Very Newbie Question :)

[Applecart]

Hi

I recently bought 4 well used tanks, I'm going to reseal 3 of them, 1 of which will include a replacement bottom as I managed to crack it whilst cleaning/man-handling.
I've bought a couple tubes of HA6.

I got a tiny 16" x 8" x 8.5" tank that will probably be ok as a quarantine/hospital or fry tank,
a 24" x 12" x 15" I'd like to setup for Guppys and use an external filter like the Tetra EX600 or 700 ( or possibly a Hydor Prime 10 or 20 having read some posts here elsewhere )and a 150w heater or possibly an inline Hydor heater?
( probably too powerful though as lowest wattage I've seen so far is 300w for those )
There's a 30" x 12" x 15" tank I've no plans for yet or anywhere to put it currently, and finally a 36" x 12" x 15" tank. Again, no idea where to put it yet.

I've only got lids for the quarantine tank and the 36" tank, so I fancy making custom lids for the 24" and 30" tanks. I'm going to concentrate on the 24" first as I have a definate home for it in the corner of my living room sat on top of a very sturdy cabinet/unit.
After I've resealed the tank I'm going to trim it with pine mouldings top and bottom, and I'm sure I can make a yacht varnished pine lid to house some waterproof 12v LED white strip lights, and a few blues for effect if I also use a drip tray.

Finally... down to my question
How many Endler or regular Guppys ( all male or female probably ) should I stock the 24" with once the tank has cycled?
( I'll try fishless cycle as I've never done that before ) .
I'd like to lightly plant with some java moss, a few rocks etc, and I was thinking mixed yellow shades of silica sand? Would the moss be ok with white LEDS? and would I definately need CO2 injection?

My water is 16*d GH, 6*d KH 7.2pH as it comes out the kitchen tap so should be ok for Guppys, but it's also highish in NO3 at 36mg/l, although NO2 is ZERO. That NO3 concerns me.

I've bought API Tap Water Conditioner, API Stress Coat and Stress Zyme. Api Aquarium Salt, Tetra Nitrate minus. Interpet Ammonia Remover, Interpet treatements 3, 5, 6, 8 and 9.
A Tetra 6-1 test strip kit, Algarde mini vac, a couple of nets, a tub of Seachem Matrix Carbon, some Arcadia Poly Filter medium ( says it removes ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, meds, antibiotics, phosphates, proteins, toxic metals, phenols and insecticides ( but I'm dubious ).Also bought an Interpet mini air pump and a larger one with two oulets with hi/lo setting the name of which eludes me. I bought some frozen Bloodworms and Brine Shrimp, and also have them in freeze dried format, as well as Nutrafin Max livebearer flakes and some Tetra Goldfish flakes.
I've got a used Fluval3 and a Fluval4 Plus , but I'm not going to use those ( way too big for what I want to do )

Have I forgotten anything? oh ha ha I've no test kit for ammonia so I guess that'll be next.
So current shopping list: Tetra EX600 or 700 if the flow is'nt going to upset things in a 24" tank ( 70 litres? )
Either an inline heater or Superfish 150w submersible I could hide behind the foliage or rocks.
2x 50cm long 12v LED light strips ( I have some shorter ones so I already know how bright they are )

I've already got the blue ones.
Sorry about this post being all over the place.. it's a reflection of my personality! lol.

What do you think I should work towards putting in at least one other tank? Something cold/unheated like goldfish? or heated like Platys? I should probably leave either the 30" or 36" empty incase I decide to add a male or two to a tank of female guppies, or male into Platy tank if I went that way.

Oh I've got a 19Ltr Fluval Chi also ( what a pain in the rear that is! )

====== I'm rethinking all this having just watched a complete Juwel Vision 180 setup sell locally for £114!.. wish I'd put a bid in now ======

 

[FishBlast]

Lose the test strips as they are inaccurate, get liquid test kits (either Api or Tetra).

