons is my tank?

A sort of dumb sounding, yet highly effective solution is to take an empty gallon bottle of water and fill it with dechlorinated water. Fill your tank one gallon at a time. Be sure to count!Buy a new tank is my advice to you. The old one can be used as an insect home. or, a fruit fly culture.Psst, see my freewebs site!Sorry about the last post, still a fifteen gallon tank. Plus leak. Sad. The best way to repair is by using FISH SAFE silicone glue.

 

[confusion]

Sorry to hear about that. If you know where the leak is, you can fix it relatively easily. Petsmart sells tubes of aquarium silicone sealant. It only costs a few dollars - not too bad. As long as your filter hasn't dried out and stopped working, you're probably not impacting the cycling process. The important thing is not to get frustrated and take your time.

In short - dump the water in a bucket, and put the filter on the bucket to keep your cycle going. Dry out the tank, and try to find where the leak it. Assuming you can find it, patch it well with some silicone and let it dry for a few days before putting the water back in it. The filter is the critical part of cycling - not hte tank.

BTW, while you are inspecting things, I would look for any other areas that look like they aren't sealed well. Oh, and it should go without saying, but applyt the silicone on the inside - not on the outside.

 

[Tolak]

I am sooo bummed, my tank sprung a leak during cycling, lost half the water....

Now what ....

Mac

Tanks do have a warranty, I would contact the place you got it from, and get a replacement.

 

[Marlin&Nemo&Mac]

I am sooo bummed, my tank sprung a leak during cycling, lost half the water....
Now what ....
Mac

Tanks do have a warranty, I would contact the place you got it from, and get a replacement.

Sad to say, but no warranty, it was a gift....

Confusion:
Regarding the sealing from the inside, why does that go without saying?

Thanks for all the replies thus far...

Going to work on it tomorrow night

Mac

 

[newtotropical]

I think your doing well for a 4 year old!!!!

Keep up the good work and keep an eye on Dad!!

Good luck little Mac or should that be Big Mac??!!!