(Part 2) Best fish & aquatic pets according to redditors

$60 - $390

Product Link: https://www.amazon.com/EcoSphere-Closed-Aquatic-Ecosystem-Sphere/dp/B005IZOB5M/

To be honest I am not entirely sure what effects water hardness would have on skin or hair but apparently yes, Japan's water is really soft. So soft in fact that there are articles about how soft it is lol. NYC doesn't disclose the hardness of their water but some users say it's soft. But yeah, Japanese water seems superior!!

Also if you want you can test your tap water's hardness with this kit. It's meant for aquariums but I would test tap water for customers a lot. The general hardness test is the one that matters the most. Carbonate hardness is only an issue if you're a fish.

The tank looks like a 2.5 gal. So here's a list of some inexpensive things you can grab to make him love his new home even more!:

• Sponge Filter very cheap and does its job well. You may need to buy a small air pump for it though, so maybe $5 more.
  
• Heater, however if you have the means to afford one that can be adjusted, I recommend this one I'm using this one for all of my tank.
  
• Thermometer to see if the heater works properly.
  
  If you get all of these from the links it should run you somewhere around $20.

I just wanted to say-- thank you so much for taking time to learn about betta's and not just go off of what the general population seems to think.

One additional suggestion-- make sure that any plants you offer are either silky or live plants. The plastic ones will tear up their fins. You can often find nicer silky ones in the reptile sections of pet stores or Amazon rather than the fish. Like this one for example. It also offers lots of hidey space, which betta love!

The hanging /suction cup silk plants in the reptile section could also be neat, though I've never used them in a tank personally. It might be cool to have a plant sort of trailing down in a corner.

They definitely should have a filter, but make sure it's not too strong of one. You might be better with an under gravel filter or two small filters. Also-- make sure you buy a temperature gauge. You want to check regularly to make sure the heater is still working properly-- 75-80F water always feels cool to the skin so it's hard to tell.

I flipped through the 23 pages of "Pet supplies" and selected every fish-related item I saw. Times are in EDT.
Prime Day Fish Deals:

API Products:

• Pond Master Test Kit ($14, 58% off)
  
  
• Pondcare Chlorine and Heavy Metal Neutralizer 32-Ounce ($14, 44% off)
  
  
• API Quick Start Water Conditioner (Starts ~12:20 PM EDT, $8.83, 61% off)
  
  
• PondCare Algaefix Algae Control (Starts ~12:35 PM EDT, $26.49, 24% off)
  
  
• API Reef Master Test Kit (Starts at 1:20 PM EDT, $18, 28% off)
  
  
• API Saltwater Master Test Kit (Starts at 2:20 PM EDT, $15, 48% off)
  
  
• API Algaefix Algae Control (Starts at 3:20 PM EDT, $8.31, 61% off)
  
  
• API Stress Coat Water Conditioner (Starts at 5:40 PM EDT, $4.19, 40% off)
  
  Filters:
  
  
• Laguna PF1000 13W Pressure Flo Filter ($201.77, 25% off)
  
  
• Laguna PF2000 13W Pressure Flo Filter (Starts at 2:20 PM, $201, 35% off)
  
  
• Fluval C4 Power Filter (Starts at 3:20 PM EDT, $43.99, 20% off)
  
• Laguna PF3000 24W Pressure Flo Filter (Starts at 3:20 PM EDT, $292.49, 27% off)
  
• Laguna PF4000 36W Pressure Flo Filter (Starts at 4:20 PM EDT, $359.99, 26% off)
  
  
• Laguna 3000 Clear Flo Kit (Starts at 7:20 PM, $424.99, 23% off)
  
  Tanks:
  
  
• Back to the Roots Water Garden ($47.98, 20% off)
  
  
• Marina LED Aquarium Kit 20Gal (Starts at 1:20 PM EDT, $77.59, 20% off)
  
  
• EcoSphere Closed Aquatic Ecosystem, Small Sphere (Starts at 7:25 PM EDT, $37.99, 53%)
  
  
• Marina Cool Goldfish Kit (Starts at 8:20 PM EDT)
  
  Etc.:
  
  
• Coralife 15602 12X Turbo Twist UV Sterilizer ($134.79, 17% off, ENDED or out of stock)
  
  
• Galaxyhydro Led 55x3w Dimmable 165w Full Spectrum LED Aquarium Light for Reef Coral & Fish (Starts at 1:55 PM EDT, $87.99, 41% off)
  
  
• Galaxyhydro 12W LED Saltwater Aquarium Lighting E27 Reef LED Aquarium Light for Freshwater (Starts at 1:55 PM EDT, $19.96, 50% off
  
  
• Luffy 1 Giant Marimo + 1 Baby Marimo Moss Ball (Starts at 4:10 PM EDT, $6.35, 58% off)
  
  
• Exo Terra Screen Cover for Hinged Door, 60-Gallon (Starts at 7:20 PM EDT, $27.52, 20% off)

I mean, this is a pretty good deal imo. I don't think you should be dismissing and downvoting this post without doing the proper research. FYI did the math:

17lbs Seiryu rock - $32

Nano 511 Externa Canister Filter - $69

Jardli Glass Lily Pipe inflow and outflow - $49.90

JBJ Rimless 10 gallon - $159.99 cheapest I could find, it's 189.99 at petco

Glass lid - can't find one for 10g so I'd assume custom made $5+

GH & KH Test Kit & API Master Kit-$8.59 + $22.54 = $31.03

Tropica Aquarium Soil 3L - $49.60

5 Gallon Bucket w/ lid - probably like $3-5

Seachem Purigen - 2 packet is $19.49

Cleaning magnet - $5-20

Spider Wood - Depends like $10-25+

Siphon - depends probably $5-10

Test Strips - $5.22

• The bonuses he's providing like the aquascaping tools - probably $10+?
  
  By the way, these are all conservative numbers. The total comes to around $484.31, which is if everything is brand new. Even if some of the products are used, the cost is 52% off the conservative value of all the items in this package. So for the quality of the items here, I don't think it's a bad price at all. Now the question is, which items are new and which items are used?

ecosphere self-contained aquatic ecosystem

FIRST OF ALL: Good on you getting a proper tank for your betta!

Here's what I would do with this tank. Take what you want from it.

Lighting: Finnex Stingray Aquarium LED Light, 20-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NAFQ6FK/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_QuphybE4CPE6A

I'd get a timer for the light and set it for 8 hours a day.

Substrate: Flourite Black, 7 kg / 15.4 lbs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019J0ISU/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_nxphybZM3Y2ZD

And add plants. I think moss would be a nice plant to add with that light as well. Maybe every now and then dose some ferts. I think I see a box to which is a filter. So I'll leave out my filter of choice.

If this were my tank for a betta I'd do this (:

Sprayer - $13.00 link to long go search

Water pump - 8.49 https://www.amazon.com/VicTsing-Submersible-Aquarium-Fountain-Hydroponics/dp/B00EWENKXO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1519928484&sr=8-4&keywords=water+pump

Collars - 25 for $7.00. ( that’s .28 a piece if you are wondering) they have them cheaper too...
https://www.amazon.com/25-PACK-RED-Sprayers-Machines/dp/B01I2A2LNS/ref=sr_1_12?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1519928528&sr=1-12&keywords=Cloner+collars


5 gal bucket w/ lid $5.00

That’s 33.49 and you can build this exact setup with this shit. If you can scrounge a piece of rubber or hose to connect shit your done. ✌🏻👍🏼

I haven't seen anyone give an extensive, quick, and friendly guide so here's a quick one!

You're going to need a 5.5 gallon in order for him to thrive, otherwise you're gonna have a very unhappy fish who might live but will not be doing good. An aquarium is a tiny ecosystem in an enclosed space, so a .5 gallon gets very toxic, very quickly. It'll hurt his gills, it'll hurt his fins, just everything. The ammonia will buildup quickly and reach very dangerous levels, and although 100% water changes will decrease that, an established bacteria colony (made up of harmless ones) needs to be there for the fish to really be healthy!

When you see a happy and healthy betta, you will never want to go back!

Cheap quick solution for now: Five gallon Rubbermaid from Walmart, this filter, paired with this air pump, and this connector tube. It will run you about $20, and can hold for a while!

Long Term: Buy a 5.5 standalone aquarium tank from Petsmart (only $14.99) and a little pack of gravel, and some live plants of your choice! Check our r/aquaswap for some cheap plants from other Reddit users. Just move over the filter and heater, and you have the perfect set up! There are also some cheap lighting solutions that you can buy to help your plants grow!

Everyone gets tricked in the beginning, but making steps towards helping your betta will enhance his life so much! The whole set up, the filter/air pump/tubing and tank from petsmart, will cost you $27.48 since you've already got the heater!

If your heater is too small, I've got the link to a $6 one (which is $10 less than the cheapest at any pet store I've been to) on amazon that works perfectly and is recommended all the time on this sub.

Purigen. Drop it in your filter and you're good to go.

I was in your shoes not too long ago, it's overwhelming! Here's a list of things that I bought, but I am not an expert so if others have better input go for that:

Equipment

• 10 gallon tank with hood
  
• Broad Spectrum Light The one that came with the hood did not provide enough for the plants, you definitely need to invest in a broad spectrum bulb.
  
• CaribSea Flora Max Substrate I learned that shrimp prefer darker color substrate, this was worth the investment! My shrimp were so unhappy with cheap gravel, after switching to this substrate they are very active.
  
• Air pump
  
• Sponge filter
  
• Heater, maybe optional for you?
  
• Thermometer
  
• Gallon Bucket
  
• Siphon
  
• Seachem Prime Because it's a smaller tank, I ended up poking a pinhole sized hole in the seal so that I could use it as drops rather than pouring it in.
  
• [Seachem Stability] (https://www.amazon.com/Seachem-67101230-Stability-500ml/dp/B0002APIIW/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1499786377&sr=1-1&keywords=seachem+stability) Use this while you're cycling your tank, follow the instructions.
  
• API Test Kit
  
• Feeding Tray For the longest time I was really confused as to how the feeding tray worked, you can either get a tube or pre-soak the pellets and then drop them into the tray using long tweezers. This will help prevent ammonia/nitrite spikes.
  
• Long Tweezer Set
  
• Pellets Do also feed them blanched vegetables, make sure to peel the skin and buy organic to avoid chemicals/pesticides
  
• Timer Outlet Worth the investment! So you don't have to keep remembering to turn the light on and off.
  
  Shop for whatever is cheaper, I have a huge heater because I had an extra one from before. I've read that it's not necessary but also have read that if you want them to breed you need to stimulate warm water. For now, I keep the heater off and leave it at room temperature of 72F. They seem very happy! Most important in my opinion, add plenty of plants and a marimo ball or 2.
  
  Lastly, I'm unsure of the siphon, I think it's good to have a bucket and siphon just in case your water parameters are looking bad so you are prepared to do a water change. From what I read, shrimp have a very low bio load and should be able to sustain themselves. Make sure to do tests regularly.
  
  EDIT I just read that this is your first aquarium, so here is a detailed write up:
  
  Setting up your tank
  
  
• 1. Find a stable top to place your aquarium on, keep in mind a well sunlit room will mean more plant/algae growth. Make sure it's sturdy and made for heavy objects, don't want to place it on a flimsy shelf or it might break! I keep mine on top a waterproof place mat because water drips are going to happen.
     
• 2. Rinse everything as a precaution! NEVER use dish soap!! If you must sanitize, vinegar is okay. Just make sure to rinse thoroughly. Also, NEVER use any kind of soap on your hands before handling things, just rinse well with water. Add your substrate, I lightly rinsed mine as there are beneficial bacteria living inside the substrate, pour it in. Make sure it's at least 2" of floor. Your water will be cloudy if you bought the substrate I listed, don't worry as it will settle after an hour and be clear.
     
• 3. Fill water half way, use a small plate and pour the water on top of that to avoid the substrate being pushed around. NEVER use hot water! If you're using tap water be sure to always use cold water. It's also recommended to purchase "RO water" (Reverse Osmosis Water) as some times your tap water can be too "hard". The best thing to do is use the test kit on tap water and go from there. If the kH/gH are very high 100+ you will need to use RO water. I like to place my plants and decor now while the tank is half full. Place in your thermometer, heater, sponge filter, etc. After that, continue to fill all the way to the top remembering to aim the stream on top the plate. Leave about a half to an inch from the top.
     
• 4. Take out plate, plug in filter, add in Seachem Prime and Seachem Stability. Please read the label for instructions and dosage according to your tank size. Since there is nothing inside you can add it after you've added the water to the tank. Moving forward, be sure to add the chemicals in the water bucket BEFORE pouring into the tank.
     
• 5. Turn on filter, wait for the water to settle and temperature to come up. They say shrimp can tolerate 52F to 86F but ideally room temperature water is best, this is where your water heater will come into play. Follow which ever cycling method you choose before purchasing your shrimp. This can take up to 6 weeks.
     
     After your tank has cycled
     
     
• 1. When adding your shrimp, there are many methods, the way I acclimate my shrimp is:
     
• 2. Put the shrimp in a 1 gallon tub using the water that they came in.
     
• 3. Drop in a tablespoon of the tank water, ONCE every 2 minutes.
     
• 4. After the water has reached 1/3 old water, 2/3rd new water, your shrimp are ready to be placed into your tank.
     
     Please don't skip the important step of acclimating your shrimp! They are very sensitive to water changes and this ensures that they will survive.
     
     Here are my water parameters, people have all kinds of ranges but this is what works for me:
     
     
• kH: 60 / gH: 40 / pH: 7.0 / NO2: 0 / NO3: 20 / Ammonia: 0 / Temperature: 72F
  
  I hope this helps... again, I was in your shoes not too long ago, it was really overwhelming. But after a lot of research I think my tank is in a good place :). Other users, if there's anything in my list that seems incorrect please let me know!

I think that a big part of what makes this a great frugal gift is that it is strikingly different to anything else you can give for cheap. To be handed a jar of dirt is strange and therefore memorable, but (hopefully) it's also something that will be enjoyed. Obviously this gift isn't for everyone, but I think it's head and shoulders above some of the other suggestions. "Oh, a flash drive / gift card / cheese. Thanks..."

As an aside, you can also give more than one if you're feeling generous. Adding different nutrients at the start will cause a different succession of microbes meaning different colours. It sure beats paying $50 to torture shrimp with the animal version

Aqueon water changer I can change about 40 gallons a week from my 4 tanks in less than in hour.

These are CDN$ prices for what I spent on my tank that, granted, is smaller than this and does not have carpeting plants. I’ve spent maybe $40 more on it since just replenishing food, ferts, and buying more livestock. Tank is a little over a year old.

$70 - 10 gal aquarium kit includes led lights, filter, filter media for ~6 months, water conditioner for ~1yr, fish flakes for ~3 months

$40 - caribsea eco complete planted substrate (this is your gravel, for any newbies out there)

$5 - thrifted giant hunk of driftwood

$8 - Java Moss
$5 - Hygrophilia Polysperma (I think, can’t remember the name of what I’ve got)
$10 - a couple other plants I grabbed off a local aquarium buy and sell

$20 - 6 red cherry shrimp to start my initial colony
$3 - nerite snail (keeps the glass clean)

$12 - flourish excel (liquid carbon. Keeps the algae in check)

Totals in at $173 for initial startup cost. Let’s round to $200 because I probably forgot something.

My plants grow like weeds, so even though it started out kinda patchy, it filled out in 4-6 months. I don’t have carpeting plants like this guy but I’d like to experiment. Hoping to snag this co2 kit in the future which runs $40 https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0049RL3H4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_uAKUAb2430135

I’m pretty happy with it the way it is and I have minimal maintenance right now so I might just leave it. It’s a nice little piece of art/houseplant/water feature/entertainment

Absolutely. DIY CO2 is ridiculously easy. I’m not that technically inclined so if I can do it anyone can. This may seem like a lot but it’s not as bad as it looks. I used to use the Fluval 88g CO2 system but it was ludicrously expensive to but the proprietary refill canisters. This setup is soooo cheap and completely reliable and produces ample CO2. I’m happy to tell you some pitfalls once you get it set up because it would be hard for you to follow me without having it in front of you.

DIY CO2 Aquarium Plant System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008CUZJF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_o0JPDbTTNQCT0

Fluval 88g-CO2 Bubble Counter - 3.1 Ounces https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GCPM6K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_40JPDb482G6RQ

Fluval Ceramic 88g-CO2 Diffuser - 3.1 Ounces https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GCO35G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-3JPDbJ43F4ZG

Milliard Citric Acid 5 Pound - 100% Pure Food Grade NON-GMO Project VERIFIED (5 Pound) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EYFKNL8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_34JPDb122FQKM

ARM & HAMMER Pure Baking Soda 8 oz (Pack of 6) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00860VYYC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_A5JPDb8FKP7NN

2 x normal 2 liter soda bottles

If you insist on feeding them i would just load up one of these. Run it for a few days to confirm that it is feeding correctly and you should be good to go. Those feeding cubes are terrible.

Go for the 5gal, and add a nice sponge filter! It's cheap and works like a charm.

Here's a good sponge filter, it'll need to be powered by a air pump (like this one). You'll also need some airline tubing, and something to regulate airflow (this is a 10-pack, but you get the idea).

I don't know if you can buy these ones specifically, but there are these which are rather similar. They're self sustaining ecosystem spheres, just place them next to a window and you can watch life in motion.

Hello! Welcome to the wonderful world of betta keeping! I'm a bit late to the game, since this was posted a bit ago, and you've already recieved advice, but I'd like to offer up some as well.

As everyone has already said, it's a pretty big misconception for nearly all new betta keepers that bettas can be kept in small spaces without a filter or heater. This stems from the belief that bettas live in mud puddles, when it couldn't be further from the truth.

Bettas come from vast rice paddies, that will usually never dip below knee height and stretches for miles on end. In the dry season, the paddies do tend have lower water levels, but certainly not puddles. It's a densely planted ecosystem with moving water, and natural filters, ie. The plants and bacteria.

Since you're new to fish keeping (I assume, but apologies if I am wrong) you may not be aware of something called the "Nitrogen Cycle." While it may be confusing at first, essentially the beneficial bacteria that breaks down your fishes waste into ammonia, then nitrites, and then nitrates. This process is crucial for your fishes health and well being, and is very important in the fish keeping world, but I'll get into the specifics a bit more later in this comment.

While the "recommended" amount of space for a betta is commonly agreed to be 2.5 gallons, which is perfectly fine as a bare minimum, I would honestly not recommend such a small space for a beginner. This is because of the nitrogen cycle. I would go with a 5 gallon tank, or even a 10 gallon, which will be much easier to cycle and keep your fish much safer during the process.

As for the nitrogen cycle itself, the process happens on it's own, but you have to be the one to keep your fish safe during it. Basically, ammonia and nitrites are deadly to your fish, and for the first few weeks, these will be all too common. What your aiming for is the much safer, but still harmful in large quantities, and manageable nitrites at the end of the cycle.

The nitrogen cycle starts with the addition of ammonia into a new tank. This can be done in 2 ways, fish in or fish out. What you'll be doing is a fish in cycle. Beneficial bacteria will begin to grow in your tank to break down waste and convert them into the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates. The bacteria grow on surfaces, such as decor, gravel, filter, heater, glass, and is NOT present in the water itself. This means that for the next few weeks, you gotta stay on top of your water change game.

50% water changes every other day for 2 weeks. 30% water changes every other day for 2 weeks. 40% water changes about every 3-4 days for a week. 30% water changes about once or twice a week at the end of the cycle. I know it seems like a lot, but your fish will appreciate it.

For more information on the Nitrogen Cycle, you can search it on google, and a helpful video to watch on it is KGTropicals youtube video "everything you need to know about the nitrogen cycle." They break it down so well and have more visual representations, so I definitely recommend it.

Some things to consider getting for your fish as well, and things that will help your cycle a TON. I'll be adding links for visual representation, as well as trying to find you the best prices I can.

1. A good sized tank. I recommend a 5 or 10 gallon, much easier to start and keep a cycle in a bigger tank, but yes, 2.5 gallons is perfectly fine if you need it space wise. Be aware that even more water changes will be required to keep and maintain your tanks balance though.
   
   No links for this one since shipping a tank is a PAIN, but 5 and 10 gallon tanks can be bought from places like walmart, or local stores, or petsmart and Petco. I'm not sure if petco is still having their dollar per gallon sale, but a 10 gallon tank would only be $10.
   
   
2. A good water conditioner. I recommend something like Seachem Prime or Neutral Regulator. These will remove any heavy metals, chlorine, and chlorimine from your water, AND detoxify ammonia, and nitrites for 48 hours. This is SO GOOD for keeping your fish happy and healthy during the cycling process.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Safe-250-g-8-8-oz/dp/B0002A5WOC/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?keywords=seachem+prime&qid=1572116532&sr=8-8
   
   
3. A good filter. Personally, sponge filters are the way to go. Easy, cheap, reliable. Most local fish stores will have the sponge filter itself, but they can also be ordered on Amazon. The other things needed would be airline tubing, and an airpump. The tubing and air pump can be bought even at big retailers like walmart or meijer and replaced easily sin e they're so readily available.
   