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to our forum applecart.
You definitely do not need CO2 injection with java moss. I have it in most of my tanks and use nothing but typical tank lights to get good growth from it. Java moss is almost indestructible. The only time I experience any trouble with it is if I leave my lights on too long and I get algae in the moss. It is almost impossible to clean. As you speculated, your water should put you in good shape for guppies or any of the common livebearers like platies, mollies or swordtails. If you need any help fixing your equipment, please visit the Equipment and DIY section of the forum with your questions. There are lots or folks there who have dealt with a miriad of equipment problems, including Tolak and I.

 

[Applecart]

Lose the test strips as they are inaccurate, get liquid test kits (either Api or Tetra).

API Freshwater Test Kit duly ordered

Thankyou for the welcome and answers OldMan47
Great heads-Up with regards to lighting and algae on the moss, thankyou
Having spotted a great 'make your own rock' thread here I now know I needn't worry about filling a tank with heavy rocks when I can make my own styrene ones that's an excellent idea and the ones in the forum thread look amazingly realistic.

I'm very tempted to dismantle the largest tank now ( has cracked base ) and just buy a Fluval Vision 180 or Rio if I can find another cheap locally.

 

[Applecart]

Lose the test strips as they are inaccurate, get liquid test kits (either Api or Tetra).

API Freshwater Test Kit duly ordered

Thankyou for the welcome and answers OldMan47
Great heads-Up with regards to lighting and algae on the moss, thankyou
Having spotted a great 'make your own rock' thread here I now know I needn't worry about filling a tank with heavy rocks when I can make my own styrene ones that's an excellent idea and the ones in the forum thread look amazingly realistic.

I'm very tempted to dismantle the largest tank now ( has cracked base ) and just buy a Fluval Vision 180 or Rio if I can find another cheap locally.

=========

Woop... 4th April.. Just bagged a nice RENA 2ft tank and looking at a Juwel Rio 180 later today , oh, and my API test kit has just arrived so I'm off to read how to do the tests now

 

[FishBlast]

Lose the test strips as they are inaccurate, get liquid test kits (either Api or Tetra).

API Freshwater Test Kit duly ordered

Thankyou for the welcome and answers OldMan47
Great heads-Up with regards to lighting and algae on the moss, thankyou
Having spotted a great 'make your own rock' thread here I now know I needn't worry about filling a tank with heavy rocks when I can make my own styrene ones that's an excellent idea and the ones in the forum thread look amazingly realistic.

I'm very tempted to dismantle the largest tank now ( has cracked base ) and just buy a Fluval Vision 180 or Rio if I can find another cheap locally.

=========

Woop... 4th April.. Just bagged a nice RENA 2ft tank and looking at a Juwel Rio 180 later today , oh, and my API test kit has just arrived so I'm off to read how to do the tests now

Good luck!

 

[Applecart]

Bought a complete and running Juwel Rio 180 setup yesterday... with external filter, and quite a few fish! eeek!

I'm going to need your help in identifying a few as I'm not familiar with probably half the tanks occupants. It's a BW stocking.

The problem I'm going to have is transporting all the fish 25 miles from their current home to their new one.

Would large plastic boxes with lids work? What heat source can I use? I though tmaybe hot water bottles but the rubber they're made of stinks and it'd likely leech into the fish/tank water they're in possibly poisoning them.

I could be collecting/moving it all as early as 12 hours time from now.

I would have prefferred to buy the setup without fish, but the owner had no way of re-homing them.

 

[FishBlast]

Bought a complete and running Juwel Rio 180 setup yesterday... with external filter, and quite a few fish! eeek!

I'm going to need your help in identifying a few as I'm not familiar with probably half the tanks occupants. It's a BW stocking.

The problem I'm going to have is transporting all the fish 25 miles from their current home to their new one.

Would large plastic boxes with lids work? What heat source can I use? I though tmaybe hot water bottles but the rubber they're made of stinks and it'd likely leech into the fish/tank water they're in possibly poisoning them.

I could be collecting/moving it all as early as 12 hours time from now.

I would have prefferred to buy the setup without fish, but the owner had no way of re-homing them.

Post pics of the tank occupants whenever you can. Brackish water sounds like a ton of mollies in there...