What tank should I get?

[sharkweek178]

Ok thanks - what plants would you recommend for a beginner and what substrate? Thanks!

I highly recommend fast growing floating plants. They have lots of benefits. They help the water quality tremendously by sucking out bad nutrients like ammonia. They also provide shade and shelter for your fish. Salvinia minima, anacharis, Amazon frogbit, red root floaters, water lettuce.
Other good beginner plants are Java fern and the varieties of Anubias area good beginner plants. Cryptocorynes are a also good beginner level plant with lots of great varieties.
Substrate depends a lot on what fish and plants you're planning for. But for my money, you can't go wrong with play sand. I'm not sure which kind you would use in NZ. If you gave bottom dwelling fish like corys or loaches, a soft sand is essential. Anything else will cause them stress and health problems. But even if you don't have bottom dwellers, sand gives you more surface area for beneficial bacteria than gravel. And you can add root tabs to get plenty of options for plants.

 

[Banafish]

Depends on you really, but I would use a dirted substrate capped with dirt, around 2-4 inches of dirt, and 1-2 inches of cap. Make sure the dirt is pure dirt, and the cap can be gravel, sand, and anything that will cover up the dirt without being dirty itself. As for plants, I would say go crazy with low-tech plants, go heavily planted. My system is heavily inspired by Walstad, also for the fish, since you want guppies, might as well get other livebearers too as they have the most bioload which is very beneficial to the plants (Platies, Mollies, and Swords.) you can also throw in some compatible tetras and what not.
(this doesn't apply to most red plants as the reds need very little nitrates to be red)

For beginners always go for greens and once you get the hang of it, you can go slowly go higher tech.

My main plants would be -
Jungle Val, Dwarf Sag, Anubias, Java ferns, Bucephalandras, Bacopa, Cabomba (Green), Corymbosa Stricta, Ludwigia Repens, Pearlweed, and whatever fast growing low tech you have. Those ephipytes (Anubias, Java fern, Buce, etc) are only the cherries on top, I would recommend more fast-growing plants than slow growers.

Here's a tank of mine with that system:
View attachment 321967
Orrrrr you can just use aquasoil instead, Ista or ADA i would recommend, but they usually lose their nutrients after around half a year, so you would have to reset (or you would have to dose ferts and root tabs A LOT)

Dirt subs will get richer and more nutritious as it ages as it turns the organics into nutrients

Alright thanks, I think I will look into having a dirted substrate capped with sand or gravel. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Banafish]

I agree with Byron. You need to know what fish you want to keep before deciding on an aquarium, then get a tank that suits the fish. You also need to find out what the water supply is like.

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website (Water Analysis Report) or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Depending on what the GH of your water is, will determine what fish you should keep.

Angelfish, discus, most tetras, most barbs, Bettas, gouramis, rasbora, Corydoras and small species of suckermouth catfish all occur in soft water (GH below 150ppm) and a pH below 7.0.

Livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), rainbowfish and goldfish occur in medium hard water with a GH around 200-250ppm and a pH above 7.0.

If you have very hard water (GH above 300ppm) then look at African Rift Lake cichlids, or use distilled or reverse osmosis water to reduce the GH and keep fishes from softer water.

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You mention algae eaters. There is a fish commonly sold as a Chinese algae eater and these are not suitable for aquariums due to their adult size and unpleasant temperament. Avoid Chinese Algae Eaters.

There are small algae eaters like bristlenose catfish, Peckoltias and Otocinclus catfish. These should not go into new tanks because there is insufficient food for them. Wait until the tank has been running a couple of months and then add algae eaters if you need them. Algae can be controlled by live plants, regular water changes, and light. Some aquatic snails can be useful and will pick up uneaten food and eat some algae and these can go into new tanks that have been cycled. Cycling is where the filter is allowed to develop beneficial bacteria that help keep the water clean and usually takes around 4-6 weeks.

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Post number 8 at the following link has info on aquarium plants.

Beginner aquatic plant advice

29 gallon is all I have a couple pieces of driftwood and a handful of plant right now. Plants are doing okay. A little brown but as I understand it a bit of CO2 should fix that. I know there are many resources out there giving advice on plants. Thought I’d pick some brains. Not looking for...

www.fishforums.net

Thanks, I get my water from a private water source (rainwater from forest) so I will take it to a store for testing. I'll be sure to avoid those Chinese Algae Eaters!

 

[Banafish]

I highly recommend fast growing floating plants. They have lots of benefits. They help the water quality tremendously by sucking out bad nutrients like ammonia. They also provide shade and shelter for your fish. Salvinia minima, anacharis, Amazon frogbit, red root floaters, water lettuce.
Other good beginner plants are Java fern and the varieties of Anubias area good beginner plants. Cryptocorynes are a also good beginner level plant with lots of great varieties.
Substrate depends a lot on what fish and plants you're planning for. But for my money, you can't go wrong with play sand. I'm not sure which kind you would use in NZ. If you gave bottom dwelling fish like corys or loaches, a soft sand is essential. Anything else will cause them stress and health problems. But even if you don't have bottom dwellers, sand gives you more surface area for beneficial bacteria than gravel. And you can add root tabs to get plenty of options for plants.

Thanks for the plant recommendations!

 

[Colin_T]

Thanks, I get my water from a private water source (rainwater from forest) so I will take it to a store for testing. I'll be sure to avoid those Chinese Algae Eaters!

If you are getting clean rainwater, it will have a GH & KH of 0ppm and a pH of 7.0.