   To clean a sponge filter is the easiest thing. While your changing tank water, out some in a clean bucket, take your sponge filter out, put in bucket of removed tank water, squeeze sponge filter, put back in tank. It also holds an awesome amount of the good beneficial bacteria and will not lose it when you clean it, unlike changing cartridges for a hang on back filter. They also aerate the water, bringing more oxygen into it, and don't create a high flow that will tire your betta.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Lefunpets-Biochemical-Sponge-Breeding-Aquarium/dp/B07VM8DN5Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?keywords=sponge+filter&qid=1572116736&sr=8-7
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-Whisper-Pump-Gallon-Aquariums/dp/B004PB8SMM/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=fish%2Btank%2Bair%2Bpump&qid=1572116792&sr=8-3&th=1&psc=1
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Penn-Plax-Aquariums-Flexible-Standard/dp/B0002563MW/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=airline+tubing&qid=1572116832&sr=8-3
   
   Hang on back filters can be used too though, I just don't find them as reliable.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-Whisper-Power-Filter-Three-Stage/dp/B001CHXJSK/ref=mp_s_a_1_16?keywords=fish+tank+filter&qid=1572117085&sr=8-16
   
   Be sure to use a hang on back appropriate for your tank size. Bettas can tire easily of water flow is too high, and in some cases you may still need to baffle the filter.
   
   https://youtu.be/Hse7F3pvHqI
   
   
4. A good heater. Ideally, you want one you can adjust. Choose a heater for your tank size as well. Too small, won't keep water warm, too bug, could possibly cook your fish. That's never a good thing.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/HITOP-Aquarium-Reptiles-Thermometer-50W-Grey/dp/B07MJJJ4QQ/ref=sxin_2_ac_m_pm?ac_md=1-0-VW5kZXIgJDIw-ac_d_pm&keywords=fish+tank+heater&pd_rd_i=B07MJJJ4QQ&pd_rd_r=429ee2a8-3699-45aa-8e2b-e30164b14a2a&pd_rd_w=uFCrj&pd_rd_wg=125c4&pf_rd_p=808372f4-ce06-4458-88ef-16b605aa053a&pf_rd_r=T4YHMVDAP5EAQSAGXKJV&psc=1&qid=1572117367
   
   
5. A good food. The recommended I've seen so far is Northfin betta bits, or Fluval bug bites. You can also go the frozen food route, but it's a bit more expensive and involved.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Northfin-Betta-Bits-Pellet-Package/dp/B01C1ARV3K/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=northfin+betta+bits&qid=1572117834&sprefix=northfin+&sr=8-2
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-A6577-Tropical-Granules-Medium/dp/B07194GD1F/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=fluval+bug+bites&qid=1572117868&sprefix=fluval+bug&sr=8-4
   
   I use a mix of Aqueon, Northfin, and Fluval for some variety in my bettas diets along with frozen blood worms. They love them. I've heard Hikari betta food is good too.
   
   I don't recommend the generic foods sold at walmart. The pellets are too big, and the formula is low quality. It'll keep your betta alive, but just isn't great for them. Also, flake foods are a no no. It's just too messy, the fish doesn't eat all of it, and just isn't worth it.
   
   Lastly, you want to decide what kind of decor you will go with. If you go artificial, be sure to use soft, silk plants so your bettas fins do not get hurt.
   
   I recommend live plants always though, cause they help a lot in keeping your tank clean, produce oxygen, and will help absorb some of nitrates in the water. All around good stuff. Easy plants to take care of are anubias, java ferns, java moss, water wisteria, and floating plants like water lettuce.
   
   Bettas also need hiding places. This can be anything really. From the decor sold at walmart, natural looking rock caves, or even a terracotta pot. It doesn't really matter, as long as it doesn't have sharp points.
   
   The decor is up to you and what you like.
   
   Ummmmm, I can't think of anything else really. But if you need any help with anything, feel free to reach out! A lot of us are passionate about our quirky little dudes and gals and will be more than happy to help with anything you need advice on. And use the internet to your advantage too! There's TONS of good information and videos out there now, and you can find what you're looking for at the touch of a screen now.
   
   And also also, please do not feel bad about your start at betta keeping. We all start somewhere, and more than likely, we have all made this very same mistake. I know I did. The best thing to do now is to just work on upgrading your little dude and providing the best care you can for him. He'll start to heal up and REALLY shine.
   
   Apologies for extremely long message, but I hope this helps and wish you and your betta the best of luck!! ☺️

Like the Pleco! Get some Purigen in that tank! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002A5VK2

Here's the album with descriptions.

Parts list:

1. Submersible aquarium pump. This way, I'm using electricity to pump water upwards, and don't need to elevate my water tank like in a Blumats system.
   
2. Pipe fitting to attach a manifold to the pump. I got one at my local hardware store, but I think this is the same thing.
   
3. 3/8" tubing to connect the pump to the manifold.
   
4. A kit with a bunch of 1/4" tubing to actually deliver water to the plants.. You could probably do it cheaper if you knew exactly which components you needed to buy, but I didn't so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
   
5. Manifold.This takes the water that comes from my pump and splits it into up to 8 1/4" lines to deliver to plants.
   
6. 5-gallon bucket. I already had one for vacuuming up my water, but you can get one for like 5 bucks at Home Depot.
   
   Total cost: ~$60. Not having to pH, add nutes, add calmag, etc. individually to like 10 individual cans of water: priceless!
   

I do have co2 injection going but for the rotala it is completely unnecessary. It grows like crazy in my low tech, but with co2 I can get enough growth in only 2 days to cut/propagate . I have a cheap($40) LED light from amazon that has been working just fine so far.

I don't know if this qualifies as a toy or not but they are so amazing! I've wanted one since I was a kid and saw a giant version at NASA. A tiny, self contained aquarium ecosystem

Self contained ecosystem http://www.amazon.com/EcoSphere-Closed-Aquatic-Ecosystem-Sphere/dp/B005IZOB5M

It can be done, and many people in the group have made sealed tanks, with varying degrees of success. There are also very nice professionally made sealed environment jars.

Not sure if this really applies but I save soooo much time now doing water changes by using a gravel vacuum that attaches to a faucet. I hate to think of how long I was using a bucket.

Another neat thing is Amazon has some useful aquarium supplies in bulk for cheap. I bought a bunch of suction cups, check valves, and airline connectors because I always seem to need them.

And lastly, check out AquaBid.com! I just discovered it and found a couple of sellers with a huge variety of live plants for cheap and very reasonable shipping.

For 3/4 days they should be fine but for your upcoming 2 week vacation this is the feeder I have and it works well. I bought one when I went on an 8 month deployment. I love my fiance but he's kinda spacey. I adjusted it to not overfeed them and then had him email me pics and water specs monthly to make sure there weren't any big problems. I've been using it full time for about a year now with no problems.

Those 7 day feeder blocks aren't the best. They will make your water dirty and mess up the water quality. This can make your betta sick. If you're going away for that long, I recommend and automatic fish feeder and an outlet timer (you can get that at walmart or home depot) for your lights. Fish need a proper day/night cycle and a timer will help a lot. Keeping the lights on the whole time will stress him out. Like everyone else is suggesting, it would be better if someone can help you look after him while you're away.
Here's a link to the items I suggested:
Feeder:
http://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418762954&sr=8-1&keywords=automatic+fish+feeder

Timer:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-24-Hour-Plug-In-Basic-Timer-15119/100685881

40 gallons is going to be pushing on what you can accomplish with DIY, so I would avoid going that route, as you wont wind up happy.

As for what you will need, it is really very simple, but not particularly cheap. You need a CO2 tank, a regualtor, bubble counter, diffusor and gas line.

CO2. Go with a 5 or 10 lb tank. If you can find used even better as most places just swap tanks when you fill them, so you get your new shiny aluminum tank, bring it to get filled, they take it and give you a banged up used one back. A 5lb tank should last 3-4 months depending on how many bubbles per second you are pumping

Regulator with Bubble Counter and solenoid, the solenoid is what shuts off flow of CO2 at night, when plugged into a timer. Plants don't utilize CO2 at night, so continuing to pump it into the tank is just wasting gas. Keep it on the same cycle as your lights, or better yet, and hour behind, so it turns on and hour before the lights come on, and off an hour before the lights go off.

Diffuser, you can spend a little or a lot here. I dont really see the need to spend a ton with this part. You do want to see if the unit has a check valve though, and if not, you will need to add one between the bubble counter and diffuser to prevent a back siphoning.

Gas tubing very important you get tubing rated for CO2 gas. Do not use regular air line of the gas will eat right through it

I have the 30” Planted+ 24/7 on my 20 long and it works great

Going to do one in a couple of months just cause I can, and for shits and giggles! From my brief research, you want to stay away from hard drives, as the oil will slow down the disc speed.

FISH TANK-http://www.amazon.com/Tetra-29095-Cube-Aquarium-Gallon/dp/B008CA7W7E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1389639912&sr=8-2&keywords=small+fish+tank

OIL-http://store.steoil.com/crystal-plus-tech-grade-mineral-oil-70t-1-gal/


PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i3-2120 3.3GHz Dual-Core Processor | $136.51 @ Amazon
Motherboard | ASRock H77M Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard | $76.46 @ Newegg
Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $92.85 @ Newegg
Storage | Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk | $72.09 @ Amazon
Power Supply | Corsair Builder 430W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply | $49.15 @ Newegg
Other| Tetra Cube Aquarium| $30.00
Other| 3 Gallons Oil| $30.00
| | Total
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available. | $487.06
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-03-04 19:28 EST-0500 |

This is a good cheap 3 gallon, I have one my self and it can easily fit on a desk. http://www.amazon.com/Tetra-29095-Cube-Aquarium-3-Gallon/dp/B008CA7W7E

You will need to get a heater for it though but you can get one for pretty cheap as well.

An airstone doesn't defuse co2 properly, it's very inefficient, I suggest grabbing a DIY co2 regulator, diffuser, and a bubble counter if you wish on amazon, should cost you twenty-five dollars or so, you'll see a huge difference.

DIY CO2 Aquarium Plant System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008CUZJF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_bJyuyb1E5K3FV

Fluval Ceramic 88g-CO2 Diffuser - 3.1 Ounces https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GCO35G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ULyuybPW9C6G2

Fluval 88g-CO2 Bubble Counter - 3.1 Ounces https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GCPM6K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_DKyuybDD5AXPX

What size tank do you have?

If you are set on the paintball set up, you can't go wrong with the Aquatek mini regulator. It is the regulator I have set up on my 15 gallon and it has been fantastic. Basically, the parts you will need are:

• Regulator (Aquatek mini or if you have the $$, the GLA model is likely very nice.
  
• CO2 tubing (Aquatek has good stuff).
  
• Some kind of diffuser. These can be had for cheap on Ebay or Amazon. I bought a cheap one on Amazon and was disappointed with it, so I ended up buying this one and I love it.
  
• A bubble counter. There is a bubble counter included with the Aquatek mini regulator, but it is a cheapo unit. If you want to spend a little more money for a good one, check here for some good examples.
  
• Paintball tanks, obviously. I would recommend getting the largest one you can find and maybe getting two of them. That way you can have one on the tank at all times, when it gets low, swap them out and you will have a couple months to get the backup filled.
  
• A drop checker. This is used to estimate the levels of CO2 diffused in the water. It is filled with a pH indicator solution that changes color as the pH of the solution changes as the CO2 levels in the water change. It is a handy little device which will prove it's worth quickly. I use this one and have been very happy with it, but there are nicer ones here if you want that classy glassy look.
  
  Obviously, CO2 setups aren't cheap, but with the paintball route you can do it relatively inexpensively compared to the full scale regulator route. Good luck! I'd be happy to clear anything else up for you if you have questions.
  
  Edit: Make sure you have a check valve in the system somewhere. This will keep aquarium water from flowing up the line into the regulator. Some of those items I listed (like the GLA diffuser) have them built in, which will solve that problem. However, if you choose products without a check valve built in you will need to add one. Here are some (also more tubing there to choose from).

Both of those things already exist:

VorTech Powerhead for recreating natural current patterns.

Finnex 24/7 Planted Plus replicating daylight cycles and natural lighting effects.

Necessities

api liquid test kit

sponge filter

airline tubing for sponge filter

air pump for sponge filter

thermometer

fluval spec v kit. Comes with filter, decent light that can grow some lowlight plants, idk what else but I hear it's pretty good, I would look around on other sites to find it cheaper

dechlorinator if you don't already have it

heater, I happen to live somewhere where the temperature of my tank floats right in the bettas range, but if this isn't the case for you then you'll need a heater

You'll need something for a lid, can't find anything on amazon but you have a few options: going to a petstore and looking for a 5 gallon lid, going to other websites to look, or making a DIY lid, which can be done with greenhouse panels, or even wood if you don't mind cutting.

Substrate is optional, but if you want it you can either get pool filter sand, which you can find at your local Home Depot or lowes (assuming you're in the US), you'll have to rinse it first but it's really cheap, $8 for 50lb which is more than enough.

I would buy the tank in person at a store or on some site like Craigslist where you can find used tanks for cheap

Also, don't forget to cycle your tank, if you don't know what that is I would do some research on it, it's possibly the most important thing in keeping any aquatic creature

Off the top of my head, will continue to edit to add stuff

This is a great tank! From what I can see he has vibrant colors and healthy fins. If Caboose is 10 months old; his current living conditions are maintained, he will live to the full potential of his life span which is 4 to 5 years. Make sure he has enough space at the top of the tank to surface and "breathe", which is important to prevent infections in his labyrinth organ (an organ evolved for absorbing CO2 and oxygen from the air.)

​

I like the idea of more plants, if I may give some suggestions? Floating plants in my experience are very good for Betta fish and really most fish in general! It allows me to 'filter' out the light so it isn't shining directly into the tank which may become too intense and stress fish out. Salvinia or 'water moss' is a personal favorite, I also like duckweed, and water lettuce. However you have to be careful because plants like these, especially duckweed, will grow really fast and has to be trimmed a lot.

​

Useful links to you I have on hand;

​

Cheap API testing kits

Expensive API testing kit (I highly recommend this one)

​

https://www.aquariumcoop.com/

https://www.thegreenmachineonline.com/

https://www.fishkeepingworld.com/

https://www.liveaquaria.com/

​

​

​

​

​

​

A tank doesn't have to be a glass box. If you're in a pinch, a large food-safe container, like a Rubbermaid tote would work. As this is a goldfish, I would recommend at least 20 gallons of water right now. As it grows, you will need to upgrade.

Goldfish are a coldwater fish, so you can get away with no heater.

Fill the tote with DECHLORINATED water. There are many different brands and types of chemicals that will make tap water safe for fish. Pick one and follow the instructions on the bottle as they all have different dosages. I recommend Seachem's Prime.

You will need a filter to start your biological filtration and to aerate the water. A basic sponge filter will work, if we are looking for a bare bones setup. This needs to be hooked up to an air pump to work.

The most important part is that your "tank" will not be cycled for the first little while. This means that all the fish poop and food waste will be toxic. This is the biggest threat to your fish. Until the bacteria develop to convert the fish waste into nitrate (which is relatively safe), you will need to do basically daily water changes.

If you can get your hands on a test kit for Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate, you can monitor the progress of the cycle. When you no longer read ANY ammonia or nitrite, you can lower your water changes to once a week or two.

Don't get too disheartened if the fish does not make it. The gills look very inflamed and it is likely very stressed. I would recommend buying some aquarium salt and dosing accordingly to prevent infection.

Tbh, if you want shrimp, just throw like 5 hearty dwarfs in there. They'll be fine. Just don't tell r/shrimptank cause they'd just lose their shit.

https://www.amazon.com/EcoSphere-Closed-Aquatic-Ecosystem-Sphere/dp/B005IZOB5M

They're selling you a blackbox education package and some weirdo modular farm for $2500. You have no idea what you're getting in either. All I can tell you is this:

A 200 sq ft system (including everything) cannot feed 8 people. 1,100 lbs of vegetables and 400 lbs of tilapia won't feed 8 people, and that's what they claim their system makes. Average people eat 4.5-5 lbs of food in a day on average, meaning 1652-1825 lbs per year per human. A system that produces 1500 lbs won't even feed one person, but they say it right there:

>This one module will feed 8 people FOREVER

That's a lie. Even on their inflated estimates of how much food they produce, that's an outright lie.

Another thing I know: This system does not include fish tanks. Fish tanks are the most expensive part of every build I've ever done, and this system asks that you provide your own. This system does not include filtering tanks, either, which will run you another good bit of change. Potentially most importantly, This system does not include fish. Food-fish are hard to source, and you'll have to source your own.

And to add insult to injury, this system does not include grow medium or PVC. You are paying over a thousand dollars a unit at the the lowest prices (which you can only get at huge volumes, over 50 units) for grow beds, a patented water pump, two air pumps (for no reason, one air pump works just as well), two air stones, tubing, a patented electrical panel, worm castings, mineral dust, and a list of all the other shit you'll have to buy.

Let's price this out:

• Grow Beds - they're not using box beds, they appear in the pictures to be using black pvc sheeting, like for ponds. 250 ft sq - $150
  
• Water Pump - Dr Nate from Bright Agrotech says moving all of your system volume once every two hours is okay. if you have an 8 inch deep grow bed filled to 2 inches below the top of the medium in a medium that takes 60% of the space in the container that would be roughly 320 gallons, so you need to move roughly 160 gallons an hour, and you'll probably want to move them three feet up. So using Pondmaster pumps (a pretty solid brand I see in heavy use) you'd use the Pondmaster mag Drive 3 - $65
  
• Air pumps - fuck it, use whatever. If it won't kill aquarium fish, it won't kill aquaponic fish This looks like insane overkill, let's buy two, then add air tubing and a fistful of junctions and Four of these air stones and call it a day (I measured NOTHING and I don't regret it, everything I picked was probably insane overkill) for a grand total of $125 for the air setup.
  
• A patented electrical panel? We'll use a surge protector. $10 if we're fancy here.
  
• A pound of worm castings - $6
  
• Two pounds of Azomite Mineral Dust - $12
  
  And the grand total is: $368 for everything they offer, minus the list of other things you'll have to buy.
  
  Hope that list is worth $600+ in your mind.
  
  Seriously though, just go watch all of Bright Agrotech's videos five or seven times apiece to get the science and then read here to figure out what kind of system you want. I just spent fifteen minutes and saved you over a thousand dollars setting up your system. Imagine what you can do in a couple hours.

Kits tend to be more expensive and lower quality compared to buying things separately.

A 5 or 10 gallon tank from petco, pet smart, pretty much any pet store is usually only around $15 max.

An air pump, some airline tubing and a sponge filter, all about $12.

A simple adjustable heater, $9 and a thermometer, $2.

Water conditioner, a small bottle is like $6.

Those are the vital basics, for about $35.

Another thing that is a bit pricier but ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY to get as soon as possible is a liquid drop water test kit which currently on Amazon is $22. Do not get the paper test strips, they are a bit cheaper but they are completely inaccurate and they'll end up costing more because you need to keep buying new ones.

A test kit will be absolutely necessary to cycle the new tank, which, if not done carefully, can kill the fish.

If your friend can't get the test kit right away, I'd check around your local pet stores, because often times they'll offer free water testing. Until then, do big water changes (at least 50%) every day to be fairly sure the water is kept clean and safe.

Repeating and adding on to what's already been said, neither would do well in that "tank". It's too small for any fish to live comfortably and doesn't allow for many if the things needed for fish to thrive. Because you're asking a question like this you must be new to fish keeping, which isn't a bad thing. As far as the tank goes, I would try and return it if possible. Like /u/_ataraxia said, goldfish need 30-40 gallons, minimum. To better display the reason why, here is a comparason of the goldfish you buy at the store to a full grown adult. Bettas also need larger, 2.5 gallons is the semi-agreed upon minimum for bettas. I put "semi" there because many argue that 5 or 10 gallons should be the minimum.

If you want to get some fish for you daughter and care for them in a humane way I'd invest in a 10 gallon tank. 10s are small enough to be affordable for beginners and allow for more than one fish to be kept in the tank. /u/kamikazeX already mentioned that petco has a $1 per gallon sale on now which you should really take advantage of if you want to commit to this. Personally, I think a 20 gallon long tank would be much better and would only cost about $10-15 more to set up and will make your life easier. Believe it or not bigger is better and the bigger the tank the less maintenance you have to do. For things you should research a small list would be:

• The nitrogen cycle and how to cycle a tank without fish, you may want to add fish right away but that would likely kill them due to ammonia poisoning
  
  
• What fish can fit in your tank
  
  
• Please, please, pleeeaaaaaaaaase research an individual fish before buying it. All too often people buy baby common plecos aka "sucker fish" when they're little, without knowing that they get massive
  
  As far as what I'd recommend buying to get started is:
  
  
• 20 Gallon long or 10 galon (up to you, but the 20 is easier to care for)
  
  
• Aquaclear 50 (if you wanted to go with the 20) or an Aquaclear 30 (for a 10 gallon)
  
  
• Black sand (the colorful gravel may be appealing, but the paint can wear off). I say black because with the darker substrate fish show more natural colors and look better.
  
