Today's a new day.

[elephantnose3334]

Yay! 12 years of schooling (in total, primary and high school) is all over! Finally graduated today (the actual Year 12 graduation for the school as a whole is next month). I am an alumnus of '24. It's good to relieve these moments because I'll miss the teachers here. I have reached the finish line for high school. Wow, it's like jumping to the moon and back.

The dream is coming after all. Might get a custom made aquarium (92 x 40 x 36.5cm, 134.3L) on the weekend in the toyroom. Might have to remove a shelf off to get room. I'm going to keep cardinal tetras again and learn from my past mistakes. Trying not to rush on it though.

School was hard, but I made it eventually.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Yay! 12 years of schooling (in total, primary and high school) is all over! Finally graduated today (the actual Year 12 graduation for the school as a whole is next month). I am an alumnus of '24. It's good to relieve these moments because I'll miss the teachers here. I have reached the finish line for high school. Wow, it's like jumping to the moon and back.

The dream is coming after all. Might get a custom made aquarium (92 x 40 x 36.5cm, 134.3L) on the weekend in the toyroom. Might have to remove a shelf off to get room. I'm going to keep cardinal tetras again and learn from my past mistakes. Trying not to rush on it though.

School was hard, but I made it eventually.

Note on future tank inhabitants: I might keep Gastrodermus pygmaeus (pygmy cory) too if the tank size is enough for a shoal of 10.

 

[Colin_T]

Congratulations on finishing school

Now you can start working more to make money to buy your fish tank
Don't get a custom tank though, they usually cost more than a standard tank and have no resale value after if you ever want to get rid of it. Just get a standard tank that is close to that size.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Congratulations on finishing school

Now you can start working more to make money to buy your fish tank
Don't get a custom tank though, they usually cost more than a standard tank and have no resale value after if you ever want to get rid of it. Just get a standard tank that is close to that size.

Yeah, but that's what my dad wants me to do because the only size we get in the toyroom shelf is 92cm wide, 40cm depth and 36.5cm height. The toyroom table is 110cm long, and we have to leave some space for access to the tank i.e. moving it around, gravel vac. Nothing else. No taller than 36.5cm. The closest standard tank is the 90 x 36 x 42cm, but that one is taller than what dad suggested. The toyroom table is the only room we have for a second aquarium. There is a shelf above it that needs to be taken down; the tank must be as high as that shelf above the table.

So we have no choice but to get a custom made aquarium instead because of limitations of space for the toyroom shelf.

 

[Darby T]

Hey, chill out you are sounding fanatical.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Hey, chill out you are sounding fanatical.

Oh, sorry about that. And welcome to the forum.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Yesterday I had graduated high school, and I finally got the 91 x 35 x 46cm aquarium today. It will be set up tomorrow, but no plants until the water is cycled for at least a day, dad said. I will have pictures of it tomorrow.

 

[connorlindeman]

Yesterday I had graduated high school, and I finally got the 91 x 35 x 46cm aquarium today. It will be set up tomorrow, but no plants until the water is cycled for at least a day, dad said. I will have pictures of it tomorrow.

Not sure where you dad got the info that you need to cycle water for a day before adding plants, but its not true.

 

[Essjay]

Cycling is the process of growing beneficial bacteria which takes a lot longer than a day.

It sounds as though your father means to let the tank just run for a day. This is not a bad idea as it allows you to discover if the tank leaks or not; if the filter works or not and if the heater can hold the temperature steady at the value it's set for.

Once you get the plants in there, wait until they are actively growing before adding fish a few at a time.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Cycling is the process of growing beneficial bacteria which takes a lot longer than a day.

It sounds as though your father means to let the tank just run for a day. This is not a bad idea as it allows you to discover if the tank leaks or not; if the filter works or not and if the heater can hold the temperature steady at the value it's set for.

Once you get the plants in there, wait until they are actively growing before adding fish a few at a time.

Yes. We may do a leak test, see if the filter and heater is working, etc. That is before we actually hardscape, plant and cycle the tank.

Not sure where you dad got the info that you need to cycle water for a day before adding plants, but its not true.

Yeah, I know. My dad isn't as experienced in aquaria, and simply got that misinformation on his head. He says that because he doesn't want me to rush on it like last time (fake plants and stocking). I have watched aquascaping videos and people put the plants in the tank before filling it up. But dad doesn't believe that. He wants to set up my tank without the hardscape and plants, then cycles it and put the hardscape and plants in before adding livestock.

 

[connorlindeman]

Yeah, I know. My dad isn't as experienced in aquaria, and simply got that misinformation on his head. He says that because he doesn't want me to rush on it like last time (fake plants and stocking). I have watched aquascaping videos and people put the plants in the tank before filling it up. But dad doesn't believe that. He wants to set up my tank without the hardscape and plants, then cycles it and put the hardscape and plants in before adding livestock.

That will make your whole cycling process more drawn out. Live fast growing plants speed up the process significantly. Tell him that.

 

[GaryE]

A drawn out cycling process is not the worst thing. I doubt you're in a hurry.

