tangcla Posted April 24, 2012 Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 Hi, my name is Clarence, I live in south-east Melbourne. Some of you may know me from other forums, mostly to do with cars or computers I have just bought a secondhand fishtank (3ft x 14in x 20in whd) and am in the process of compiling the bits I need to get me going. I don't know what sort of fish I want to get yet, but I think it will be a freshwater tropical tank to start with. Any suggestions on easy-to-maintain fish would be greatly appreciated, in particular ones which I can add other fish later on down the track! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted April 24, 2012 Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 Welcome to AAQ Clarence! We'll help you turn that tank into 3 or 4 or a whole roomful. It's a decent sized tank you've got there. I would get some corys for the bottom, a school of rasboras, and maybe some Sailfin mollies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tangcla Posted April 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 Thanks for that, I'm not planning on getting any more tanks because there's no space Are the fish you mentioned killproof? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted April 24, 2012 Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 Well nothing is killproof but they're pretty hardy. I recommend using a product like Seachem Stability to get your tank cycle started. You'll be able to add fish pretty much straight away, although perhaps waiting for a few days or a week wouldn't hurt. Maybe go for the more common bronze or albino corys, get a school of 5, they like company. Mollies and rasboras are pretty hardy. Some Australian rainbows might be nice too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forever_and_a_day Posted April 24, 2012 Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 welcome! Bettarazzi's list sounds pretty good... though to add to it, you can always get some guppies XD and maybe invest in some live plants? Java Fern/java moss/amazon frogbit should help with weathering the fish through the cycling period good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted April 24, 2012 Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 Oh I was assuming this was going to be a fully planted display tank. Not sure why I assumed that. But I agree with MTS. Plants will look great, provide cover for the fish and will assist with maintaining good water quality. You will need to invest in a light for your tank. I suggest getting one that holds at least 4 tubes. Although to start off with I recommend you stick with low light plants and only use 2 of the light tubes. As your knowledge and interest grows you can move on to more demanding plants without having to replace your light fitting. I'm thinking a big clump of anubias nana with needle leaf java fern poking through it, and some java moss wrapped over small round rocks in the foreground. A nice bit of driftwood will give the composition some structure. With those plants you won't need any fancy substrate. Just gravel will do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tangcla Posted April 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 (edited) Thanks for the intro! Yes, I'd like to get a planted aquarium, and I'm wondering if it's possible to get plants growing with eBay LED strips? Also, are there any plants which will survive without lighting at all? Edited April 25, 2012 by tangcla Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forever_and_a_day Posted April 26, 2012 Report Share Posted April 26, 2012 i don't think the LED strips work very well, but i don't know much about lighting. java fern and moss can usually be grown in very dim lighting (i've got this combo managing to survive with only a tiny bit of sunlight), but no plant is going to survive in pitch blackness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yanagi Posted April 26, 2012 Report Share Posted April 26, 2012 (edited) To hint in on LED lighting for plants; if they're cheap they don't do anything but illuminate, if that. Expect to pay over $100 for a proper, basic LED light. Welcome to the forum. Edited April 26, 2012 by Yan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournebetta Posted April 27, 2012 Report Share Posted April 27, 2012 Welcome, sounds like you're in good hands. As far as lighting goes, I bought some brilliant fluro T5 "under bench lighting" from bunnings - they're around 80 cms long, one fluro, have a switch and housing - and my plants never looked greener. (get to know me, and you'll realize I'm an expert at killing plants) these were cheap and have just about turned me into a plant expert. Sailfin mollies are pretty amazing to watch, the rest - well I don't really know much about, unless they're betta splenden, or betta splenden. Have you considered a betta female sorority? Pretty colourful, hardy and smart... you could even look at some angels in with them. Looking forward to photos! go get a photobucket account and share the love. -Ness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tangcla Posted April 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2012 (edited) Thanks Ness, I'm actually really looking forward to taking some photos of the fish and tank once they're set up. I'm a photographer after-hours, I mostly specialise in automotive and venue photography; if you get a moment, have a look at my work here: www.facebook.com/tangcla.photography or http://www.tangcla.com It'll be very different taking photos of fish... Edited April 27, 2012 by tangcla Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhong89 Posted April 27, 2012 Report Share Posted April 27, 2012 wow... such nice photos? Do you take students? I can pay in fish!!! lol... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournebetta Posted April 27, 2012 Report Share Posted April 27, 2012 Innnnnnnnteresting - I'd love to see how your aquarium shots translate - we've got some talented photographers on this forum... and then there's the rest of us!! (: Can't wait till your tank is up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tangcla Posted April 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2012 Tomorrow, I'll be taking my tank out to give the inside a quick scrub as well as empty the black sand (I've heard this stuff causes my pH to go up, is this true?) and then once my filter arrives, i'll start the cycling process... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournebetta Posted April 27, 2012 Report Share Posted April 27, 2012 Yeah I've heard the same about the black sand and pebbles - effectively they're just painted finishes, so they're pretty toxic to begin with - I'm sure Yan might have some handy advice on that stuff. I'm a bare bottom girl, so can't help you with substrate. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tangcla Posted April 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2012 I'm a bare bottom girl, so can't help you with substrate. x ooh, you NAUGHTY THING you! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournebetta Posted April 28, 2012 Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 Yeah I've heard the same about the black sand and pebbles - effectively they're just painted finishes, so they're pretty toxic to begin with - I'm sure Yan might have some handy advice on that stuff. I'm a bare bottom girl, so can't help you with substrate. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tangcla Posted April 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2012 So hard to take photos of 2cm fish, especially since they don't ever stay still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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