  
• Fake or real plants and some rocks or caves (personally I think that the more natural the better, and live plants help manage nitrates)
  
  
• Decent lights
  
• Small heater or an appropriate size
  
  There may be similar products for lower prices, but with aquariums you always want to buy nice, not twice. When/if you get a proper tank and it is time to add fish go to trhe store and find the ones you like, write down what they are and leave. Don't buy them, leave. Go home and do your research so you know how to care for what you're getting and that it will do well in your tank. The last time I bought fish I had done a week of research on what I was buying.

Neither of them are good. Honestly, I'd grab one from Amazon if you have time. Pick up an Aquaclear 30 or 50. They're 10x better than these.

Both these filters are some of the lowest on the market.

Yes you can get fancy guppies, and male look prettier, but if you wanted you could get girls, or both but you’ll have lots of babies (that can be a plus). Sponge filters aren’t expensive.

Just find a properly rate air pump for your size, typically they have the rating in the description. You’ll also need a piece of sponge, airline tubing, and an air stone

airline tubing

sponge

You should be able to find airstones for $1-2 at a local fish shop. You’ll also need an air pump rated for your pond size.

AquaClear 50 Power Filter - 110 V, UL Listed (Includes AquaClear 50 Carbon, AquaClear 50 Foam & AquaClear 50 BioMax https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000260FUM/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_FxaIwbW79Q96B

People swear by this filter. I'm actually about to purchase it for my 10 gallon as well and you can adjust the filter media and water flow on it too.

My point is that no matter what size tank OP buys, it's going to be too small. Bitching about it seems kind of dumb since it would be impossible for the average person to own a large enough tank.

The only thin OP actually needs would be a filter. Something like this will be enough for these little guys to live long happy lives. That plus regular/appropriate water changes and they'll live 20+ years easy.

It's really easy to criticize someone for their tank size when sitting across the globe and not actually paying the bill. I'm just tired of the hypocrisy. If everyone is actually concerned about the size of this type of fishes living space, they wouldn't put these fish up for sale to begin with, boycott the store that do, and tell everyone not to buy them or return them immediately... but then again, we're talking about a fish. An animal that society has universally agreed on as being less than almost all other living things. Many don't consider them meat.... I'm getting off topic but I'm at a [7] and trying to paint a picture. It's just silly to criticize or make OP feel bad for their tank size when the problem is so much worse.

10 gal is fine. I started my first SW tank a couple months ago and I got a 6 gal. Now, you will have to have to have live rock. Without it, it will be nearly impossible to have a stable tank. I suggest you get around 15 pounds. Get all the live rock you plan to have in you tank at once so your parameters don't get an ammonia spike if you have a fish inside. Aragonite sand should be fine. I would stay FOWLR (fish only with live rock) because corals are much harder. The cycle is also very similar. Set up your tank, add sand, fill with a few inches of water, add rocks and aquascape, fill up with water, add a deli shrimp, and you should be good to go. You will need some salt, a hydrometer, a good reliable heater, some lighting, a power head and test kit. And also a filter.
This is what I would get
http://amzn.com/B000260FUM
I would put the bio rings and carbon aside and replace with this,
http://amzn.com/B0002A5VK2
http://amzn.com/B004PBD4J4
Add the matrix when you start cycling, then add the purigen when you are getting fish. The reviews are speaking for the product. Purigen is simply a godsend
http://amzn.com/B00019JOSO
Go for a refractometer if you can afford it but this works fine for me as long as I tap it an there are no bubbles.
http://amzn.com/B001EUE808
The test kit.
http://amzn.com/B0036S4YZ0
This powerhead should do fine in a 10 gallon.
http://amzn.com/B003M7P9YU
This is one of the best most reliable heaters on the market. Many will fail and bake your tank but not the jagar.
http://amzn.com/B003EE5GUS
These make life a whole lot easier BN testing water or adding things like calcium. You get 10 so they should def last a while.
http://amzn.com/B008SJ1H7A
Get like 5 of these. They are extremely accurate and last around 3 months each. Wrap the wire around the tank and have one on at all times. They also help when doing water changes. You should also pick up an extra heater for water changes, via aqua and aqua top have good ones. These are made in china and sent out to companies like coralife to be package and sold for like 10 dollars, see
http://amzn.com/B0002DI4TO

Now, this is the salt I use for water changes,
http://amzn.com/B0002DJU0G
This should last you a year or two and is way cheaper then continually buying salt. I personally use tap water that has been heavily decholinated with this,
http://amzn.com/B00176CVK8
You should get your tap water tested for copper which can kill invertebrates. A 5 gallon bucket is really useful as is this siphon for water changes,
http://amzn.com/B002LL8BWU
This net is really fine and will catch most tiny debris
http://amzn.com/B008HPOCUE
You will probably find it cheaper in a store. I leave it in front of my powerhead for a hour or two every couple to days to catch debris and waste.
These tweezers help for when you don't want to get your hands wet.
http://amzn.com/B001CWDSYA
But they do start rusting after a lot of
use.
http://amzn.com/B0002E7ITK
This has been the best fish food in my experience but all fish should be fed a varied diet. This is a good staple and should be substituted with brine shrimp, mysis shrimp (frozen) and seaweed.
Not everything here is necessary, I'm just telling you what helped me make the jump to saltwater.
Here are some pics of my tank:

http://imgur.com/p3PP7X7
http://imgur.com/9kUaq1g
http://imgur.com/wtUfCb5
http://imgur.com/yl82GRn

One last thing, in a tank that size, draw a small line where you want you water level to be, when it goes below that due to evaporation, top off water. Test your salinity often in that tank. I use seachem marine buffer to deal with pH issues but chemicals and buffets should be avoided.

It's like $8 on Amazon. Make sure you get the kind that comes in a mesh bag. It is also sold loose so you can make your own bags, but that's a messy process that can easily end in failure.

This is the stuff you want.

I've always found these thermometers to be garbage. I recommend spending the extra couple of bucks for the old-fashioned mercury-style thermometer

Before I answer your questions, I want you to know that getting more advanced meaning spending a lot more money and time. A lot us learn by making mistakes, and that's how I started, by making a lot of mistakes.

I don't know what level of planting you want to do. It can be as easy as adding a few amazon swords into your tank right now, or as difficult as buying new light, CO2 equipment, fertilizers, etc.

If you want to save a lot of money from mistakes then here is what you should do:

• Buy a new tank. preferably a big one like a 75G at least since you'll probably want a lot of fish and some of those fish will need a good size tank. I think 75G minimum is the perfect size for beginner as oppose to 55G because of the width. It gives you comfort zone for a lot of fish. Look for it on craiglist first, and be patient. Of course you can get bigger tank if you want
  
  
• You'll need substrates. I personally like Eco-Complete. $22.99 on Amazon. You can also have a layer of sand on top. I use pool filter sand. Something like this
  
  
• You'll need light. 7000k Light is great for plants. LEDs will save you tons of money in the long run. Personally recommend Finnex. They simply have the best LEDs out there. There is a used one on Ebay for very cheap. link I don't know how much I can trust them, I personally would buy a new one if I have the money.
  
  
• You'll need plants. If you live close by Miami, I can give you a few good places to go to. If not your LFS can provide you with these. There is also a seller on Ebay called FishRUs who has some very good plants. You can start with amazon swords, anubias, or whatever plants you want. You'll make mistakes and kill plants, but that's what we humans do. Just make sure you utilize google.
  
  
• You'll need fertilizers. Don't waste your money on Seachem. Read this page Fertilizer can be purchased here
  
  
• You'll need a CO2 system. Aquatek Mini for 87.99 + CO2 tank $26.59. Then go to a local paintball shop and refill your CO2 bottle for $3-4.
  
  
• Water change. You can use Aqueon Water Changer $27.99 you can also buy the 50FT version if you need. You won't regret this buy, trust me.
  
  
• You'll need a filter. Sunsun Canister Pro Kit $97.99 Probably the best canister out there for this price. You can go FX5 if you have the money.
  
  
• Purigen filter media ~$20
  
  
• API Test Kit $22.99
  
  
• There are a wide variety of cichlid. I don't know what you like, but I personally LOVE South America cichlids. These fish are also compatible with your gouramis. You can get a few rams, and 4 angelfish to begin. Discus are beautiful, but don't try it until you feel comfortable with the basics and do enough research. Along with those, you can also get some tetras and corys catfish.

As an alternative, especially for those who need larger than a 30-gal bucket, don't have an area to store something like that, or don't care about saving the old water, you can just go straight to your faucet with a water changing kit. HOWEVER, do this only if you know your water is excellent quality and doesn't need to be conditioned prior to use. I'm lucky enough to have great tap water, I've been doing it this way for 18 months, and a 50% water change on my 55g takes 10 minutes.

This video has some great advice. I used it when I got my DIY system set up. I purchased a kit from amazon for around $15. Totally worth it so far. Citric acid and baking soda lasts two weeks (when I'm doing it correctly) and I've had great growth so far. Be sure to also pick up a bubble counter and diffuser. Baking soda is easily found at any store with groceries, I had to order citric acid online because my Cub foods didn't have any. Overall the system is totally worth it for around $25.

The fluval kit doesn't function like the typical co2 setup most people run.

The way it works is you turn the knob on to let the co2 fill up the chamber and then turn it off and let the co2 diffuse into the water throughout the day.

TBH this is really a lot of hassle for a system that you have to turn it on and off manually.

If I were to buy a co2 system all over again I would likely go with these items:

Co2 regulator

Diffuser

Drop checker

Check valve

Tubing

I would consider this to be a good bare bones starting system that would get you started in co2 once you pick up a tank from your local welding supply shop.

I've heard nothing but good things about the Finnex Planted+ 24/7. In fact, I just bought one for myself because of what I read. So far, I've only had it operating for a few days but am satisfied. Notice if you scroll down on that amazon page, there is a table with other finnex lighting options that give specs on general applications, how difficult plants the particular product supports, among other things. I found that particularly useful. I went with the planted+ 24/7 because it could support plants ranging from low-high light requirements. But you can see there are others available depending on your goals.

You should already have the tank because you need to cycle it before putting the axolotl in it and cycling typically takes a month or even longer. Read up on the nitrogen cycle:

https://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=51

If you end up getting the axolotl before the tank finishes cycling, do a fish-in cycle:

https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/comments/3l48fz/tifu_by_impulse_buying_a_fish_fishin_cycling/

I would quarantine the ghost shrimp for a month first. They are farmed in very poor conditions due to their use as feeders, so they could introduce something to the tank.

I use Seachem Fluorite Black Sand (not Fluorite) with my axolotls. It's inert, but supposedly has nutrients. I can't say how well it works for plants since I'm still experimenting with different plants instead of using ones I've already had before. But the axolotls have been fine on it so far.

NICREW lights and ramp timer/dimmer:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ID3OK3S/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KYLX2P6/

Plant species all depends on what you want to do. I wouldn't recommend a carpet with axolotls. Bulb plants are easy if they grow and plants like anubias, java fern, and bucephalandra are easy beginner plants that don't need to be in the substrate due to feeding primarily out of the water column (don't plant their rhizomes).

Give them places to hide. Mine spend a decent amount of time in the cover of the PVC pipes or sponges.

Keep the tank lower to help keep it cooler too but remember you still have to change water, which will be hard for conventional methods if the tank is too low. Sorry, I don't use a chiller, so I can't recommend any.

https://www.amazon.com/NICREW-ClassicLED-Aquarium-Extendable-Brackets/dp/B01ID3OK3S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1539625276&sr=8-3&keywords=fish%2Btank%2Blight&th=1

​

I got one of these for mine and it's been running strong for the past 1+ years :)

I never imagined that I would be a fish owner, but I have found myself with one, and I have a huge soft spot for all animals, so I can't stand to see them neglected so I want to provide the best home the little guy I can! Here is the list of what I've gotten so far. Let me know what you think and if I have made any mistakes!

Aquarium Rocks

He already has ~5lbs so I figure 10 lbs should cover a 5 gallon tank pretty well.

Betta Balls

Gravel Vacuum

Seachem Prime

Thermometer

Heater for 5 gallon tank

5 Gallon Tank

API Freshwater Test Kit

He already has a betta log, betta hammock, a small decorative plant, Tetra betta pellets, and some bloodworms for treats. Hopefully this covers all bases for little Zazoo! (Yes, my gf named him after the bird from the Lion King. Lol) If you have any other tips for a complete beginner, I'd love to hear them! Thank you for your suggestions!

If you don't feel like spending $40 on one, there's always the Aqueon brand alternative that does the same thing. It's over $10 cheaper on Amazon, and per the reviews it's actually more durable. I don't know enough about the products to speak for those reviews, but that's what they say.

Here it is

http://smile.amazon.com/Aqueon-Aquarium-Water-Changer-Feet/dp/B000YAJKL6/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1422713821&sr=8-16&keywords=tank+cleaning+pump There is this, I have it and it works well. Haven't had any issues so far.

I recommend getting one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I

You can get brine shrimp in a self-sustaining ecosphere.

https://www.amazon.com/EcoSphere-Closed-Aquatic-Ecosystem-Sphere/dp/B005IZOB5M

I’ve had one for five years and have one shrimp left (out of four). The maintenance is almost zero and it’s fun to watch them swim around.

Finally at work so I can give some links, lol

Here's a cheap sponge filter, I love these for bettas because they have a gentle flow and no mechanical intake for the betta to get sucked into. The bacteria will live in the sponges so make sure to never clean them with tap water or else you'll kill them! You'll also need an air pump and some airline tubing to get the filter going. I've used all of these and it's a pretty simple and cheap setup.

To actually measure the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels, you'll need a test kit. I know some people and stores use strips, but they are hilariously inaccurate. You can have levels of 70+ ppm of nitrate (which is usually deadly) and the strips will tell you that you have 0 ppm. The liquid kit also lasts a lot longer! Your tank is cycled when ammonia is at 0 ppm, nitrites are at 0 pmm, and nitrates are at 0-20 ppm.

To make it easier to clean his tank, you can use a siphon. It sucks up the water for you, all you need is a bucket/tub to catch it in. Makes cleaning a lot less hectic!

Just a side note, Betta are actually tropical (and cold-blooded fish), so they need a heater. This is good for a 10 gal, it's what I use :) You can also get a glass or electronic thermometer to make sure the water is staying at the recommended 78-80 F. If you already have a water conditioner this is optional but Seachem Prime is what I use as it binds and neutralizes low levels of ammonia.

Here's the sub caresheet/wiki, and here's a guide to fish-in cycling (which basically just means cycling the tank with a fish already inside). I know this is a lot of info/expenses all at once but if you ever have any questions you're always free to PM me! I'm happy to help to the best of my ability. I'd recommend getting him a 5 gal or bigger ASAP, and with clean warm water his fins will be healing in no time :)

Here’s a solutions- go to a local hardware store or tractor supply or landscape store and try to find an all purpose tub, storage tote, or practically any large container, somewhere around 30-50 gallons. Most of these tubs are fish safe, and are very cheap. For filtration use a large sponge filter and pump which are a very cheap and a effective alternative to normal filters. I wouldn’t worry about heat at the moment as this is meant to be temporary, and goldfish can handle it briefly. I wouldn’t but any decorations or substrate in the tub, just leave it bare. This setup is actually widely used in the goldfish hobby, so it’s a great choice.
Here’s the supplies list on amazon for your convenience, but keep in mind you could also go and look for these products cheaper elsewhere and don’t have to be the exact ones

Sponge filter-
Bacto-Surge High Density Foam Filter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GOFPX9I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_D0G6AbC8B1HRS

Pump-
VicTsing 80 GPH (300L/H, 4W) Submersible Water Pump For Pond, Aquarium, Fish Tank Fountain Water Pump Hydroponics with 5.9ft (1.8M) Power Cord https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EWENKXO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_J2G6Ab01249QW

Air tube-
Penn Plax Airline Tubing for Aquariums –Clear and Flexible Resists Kinking, 25 Feet Standard https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002563MW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_l3G6AbXFY7BEV

Plastic Tub-
Rubbermaid Commercial FG424300BLA Structural Foam Stock Tank, 50 Gallon Capacity https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NPBLAU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_U5G6Ab4CHSP90

Cycling biology-
Fluval Biological Enhancer for Aquarium, 8.4-Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FPIZ8Y0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_26G6AbAR5QBRK

1. What are the dimensions of the tank? You can tell the volume from that.
   
2. Styrofoam goes under the tank, not in it. It's also completely unnecessary if you have a rim on the tank.
   
3. There's not really an 'unsafe' amount of rock. Water is also extremely heavy and the tank holds that, so any reasonable amount should be just fine as well.
   
4. The best filter for a beginner on a tank that size is hands down an Aqua Clear 50, in my opinion. It will run quietly as long as you keep the water level nice and full.
   
5. Don't buy fish store brand lights if you want plants. Invest a little bit of money in something from Finnex (planted series) that will last forever and are designed from the ground up to grow aquarium plants.
   
6. Night mode is just low-light blue LEDs most of the time. It's essentially simulated moonlight. I personally do not use any lighting at night. The Finnex Planted 24/7 has a built in, automatic night mode.
   
7. Yes, 8-10 hours is pretty normal. Less light means less algae, and yes your lighting needs will depend on hardscape and plant choices.

Aquaclear 50 is what I use on my 20 gallon, and it works well - you can skip the bullshit cartridges that most manufacturers use, I added some floss padding and purigen to polish the water (clarity) and threw out the charcoal filter that came with it. You also might need to cut the sponge that comes with it in half laterally to fit all of this and still have the bio media submerged, but that's easy.

Aquaclear 50 on Amazon

Filter floss on Amazon

Purigen on Amazon

Your LFS will likely have all of these things as well, so it's up to you if you're in a rush or want to save a few $$$ by using Amazon.

And, lastly, this is just what works for me. You might try a different setup - but many other HOB filters don't allow you to customize the filtration all that much, and are just there to sell you cartridges.

HOB filters are the Gilette of the aquarium hobby.

It will definitely make him feel better. Glad you got into the hobby and are worried about your buddy so don't take anything I am about to type as anything other than constructive :). You are much better off than I was at the start, I took months to start asking questions.

• General consensus is 5 gallons minimum is best but if you don't have that much space than 2.5 gallons will do. Anything smaller can be considered cruel (imagine being kept in a coat closet your whole life).
  
  
• Glass that is not flat can also be considered cruel (and is actually outlawed in some countries) as it can skew their vision and mess with their eyes quite a bit. Think of it like you or I looking through Fish-eye lenses all day.
  
  
• Filters and heaters are a necessary part of fish ownership. Bettas are tropical fish and thrive best in water that is between 78° and 82° Fahrenheit. You will want to get an adjustable heater to make your life easier (as opposed to one that has a preset thermostat). Aquatop makes some great heaters and are generally what I steer new fish keepers towards. They are cheap and reliable.
  
  
• Filters are another key part of healthy fish ownership (unless you are an expert using advanced filtration methods with live plants, this isn't you...or me for that matter :)). The size of aquarium you decide to get will determine what kind of filter will best fit your setup. If you do decide to go with a 5 gallon or larger, I would recommend a hang-on-back filter like this one. The whole reason I prefer a hang-on-back to a sponge filter or other type is that you get to be more selective with the media you put in the filter and can customize it to fit your needs.
  
  There is so much more to this hobby and first and foremost you will want to understand the development of the Nitrogen Cycle (building up beneficial bacteria that can process fish waste) and how incredibly important it is.
  
  Here are my two favorite guides: Fish-less cycle / Fish-In cycle (this is probably the one you will need to follow since you already have your fish).
  
  Finally, be sure to check out the caresheet in the sidebar. It contains a ton of useful information.
  
  If you have any more questions please don't hesitate to ask.

Do you have a hang on back filter? Depending on the model, you can throw some different materials into it.
Buy the huge sheet of filter pads for mechanical filtration. Give it a gentle squeeze in a bucket of aquarium water about once a month.
Poly-fiber can also be used for it. They sell it at Wal Mart for pretty cheap. You'd have to replace it every two weeks or so.

For biological filtration, pick up some ceramic rings. Cleaning is the same as the filter pads. You'd only really have to replace them if they were breaking down.

You can use Seachem Purigen if you want something for chemical filtration. I don't have any experience with this, but it get great reviews.

Activated carbon isn't really needed in the filter unless you need to remove medication. Purigen would clear up any discolorations just as well and can be recharged.

Carbon can remove much than tanins from the water - not always a bad thing but not always good either. As for how quickly it works, in my experience it is fairly quickly often with 24 hours.

But if you just want to remove the tea color from the water perhaps think about using Purigen and be sure to get this bag if you buy a bottle of it.

I use this on my 50 tall: [Finnex FugeRay Planted+] (http://www.amazon.com/Finnex-FugeRay-Planted-Aquarium-Moonlights/dp/B00GH9HURE)

My plants are arguably over-growing.

