Possible brand new tank

[foxgirl158]

Hello!
My platies recently had fry, the first fry I've raised. As a result, I feel attached to them and I don't want to give them back to the fish store, so I'm trying to find homes for them with people I know. I think I've convinced my school librarian to set up a tank in the library, as long as I can figure out what to do with the fish/tank over breaks and take care of the tank myself. I've decided a 10 gallon would be easy to mostly drain and move to my house over long breaks (summer, spring, winter, ect), so I have some questions that I hope y'all can help with
1: how many platies will I be able to fit in a 10g? (With a nerite snail or two)
2: I'm undecided if I want/can do plants in this tank, I have a feeling it would be better to try it with a tank at my house before trying to wrangle plants at a tank that I don’t have access to all the time. If I do try to do plants, what plants would be good for a beginner?
3: what’s the cheapest ammonia I can buy? I still need to talk to the librarian about this, but I’ve found a second hand tank for $40 with three heaters (still need to ask if they all work), filter, two and a half boxes of filter pads, fish net, API tropical flakes, substrate vacuum, glass cleaner brush, half a bag of substrate that I may or may not use, and SpongeBob decor which I definitely won’t use, but will keep in case I need a hidey hole for fish in the future. If I need to buy this with my money, along with decor, substrate, and a test kit, that’s going to get kinda pricy. I’m hoping that she’ll split the cost with me, but we’ll see.
4: what’s some good looking, non tacky substrate that would work with platies? Just plain sand? How much?
5: what do cherry or some other common hardy shrimp types require? Would the platies eat them? I’ve considered shrimp, but my goldfish would just eat them, so it might be cool to have a few in this tank.
I’m hoping that I’ll be able to do this, because I think it would be so cool to just walk into the library and see fish that I raised living their best lives. I know that was a lot of questions, sorry! I have read the fishless cycling thread and am pretty sure I understand what to do.
TIA!

 

[foxgirl158]

Here’s some pictures of the tank I’m looking at and its accessories.

 

[foxgirl158]

 

[Essjay]

How long is a 10 gallon tank? Ideally platies need a tank at least 24 inches long for adults, though babies/juveniles are OK in smaller until they are fully grown.
I would do all males in this tank or it too would quickly be overrun with fry. The female fry you have now will soon be impregnated, if they aren't already.

 

[Slaphppy7]

How long is a 10 gallon tank? Ideally platies need a tank at least 24 inches long for adults, though babies/juveniles are OK in smaller until they are fully grown.
I would do all males in this tank or it too would quickly be overrun with fry. The female fry you have now will soon be impregnated, if they aren't already.

Standard aquarium tank sizes and weights

Volumes in US Gallons and liters, dimensions in inches and centimeters, and estimated weights in pounds and kilograms, both empty and full with freshwater

www.aqua-calc.com

 

[Essjay]

Thank you @Slaphppy7 I'll make a note of that for future reference

That link says 10 gallon tanks are 20.25 inches long. It could work as long as it's not over stocked and there are no females to add fry to the bioload.

 

[foxgirl158]

How long is a 10 gallon tank? Ideally platies need a tank at least 24 inches long for adults, though babies/juveniles are OK in smaller until they are fully grown.
I would do all males in this tank or it too would quickly be overrun with fry. The female fry you have now will soon be impregnated, if they aren't already.

This tank looks around 1 1/2 to 2 feet long, so it should be ok. I was planning on a male only tank, because all my current adult platies are female, which I’m sure I’ll regret after the next 3 batches of fry lol.

 

[foxgirl158]

This tank looks around 1 1/2 to 2 feet long, so it should be ok. I was planning on a male only tank, because all my current adult platies are female, which I’m sure I’ll regret after the next 3 batches of fry lol.

The fry are also currently 3 1/2 weeks old, how old do they usually give birth to fry?

 

[Essjay]

@emeraldking should be able to give you an idea of how long.

 

[foxgirl158]

@emeraldking should be able to give you an idea of how long.

Do you have any answers for my other questions? How does the 10g tank that I posted look? I’m not going to use the deco except maybe the cave with the barnacles because it doesn’t look terrible. My mom says I should just use the substrate that I get with it, but because this is a new tank I have a chance to decorate how I want and I’m not a fan of the fluorescent blue.

 

[Essjay]

Looking at your questions -

1. How many platies - since this won't be in your home, I would err in the side of being under stocked to make maintenance easier, so not more than 4 male platies. It will look empty until they are fully grown but don't be tempted to put too many in there. One nerite as well should be OK.

2. Plants. I would try and keep plants in there. Not only do platies like plants in their environment, they help with things like ammonia. Maybe some hardy plants like anacharis, together with floating plants. In 10 gallons I would look at salvinia (unless it's illegal in your state) or red root floater as these plants stay quiet small.

3. Ammonia - I don't know what's available in the US so I can't advise on price. But if you did use a good number of live plants, and used some of the media from your tank, you shouldn't need to do a fishless cycle.

4. Play sand. Many American members use Quickrete play sand.

5. Shrimps. Platies may eat cherry shrimps, though with a lot of plants for them to hide in they may be OK. But leave the tank to mature for a few months before getting any. Shrimps need stable water conditions.

 

[otterblue]

You could get the platies in your school colors.

 

[foxgirl158]

You could get the platies in your school colors.

I wish! The only fish that has my school colors is a royal gamma cool idea though!

 

[FishHobby99]

Where are you buying the tanks? I’ve seen good values at Petco and other Big Box stores. I also got good buys on Craigslist. Tanks came with filters, heaters, all kinds of stuff

 

[foxgirl158]

Where are you buying the tanks? I’ve seen good values at Petco and other Big Box stores. I also got good buys on Craigslist. Tanks came with filters, heaters, all kinds of stuff

Local tank off of Facebook Marketplace. I’ve gotten my two other tanks from marketplace and they were in great condition. I carefully check it for cracked glass and worn sealant, and wash everything in hot water.