You said your Dad did a lot of the maintenance, water changes etc with your small tank, so he may want to take it easy because it's a large task he's taking on. He may not want to get involved with plants at this point, and a slow build might be just what he wants.

That would give you time to get into the rhythm of doing water changes, etc, before you get a lot of fish and maybe have the difficulties you had the last time around.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Here's the aquarium I brought yesterday. I have a change of heart regarding the silvertip tetras. I might put the remaining ones from the 10 gallon to the 39.2 gallon (148.6L) once it's cycled and prepared, and put them in a bigger group than last time. The dimensions are 91 x 35.5 x 46cm and had to put the Tidal 55 filter on the side because there isn't enough room at the back.

The remaining 3 (all males) are nearly 2 years old now. I want to put them in a bigger home than last time. Before we brought the aquarium, an employee said to dad not to put hardscape and plants in the tank before it's fully cycled and he agreed with him. But it's not true, as Connor said. I will tell dad about the plants when he gets home.

 

[Colin_T]

Yesterday I had graduated high school, and I finally got the 91 x 35 x 46cm aquarium today. It will be set up tomorrow, but no plants until the water is cycled for at least a day, dad said. I will have pictures of it tomorrow.

Congrats on being a high school graduate, well done

Maybe your dad just didn't want to buy and set up the tank and plant it all on the same day. I used to tell customers to take their new tank home and set it up, then come back in a day or two and grab plants. It was easier for them because they didn't have to rush the setting up process. They could take the tank home, find a place for it, wash the gravel, set it up and get things going and then come back for plants.

You already have an established aquarium with an established filter. You don't need to cycle the new tank. You can simply move the old filter onto the new tank and it's done. If you want to keep both tanks running, take half the media/ materials from the old established filter and put it in the new filter. Instant cycled filter.

At home I have only ever cycled a marine tank and a Rift Lake tank. Every other aquarium I had, I simply transferred established filter materials into the new tank and added fish straight away.

----------------------

Looking at the new tank and filter. The cross member (piece of glass running from front to back of the tank) on the right hand side next to the filter might interfere with the water flowing out of the filter. You need to check that before adding anything except water to the tank. I would fill the tank and filter with water and turn the filter on and see where it goes.

You need a piece of polystyrene foam under the aquarium to cushion the base from any unevenness in the table. You can buy sheets of foam from a pet shop. Get one that is 10-20mm thick.

Is the aquarium supported underneath the tank in the cupboard?

If everything is good that looks like a nice spot for that tank. It fits in quite well and you could possibly hang lights from the frame above the aquarium.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Congrats on being a high school graduate, well done

Maybe your dad just didn't want to buy and set up the tank and plant it all on the same day. I used to tell customers to take their new tank home and set it up, then come back in a day or two and grab plants. It was easier for them because they didn't have to rush the setting up process. They could take the tank home, find a place for it, wash the gravel, set it up and get things going and then come back for plants.

You already have an established aquarium with an established filter. You don't need to cycle the new tank. You can simply move the old filter onto the new tank and it's done. If you want to keep both tanks running, take half the media/ materials from the old established filter and put it in the new filter. Instant cycled filter.

At home I have only ever cycled a marine tank and a Rift Lake tank. Every other aquarium I had, I simply transferred established filter materials into the new tank and added fish straight away.

----------------------

Looking at the new tank and filter. The cross member (piece of glass running from front to back of the tank) on the right hand side next to the filter might interfere with the water flowing out of the filter. You need to check that before adding anything except water to the tank. I would fill the tank and filter with water and turn the filter on and see where it goes.

You need a piece of polystyrene foam under the aquarium to cushion the base from any unevenness in the table. You can buy sheets of foam from a pet shop. Get one that is 10-20mm thick.

Is the aquarium supported underneath the tank in the cupboard?

If everything is good that looks like a nice spot for that tank. It fits in quite well and you could possibly hang lights from the frame above the aquarium.

The aquarium has the foam strip underneath the tank (weight even) like the old tank. Yes, I know about the filter, but we don't have room at the back because of the table's near the wall, pieces of glass glued on the tank for lid parts and no power point on the back, but on the side.

The old tank has a sponge filter and the new one has a HOB filter. We are yet to test the filter and heater on the new one. Dad put in the sand and filled up a quarter of the tank, which I went against, but dealt with it anyway, probably for a leak test.

For plants, I was thinking beginner-friendly epiphytes (Leptochilus pteropus) first, then the rooted plants. I have a sand substrate and natural gravel for detail. I may put the gravel on last, sprinkling on the sand for a river-like environment. Leptochilus needs to be stuck on hardscape, but I'm thinking of rocks and wood for a natural look.

I still have the three silvertips with me, but I have to relocate them from the 11 gallon to the 39.2 gallon because they were in the too small old tank for nearly two years. They need a big group to feel happy (10), but that's after I've cycled the tank. I have Chihiros B-series lights, which are dimmable and controlled by an app, but according to the website, LEDs will corrode with the tank lid on, meaning it's for open top tanks.

What are some good tank mates for silvertips that live in the same or similar natural range as them in this sized tank?