Well, if you ask me, T5 and T8 lighting is quickly becoming a thing of the past. LEDs are getting cheaper and cheaper and the quality is getting better and better. I really recommend just going with LEDs. You can get a nice 30 inch fugeray planted plus for less than $100. This should be enough to take care of carpeting the 20 long. You should shop around though, and get familiar with the term photosynthetically active radiation, which is the unit of measure for the effectiveness of grow lights. There are some general guides on what PAR ratings you want for different plants, but I think around 50 is considered high-light, and 30 will take care of most plants. PAR is also measured by the distance from the lights, and is usually shown as a diagram of the aquarium. With your 20g long, being so shallow, you have a lot of inexpensive options that will easily reach the substrate. You should also compare the wavelength charts for each light, which should be available on the manufacturer's websites. With a little google-fu, I found a nice post on the light spectrum and planted aquariums. There are some too-good-to-be-true LED lights on the market that boast their 10k lights, but don't want to show you the spectral analysis, which exposes how crappy the lights actually are.

CO2 definitely as a learning curve. For optimal growth, you want to hit 30 ppm CO2 during the "day", which is indicated by an approximate 1 Ph swing with the shake method (test the water without shaking the CO2 out, then test again after shaking the crap out of the vial). This website explains it all and has a nifty CO2 calculator. If you do a DIY CO2 setup, using yeast in a bottle, you won't have to ever worry about adding too much. This is a great way to get started with CO2, and get your feet wet before buying the equipment. The downside is you have almost no control over the CO2 production, and it gets to become a hassle to deal with the mess and weekly maintenance. Still, do this to start! Eventually you will want a nice big 5 pound (or bigger) canister, and a fancy regulator. Don't bother with those paintball gun things. They cost nearly as much to get set up, and require a lot more maintenance. My 7.5 pound tank lasts me around 4 months before I need to refill it, and that's on a 90g planted tank running around 10 bubbles a second. Most people who get the little paintball setups just end up wanting to upgrade later, and you will have wasted a ton of money.

Balancing CO2 levels with your photoperiod is also important. Be sure to get a regulator with a needle valve for fine adjustments, and a solenoid that will turn on/off the gas for you. I keep my lights and my solenoid plugged into two different lamp timers so the CO2 kicks on an hour before the lights come on and turns off an hour before the lights go out. You can play with the timing yourself by setting up an experimental cycle, and doing periodic Ph tests throughout the day to monitor CO2 levels and Ph swings. Adjusting your CO2 flow is a pain in the but, even with a nice needle valve. It takes most people a full day of tinkering just to get it set right. Basically you turn on the regulator, turn the dials all over the place until you get the pressure where you want (by looking at your bubble counter). Then wait an hour for the airline tube to absorb the pressure, and recalibrate. For a moderately planted 20g, you will probably want to start at around 3 bps. Get it calibrated, let it run, and then check the CO2 levels throughout the photoperiod to see how close to 30 ppm CO2 you get.

Good luck! And hopefully at least some of this information was useful for you!

You could also do a community. Go as big as possible. Two canisters, each rated for 75 gallon would be more than enough for a 125. Two of these is decent for a 200. Ahttp://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008986EQO?cache=06ba174150f5f99c861821c037a5d14d&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1408501463&sr=8-2#ref=mp_s_a_1_2 I would do two of those with a 150 gallon if you want an aggressive set up with cichlids, as over filtration is a must for them. You could have lots of fancy goldfish, or 5 or so common/comet. No koi. What's your budget?

As stated in title, Fishy is the newest member of our household.

My first instinct was to read up on bettas and in doing so, found this subreddit.

I have several doubts, such as:

• what kind of betta is this?
  
  
• Is it healthy? (Ive seen more vibrant colors on pics posted here)
  
  
• Can/Should I pair it with other fish?
  
  
• Are pellets preferred over flakes?
  
  As per suggestions on this sub, I think buying a bigger tank is my number 1 priority; im currently looking into a Tetra Tank (3 Gallons), this one is favored by my wife, as she finds its aesthetically pleasing (and I agree). However, most people suggest a 5 Gallon tank, so Im also looking into a GloFish Tank, we both dislike the blue led on this model and the black plastic lid it comes with.
  
  In any case, we're also looking to buy the following:
  
  
• heater
  
  
• Thermometer
  
  
• Silk plant
  
  
• Log/Hiding spot
  
  
• Filter * which we think we would only buy if we get the Tetra Tank, as per amazon commenters suggestions.
  
  We already have a net (for scooping), drops to dechlorinate water, aquarium salt (for cleaning) and what you see already in the tank.
  
  Please help us give this fish an awesome life!
  
  PS.: We are not in the US, if it even matters.

Amazon my friend.

Of course the Spongebob stuff is extra.

Well, this tank unfortunately is plastic, but it does have a great minimal look. Fits perfectly on the corner of my desk here at home. It has a flat plastic lid that just sorta sits on top.
http://www.amazon.com/Tetra-29095-Cube-Aquarium-3-Gallon/dp/B008CA7W7E

Basically, you're killing him slowly. Ammonia (posion!) will build up in the tank while oxygen and other good stuff decreases. Imagine if someone sealed you in a 10x10 room and only let the air run once every 2-3 weeks.

If you want to save him, do this:

1. Get a damn test kit.. You need to know what these levels are to provide a healthy enviroment for your fish. Test the water at least once a week.
   
   
2. Stress coat.
   
   
3. What tempature is the water in your tank? Don't guess - use a thermometer. Betta fish like water that is 75-82 degrees. Water that is too hot or too cold will cause them to become lethargic or worse. If the water is too hot, do more water changes. Too cold, buy a heater for the tank.
   
   
4. Fishy needs a bigger tank. He may not be stressed, but depressed, since he doesn't get to swim or explore or do much of anything. 3 gallons is a good minimum size for a betta. But you'll need to do water changes once a week MINIMUM. It takes 15 minutes max.
   
   Invest 50 bucks on your fish, and you'll have a healthy, happy companion for at least 3 more years.
   
   
   
   

Looking at your original post...

The responses were valid advice, even if the tone may have been a bit condescending, but your responses were also very defensive and rude.


If you want to keep your water from being cloudy, upgrade to a tank with a filter. 1 gallon really isn't large enough for a betta, and they are tropical fish so should be in a heated tank.

You can pick up a pretty cheap kit that includes a light and filter.
Something like this looks nice, is adequately sized, and comes with a filter (although its not a GREAT filter, its certainly better than none) This little heater works well for a 3 gallon (which is what I linked earlier) and doesn't take up much room or look crappy in the tank.

A filter is not a cure all, you will still want to do partial water changes occasionally, and if youre having trouble with cloudy water, you may be over feeding. your fish's stomach is about the size of it's eye, it only needs 2-3 or those little betta pellets once a day, and if you want to keep 2 male bettas, you'll want to get something at least 5 gallons, and the divider should be something they cant see clearly though as it will stress them out. You can usually pick up a little 5 gallon glass tank at most pet stores for about $11, but you would need to get a filter, heater, etc seperately. Bettas are jumpers, so youd want to either leave about an inch unfilled at the top, or put some kind of lid on there.

This little filter works great for ~5 gallon tanks, and has adjustable flow. (bettas dont like a lot of current, so you wanna keep the flow on any filter pretty low for them)

Getting a siphon, or just a 2-3ft piece of fountain tubing (you can get it from any hardware store) makes partial water changes a million times easier as well. If you WANT to put forth the necessary effort to properly house and car for your fish, send me a PM and I may be able to help you out if you truly can't afford it. But if you TRULY don't have the time to screw with it, give them away to someone who does, and try again when your life situation is less stressful.

Its acrylic but i got it for a great price around black friday on Amazon

Tetra LED Cube Shaped 3 Gallon Aquarium with Pedestal Base https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008CA7W7E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Eu-MAb7SYPXMB

Also you might want to upgrade if the tank is 1 gallon or less. A lot of people say 5 gallon is minimum, but I’ve had a lot of success with a three gallon tank with live plants and a snail.

While I highly suggest this tank, I think a lot of petsmarts have tanks in similar sizes with filters for a better price.
I would suggest that you also buy some Anubis nana to add to the tank, and possibly checking nearby ponds for duckweed you can heavily rinse and add to your tank.
Tetra LED Cube Shaped 3 Gallon Aquarium with Pedestal Base https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008CA7W7E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_0BjMAbE8KWRGP

I also have a certain type of plant I bought on sale that seems to grow like a weed, but it doesn’t have a shortened name so I’ll need to look it up

edit It’s a Bacopa, not sure on the full name but it’s the species petsmart sells.
It was in my tank for 4 months and grew from being little over an inch to five inches long

I'd invest in something like this. It comes with lighting and a small air-driven filter; in a heated room or in a temperate climate, this will be sufficient for a solitary Betta after the tank cycles. You could add in shrimp or a snail, but no more fish.

Alternatively, for a little more money, you can probably get a 10G tank at Petco for the $10 and spend about $15-20 on a hood with light. Then you can get a cheap hang-over-back power filter or get a small airpump and order a sponge filter online. The Betta would appreciate the extra room and you could probably, after the tank cycles, keep a small school of more peaceful fish with him after (bottom feeders like Cory Cats or Otos would probably be ideal)

Given what you're already adding for fertilizer, your limiting factor is very likely CO2. No point in increasing ferts without increasing carbon, you'll probably just get a bunch of algae that'll take advantage of the excess nutrients your plants aren't using; plants only grow as much as their limiting factor allows.

You can actually set up a DIY CO2 system for relatively cheap. You can get a kit for about 13 bucks, you'll just need to supply sugar, yeast, and some bottles (none of the above being that costly, and you can find them at your local store). Excel can only take you so far.

https://www.amazon.com/DIY-CO2-Aquarium-Plant-System/dp/B008CUZJF6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483941512&sr=8-1&keywords=diy+co2

I don't think you have enough plants to warrant CO2, but a DIY CO2 is pretty easy to setup.

So I got baking soda (got it from local grocers), and got citric acid, locally couldn't find it, so I bought it online: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EYFKNL8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Got this system: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008CUZJF6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fish-Tank-Aquarium-CO2-Diffuser-Check-Valve-U-Shape-Glass-Tube-Suction-Cup-Kit/282701446441?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Cheaply made, very happy with it so far.

> Please list ALL the basic equipment for pressurized CO2?

• Cylinder
  
• Regulator
  
• Solenoid Valve - can be bought separately or as a unit with the reg.
  
• Check Valve
  
• Bubble Counter
  
• Diffuser
  
• CO2 resistant tubing
  
• Timer plug
  
  I use a CO2 fire extinguisher rather than a normal cylinder, but it's essentially the same.
  
  Only real downside is the ongoing cost. Other thing to think about are balancing CO2 levels when the lights go off, but that's easy enough to accomplish with the timer plug.
  
  Cost for me was about £100 all in, but I got lucky with some cheap CO2..

After a couple weeks of researching the same thing, I wound up assembling my own rather than getting a kit. I have a 60g with a 5lb tank that I got from a local welding supply store that fits nice in my compact cabinet. Tank cost $60 and $15 to fill/refill. Attached to that is this regulator which I run on a wemo plug to come on only when the lights are on. I use this diffuser (which I think is overkill). All connected by this CO2 proof tubing. Finally, I use this drop checker. Less than $200 invested. It's silent except for the instant that the solenoid switches off/on. I have to trim plants a couple times a month. At two bubbles/sec, I get about 6-8 months between tank refills. Slightly cheaper option may include a paintball tank with adapter.

I have a DIY I built from googling for my 15g. It is a constant pain in the ass to get the mixtures right for given surface agitation and bioload. And then every time you want to make a change, you have to wait a day for the mixture to restart. And if you are using CO2 to lower pH, this causes wild pH swings. And, you can't turn it off at night.

Save yourself pain and buy a real setup:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001DTNWF2?pc_redir=1407847266&robot_redir=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0058XWDFO/ref=pd_aw_sims_5?pi=SL500_SS115&simLd=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0085282UK/ref=pd_aw_sims_2?pi=SY115&simLd=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008UCOFJW/ref=pd_aw_sims_1?pi=SY115&simLd=1

$175 with prime.

EDIT: Jesus I totally forgot about the leaks. Constant leaks in the DIY system. I had several seals give after several weeks of use. So you are never safe. I think I currently have zip ties holding my overflow lines together.

I use this filter - https://www.amazon.com/Camco-TastePURE-Flexible-Protector-40043/dp/B0006IX87S/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Camco+TastePURE+Water+Filter+with+Flexible+Hose+Protector+Greatly+Reduces+Bad+Taste%2C+Odors%2C+Chlorine+and+Sediment+in+Drinking+Water&qid=1559231197&s=gateway&sr=8-1

​

Which runs into this RO maker - https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Reverse-Osmosis-50-Gallon/dp/B00DOG63OY/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=ro+buddy&qid=1559231240&s=gateway&sr=8-1

​

That I then let run into an unused 6.5gal bottling bucket. I still toss a half a tab of campden in on brew day. Then I build up my water profile with salts/acids from there.

The trough was about 60 - https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/rubbermaid-structural-foam-stock-tanks-50-gal-capacity

I used probably one 50lb bag of peat moss from home depot (20 maybe? I don't really remember how much) plus some left over peralite I had. The terracotta pot was also just laying around.

What you can't see but I very quickly figured out I needed was an RO filter with the 100 degree days we're getting. That was another $50 of amazon. Aquatic Life RO Buddie Three Stage Reverse Osmosis, 50-Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DOG63OY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_pLpXqAIkA58Rx

So probably 150ish total.

This unit has been fantastic for me for the past year. After one year of use, it still puts out 0ppm water.

I produce about 3 gallons a day with it (small-ish collection). But obviously it's capable of up to 50 gal/day. Note though that these RO systems put out waste water at a ratio of like 2:1 in my experience (more like 4:1 at the beginning of life), so I have to find something to do with 5-10 gallons of super hard (140ppm) water every day.

If you hate wasting water, consider capturing the waste water in buckets and flush your toilet with it. That's what I do, or occasionally dilute slightly with regular tap water and water your other plants.

Since I currently buy my brewing water at the store, I've been considering buying one of these to produce my own RO water. Obviously it's nowhere near the necessary size for what you'd want in your whole house, but it should be okay for getting brewing water ready. Has anybody used something like this before? (they're commonly used for aquariums and for small hydroponic setups)

You will need a pid temperature controller, water pump, and heating unit, as well as some basic things (a bit of sheathed wire, things to cut and strip it, screwdriver, electrical tape) to wire everything up. The controller and heater can be substituted for cheaper components. You should also get a resistance thermometer (search on ebay, it's like $1) to get higher accuracy than a thermocouple.

pump

controller

heater



I hope this will help.

http://www.amazon.com/Finnex-FugeRay-Planted-Aquarium-Moonlights/dp/B00GH9HURE

Here let me price out a decent tank for you.

10 dollars for a 10 gallon tank, dollar per gallon sale at petco

20 dollars for a heater, This one will work with a 10 gallon

10 dollars for sand It's only 5 pounds though so you may need two

30 dollars on a filter, This is on the expensive side, there are much cheaper you could do.

45 for a light. This is a plant light, it can grow plants, you can go cheaper if you don't want to grow plants

After that your only cost is your pets. Aquatics is a expensive hobby but with this set up you could easily do a betta. If you want to skip the heater you could do some shrimp or some other subtropical fish. Filter can be downsized too, I personally like to go with a stronger filter. Light could also be fairly cheap, it's a light to see your animals if you don't wish to use it to grow plants. That's my go to when setting up a new tank.

I had a Nicrew 12-18 inch LED light on my 5 gallon for a while and it worked splendidly. Nothing spectacular, but it grew my Swords and Java Ferns. Great for low light, not so much for carpeting. Also it's cheap. But I don't know how much that matters to you.

You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0191EWII2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_HiqIDbZ9F02HN

I've recently upgraded the tank to 10G and am now using a Finnex stingray on it. I have to say that it is one of the best lights I've ever used. It's just the right amount of light and is great for low maintenance/low light plants and high maintenance/high light plants, so it's good all around. I'm not sure if they have a model suitable for a 5 gallon but it may be worth checking out. It's a bit more expensive but worth the price IMO.

You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NAFQ6FK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Hope this helps a bit OP

I'm running the 20 inch Finnex Stingray. I was worried it would be too low light but it seems to be working fine. I also get a couple hours of indirect ambient light from outside hitting the left side of the tank.

I also use a siesta light cycle. I use a timer to turn the lights on between 7am and noon, off from noon to 4:00 and then on again from 4-9pm. Helps keep the c02 levels up and algae down.

Substrate is about 3/4" miracle grow organic choice potting mix, and about an inch of spectrastone gravel.

And no dosing. The dirt does the work.

Finnex Stingray Aquarium LED Light, 20-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NAFQ6FK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_Hx9aYepIqhl9o

Spectrastone Special Black Aquarium Gravel for Freshwater Aquariums, 25-Pound Bag https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002DHKI0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_mZuyBmBB33TVi

Miracle-Gro 72986510 Organic Choice Potting Mix, 16-Quart (currently ships to select Northeastern & Midwestern states) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BQLVNI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_1xxL3WbowmVhP

Best advice is to take your time and buy what will make you happy. You'll only spend more money in the long run if you compromise now. Luckily, not everything needs bought at once. Tank, filter, and heater are necessary purchases now. Lighting and decor can be figured out more slowly.

I can recommend what I'd get in your position.

If you're going to buy a kit, this is a good one. Personally, I like this heater, but they do sell a cheaper version. So, about $100 for the tank, heater, filter, and light.

If you want to buy the parts separately, you can get a 10 gallon tank for $10-$15 or cheaper checking craigslist. You'll also need some kind of lid to cover the tank. You can buy glass ones or some people get a piece of glass or acrylic cut to cover it. Tank + lid: $25-$30

Aquaclears are my favorite filters for my tanks, but you could use a sponge filter. You'd need an air pump for the sponge one. So, $20-$25 for a filter.

Real plants are nice, but not necessary. You can do fine with fake ones, just make sure the edges aren't sharp. If you do want plants, the Spec V light should be plenty for low light plants. If you want to buy the light separately, this or this would be fine. I've had a Nicrew one on my larger tank before and it's enough for low light plants.

Or you could just get a clamp on lamp from the store and a daylight bulb. That whole set up would be about $10.

Until you get a new set up, I would recommend water changes at least once a day, if not more. I would also strongly recommend buying a water testing kit.

Many people here, including myself, get awesome results using finnex lights. Their Stingray is designed for low-light setups.

We've had customizable LED lights like this one in the aquarium hobby for years. Their entire job is to simulate natural light as best as possible. The one I linked specifically can mimic lighting from throughout the whole day. Would something like this be able to be jerry-rigged to work for photography?

Finnex makes a 30" light.
Amazon Link

Edit: It does come with little legs, but the light could be used without the legs.

Don't mean to budge in, but this is what I use in all my tanks. Only $2 as well. Seems to work well for the price.

https://www.amazon.com/Marina-Floating-Thermometer-Suction-Cup/dp/B0002AQITK/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1497554994&sr=1-1&keywords=marina+thermometer

As far as equipment goes, get an AquaClear 20 (or 30) filter, an Aqueon (or other reliable brand, I've used Hydor with good luck) ADJUSTABLE heater. A thermometer. The lights you get depends on what you plan on doing with your tank. You're also going to need a water testing kit, a dechlorinator (most people will recommend Seachem Prime).

Is this going to be your first aquarium?

Hmm odd that the water fizzed up. Did you rinse out the tank and rinse off the carbon and decorations before putting them in? The fact that you can smell chlorine is probably a good indicator you are best of to switch to a different water conditioner. (I like Seachem Prime.) Betta's like a low flow filter so just keep an eye on the filter or even switch to a sponge filter, or filter with a sponge over the intake, etc. Remeber to test your tap water too! I will link some products I have used or similar to those I have used in the past and had success with. (It may be a good idea to compare prices at your LFS store to Amazon, as I know my local Petsmart/Petco charges a fortune for a lot of aquarium items without much selection.)

API Freshwater Test Kit (Amazon wow $19.99 right now!) or at your LFS -Don't buy the test strips.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000255NCI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

SeaChem Prime ($4-$13 depending on size from Amazon or at your LFS. I swear by Prime.)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002568S6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

A thermometer is a good idea to make sure your heater does not create a major issue. I do not use this exact one but figured I would add it to the list with a link ($2)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002AQITK/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Here I will just attach a link for a sponge filter I use in a 10 gallon (~$12). You will need some airline hosing and an air pump (tetra air pump works) if you get it, though I think it may be a little big for a 4 gallon. Also, an aquaclear is by far my favorite HOB filter if you go that route. Hopefully, your filter will workout!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXRDZPO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A316L92SV4DH0Y&psc=1
Tetra Air pump (~$7)
https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-77851-Whisper-Pump-10-Gallon/dp/B0009YJ4N6/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1506349229&sr=1-1&keywords=tetra%2Bair%2Bpump&th=1
Aquaclear 20 (110V ~$25): This may be a little big for your 4 gallon, not sure as I have the Aquaclear 50 on my 30 gallon but I will add it along just in case.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000260FVG/ref=twister_B00MO35VD2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Airline Tubing (a few dollars, great to have)

Household Ammonia without surfactant (to do your fishless cycle) see link http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles_51/fishless-cycling-article.htm

If you decide to go with silk aquarium plants, they have few fun options online. I would also suggest really plants as they will help reduce nitrates in the future. Some good low-tech plants would be anubias, or java fern (and some others). These can be tied to a rock or driftwood as don't need to be placed in the gravel/sand/soil itself. (A small clip-on LED for an aquarium should work
if you go this route.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/plantsetc

I would provide food options, but r/bettafish has done a great job!
https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/food

Here are a few they have mentioned:

Ocean Nutrition Atison's Betta Food (~12)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/huc/view.html?ie=UTF8&newItems=C38WET63RPACA8%2C1

New Life Spectrum Betta Formula (~$10)
https://www.amazon.com/New-Life-Spectrum-Formula-Semi-Float/dp/B0038JTL1Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1506350883&sr=1-1&keywords=New+Life+Spectrum+Betta+Pellets

Hikari Betta Bio-Gold (~$13)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013EXTU7S/ref=twister_B00ZJZMXIS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

You should be able to find frozen daphnia, and frozen brine shrimp at Petco/Petsmart, and live brine shrimp at your LFS.

