Upgrading

[toxik]

For valentines day I bought my girlfriend a 5 gallon tank with some glowlites and neon tetras, some driftwood, simple hardy plants, and some shrimp. I went small just to be sure she could take care of them and everything would be just dandy with everything else in the tank.
She really wanted kissing gouramis but everywhere I read they required a minimum of 30 gallons or more. She has no room for a large tank, and my bank account isn't all that big either. We found a combo at our local fish store. It's a 20 gallon hex tank with stand, hood, light, and maybe other stuff, i forget, for $140, which isn't bad considering I spent well over $120 for this 5 gallon tank.
We are going to be transfering the fish to the new tank after It has been set up, filtered, planted, etc etc. With the new tank, I want to go a little more advanced. More plants, better light output, better gravel etc.

Here are my questions.

1. Substrate - Should I use substrate? I have 3 plant species, all divided up to fill up the tank and they are growing like crazy with the pencil eraser size rocks that are in there now.
2. Lighting - The hood comes with a basic flourescent light. I wanted to upgrade to a more natural, plant enhancing light? What temperature should I look for? 10, 15K?
3. Fish - What fish are compatible with tetras? My girlfriend wants kissing fish, but she has heard stories of them eating tetras and smaller fish.
4. Plants - What are some hardy large plants? I want to make the tank as real to the real thing as possible, no plastic stuff, no neon castles.

PS. She wants cute fish, like pea puffers, upside down catfish, stuff a chick would like because it's cute, not Oscar or plecostomus ugly.

I'm probably missing stuff, but I need just need some pointers. The largest tank I've owned was a 15g with african dwarf frogs and some snails and ottocinclus', but I've got a bit of experience, i've owned quite a bit of tanks and set up a bunch of tanks, but nothing with such realism and complication.

 

[emma12321]

Hi welcome to the forum,

A hex tank is only second worse to a goldfish bowl with the tank not having much surface area. Generally in a 20 gallon tank you could have 20 inches of adult sized fish, this will be reduced in your case.

For substrate you could use sand if you buy playsand the stuff used in kids sand pits it work out much cheaper. Tetras should be kept in groups of 6+ of the same variety so once you up your neons and glowlights to 6 of each your not far from stocked you could add 3 otocinclus for algae duties and 3 corydoras and that would be it. In the 5 gallon you could have a betta or a single dwarf gourami with some shrimp and snails.

Forget the kissing gourami they grow 10 inches.

Hardy plants include java fern, anubis, java moss these should all be tied to drift wood or rocks. Swords and crypts are also good but you would need to upgrade the lighting and add ferts.

Ask in the plant section for more info.

Are you going to fishless cycle the tank or clone it from your other tank, search the forum for topics on cloning.

Hope this helps

Emma

 

[toxik]

We decided it would not only be cheaper and better for the fish. We are buying a 30 gallon tall tank and most likely building a custom stand if we can't find one cheaper than $40.

 

[Alex_]

why are your tanks so expensive?

$120 for a 5g.......

 

[toxik]

no no no...lol...if a 5 g cost 120 i doubt we'd be upgrading. I ain't a millionaire.
After buying everything for it, filter, heater, wood, fish, chemicals, etc it cost over 120.

We just got a 30g tank+hood/light for $73 and a stand for $89.

 

[Trance2006]

What is it with you people and tall tanks? That new 30G is worse than the smaller ones. More taller means the fish will have a harder time going up. Plus another problem would be light reaching the lower parts

 

[Phoenixfish]

i dont know if this is possible with size and power etc but would it not make sense to buy a 'normal box' tank which for me is loads cheape then a hex and use the old kit?

 

[toxik]

we bought a regular 29 gallon tank. I'm nervous, I've never owned a tank bigger than 15g and always had them in the basement so the floor was damn near 100% level.

This tank and stand is a little off depth wise and noticably off lengthwise on the left. But secured with 2 heavy duty brackets to secure it to the wall. I might add more support with L brackets to the stand and maybe a rear cross brace to brevent bowing.

 

[Gini]

What is it with you people and tall tanks? That new 30G is worse than the smaller ones. More taller means the fish will have a harder time going up. Plus another problem would be light reaching the lower parts

LOL, I have a 35 g hex tank and I love it. It is so cool looking I haven't had trouble with it, although I don't tend to overstock. The only time I got into trouble is when it came to adding live plants. I have been having a heck of a time with that. Guessing it is the lighting. Maybe I will go back to plastic with that one and save the live plants for my new (coming) 90 g tank