 

[sharkweek178]

Thanks, I get my water from a private water source (rainwater from forest) so I will take it to a store for testing. I'll be sure to avoid those Chinese Algae Eaters!

Since algae eaters came up. I have a bit of a thing about this. You see this all the time online. "The 10 best algae eaters for your aquarium." I think the mindset behind that is misguided. People should only get a fish because they like how it looks and/or behaves. We can't expect fish to do our job of maintaining the tank for us.
Algae is caused by an imbalance in the tank. Usually an excess of light and/or nutrients. One of the other benefits of the fast growing floating plants is that they outcompete algae for nutrients. It's up to us as fishkeepers to find the right balance of light and/or nutrients. If you get a fish to deal with the algae for you, then you're probably going to be disappointed with the result. Because a fish can't possibly deal with the root causes of algae.
There are a lot of cool fish that eat algae that are fun to keep. But if you get one (or shrimp or snails), then do it because you like the animal not because it will do a job.

 

[Byron]

Alright thanks, I think I will look into having a dirted substrate capped with sand or gravel. Thanks for the advice!

I would not recommend this at all. First, there are serious problems using dirt, bacterially. You cannot have fish that dig into the substrate, nor fish that sift the substrate. That eliminates loaches, catfish, cichlids for one. I am a member of Diana Walstad's plant forum where she advocates soil substrates, but there is considerable caution over this. Inert sand that is soft is still the #1 substrate for an aquarium; it is safe for all fish, does not affect the water parameters more than normal, does not cause bacterial issues for substrate fish.

 

[Essjay]

I have read comments on here that in Australia play sand is coarse and sharp rather than the fine, soft play sand sold in the UK and USA. If New Zealand play sand is like Australian play sand you may need to look at more expensive aquarium sand.

 

[Ram419]

Banafish said:
Alright thanks, I think I will look into having a dirted substrate capped with sand or gravel. Thanks for the advice!

I would not recommend this at all. First, there are serious problems using dirt, bacterially. You cannot have fish that dig into the substrate, nor fish that sift the substrate. That eliminates loaches, catfish, cichlids for one. I am a member of Diana Walstad's plant forum where she advocates soil substrates, but there is considerable caution over this. Inert sand that is soft is still the #1 substrate for an aquarium; it is safe for all fish, does not affect the water parameters more than normal, does not cause bacterial issues for substrate fish.

Yeah, I can agree with that. If you do dirted should be a few inches deep on the sand cap.

Instead of dirted I've always opted to go with something like Fluval Bio Stratum, which only lasts for a couple years so you'd have to cap it eventually. The tank I've used this substrate on is a pretty well planted tank and only houses a single female betta and red cherry shrimp a nerite snail and a few other types of smaller snails. Recently the red cherry shrimp had babies so not exactly sure how many are in there atm. Doesn't seem like too many.

Also I have used CaribSea Eco-Complete 20-Pound Planted Aquarium which only has had a few smaller guppies and fry and a few snails as well.

For both of the substrates I mentioned you will have fish restrictions same as Byron listed.

 

[sharkweek178]

I have read comments on here that in Australia play sand is coarse and sharp rather than the fine, soft play sand sold in the UK and USA. If New Zealand play sand is like Australian play sand you may need to look at more expensive aquarium sand.

Out of curiosity, I found this brand...

Soft Washed Play Sand - Richgro

Washed sand ideal for new and existing sand pits.

www.richgro.com.au

Now the manufacturer website says "Also great for fish tanks and hermit crab tanks". But that doesn't necessarily mean that it's suitable for bottom dwellers. I would think it would be if it's meant for kids to play with. The assumption there is that kids will get it in their eyes and mouth so it should be non abrasive and non toxic.

 

[Essjay]

A few members on here have commented in the past that Australian play sand has bits of broken shell and such like. But like many things, there may well be different grades/qualities of play sand there. The one in the link does look like smooth fine sand, thank you

 

[Endlersendlers]

If you are getting clean rainwater, it will have a GH & KH of 0ppm and a pH of 7.0.

My rainwater has a pH of 6.4 to 6.6 (I don’t remember which).

 

[Colin_T]

I have read comments on here that in Australia play sand is coarse and sharp rather than the fine, soft play sand sold in the UK and USA. If New Zealand play sand is like Australian play sand you may need to look at more expensive aquarium sand.

I bought a couple of bags of washed play sand from Bunnings (hardware chain) and it is smooth and there is nothing abrasive in it.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/richgro-20kg-play-sand_p3022506

 

[Colin_T]

My rainwater has a pH of 6.4 to 6.6 (I don’t remember which).

Your rain water is contaminated with something that is dropping the pH. It can be from chemical pollutants or acids in the air, or excess carbon dioxide. Try aerating it for 24 hours and check the pH then. If it's still less than 7.0, maybe filter it through carbon to make sure it's clean.

Acid rain is common in cities or industrial areas, and rare in country areas or areas nears forests.

 

[Endlersendlers]

Your rain water is contaminated with something that is dropping the pH. It can be from chemical pollutants or acids in the air, or excess carbon dioxide. Try aerating it for 24 hours and check the pH then. If it's still less than 7.0, maybe filter it through carbon to make sure it's clean.

Acid rain is common in cities or industrial areas, and rare in country areas or areas nears forests.

Yes, I am near Fort Lauderdale so that is likely. My tap water is roughly the same pH. The tanks without cichlid substrate and limestone drift towards 6 without intervention. Perhaps I will make another thread…