Will add on later! Happy cycling and keep us posted!

If you do not already own one of these you should buy it now. That is a big tank so I understand that changing the water is a pain.

http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Aquarium-Water-Changer-Feet/dp/B000YAJKL6

Super easy water changes with no buckets and no water leaking.

This is what I use to clean my 20 gallon tank. I change 20-25% once a week, but I have goldfish in there, so you might not need to change that much water. The fish do not need to be removed, just be careful not to suck them up.

I (1) unplug the filter, (2) remove 20% of the water, (3) put in fresh water at the same temperature as the tank (make sure there's water inside the filter), (4) treat with Seachem Prime, and then (5) plug the filter back in.

I use an Aqueon water changer. Hook one end to your faucet, put the other end in the tank and use the water pressure from your faucet to drain the tank. Then close the valve to fill the tank up. No lifting, no buckets

No gravel--turtles can swallow it and cause obstruction. I don't use substrate at all, personally, but some people like sand or river rocks. And I have live plants in terra cotta planters with river rocks.

Aqueon Aquarium Water Changer25 Feet (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YAJKL6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_V9FPzbZFCHF7W)

I've been using an eheim auto-feeder for over a year and it's pretty good.


https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I

I have one of these: Auto fish feeder and it has served me well with my 65 gallon. You can program when it feeds, how many times it spins, and adjust how much food falls out. It wasn't too expensive and I haven't even replaced the batteries yet (in 1.5 years). ><>

I got an automatic feeder for the community tank. Sooooo worth it. EHEIM Everyday Fish Feeder Programmable Automatic Food Dispenser https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001F2117I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_PStDDb2KTB4EG

I use the Eheim everyday fish feeder for when I go on vacation, and it's great! You can do multiple feedings per day, or just one at a specific time. It's also got an adjustable opening so you can leave it very small to not feed as much.

https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I

get an autofeeder, then you never have to worry about it

​

https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I

eheim daily feeder / air feeder as it's sometimes called.

https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1481557630&sr=1-1&keywords=eheim+everyday+fish+feeder

Up to 4 feedings, can be used with flake (if very uniform and smaller than the opening- i crush mine up) or pellets. adjustable gate (most people open it up then tape over the opening partially for fine tuning) and you can set each feeding to rotate the drum once, or twice (after a 1 minute delay. helps slower feeders have an opportunity to get something after the more active fish feed on the first dump)

Very happy with mine so far.

I have an eheim daily feeder and I really like it, you set up multiple feelings per day and it works with both flake and pellet food. Just be careful If you use pellet, it's really easy to over feed!

I've heard good things about [this auto-feeder] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001F2117I?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_sfl_title_4&smid=A1BNS86D4V4GO1).

I've read enough horror stories about time release food spiking ammonia levels to be uncomfortable with it. I'd rather chance my buddy missing a meal than getting poisoned.

I have a question on "open loop water adjustment." I posted a blurb in the Q&A yesterday about how I use an aquarium GH/KH test kit when I brew from tap water to help estimate the alkalinity and hardness. I then plug these numbers into the Brewer's Friend Water Calculator to see how much salt/acid/acidulated malt to add. (The code for my latest beer, a bock is 44XKCVF if you want to take a look at my stuff) I did guess on the pH, but I know from talking to our local micro and other homebrewers that our water pH is a bit higher due to our city using slaked lime to reduce hardness.

I had to add a bit of gypsum and chalk as well as acidulated malt and 88% lactic to get my water where I was shooting for. Am I doing this correctly?

Also, I do a double "dunk sparge" with my BIAB setup to get a little bit higher efficiency since I only have a 7 gallon kettle. I added about 2.8 mL of 88% lactic to my 3.5 gallons of sparge water to neutralize the alkalinity. This is the first time I've done that and I haven't noticed any tannic flavors before, but I thought I would see what happens. If someone that knows more than me would be able to comment on that it'd be great.

I'm really planning on doing most of that for my darker beers. For lighter brews I've been getting RO water from a local aquarium store and basically treating it like distilled water in terms of salt additions, etc.

Water conditioners detoxify chlorine (and also heavy metals/ammonia depending on the conditioner), but they do not change the general hardness.

120 ppm = 7 dGH, which is just a touch on the harder side and should be totally fine for a betta.

However, test strips are super inaccurate - you will need a liquid test kit instead, GH and KH tests sold separately.

A good way to test the water is the API GH and KH Test Kit. Scaling is a combination of GH and KH. You need general hardness and carbonate hardness to be present to create scale. The softener will eliminate one of those, if it is working.

Testing the grinder is tougher. Best way is to find a local home barista and have them bring their grinder over (beer, scotch, BBQ or a combination is normally a sufficient lure). Sometimes just one little tweak can make a difference.

And if you have a few spare days to read, on my website,www.EspressoMyEspresso.com, check out this article: 12 - EASY GUIDE TO BETTER ESPRESSO AT HOME.

Also, try a different coffee from a different source.

You need to test it

kh gh

ph

Put tap water in the test tubes read the directions to see how many drops to add, add and shake and wait a few minutes and read.

I'm having good luck so far with DYI using yeast and jello for my 10gal. But If you're looking for something a little bigger you could start with this kit. It has an adapter to mini CO2 cartridges that you can buy at in a number of places--like at Dicks Sporting Goods with airsoft and paintball equipment, or at kitchen appliance stores with seltzer makers.

If you want bigger than that try to find somewhere nearby that sells beer brewing kits, as they'll have a range of tank sizes for home-brewed kegs, as well as regulator valves for them.

*just saw your comment about the Fluval minis, so just disregard that.

Overnight CO2 bag.

Aphids breath oxygen (O2) and with suffocate in carbon-dioxide (CO2). Plants however, are the opposite and will not be harmed.

• Put your plants and one of these in a small container like a bin you can seal or even a fish tank.
  
• Make sure it's airtight bar one small hole at the top.
  
• Open the valve on the CO2 so it slowly fills the container. The release speed should almost be able to blow out a lighter but not quite. CO2 is heaver than O2 so the oxygen will be pushed out the top and the carbon-dioxide will fill the container from the bottom up so point the airflow sideways.
  
• When the CO2 canister is empty, plug vent hole and go to bed.
  
• Pack up in the morning as everything but the plants should be dead.
  
  This has never failed for me with other plants.

I may have the fluval version sitting around. If you would pay shipping I don't mind sending it.

Fluval Mini Pressurized 20g-CO2 Kit - 0.7 ounces https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0049RL3H4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Qu8RBbVNPRQVD

[It's pretty neat ](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005IZOB5M/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_zutdAbFZ0G9FG

$60 on amazon not bad

https://www.amazon.com/EcoSphere-Closed-Aquatic-Ecosystem-Sphere/dp/B005IZOB5M

You can find them here.

I got this one a year ago and my little shrimps are still going strong.

The magnetic glass cleaning system is pretty neat too.

I would suggest the Aqueon, or better yet get an AquaClear. Actually, for a 75 I would suggest getting a SunSun 304B canister. You'll thank me later.

But yeah, for a 75, you're looking at 650+ pounds. More with rocks and substrate. So you're going to need a heavy duty stand that distributes the weight evenly across the floor- i.e. not on 4 legs.

If you dont give a shit about how it looks, just a simple wall of cinder blocks with some joined 2x4s on top would work and be cheap. If you do care, you're gonna want to not skimp on your stand. Order a high quality stand from Petco, Petsmart, or another online retailer.

You can have the best fish tank in the world but if you put it on a wonky stand, you might as well just spill the tank over yourself and get it over with.

Yah I wouldn't waste money on that filter turtles are messy and you want to have room for a lot of bio media. That filter didn't have its GPH listed but I am going to guess it isn't very much. I usualy aim for my GPH to be about 10X the size of my aquarium, so 40 gallons = 400GHP (but more is better). Check out sunsun canister filters.

http://www.amazon.com/SunSun-HW-304B-External-Canister-Sterilizer/dp/B008986EQO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422547342&sr=8-1&keywords=sun+sun+canister+filter&pebp=1422547397598&peasin=B008986EQO

$70 and you will have 525 GPH and plenty of room for Bio media. I would also suggest going to Walmart or a craft store and buying a big roll of 100% polyester pillow stuffing (no additives or mold resistance). It is the exact same material as you would buy for a filter pad at the pet store but for $5 u can get a giant roll that will last months. Add your choice of bio media and a heater and it will probably be around the $100 mark.

Let the downvotes rain on me for this...I've had nothing but good luck with my cheapos from Amazon. I have them on almost all of my planted tanks and love them. Depending on the height off the substrate will depend on whether it's good for low, medium or high light plants.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01ID3OK3S/ref=sxts_bia_sr1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492993693&sr=1

bough this just now
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ID3OK3S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Stumbled upon some new info on these lights.
A new video preview was posted on Finnex's FB page:
http://youtu.be/UJsYweqNtig
AND Amazon has these listed as pre-sales with a release date of May 15th!
http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00U0HMWLI

>T8 17W 6500,

I was having a similar issue with my 35 gallon and went with a NiCrew LED and now my plants are growing like crazy. This is the one I got: https://www.amazon.com/NICREW-ClassicLED-Aquarium-Extendable-Brackets/dp/B01ID3OK3S/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=11WLM4KQ8OGN2&keywords=aquarium+led+light+30+inch&qid=1551111987&s=gateway&sprefix=aquarium+led%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1

I recommend this one make sure you get the large version that has the double sponges. Then you just connect an air pump with some airline tubing

Also I recommend getting a 10g since they are probably cheaper and more stable since you have a larger volume of water. And stable water means a higher survival rate of your shrimp.

For example here:
10 Gallon tank for 14,99 http://www.petsmart.com/fish/supplies/aquariums-and-stands/aquariums/grreat-choice-10-gallon-glass-aquarium-2831264.html

A double sponge filter which is good for twice the aquarium volume (cleaner water double sponge is double bacteria). for 3,99
https://www.amazon.com/XY-2822-Double-Sponge-Filter-Aquarium/dp/B005VAFGKI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1478978662&sr=8-5&keywords=sponge+filter

An air pump for 5,59
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009YJ4N6/ref=pd_sim_199_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=CWY7AKPMJBQJY3AXT7X2

25 feet tubing 3.23
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002563MW/ref=pd_sim_199_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=CWY7AKPMJBQJY3AXT7X2

14,49 for a heater
https://www.amazon.com/Submersible-Aquarium-Heater-Freshwater-Saltwater/dp/B017UK0ZUW/ref=sr_1_25?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1478978931&sr=1-25-spons&keywords=10+g+heater&psc=1

That's twice the size for 42,40. You will only need to buy a light and those can be as cheap or expensive as you want but this not required and purely aesthetic again.

Would recommend this one: https://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Clear-Power-Filter-AquaClear/dp/B000260FUM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1536260246&sr=8-2&keywords=aquaclear+filter

It would work good for a 20 gallon tank and it has an adjustable flow switch, so you can mess around with that to find the perfect flow for your axolotl, they are all different and it depends on the size. But it would never hurt to also have a sponge filter in there, but a single sponge filter isn't going to cut it as the only source of cleaning.

I'll just give you my generalize copy/pasta I usually hand out in situations like these so if you wanna read it when you got a chance, then you have it! Also has tips and purchase links for Amazon as well for different axolotl stuffs.


HOW TO CYCLE:

1. Set up tank with clean conditioned water. 2. Add recommended amount of beneficial bacteria per label
   
   
2. Add "waste" to the tank, so a little bit of say fish flakes ( they're cheap and you need a waste source since you DO NOT put a fish or axolotl in a uncycled tank. The flakes are gonna break down into ammonia. The goal with cycling is to get benefical bacteria to build up so they can change (eat) the waste & breaks down the ammonia into nitrite then finally break it down further into nitrate. All these chemicals can hurt axolotl.
   
   
3. Test tank a couple days later with a testing kit ( avoid strips, they will lie to you and give false results) if there is ANY ammonia or nitrite present, you arent cycled. If there is no nitrate present either, you arent cycled.
   
   
4. If you find ammonia or nitrite, take 50% of the water out and add clean treated water. Add more seachem stability ( benefical bacteria) ( add these each time you change water. Even if it's cycled)
   
   
5. Add a pinch more flakes & Continue to do this until your tank is cycled. Meaning you have no ammonia, no nitrite and a presence of 40ppm or less of nitrate.
   
   
   
   Warnings:
   1.If your tank isn't cycled, you are going to chemical burn them with ammonia in the water. And they will suffer. Nitrate ( the final of the chemical process) can also burn the fish/axolotl. This is why we keep this number under 40ppm. If it is higher than 40ppm, change the water 75%.
   
   
6. This beneficial bacteria lives in the filter. If you change your filter, you just ruined your cycle. Don't do this. If it gets nasty/clogged & you have to replace the cartirage, leave the old cartirage in with the new one for a few days so the beneficial bacteria can inhabit the new filter. If you can avoid replacing that, just rinse/gently squeeze out the filter in old tank water when you do clean the tank to keep from murdering the bacteria
   
7. Letting the filter dry out will also kill a cycle.
   
8. 
   
   *NOTE: Most bottles of beneficial bacteria say they cycle a tank in a day. Cycling can take up to a month in some cases but usually just two weeks if you keep on it. This requires constantly monitoring, testing and replacing most of the water in the tank when you get high ammonia/nitrite levels. You need ammonia/nitrite to be 0 and nitrate to be more than 0. Definitely less <40. If all your levels are higher than this, or if nitrate remains 0, your tank isn't cycled.***
   
   
   Summery;
   So basically, cycling builds beneficial bacteria which makes these waste breakdown chemicals go through a cycle of breaking down into a less dangerous form which keeps fish/axolotl from getting sick/dying. ... Most new fish people don't do this. And fish store employees try & tell them just adding something like seachem stability fixes this. It doesn't. An uncycled tank is basically new tank syndrome and it kills animals.
   
   You still are going to need to keep an eye on chemical levels after the cycle..Occasionally different things can cause the cycle to "crash", like changing the filters or a high tempeture, or the filters becoming dry..
   
   Once your tank is cycled, and you have an axolotl, honestly it's not that much work. The cycles the worst part. I feed my adult axolotls once every other day, I change 75% of their water twice a month, and add water to top it off / spot clean occasionally two-three other times a month due to the water I lose due to evaporation.
   
   
   Stuff you'll need:
   
9. Air stone+ airline+ air pump ( cheap ones are at Walmart.
   
10. Seachem stability ( beneficial bacteria)
    
11. Seachem prime ( it's a water conditioner I just prefer seachem)
    
12. A tank, 10 gallon minimum for 1 axolotl. But the bigger the better.
    
13. A filter
    
14. Hides for the axolotl
    
15. A syphon / water vacuum ( to suck out the poo/change water easy. I have a long food grade plastic hose I got from Ace hardware. I syphon and let it drain into the yard
    
16. A bucket
    
17. A Tupperware
    
18. A fan. Literally any fan you can put on top the tank and point at it will work. I have a table fan sitting on top my tank and blowing at the water to help keep it cool. A chiller is best, but they are expensive.
    
19. A tank thermometer ( don't get the thermometer strips, they lie
    
20. A master fresh water test kit.
    
21. Worms or repashy or pellets
    
    
    
    Links:
    
22. Test kit https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000255NCI/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1549784772&sr=8-2&keywords=master+freshwater+test+kit&dpPl=1&dpID=51FQhbpfB0L&ref=plSrch
    
    
    
23. Fan suggestion
    
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001R1RXUG?aaxitk=NqgMhM9.r7.gAHICKezCoA&pd_rd_i=B001R1RXUG&pf_rd_p=0ef604ef-c787-43e9-9404-52a4ff25a95c&hsa_cr_id=8386596470601&sb-ci-n=asinImage&sb-ci-v=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-na.ssl-images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F71pMktGGyRL.jpg&sb-ci-a=B001R1RXUG
    
    
24. Tank thermometer
    
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002AQITK/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1549784880&sr=8-5&keywords=tank+thermometer
    
    4.
    Air pump + line + stone.
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B073DWVX5P/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1549784937&sr=8-11&keywords=air+pump+for+aquarium&dpPl=1&dpID=41%2BcSpzfDgL&ref=plSrch
    
    
25. Filter ( basic the tank you have probably already has one)
    
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000260FUM/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785038&sr=8-2&keywords=hob+filter&dpPl=1&dpID=41Rr1kpTVOL&ref=plSrch
    
    
26. Shower poof ( hang these so they slow the flow of water coming out of filter. Axolotls don't like a lot of heavy water flow. Get these at the dollar store and rinse them before going in tank. You don't have to get these online. I'm just showing you)
    
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01F88BMC8/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785094&sr=8-3&keywords=shower+pouf
    
    
27. Seachem stuff
    Prime; https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00025694O/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785181&sr=8-1&keywords=seachem+prime&dpPl=1&dpID=41Q0rRc8NML&ref=plSrch
    
    Stablity:
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002APIIW/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785210&sr=8-1&keywords=seachem+stability
    
    
28. Food
    Pellets:
    
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0787T25J1/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785278&sr=8-1&keywords=axolotl+pellets
    
    Repashy:
    https://www.chewy.com/repashy-superfoods-meat-pie-gel/dp/166289?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=f&utm_content=Repashy%20Superfoods&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQiAkfriBRD1ARIsAASKsQLQAXpk3WwGiCwRMr6OQmbfUXPIZutYnADrujltXxW1PPSVgYpPduEaAmAaEALw_wcB
    
    Ice cube trays for repashy( frozen is better. It's a jello. It will really trash your tank. So frozen is better):
    
    https://www.amazon.com/niceCube-Mini-Ice-Cube-Trays/dp/B01L7ZFBXW/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785496&sr=8-2-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=mini+ice+cube+tray&psc=1
    
    
    
29. Hides. Here's a good example..I soemthing similar. Just go to the reptile section at your pet store. Get one that's not rough but smooth. Plastics a good option. Just rinse it well before you put it in tank
    https://www.arcatapet.com/m/item.cfm?cat=22600&source=GA-PLA00522600&fullsite=0
    
    
30. Water vacuum. This is what I have + I have a big long hose for big water changes. I use this to spot clean poo and "vacuum' it into a 10 gallon bucket
    
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B011DDJZ9Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785739&sr=8-1&keywords=aquarium+vacuum
    
    Feeding tongs: They're actually tweezers for planting a planted fish tank. These can grip worms very well.. The Amazon ones that are silver suck and will make your life hell. Don't waste your money on ones on amazon unless you can find these on Amazon.
    
    https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/fish/feeding-accessories/fluval-straight-forceps

Congrats on the first tank! My most successful tank was a 20 long, and honestly I think about going back very often.

If you're looking for a simple entry-level start to filtration, I would go with a simple hang-on-back filter (or HOB for short as they're called in the reefing community). You could absolutely add a small refugium/sump as mentioned here as well, which would increase your water volume and filtration ability, allowing you to get one or two more fish in the system, however as I'm sure you know it will be a bit more expensive and complicated to set up, with a few extra risks regarding any blockages in pumps.

If you're looking into the HOB option, I would recommend my personal favorite, the AquaClear filter (you can get it here https://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-50-Power-Filter-Listed/dp/B000260FUM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486060633&sr=8-1&keywords=aquaclear+filter). I fill mine with the provided media (I replace the bag of carbon monthly with my own bags that I fill which are a bit cheaper), along with a small filter bag of phoslock to remove some of the phosphates on the top. Overall it's a relatively easy setup, and you can clean the sponge filter every week or two when you do water changes to get rid of any of the detritus that builds up.

Good luck with the tank!

I would highly suggest you stay away from the integrated kit approach and buy components. As someone currently trying to overcome an Eclipse system, the burdens far outweigh the benefit of integrations and ease. There's more than enough on getting adequate components here, and I would be happy to help you out with the decision, as would others.

Seeing as how you (thankfully) seem to like to take your time and do this right, I offer you some suggestions:

• Whatever tank you want. They're not going to have the greatest selection at Petsmart, but if you find something you like, get it. There's other places online that will ship the tank, but this is probably your best bet to get locally. Though the LFS isn't stocked very well, they might have a number of respectable tanks. Make this decision count-- you will be stuck with it for a long long time, and the ability for your tank to grow with your tools/abilities is crucial.
  
  
• Just pony up the money and get an Eheim Classic. For a 20G, you'll probably want to get this one. If you're getting anything larger than a desktop tank (and, BTW, that's a pretty good one), you'll need a real filter. This may seem excessive, but the dainty POS filters that come in kits ALWAYS wind up biting you in the ass. There are people here that are still using the same Eheim Classic that they purchased 15 years ago. It's a standard for a reason-- it's effective and reliable. Pay for it once and you'll never have to buy another unless you really move up in size. If you really don't want to go that expensive, the best bet is to stick with an Aquaclear filter. For the price, these things do a bang-up job!
  
  
• Just don't skimp on a heater. This will do you well, and it's not too expensive. You don't want your fish either roasting to death or accidentally freezing in the middle of winter. Hagen is a good brand to go to here.
  
  
• LED lights these days are great, and have hit a point where the ROI is seen far earlier than previously, and I'm talking about a year. When you get fluorescent tube fixtures, you use more power and have to replace the lights at least every year, and some replace them every 6mo. It depends on how much light you need, but again, I feel you need to recognize that you will grow with this tank, and buying a lighting system now that is cheaper but unable to grow plants will wind up costing you way more in the long run than just getting an LED fixture for 60% more that will last you years and require very little money after the initial purchase. For a first-time tank, I'd suggest a Marineland Singlebright if you really never envision yourself growing plants (which is half the fun in a tank these days), or a Marineland Doublebright if you'd like to grow plants and want an easy, cheaper option now. Know that those two fixtures are the lower end of the LED lighting bars, and you would do well with something like an Ecoxotic Stunner, where you can start with a fixture or two and then add on to the circuit later when you want more light for more plants. Also note the size of all of these fixtures have to be in line with the size of your tank-- there's no universal size.
  
  
• Note, also, that if your LFS sucks in the stock department, and Petco irks you as much as a lot of people here, there's many places where you can order fish and plants online. I haven't heard any horror stories with the big guys, so maybe check them out. Unfortunately, my LFS's are great, so I've never had to resort to these means. I've heard good things about aquabid, and really, you should join plantedtank.net and see what you can find either locally or on the buy/sell/trade forum. Also, joining a local aquatic org can open you up to a ton of CHEAP possibilities.
  
  Good luck. There's lot to research and plan, as well as to spend on, but getting a good setup is so rewarding and relaxing, that it pays back in spades.

I guess it all depends on what you'll be stocking. There is no such thing as over filtering but at the same time you don't want your filter to be so over sized that its going to be blowing your plants and fish around. I would suggest going with an aquaclear 50. Its rated for tanks from 20-50 gallons. Just a tad more expensive on amazon that the aquaclear 30 you linked above.

https://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-50-Power-Filter-Listed/dp/B000260FUM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1506557271&sr=8-3&keywords=aquaclear+filter

https://www.amazon.com/Seachem-116016506-Purigen-100ml/dp/B0002A5VK2/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1483481330&sr=1-1&keywords=seachem+purigen

Purigen.

Had someone ask for an inventory list and thought I'd post it up here for visibility.

Coralife Biocube 14 - $199

Lighting System - $141

• 2x Ecoxotic Panorama Pro 16w 8000k LED modules
  
• Two-Way DC Splitter
  
• 60w 24v AC-DC power supply
  
• Current USA Single Channel Ramp Timer
  
  Filtration System - $122
  
  
• EHEIM Jager 50w Heater
  
• InTank BioCube 14 Media Basket
  
• Poly Filter Floss
  
• Seachem Purigen
  
• Seachem Matrix
  
• Seachem Filter Media Bag
  
• Hydor Flo Rotating Water Deflector
  
  Arline System - $32
  
  
• Tetra 77853 Whisper Air Pump
  
• Topfin Two-Way Metal Gang Valve
  
• Lee's Sleek Airline Tubing
  
• Jardin Suction Cup Clips
  
  Decor - $140
  
  
• Penn Plax Real-Scapes 20x12
  
• Marineland Silicone
  
• CaribSea Eco-Complete 20 lbs Black
  
• Driftwood
  
• Rocks
  
  Flora - $114
  
  
• Chilensis (Sagittaria platyphylla)
  
• Cardinal Plant (Lobelia cardinalis)
  
• Dwarf Pennywort (Hydrocotyle sibthorpiodes)
  
• Narrow Leaf Chain Sword (Echinodorus tenellus)
  
• Kleiner Bar Sword (Echinodorus barthii x Echinodorus uruguayensis hybrid)
  
• HC Cuba (Hemianthis callitrichoides 'Cuba')
  
• Crypt Parva (Cryptocoryne parva)
  
• Christmas Moss (Vesicularia montagnei)
  
• Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum)
  
  Fauna - $46
  
  
• 30x Malaysian Trumpet Snails
  
• 16x neon tetras
  
• Male betta splendens
  
  Tools - $12
  
  
• API Algae Scraper Extra Long (Glass)
  
• Fluval Flora Stainless Steel Planting Tongs

Media is whatever you use to house bacteria in your filter.

There are many different kinds:

Sponge - cut to fit.

Filter Fiber - polishes water by capturing little particles

Matrix - porous stones

Bio Balls- plastic bacteria houses

Carbon- mainly used when you need to remove medicine from the water after treatment

Purgen - removes tannins (tea color) from water caused by wood or leaves

Everyone uses whatever they like/need/have room for.

Filter kits come with cartridges that are pre-made to fit the filter compartment. They are expensive and shouldn't be thrown away, as you may know, because then you have thrown away your bacteria. If you do decide to use cartridges, just swish them in the dirty water to remove gunk, and put them back in. Many use the cartridges in combination with the other media listed above and then they have a back-up set of media. It's up to you.

Aquarium Co-op has some good youtube videos on hacking filters, which will further help with understanding all of this if I have confused you this with explanation.

And this be the Purigen, Yarrrr.

http://www.amazon.com/Seachem-165-Purigen-100ml/dp/B0002A5VK2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376932266&sr=8-1&keywords=purigen

Alternatively, get a purigen filter insert. I had problems with sand/tannins, that cleared it up in less than a week.

Here's what I have so far and my quick write up.

My dad started the tomato plant that I am using in soil. He had too many for his garden, so I used that instead of starting one from seed in rockwool. My next plant will be started from seed.

I picked up a 5 gal bucket and Lid from Home Depot. <$5.

I cut a hole in the Lid to fit the 3" Net Cups. I put one right in the center. I quickly found out the cup it too small to support the plant so I had to use a support stick. I just bought this 6" net cup bucket lid.

The plant is supported in Expanded Clay balls. I chose this material as apposed to 'Hydroton, Coco coir, Viagrow stones, pearlite...' because from my very little research I found the clay to be the most environmentally friendly and easiest to use, disclaimer: I could be very wrong here.

The nutrient solution used General Hydroponics Maxi Grow. Simple to use, add X scoops per X gal of water. I am about to switch to Maxi Bloom. She is flowering and starting to produce fruit. I do now know when the best time to switch solutions. I am learning by experiment here.

To keep the nutrient solution oxygenated, I used this Air pump,two of of these air stones, and tubing. Any items will do, I used this products because I know an employee of Penn Plax and got them for cost $. Any pump will work, I got a two outlet pump for future expansion.

You should also be sure to have the correct pH for your particular plant. Here is a chart and a great site. I used this pH Test Kit and pH adjust.

It's that simple. Right now the plant is outside and gets about 8 hours of sun. I plan on keeping it outside as long as possible, then will bring it in and have to choose a light source for it.


tl;dr What I used for my first DWC tomato plant experiment. Step 1: Click all links above. Step2: Buy. Step 3: Tomatoes

Edit: Also, Watch this video

OK, so here's one problem - you are not going to get accurate results with test strips. But, I don't know what your finance situation is, so maybe you need to use them for now and anything is certainly better than nothing. If you have a few bucks to spend, get a test kit like this one, which will test much of what you want to know about except water hardness, but this one does that.

Your nitrates aren't bad. Before we talk about things to try, I have to say the following: if you change more than one thing at a time you will never know what's working and what isn't. Try one change at a time, give each change two or three days to make a difference, keep a written record with dates (and time, if you're obsessive like me), and don't just write down what you change. Try to include things you observe, and try to take cell phone pics so you can accurately measure change. Be patient, observe the tank daily, be patient, and try to be patient.

An 8 hour split may be too much with the Nicrew, but it really isn't way overboard. I do a 7 hour split but I have no experience with Nicrews, I have two Finnex Planteds and a BeamsWork, and I don't know when you changed to the Nicrew and your 8 hour regimen. You could try a blackout for a few days, and then back to your current regimen.

If your light is sitting atop your tank you can try raising it a bit. A 10 gallon is what? 12 inches tall? You can jerry rig something to raise the light, or you can get something like this, or you can hang the light from the ceiling with fishing line. If you have aquascaping tweezers you can pull algae out manually, or you can use a toothbrush; not to brush the leaves, but to grab the algae in the bristles and pull it out. I've tried all of these things in different tanks, with good results. I've also used Seachem Excel, but only once or twice a week, not daily as the directions say. It definitely helps, but it isn't a cure and it only kills the algae, like the Algaefix you are already using. If you use Excel, wash your hands afterward. There are some scary and, to my mind not very scholarly, articles on the web about the chemical used in Excel, which Seachem claims is a different isomer than what it actually uses. But wash your hands afterward anyway - it's a simple precaution. Keep this in mind: if you use either one, it will make it harder to tell if the other things you are doing are having any effect. So, maybe bite the bullet for a couple weeks to try the other things, and if you start making headway you can use just a bit of the Algaefix or Excel to help push things along.

You should also consider how heavily planted your tank is. More plant load is better to out-compete the algae. If you have a lot of plants, you also want to provide them with nutrients or the light is next to useless. A good way to increase the plant load inexpensively and relatively fast is floaters. Check the AquaSwap forum here on reddit - /r/AquaSwap/, but keep in mind that you cannot be certain that you will not get snails with the plants, even if the seller claims the plants are dipped before shipping. Snails are not a bad thing, and would probably be helpful for you. Another inexpensive way to beat algae! And, if they get out of hand you just stick a stainless steel fork in a hunk of cucumber, put it in the tank for about two hours, grab a zip-loc baggie and hold it in the tank, grab the fork, put the cucumber and snails in the bag, pull the fork out of the cucumber, and close the bag. Into the garbage with it. It will be covered with snails.

Getting back to the floaters, they will suck up nitrates, provide shade for your anubias, and you'll be pulling handfuls out of the tank in no time (into the garbage! don't take a chance of letting them into the wild by throwing them in your yard). You can keep the floaters corralled with clear air line tubing and suction cups. Make sure the diameter matches, like these do. Cut a length of hose, heat near one end while holding the end so you can pull it until it comes off, leaving a pointy end that you can now stick into the other end of your length of hose, creating a circle. I use the silicon repair stuff to "glue" it together. This guy shows you a better way to do it, in his second video in the series at 2:45. But if you want to get motivated for your algae war, watch the entire series. You will never be the same. And after that, go learn here.

There are a lot more things you can do, but maybe start with these and keep reading about this stuff whenever you get a chance. Good Luck, and let us know how you make out.

Cool. Maybe getting a sponge filter is good since it's good to learn other filtering options. It seems like sponge filters need some air pump and airline (please correct me if I am mistaken).

Would the following, airline and pump, be the only additional things I need?
https://www.amazon.com/Penn-Plax-Aquariums-Flexible-Standard/dp/B0002563MW/ref=pd_bxgy_199_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=0V8RYSC7JNHZTRN6D913

https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-77851-Whisper-Pump-10-Gallon/dp/B0009YJ4N6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1511318178&sr=8-3&keywords=air+pump+fish

Petco currently has a $1 per gallon sale up to 29 gallons, I believe. If you wanted a bigger aquarium now'd be a good time to get a bigger aquarium. Your choice of fish is very limited with a 5 gallon. You can either get a betta or some shrimps.

Take your time and do research. No need to rush. It's always better to do your research and go to a pet store knowing what you want rather than impulsively buying anything. Most pet store staff also generally don't know much more than the average person about fish so take anything they say with a grain of salt.

EDIT: You need an airpump, not an air stone for the sponge filter! That's a really big mistake I made.

These are what I ordered for my 20 gallon aquarium, the size of the air pump is what matters so get a 10 gallon air pump for your 5 gallon aquarium unless you decide to upgrade. I'm also on a budget so these seem to be the best items for those on a budget

Sponge filter:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0051XIN78/ref=psdcmw_2975472011_t2_B005VAFGKI

Air pump:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009YJ4N6/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I35X82DPLWBEQ2&colid=74EPT83Y85GU&th=1&psc=1

Air tubing:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002563MW/ref=pd_aw_fbt_199_img_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=C7MX7DQQ39GFPW8XDMM3

Ha, love the name idea!

I'm not sure if you have read around and are aware of the proper care for a betta (if you have then ignore me) but if you haven't I'll go ahead and say a two gallon bowl isn't the best place for him, and is also another reason for the downvotes. He can live in it but he's not going to thrive. He does need a heater and a filter, if you have those then that is awesome, if not you can even get them as a broke college student.

If I can tell you one thing I'm positively sure of, there is always room for a fish tank. ;)

I'm just going to link you a cheap list of good stuff for little moneys:

Sponge Filter

Air Pump

Airline Tubing I bet you can find this in stores for less. Also less as an add on item.

Check Valve Most likely less at a store.

Heater, Heater 2 Costs a good bit more but I really love these.

Tank, Tank 2 There are many other options to look at.

If you go with the cheapest it will run you just about $58 with prime.

Hope the list gives you something to think about. If you've got any questions at all I'd be more than happy to answer them if I can.

Edit* Added a link.

I plan to grow larger variant tomatoes such as beefsteak and want to make sure this kind of layout and these components will be good enough for that purpose.

Here is the list of components I'm planning to use:

1. Buckets https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DPJ4896
   
2. Lids https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072C3G5CJ
   
3. Hydroton https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KYYZ9DE
   
4. Nutrients https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017H73708
   
5. pH Control https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BNKWZY
   
6. pH/TDS Tester https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XKMH86J
   
7. Water Pump https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E9IO9BY
   
8. Water tubing https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004DL0Y9O
   
9. Air Pump https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009YF4FI
   
10. Air Stone https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M9DL67H
    
11. Air Line https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002563MW
    
12. Growlight (Already own) Galaxyhydro 300w LED Grow Light Full Spectrum
    
    ​
    
    The remaining plumbing components I need I'll pick up from my local Home Depot.

It’s 1/4inch airline tubing, you can buy some on amazon for super cheap!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002563MW?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Fair warning, incoming essay haha

27 gallons is perfectly fine. The first thing you will want to read up on is the nitrogen cycle and fishless cycling. The best way to cycle your tank is to ask a local fish or pet store if they can give you some used filter media to jump start your cycle. If not, buy an API test kit and follow the steps in those guides then your tank will cycle in about a month.

For filters you have two main options Hang off the back (HOB) or canister. HOB are easy to maintain and clean which seems great as a beginner. They need to be cleaned every couple-few weeks. Aquaclear are great HOBs. For your size tank I would get an aquaclear 50 or two of the 20/30s (one for each side).

I prefer canister filters. They give you more options for customization, can hold more media, and don't need to be cleaned as often as HOB. Buuuut they typically come at a steeper price. The most popular brands are eheim, fluval, and sunsun. I have eheims and love them. Reviews for sunsuns can be hit or miss, but they definitely have good value for their price. When picking a filter you generally want a turnover rate of 8-10 times your tank size. So 27 gallon tank, youd want about 216 - 270 gallons per hour (gph), keep this in mind when picking a canister.

If you plan on tropical fish you will definitely need a heater. Aqueon pro and eheim make good heaters. If you go canister, you can get an inline heater which are nice because you don't have to look at it or try to hide it in your aquarium.

For planted tanks you need a substrate. The cheapest option is to use pool filter sand along with some root tabs. Look into the walstad method if you wanna keep it low tech and cheap. The only problem with this method is that if you ever want to move plants or hardscape around it can be a bit messy. The more expensive route is to buy some aquasoil. There are a few types, but the most well known is ADA aquasoil. These substrates are packed with nutrients that last at least a couple years usually. In between is to use a porous substrate like Fluorite or eco-complete. These come with a little nutrients, but will need fertilizers to continue its benefit.

Fertilizers area great way to keep your plants happy and healthy, but for many plants are not really necessary. If you decide to use them you can buy them in liquid or dry form. I suggest buying dry because it is much cheaper, but you will have to figure out how much you need to dose. Luckily there are calculators out there that can do it for us!

Lighting you have many options. My favorite are finnex LEDs. They are middle of the ground pricing wise and do their job very well in my experience. Here is a good guide for lighting. When researching a light you want to use you should do so by finding its PAR value at the level of your substrate. Low is about 0-30 PAR, medium 30-50, and high 50+ PAR. Low you don't need pressurized CO2 to avoid algae, medium it is recommended, but you can get away with a densely planted aquarium and use of seachem excel, and high you need pressurized CO2.

I like to use hardscape in my aquariums. Things like rock and drift wood give a natural appearance to aquariums, provide shelter for livestock and take up space. If you get into aquascpaing, hardscape plays a major role.

Plant selection will depend on your lighting, fertilizer, and CO2. Here is a list of good low light/low tech plants. If you want more demanding plants do your research and ask questions if you have them!

Fish selection depends on you and what you like. See a fish you're interested in? Do NOT automatically trust a sales man at a petshop or fish store. Do your own research on the fish before buying and ask questions about people's experience with the fish and its compatibility with your tank. In a 27 gallon you can fit 1, maybe 2, groups of most smaller schooling fish and then some bottom feeders.

A general stocking plan would be 10-12 of a schooling fish like neon tetra (or something of that size), 10 salt and pepper cories, 6 otocinclus, and some red cherry shrimp.

The most important advice I can give you is to do your research. Doing your research will save you time and money. People are generally friendly and helpful on this subreddit so don't be afraid to ask more questions.

Yep it's going onto a bureau. For the filter I was thinking of the AquaClear 50 More water stability is also always nice

http://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-50-Power-Filter-Includes/dp/B000260FUM
thats the filter equivalent of your p200. or you could go up to a 70. but the main thing is the bio media in the back. swap out the carbon for even more and you have a super strong bio filter going on.

this canister is pretty cool too. http://www.amazon.com/Fluval-A207-206-External-Filter/dp/B005QRDDM4/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1406263645&sr=1-1&keywords=fluval+206

Lighting: It depends on how deep the tank is. In my 55g, 29g, and standard 20g, crypts and small swords have a really hard time with standard T5 fluorescent lighting. With double-bright LEDs, they do OK.

Anubias and java ferns are my heroes. They don't grow very fast, but they just don't need a lot of fussing over, either.

Java moss won't grow where it doesn't get light -- but it doesn't have to be strong light.

If I had my preference, every tank I own would have the proportions of a 20g long. There's a lot of volume for water and fish, but it's nice and shallow so it's easy to light and for plants to thrive. My 20g long has the crappiest lights and the most prolific growth of plants.

HOB filters: If you look at the way Aquaclear filters are put together, there are three distinct components. There's a coarse foam insert for mechanical filtration. There are pumice beads with lots of surface area for bacterial cultures to grow (bacterial filtration). Finally, there's a carbon packet that's meant to provide chemical filtration. They're all really important in an aquarium, but I rely on my plants to do the chemical filtration bit.

Now, don't get me wrong -- I've run tanks with Penguin & Aqueon & Biobag filters with the carbon already in there and it didn't kill my plants. But with my heavily planted tanks (where I've upgraded to Aquaclear filters), I have been able to completely omit the carbon component to no ill effect for my plants or my fish.

If nothing else, it reduces my operational costs. All I do is rinse out the foam insert from time to time and/or run the pumice beads under the tap to wash off the schmutz. They don't wear out (at least not in the time I've had mine running), and they shouldn't be scrubbed or sanitized, because the invisicritters that would make us sick are the things that keep the tank healthy.

The biggest thing that I've discovered to help my low-tech, low-light planted tanks look great is to take advantage of vertical planting, meaning that I get big (tall) pieces of driftwood and anchor plants all over them. That way, I end up with greenery going gangbusters at various levels without having to rely on some kind of stem plant (although Hygrophilia difformis/water wisteria is a good one) to grow upwards all the way from the bottom of the tank.

I really like these filters
http://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-50-Power-Filter-Listed/dp/B000260FUM

for a 30 gallon tank you'd want one capable of up to 50 gallons or so.

Theyre great because of the three separate cartridges- Also, ignore the packaging, you can reuse the sponge and the ceramic rings indefinitely unless a terrible awful disease breaks out. So this filter saves you money too!!

Edit: Puffers are usually too big/aggressive/brackish to include in a tank like this. Unless you had mollies/platys which have a high salt tolerance. Cories have zero salt tolerance tough.

Some of my favorite community fish are Galaxy Rasbora or Celestial Pearl Danio (same fish) I also like Badis. Theyre anabantids(sp) like the Betta.

I'd also highly recommend live plants. they really make you look good. Aquariumplants.com has total and trace substrate pellet fertilizer which Is pretty good at keeping them well fed.

My Ammonia and Nitrites spiked. After some help from you all my fish couldn't be happier. I got a second filter The AC50. I am leaving the old filter running in the tank for 6+ weeks to help grow good bacteria. I currently dont have another tank so I will leave both filter running, that and with 25% water changes every other day for a week plus Prime and Stability the fish should be quite happy.

• Slow water changes rate down to weekly.
  
• Next plan is to get some plants and a better lighting.
  
• Maybe start my plants in a second 10g tank, then move a few over to my big tank.
  
• My SO isnt too happy about my plan to spend more money on my fish tank but I enjoy it. so will see :D
  
  
  Thank you guys so much for all your help.

I'm sorry are you saying you have 12 fish in a 3.6 gallon tank right now? And you're thinking of upgrading to a 10 because your parents will be doing the maintenance when you are away? If this is the case, that is absolutely not an ok set up for those fish. I don't want you to feel bad. But, you need to bring all 12 of those specific fish back to the LFS as none of them are acceptable in a 10 gallon. There is only one fish that can be in a 3.6 gal that I can think of, that is a male or female betta. But, if you're going to be staying in the dorm, then bring the tank with you unless they have rules about aquariums or leaving the heater unattended. If they are going to do all the maintenance, get a 20 long and they won't have to do hardly any maintenance and you can keep all the fish. Move them over immediately and buy a bottle of Seachem Stability and dose the tank every day until it's cycled. But, you will need a gravel vacuum, just a small one like this and you can use it if you have sand. If you want gravel, you would need a larger tube or it can bend easily. Get the tank at the $/gallon sale. Order your other items online and see what's cheaper. But, You will HAVE to get the following: The Stability, an API Master Test Kit (it will need to be used regularly for testing pH, Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates), a filter (get something like this Aquaclear 50 so you will have enough filtration for those fish and the box is a good size so you can add filter media like this instead of the cartridges which aren't as good anyway. Then all they'll have to do is swish around in the bucket of tank water maybe once a semester. But, there are more things to buy for a tank, a lid, a light, substrate, live plants, etc. An adjustable heater.

The best pet parent you could be would be to return the fish and get a Betta and for goodness sake, tonight at least add water to the top so it's close to being 3 gallons at least.

I understand. Sometimes life circumstances are what they are and we have to make the best of them. In that case I'll give you the same advice I gave to the other guy with goldfish in a 10g:

For the time being, the best course of action if you want to keep the fish and upgrading is impossible is to change out the water in the tank very frequently, I'd suggest half the water twice a week, and upgrade their filter to something heftier if you only have a filter rated for 10g--I recommend something like this Aquaclear 50. Make sure you move the filter media from your old filter over to the new one if you get a new filter as to not crash your cycle.

It is large and will look ridiculous on a 10g tank but the important thing is that it will effectively convert your fish's waste into less harmful compounds as quickly as possible given the higher flow rate, and this is extremely important to prevent lasting health problems from prolonged exposure to ammonia before a dinky 10g filter can get around to filtering all their water (goldfish are ammonia-producing machines). If you find the current to be too much for your fish with a more powerful filter, you can baffle the output flow with a piece of sponge so the current is diffused.

Check out the Aquaclear 50.

I dunno if you'd call it "budget" but it's the best for the money really. Also, I take the carbon out and put in more bio material.

I definitely wish I got an aquaclear judging by the reviews. I got a top fin 20 on sale a long while ago for my 10 gallon, and for even less than half the cost I wouldn't get it again. Filtration isn't bad, but it is really loud. Somehow even louder with the cover on it. I ended up replacing it with a much larger penguin biowheel filter with some aquaclear sponges in place of the biowheels which is doing quite well.

By the way, if you are in the US amazon has the AC20 for a little bit cheaper.

I marked things with a [w] if they're on my WL!

1. Something that is grey. China Glaze Polish Ecollection Recycle [w]
   
   
2. Something reminiscent of rain. Hehe, a watering can [w]
   
   
3. Something food related that is unusual. Miracle Noodles - they're these weird low-carb noodles [w]
   
   
4. Something on your list that is for someone other than yourself. Tell me who it's for and why. (Yes, pets count!) LARPing Book for my friend Dennis. His is missing several pages, which is very frustrating to him. He's endlessly dear to me. [w]
   
   
5. A book I should read! I am an avid reader, so take your best shot and tell me why I need to read it! Other People's Love Letters - doesn't that just sound romantic? :D [w]
   
   
6. An item that is less than a dollar, including shipping... that is not jewelry, nail polish, and or hair related! Mickey Mouse Cookies!
   
   
7. Something related to cats. I love cats! (keep this SFW, you know who you are...) SmartCat [w]
   
   
8. Something that is not useful, but so beautiful you must have it. Triple heart necklace <3 [w]
   
   
9. A movie everyone should watch at least once in their life. Why? Love Me If You Dare. Everyone should have more French film in their lives. It's a beautiful, artistic, funny, romantic movie. The main characters are hot.
   
   
10. Something that would be useful when the zombies attack. Explain. Cast Iron is heavy! [w]
    
    
11. Something that would have a profound impact on your life and help you to achieve your current goals. For exercise, way easier on my knees than the treadmill [w]
    
    
12. One of those pesky Add-On items. Awesome fabric softener - and I really want it, too! [w]
    
    
13. The most expensive thing on your list. Your dream item. Why? A Roomba. I have pets. I need to vacuum more often. I'm lazy. Also he would be my robot butler friend. I'd name him Alfred or Jeeves or Pennyworth. My cats would be afraid of him. [w]
    
    
14. Something bigger than a bread box. A mattress is quite a bit bigger! [w]
    
    
15. Something smaller than a golf ball. Pearl earrings [w]
    
    
16. Something that smells wonderful. Lilac and Lilies! [w]
    
    
17. A (SFW) toy. Cat toy! [w]
    
    
18. Something that would be helpful for going back to school. Chromebook! It's actually for when my husband starts college. [w]
    
    
19. Something related to your current obsession, whatever that may be. Filter for my new fishtank! [w]
    
    
20. Something that is just so amazing and awe-inspiring that I simply must see it. Explain why it is so grand. Electric bike so, my comment on this is: “Theoretically I would like to bike. Realistically I'd like to bike, except up hills. Oh, here we are!”. Right?! Also what they sell electric bikes on Amazon? Damn! [w]
    
    Bonus:
    
    Oregon Chai!

Over filtration is always better. I recommend Aqua Clear 50 rated for 20-50g.

Aqueon quietflow 50 would also be a solid choice.

1- I’m aware of the window issue, but my house is full of windows (no complaints there!) and there wasn’t a better spot. That window is north facing and we rarely open the blinds.
2- except for the somewhat impulse bought setup I’m over planning.
3- substrate is sand and river stones.
4- I’m probably going with no background anyways, just out of laziness. I like the light strip idea.
5- definitely going with real plants
6- obviously. :) I have a dumbo plakat
7- I’m 100% getting corys. Do the different types have different personalities or just coloration? I’m leaning towards panda. I’m probably getting Harlequin Rasboras. I’m considering a snail because of the window/algae situation. I’m going to stock it really slowly though.
8- it came with a light.
9- already bought this filter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000260FUM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kbSaBb411RKF2
10-13- already done
14- probably going with a floating log (or two)
15- I might use the small tank I’m moving my betta out of for shrimp.
16- will do. In the small tank I have I use a turkey baster as a “vacuum”, that’s not going to work anymore. Haha.

I’ll definitely post updates :)

https://www.amazon.com/Seachem-116016506-Purigen-100ml/dp/B0002A5VK2

This stuff?

I’ve had an ammonia spike at some point in the past anyways I used this. It worked well for me as I didn’t have a spare tank back then.

Purigen

I only used it once, you might want to research it a little first. I can’t quite remember much about it. Only that I put it in my canister and next day ammonia was all gone. It worked incredibly fast.

Use seam chem purgen for tannins, it can clear it up in a week and keep it in there if you want it crystal clear.

http://www.amazon.com/Seachem-165-Purigen-100ml/dp/B0002A5VK2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1371161075&sr=8-3&keywords=seachem

http://www.amazon.com/Seachem-116016506-Purigen-100ml/dp/B0002A5VK2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411659556&sr=8-1&keywords=purigen

this would be a much more affordable and realistic solution, just make sure you use compatible water conditioner with it, any Seachem one should work (prime, neutral regulator, etc)

Purigen comes in two different types: Packed and loose. It helps with the clarity of the water and helps your water quality so it's a favorite among enthusiasts.

If you buy the loose, you'll have to make your own bag or buy a pre-made bag. A lot of people will do this so that they can have back-up bags ready for when they are recharging their Purigen(s). Personally, I have two packed bags since I run only one tank and it's pretty small.

You clean or "recharge" the Purigen when it becomes dark brown or black. You soak it in a mixture of 1:1 water and regular bleach for 24hrs, then soak it in water with 4tbsp of dechlorinator, and then there is a buffering step but I skip it.

In my 6.5 tank it took about 2 years for my Purigen to become a dark-ish brown.

In my small canister I have a couple of filter medias and the Purigen. Don't need anything else too fancy. YMMV as I don't know what kind of tank you are setting up :)

I noticed a similar problem in my aquarium and I found that this helps a lot. Seachem Purigen 100ml https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002A5VK2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_44nYCbE0ACHXB
Basically just put it in the filter and it’ll clear up the cloudiness. For those little specs I’ve noticed topping off the water in the tank so the flow of the water hits the waterline directly can eliminate them.

This is the one I got:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002A5VK2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It was sold directly by Amazon and comes pre-bagged.

here's a 2.5 gal that comes with a filter and light. I keep my betta in one of these and have a heater and a thermometer and he's doing really well.

Hey, the main thing is you're taking steps to fix it! :)

In terms of treating your water, seachem prime is pretty much the industry standard and does far more than most water conditioners. You can get a small bottle that'll last a small tank for close to a year for about $4 on Amazon. An aquarium thermometer would be good just because water temp can vary greatly depending on where the tank sits (i.e. if there's a draft or air vent nearby, or a window getting sun, etc.) You can also get these pretty darn cheap on amazon.

I always keep 2 different thermometers in each of my tanks... Helps me make sure the temperature is right, cause thermometers malfunction, just like heaters do and I don't like to take any chances. 1 digital like these:
Aquaneat Aquarium Digital Thermometer 3 PCS Fish Tank Water Terrarium Reptile Free Extra Batteries https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B077FNKM6F/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_VUOWCb37BWCGD
And 1 regular one like these:
Marina Floating Thermometer with Suction Cup https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0002AQITK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_8YOWCbH981P2D

Just peel it off. If it leaves an adhesive residue behind, scrape it off with a single edge razor blade. Give the blade a rinse in warm water first, they come coated in a very thin machine oil.

May I also recommend getting a glass spirit thermometer to replace the mood ring strip? Much more accurate, and lasts essentially forever.

Under 100 bucks will be a little tricky, I think I can get close but having to buy a lighting fixture/hood will end up pushing it over.

• 20 gallong Long aquarium (30 x 12 footprint) $32.99 @ petsmart(you might be able to find this cheaper with a glass top at a LFS where dollar per gallon on these smaller tanks is a little more common.
  
  Second Option 29 gallon - has the same dimensions and usually just a little more expensive--however, you might be able to find an all-in-one kit with a hood, heater, and HOB filter for about 100 bucks...if so, that's the way to go for sure.
  
  
• Marineland LED full hood 30"x12" $35.99 @ Amazon with free shipping.
  
  2nd Option - Nothing cheaper right now.
  
  
• Filter: Aqueon 50 $23.10 @ Amazon This gets even cheaper if you make your own filter media instead of using their cartridges. Aqueon are decent little filters, and for that price and GPH you'll have a tough time beating it.
  
  2nd option: Penguin 200 $25.49 with free shipping @ Amazon The penguin has more media options and more media volume even not counting the biowheel. But it is a much noisier filter. My true preference would be an Aquaclear 50, but they're just not on sale right now and we're on a budget.
  
  
• Heater: Aquatop 100W for $14.99 @ Amazon . Aquatop is a bargain brand so this is a bargain product. But it's cheap and comes with free shipping.
  
  2nd Option - eheim jager 75W heater $24.27 @ Amazon eheim's last and are very reliable. I have a pair that are over 6 years old and still work great. Spending the extra money here would be worth it if you ever want to perhaps use the tank for something else down the road.
  
  
• Thermometer - Going as cheap as possible here, and I always like the accuracy of an analog thermometer. $3.92 with free shipping at Amazon
  
  2nd Option - nothing cheaper that's anywhere near as close in the reliability/accuracy department.
  
  So, that puts my 1st option total @ $110.99 with shipping but without any applicable sales tax for a new set up. Now you can really find something on craigslist.org for cheaper often times, so it might be worth it to look around there--but a lot of that stuff i found is on sale currently so if you wait too long it would be gone.
  
  Now for the fish.
  
  
• I would go with a pair of convict cichlids. They will breed every 2-3 weeks and if there's nothing else in the tank they can put out 100+ fry. Now with this set up they're never going to get very big without a grow out tank, but they will never eat their babies and they're pretty cool fish in their own right. They are also hearty so if you take care of the tank they'll live for several years breeding like bunnies.
  
  2nd option - Guppy tank with 2-3 males and 12-14 females. They will match the convicts for numbers and like the convicts they are very low in Thiaminase (which is super important for predator fish). They are relatively hardy but I find them to be super boring. They will also eat the heck out of their own babies. But on the plus side they're a bit dummer and slower swimmers than the convicts and with several harems you'll have a nicer sizing pattern on the fry that do survive.
  
  Which ever way you go make sure to put a sponge or some panty hose over your filter intake to keep from fry getting sucked up. Also, always gut load with a good quality food right before feeding. Something like New Life Spectrum Cichlid Formula for the convicts. This will make sure the Largemouth and Oscar are getting the optimum nutrition from the live food.
  
  Now that it's all said, you can actually breed your own earthworms for about 10 bucks in materials plus compost [Here's how to do that](
  http://www.herper.com/earthworms/earthworms-culture.html) and your fish will appreciate the live food variety.
  Hope this helped!

Well, I tried not to disturb the substrate when filling the tank. I guess I was tired of hauling buckets that I started to get sloppy. I'm only a 5' tall girl and hauling 5G buckets was a battle. haha

My biggest tank before this was a 29G and hauling buckets wasn't that difficult (and I had 3G buckets at that time, which helped a lot). I got an Aqueon water changer since the 40B has been set up and my life has changed and no more cloudy tanks! :D

You can change the water quickly and easily with one of these http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Aquarium-Water-Changer-Feet/dp/B000YAJKL6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409009786&sr=8-1&keywords=aquarium+water+changer

It hooks up to your faucet and uses a venturi to suck the water out of the tank. Turn a valve to fill the tank. Done.

If you are cheap like me you can make your own out of a water bed water changer and some hardware store fittings and garden hose. Works great!

I bought this one http://www.amazon.com/Rps-dfk-Waterbed-Drain-fill/dp/B000FT2PUO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-1&keywords=waterbed++drain+fill

This one has a better picture http://www.amazon.com/Waterbed-Mattress-Fill-Drain-Kit/dp/B001QTMTNA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1409009927&sr=8-3&keywords=waterbed++drain+fill

I too suffer from the living in an apartment and trying to keep fish problem, so I feel your pain! Aside from the second tank setup for your other 2 goldies, I highly recommend getting a Python, I didn't even know they existed until I saw one on this subreddit and it blew me away. Before I was doing water changes the same way, except I was using a five gallon bucket from home depot. After you remove water from your tank, dose your tank with Prime (the entire volume of the tank, so however much it says for 30 gallons) and then just add the water back in the way you normally would. I'm not sure if there is a much faster way to do it unfortunately. I know it's a pain, but the water changes are worth it in the long run. Try to change at least 50% once a week, but you can spread it out if you want (think ~25% twice a week). The Aqueon version of the Python is a little bit less expensive, and I'm sure it works about the same. Also in terms of tanks, Petco has a dollar per gallon sale going on right now, but I think it ends today. They usually do them about once every few months, and occasionally Petsmart will do one as well, that's a great way to get cheap tanks.

And you're welcome! Starting out it's overwhelming how much information it seems like you have to process, but it does get easier! I'm still learning things all the time, this subreddit has been a great help as well. Feel free to PM me if you ever have other questions, I'll do my best to help. And in the meantime, if you have any additional questions about goldfish care, Solid Gold Aquatics is a really great resource on youtube, and she has a blog as well. She has a lot of really informative videos on everything from cycling tanks to feeding your fish, her channel has been immensely helpful to me. Good luck!

Yes, I just stick the vacuum down about a half inch or so and then lift it back out if I notice an accumulation of detritus anywhere. Very rarely does much sand get taken up by it. I use this guy and it's made water changes and fills a real breeze on a larger tank.

As for the grungry sand, I suppose everyone has there own ways they prefer for keeping things clean. What works well for me is the high water flow from my filter which helps a lot with keeping the detritus stay suspended in the water column to get filtered out. The CAE does the rest at stirring it all up. He has definitely helped a lot with tank cleanliness, though no one else here seems to like them. Overall, it works pretty well in my tank. Good luck and can't wait to see how it turns out!

You could also look into getting one of these. It makes water changes 1000 times better/easier.

http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Aquarium-Water-Changer-Feet/dp/B000YAJKL6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347908487&sr=8-1&keywords=aqueon+water+changer

A lot of people I've talked to recommend aqueon over the python, sadly I cannot use one of these as I have no faucets that will work with this.

New person here replying.

1. Use clear ammonia. No scented or colored ones. Ammonia is usually sold in a 10% ammonia 90% water sort of solution. You probably won't be able to find 100% ammonia. You don't need it anyway. All the cycling guides assume the common household ammonia.
   
   
2. I believe Bio-Spira is only for saltwater tanks. My cousin used a nutrafin (I think) when he did his first tank, I don't think it did anything. Skip the bottled bacteria.
   
   
3. The amount of ammonia you need to add varies on the size of your tank, but the time between redosing is usually about every other day. On the initial dosing you want to get the ammonia in your tank to read about 3 ppm. No more then 4 ppm though. If you hit more then 4 ppm do a large water change to lower it. You want to redose the ammonia when it gets down to 1 ppm, which should take about 2 days. So if you dose on a Friday and come back Sunday night or Monday morning I think you'll be fine.
   
   
4. Once your tank is cycled, you should be doing weekly water changes of about 20%. That is the general rule, but it can change depending on your stock (fish) and filtration. Here's a quick rundown of how the cycle works in a fully cycled tank:
   
   a. Fish eat foot, produce poop, and poop has ammonia in it. Ammonia is bad.
   
   b. Bacteria in your tank will consume the ammonia, but as a byproduct produce NitrItes. Which are also bad for fish.
   
   c. Another bacteria is going to consume the NitrItes, but as a byproduct produces NitrAtes. NitrAtes are tolerated a lot better by fish then Ammonia or NitrItes. Fish can handle about 40ppm of NitrAtes safely.
   
   Therefore, when your nitrAtes hit 40ppm you should be doing a water change. If you have great filtration, lots of plants, little fish, it may take you 2 weeks to hit that number. Your weekly water changes would only have to be done bi-weekly. If you have "ok" filtration, messy fish and not a lot of plants, it may only take 5 days.
   
   Daily testing after your tank is cycled is still required to see how long it takes your tank to go over 40 ppm Nitrates. AND you still need to test afterwards to make sure the amount of water you changed is enough to lower the Nitrates to a safe level. If 20% isn't enough, then you may need to do 35% weekly water changes. It really depends on your setup. We can't know for sure until your tank has been fully set up.
   
   As far as how to do water changes, you should really invest in a water changer. It hooks up to your faucet and lets you pour water directly into the tank. Way easier then using numerous jugs or buckets. Regarding temperature and dechlorinator, you should just "eyeball" the temp with your hand. You are doing a 20%-35% water change, so the temperature shouldn't be swinging more then 1 or 2 degrees. Your fish should be able to handle it. I would suggest doing the water change directly into the tank and then dosing with the dechlorinator for the full amount of water in the tank. Ex. If your tank is 55 gallons, but your only changing about 15 gallons or so, you should dose the tank for all 55 gallons. Dechlorinator is fairly cheap, so while it does waste a bit, its probably not worth your time to be doing 5 gallon buckets at a time and waiting. Your fish will be absolutly fine with chlorinated water for a few minutes. It's not an instant death. Just get it done within half an hour of adding in the new water.
   
   Buy this: http://www.amazon.com/API-Freshwater-Master-Test-Kit/dp/B000255NCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347985506&sr=8-1&keywords=api+testing+kit
   It's the API master test kit. Pretty much the standard in water testing. Don't get any paper strips, they suck. Your LFS should carry them if you can't order online or want them fast.
   
   You should also get this: http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Aquarium-Water-Changer-Feet/dp/B000YAJKL6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347985595&sr=8-1&keywords=water+changer
   
   It makes water changes SO much easier. Suck water out of the tank directly into your sink, and refill directly from faucet to tank. Such a time saver. There are other brands and lengths, so you may want to double check what you need/like first before ordering. LFS will carry this, but a lot more expensive IME. Might want to order this online and do it the hard way while you wait.

best rated one i could find and the brand is well known

I think so. Looking at this feeder you should be able to leave the aquarium in the classroom during the school year. I would obviously test the feeder before having to rely on it, but you should be ok. Also fish typically will be ok going a little while without food. One thought though, depending on how cold your classroom will get during the winter, you might want to consider buying a second heater (not a bigger heater, always safer to have multiple lower power heaters, just in case they fail ).

That would leave you with having to move the tank only for summer. This post outlines the process for moving an aquarium link.

On a separate note, I found my old regulator. I'll test it in the next week to make sure it all works, but it was fine when I packed it away. So if you want to do CO2, just PM me and I can send it off to you. I think I have a spare diffuser as well, so all you would have to buy is some hose and a tank.

I use this one any time I'm out of town for a few days. I had to test it a bit to get the proper amount put into the tank, but I haven't had any problems with it once I had it calibrated correctly.

I personally own several aquariums and I love using these when I go on vacation. I have gone up to 2 weeks and came back with it having at least 20% full on a 75 gallon. Of course I wouldn't advise leaving research animals unattended that long!

https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483475753&sr=8-1&keywords=automatic+fish+feeder+eheim

Things I like about it,

1. Battery lasts forever, I mean I have never had to replace it and I've used it for up to 1 year with a 3 times a day feeding cycle.
   
   
2. The reservoir can hold tons of food. I use flakes as well.
   
   
3. It is highly programmable to how you want.
   
   Potential Issues,
   
   
4. I have ran issues where the hatch slowly opens as time goes on and can eventually dump too much food into the tank.
   a) I taped the hatch to the desired width and haven't had issues since.
   
   
5. I do not know if it will fit onto the type of containment you are using.
   
   
6. It may not the cost effective depending on the amount of tanks.
   
   
7. You cannot really control how much food it dispenses each time.
   
   
   Good luck!

The eheim auto-feeder gets decent reviews. I do caution you to not put too much food in there, just in case the feeder errors out and releases most of the food all at once.

I've used this feeder with great success. Only stopped because I missed my fish associating me with food and swimming up to the glass when they saw me. Other auto feeders I've seen use a spinning wheel that lets gravity open the door to drop food in. Those doors have a tendency to get stuck and end up not dispensing anything. The door on this one is a slider that you can use to create an opening that lets food fall through as it turns. For shrimp you could easily fill it once and it'll last 6-8wks before needing to be refilled.

I've been looking in to getting one now that I've got 5 tanks up and running & while I haven't used it first-hand the Eheim is highly recommended. The best tip I've heard is that in any feeder, you're better off using pellet or micro-pellets instead of flake since it's less likely to clog.

How long will you be gone for?

If you are going to be gone a week or less it may be that you do not need a fish feeder. In the wild fish do not feed like they do everyday in our homes.

I have used both the Fish Mate F14 (as LieutenantJB mentioned) and the Eheim Everyday Fish Feeder.

The Fish Mate if you have larger food items like sinking algae wafer it will accommodate some of those. You are limited to 14 feedings total, meaning a max of 14 days. Flakes and small pellets can be rather messy as the divider bracket just sits on the faceplate and so small foods can escape or flakes can slide under the rotating edges. You do have more control over portion size though.

The Eheim is a fairly standard drop feeder based on how many pellets/flakes will fit through the opening which you adjust for size. This can mean that your portions are a bit irregular. It does allow up to 4 times a day drops and is fairly easy to set up as far as setting times for feeding. It will run until the food bin is empty and the food bin will hold a substantial amount. If you are going to be gone longer than 14 days or are looking for something to use every day and just worry about refilling on maintenance days this is a good option. It is not a good option for sinking algae wafers.

1)Aquarium lights using a quantitative measure known as PAR to help assess the intensity of light at varying levels. In essence, the further you are away from a point source, the more light diffuses and the less intense it becomes, use this chart to verify your PAR levels before considering a medium or high lights plants.

PAR levels of Finnex Fugeray Planted Plus light

2) Do you have algae problems? If not yet, giving any excess light, co2 or ferts will cause algae to thrive in your tank. They will take the excess nutrients and breed like wildfire. You have to strike a balance in your tank as excess of light, co2 or nutrients will be taken up by unwanted algae. Low level lights should be on for 12 hours, medium for about 8 and high for about 6. This is all relative and you need to play with the time to dial it in. The co2 needs to be turned on 2 hours before lights go on so that the plants can begin photosynthesizing right away, and off one hour before the lights go off to give them a "break".

CO2 Basics

Balancing light, ferts and co2

3) Dry fertilizers are a much better, more economical way to go in the long run but you have to do research on this if you plan to use them, as too much can cause algae blooms or worse. Here is a great source for them. There are also other sellers, which are a quick google search away. Remember the upfront cost of $25.00 may wrinkle your nose, but you will literally use these for years if you buy dry ferts in bulk like this.

PPS-PRO fertilizers GLA

Information on Fertilizers and dosing methods

4) Get a GH/KH kit from amazon, it will tell you how hard your water is, and depending on the plants that you want to keep it will indicate how much work that you will need to do to keep them happy.

GH/KH test kit

Basic info on GH/KH

Check out this kit:
API GH & KH TEST KIT Freshwater Aquarium Water Test Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003SNCHMA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_bybCCbHR6HQX2

Gives you a drop wise measurement of hardness and alkalinity (kh/carbonate hardness).

By acidity I meant pH.

You can get a hardness test kit here: API GH & KH TEST KIT Freshwater Aquarium Water Test Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003SNCHMA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_92KOBbPX5NHAT

Also as a general rule of thumb for most fish, you should keep a ratio of 1:2 Male to Females, so one male for every 2 females.

I put your stuff into Aquadvisor and it said that sword tails are not recommended to be with mollies due to interbreeding possibilities...but it's just a warning.

Also it probably wouldn't hurt to know your Co2 levels, as the fish could be deprived of oxygen. There are charts online that help you figure it out, you basically cross reference your pH with your hardness.

It could have died of stress if all levels are fine.

You’d be surprised how different your water parameters can be from the same source. I moved 2 miles (same water supply) but the TDS dropped in half and the kH and gH were lower. It’s worth to check yourself and API makes a test for gH and kH.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003SNCHMA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_yCv4Db91P83QJ

They look like it might be ich. Have they been puffing their gills out or rubbing on things? Are they darting back and forth? You could check out Goldfish Emergency and see if the symptoms match. Sometimes anti-ich medicine won't work if you don't clean the tank thoroughly enough.

Also, I can tell you that you have too many fish in there. That might be okay for the fantails, but the comets put you over capacity. Goldies also like water between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit, so if you can try and lower the temperature a bit slowly. Only a degree every few hours.

In addition, are you checking amonia, nitrites, nitrates, and pH? If not, you need to go and get a tester kit. i also strongly reccomend a GH & KH test kit as well as your goldies will be much happier with proper water hardness and if they are sick it will also help them heal more quickly.

Here’s a good GH/KH kit. Costs like $7. test kit

Personally I'd probably use something like this https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Mini-Pressurized-20g-CO2-Kit/dp/B0049RL3H4/ref=pd_sim_328_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3T1NNC29PZG80HSTHAYK

A passive co2 kit could be used. It slowly dissolves into the water. Water movement is needed under the container to ensure that its spreading. Fill the container and leave it alone until it needs to be refilled again. It does take up some tank space since it's attached inside the aquarium.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0049RL3H4/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_zl6YCbGAXZPN3

No that's not going to work - the CO2 in the water is going to bubble up and out of your tank in a hurry, much faster than any benefit you'd possibly get from it. This is a relatively inexpensive system that I've had on my 20 gal tank for the better part of a year and it has given me great results. Most people will tell you not to waste your money on these little co2 cartridges, but I've found it a pretty cost effective way to run co2 on a small tank. The little cartridges last a surprisingly long time.

I don't have it yet, but I'm planning on using this. Someone in the review section suggested buying these instead of the refills Fluval sells. Even though there aren't a ton of positive reviews I trust Fluval enough as a brand to feel comfortable buying the kit.

I should add that I'm upgrading my lighting before I get the CO2 system as I feel it'll help my plants more than CO2 will right now.

Well, at a certain size people start recommending a sump/refugium. A sump of 20 gallons is a so much more capacity for filtration than a HOB could ever be. But they are more difficult to setup.

If I were going to use a HOB for a tank that large, I might just use two of these
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000260FUW/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_m8Ovxb3MWMDGV

"But why?" you might ask. Two reasons. First it meets the capacity requirements in excess of 40 gallons and better circulates the tank. Second it provides redundancy in case one filter goes down. Another filter you might look at is sponge filters for power outages. Can be used on a battery operated pump and simple to use
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051XIN78/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_YaPvxbRNYX7J2

You might go the route of canister filter.
This actually doesn't meet the requirements of circulating your total volume ten times in an hour, so be aware of that. A 100 gallon tank might use two of these. Again redundancy is a beautiful thing.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015JMQRNC/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_QdPvxbAH4274M

this is what i'm using in all my tanks. if that's too big, this is a good alternative.

NEVER buy this. the connection for the air tube is too big and is nearly impossible to get a tube on.

you can put a intake filter sponge on it, or you can also put a entire sponge filter like this on the intake instead. they sell adapters to do this

https://www.amazon.com/XY-380-Aquarium-Biochemical-Sponge-Filter/dp/B0051XIN78/

Would something like this work?

https://www.amazon.com/XY-380-Aquarium-Biochemical-Sponge-Filter/dp/B0051XIN78/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1522978299&sr=8-3&keywords=sponge+filter+fish+tank

I use these sponge filters. For a good level of filtration, about one per 20 gallons will do the job. But if you want to over filter, 4 is a good number for a 55 gallon.

I stack the filters two to three high (into filter "towers") depending on the height of the tank, so they use up less floor space. But what's really going to make a difference is the strength behind your air pumps. If you're using two separate pumps, I'd recommend they each be rated for a 50 gallon tank for a total rating of 100 gallons. Personally, I love the Tetra Whisper100 air pumps and use one Whisper100 per 4 sponge filters (or per two filter "towers").

Hmm, I'm pretty sure I have this sponge running on the whisper 10 that is good enough for the 10 gallon tank on it's own. This is the one on the whisper 40 but it takes up a ton of space and is big enough for a 40 gallon lol.

Aqadvisor is good for estimating bioload levels, but it's not so great at getting the minimum tank size for each species. Tanks can be overstocked in two ways, bioload or space. I use seriouslyfish.com for the space part and Aqadvisor for the bioload part

XINYOU XY-380 Aquarium Fish Tank Biochemical Sponge Filter, 4-1/2-Inch (1-pack) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051XIN78/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_U68PDbS324RDY
More like this

Use a sponge filter element, like this https://www.amazon.com/XY-380-Aquarium-Biochemical-Sponge-Filter/dp/B0051XIN78 on the filter intake, then bag up the biomedia in delicates washing bags https://www.amazon.com/DOZZZ-Delicate-Stocking-Underwear-Lingerie/dp/B016MB0KW8/ref=pd_day0_201_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B016MB0KW8&pd_rd_r=K5X2TZZ1PAC07536K45J&pd_rd_w=vinoL&pd_rd_wg=XkJlb&psc=1&refRID=K5X2TZZ1PAC07536K45J

May as well leave the bioplate there if it doesn't get in the way of the bio media.

1. The guy with the black markings is called a Ranchu.
   
2. Don't add anything else to the tank as you really want a 120 liter tank or so for two fully grown fancy goldfish.
   
3. Water changes should be done as often as is reasonable and you should use a water test kit of some kind. (Even the cheap strips are better than nothing)
   
4. Goldfish are filthy and filters like to overestimate their effectiveness so I would suggest picking up a sponge filter and hooking it up to the air pump instead of the bubble wand to add extra filtration and to give you two filters so if one fails you don't have zero filtration while you replace the other one.

Yeah we bought a heater yesterday. If we were to purchase a filter like this would we be able to just hook up our current airstone pump to it and have it work? Or would we need to purchase something different? Thanks for your help!

You can buy such closed ecosystems.

You should get an EcoSphere to add to those, they are pretty freaking sweet.

yes, the tank is completely sealed and self-sustaining. it should last a number of years, even longer if the shrimp inside reproduce which sometimes they are known to do. here's a link to the amazon page. but it's a pretty established company so with google you shouldn't have difficulty finding other vendors that sell them.

its an experiment... my other tank gets 20-25% changes every week or two, has breeding clowns, breeding brittle stars, corals with great growth, etc. ... I only mention it to prove the point that it is entirely possible. FWIW : The fish in the 125 is also 20 years old and only gets fed every week or two, she forages for the rest. I Was shooting for something like a big version of this

I dont recomend that anyone tries this, as I said, its an expermint, but you stated that you personally have never seen a tank go long term with no water changes and you have seen people try and it fails, and I just wanted to tell you that it is possible, but its extreme and its not for everyone.

That's good to hear, so they're the same as the SunSun models?
I found this:
http://www.amazon.com/SunSun-HW-304B-External-Canister-Sterilizer/dp/B008986EQO/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

It appears to have a higher flow rate than the Penn Plax Cascade's in
my price range. Seems like a good deal

You are going to need to up your filtration if you plan to get more fish (it would make sense with more space) I would reccomend 2 of these! http://www.amazon.com/SunSun-HW-304B-External-Canister-Sterilizer/dp/B008986EQO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394340840&sr=8-1&keywords=sunsun
That is what i have on my 125 and they are awesome for a fairly good price.

I use a UV sterilizer in my tank for a few hours a week. I especially turn it on after cleaning the sides of my tank. My water is crystal clear now and I don’t have to put any chemicals in my water. I actually did go the chemical route at first but it did t help me much. My brother had left the lights on in my tank for 13 days straight when I was out of the country and both brown and green algae plagued my tank for over a year. UV is the way to go for sure. This filter has a built in light and it’s top tier (they come in many sizes, this was just the first one that came up on my search).
https://www.amazon.com/HW-304B-5-Stage-External-Canister-Sterilizer/dp/B008986EQO

For filters I'd go with two Fluval FX6's or two SunSun HW-304B's. Either of those will give you at least 8x overturn per hour. Or you could drill it and do a sump system.

The cheapest substrate would be sand from a local hardware store. My favorite so far is a pure white sand in 50 lb. white paper bags from Menards. Other people prefer black blasting sand, play sand, or pool sand. All work equally as well. As cichlids require hard water, you could use aragonite sand to help buffer the water, but a tank that size needs around 200 lbs. of sand and would get expensive quickly. There's also contractor's sand that is actually small pebbles. You can always go with the chunky gravel sold in pet stores. Or, if you're planting your tank, you could go with a dirted tank topped with sand or small gravel.

Throw in some cichlid stones, driftwood, or rocks to spruce up the decor a bit. Good luck!

I would suggest this filter. I have them running on all my tanks and it does a really great job, also you dont have to worry about being underfiltered. There is also an identical filter manufactured by pingkay which is sligjtly smaller but comes with all the media. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008986EQO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1416425983&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40

He's currently living in this guy but I was looking into this one. Please let me know if that's an acceptable size 3gal. Hopefully I can order it so that it'll come by the end of the week!

If you can get her to upgrade to even a 2.5G, then you can use this little internal with relative ease. You can probably get a 2.5G that has a similar footprint to a 1G, just more height, and would allow a bit more space for the linked filter and a heater (examples: my favourite, a 3G or something like this or this).

If you can't, you might be able to fit the above filter into a 1G with the alternate outflow attachment (it comes with a spraybar and just a little nozzle). I've set up that filter and a heater in a 1G cube as a temporary QT before and didn't even leave it as a 1 week QT because it left too little room for anything else/stable parameters.

Are you just looking for something cute for a betta? There are lots of adorable little set-ups that would work well. The main thing is that you need 3+ gallons, a heater, a filter, and space for decor. My betta is in the 6 gallon version of this tank, but there are cheaper options. All the little Fluvals (except the Edge, since it doesn't allow the betta to reach the surface!) are great betta choices. I considered the Fluval Chi before settling on the Eheim. If that's still too expensive, I think this little Tetra cube is super cute and it's an acceptable size for a betta, and at $30, it's pretty reasonably priced. (They won't come with heaters, so you will have to buy one separately.)

Check out the sidebar if you want a little more info on starting up a tank! I'm happy to answer questions if you want to know if something will work or not.

Aquariums West is on Beatty St downtown, the Fluval Spec line seems up your alley.

This would probably be more cost effective, though.

Ditto with the craigslist idea. Also, you should try to get at least 3 gallons for him. A 5 gallon tank takes up less space than you'd think. You will need a heater (betta's like warm temperatures above 80) and a small filter. They aren't a huge fan of current, so get something with a low flow or you can add things to lower the flow by doing something like this.

Make sure any decorations you get are either silk plants or soft, they can easily tear their fins. You will also need water conditioner to make the tap water safe. Prime is the best out there. It's a little expensive, but goes far.

Here is a 3 gallon tank for under $30 that comes with a filter.

Another one.

Aaaand another. With this one, just don't put the divider in so he will have 2.5 gallons.

Once again, obviously bigger is better, but you are in a dorm so don't worry about it :)

It's the Tetra Cube aquarium kit (tank, lid, LED light, filter). I believe it comes in various sizes and this one is the three-gallon. I got this one off of Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Tetra-Cube-Aquarium-Kit-3-Gallon/dp/B008CA7W7E) for $30USD and you can probably find it in a pet store or even Walmart. :)

My co-worker bought a betta for the office, and he's currently in a little .7 gallon plastic tank with one little plastic plant. I think he needs a better environment, so I am working on a shopping list based on research.

The tank needs to have a small footprint, and I want something that will be low-maintenance. (Not my fish! But I am willing to help keep Swatch happy and healthy)

I am looking at the Marineland Portrait Glass 5 Gallon - 5 seems quite large for the space, but I don't know if he would be as well off in a 2.5 or 3. (I like the 3 gallon Tetra cube, but it seems to be out of stock everywhere.)

Is this a good tank? I think I will also need a heater for winter, just in case.

I would like to get Swatch some little moss ball and an Anacharis plant or Java Fern. Is 5 gallons enough for a betta and a live plant? (Would 3 be enough for one fish and a live plant?)

At 5 gallons, is that enough for a tankmate (neon tetras? Ghost shrimp?) or should I let him live solo?

Also, I find the little suction-cup hammocks hilarious, so I plant to get one of those. And maybe a floating log.

So:
3 or 5 gallon tank
live plant
toys
tetras?

Does that sound like a good starting setup?

Why something besides a regular aquarium? Is $30 too much?

Rounded 5 gallon

Pretty 3 gallon

$25 5 gallon

something like this works great. Just google DIY CO2 mixes, get 2 2L pop bottles, and make the mixture. If you get a good one it can last like 2-3 weeks which is pretty much the same as these ones, tho they are a bit of a pain to set up.

C02 Kit

Bubble Counter

Diffuser

You also need funnels to get everything into the soda bottles, a few check valves to prevent backflow. The reaction uses baking soda and citric acid, I got both from the market so thy are food grade.

Here's what i got.

http://www.amazon.com/DIY-CO2-Aquarium-Plant-System/dp/B008CUZJF6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00

Also check this video out from Joey, explains everything you need to know.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JzvfHO31Ug

I bought the fluval mini kit and wasn't happy with it at all. DIY CO2 kits work way better for not a lot more initial cost. Something like this may be better suited to your needs: https://www.amazon.com/DIY-CO2-Aquarium-Plant-System/dp/B008CUZJF6

https://www.amazon.com/DIY-CO2-Aquarium-Plant-System/dp/B008CUZJF6/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?keywords=diy+co2+aquarium&qid=1551222345&s=gateway&sr=8-5

You could grab this diy co2 system

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008CUZJF6/ref=asc_df_B008CUZJF65081095/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=395033&creativeASIN=B008CUZJF6&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167116240456&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5207187190723081390&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9061078&hvtargid=pla-305618839130

(Apologies, I don't know how to shorten urls)

And run it with citric acid and baking soda (works better than yeast and doesn't have that yeasty odor)

And also look into EI fert dosing.

You could also grab a few floater plants (not duckweed) to compete with the algae for nutrients, and just remember to scoop out extra ones as they grow. I keep ~5 floaters in my 5 gallon and toss extras in the trash on water change day.

Edit: this will keep you way under $100 even after you buy the kit, an atomizer, ferts and a pH drop checker and should help you combat the algae growth until you can purchase a regulator for pressurized co2.

Yup thats exactly what happeneds.

I learned about it from this video here by Aquarium Co Op

https://youtu.be/VfAJ3ITS3Nw

I bought a DIY Co2 kit from amazon that uses vinegar and baking soda.

https://www.amazon.ca/ZJchao-DIY-Aquarium-Plant-System/dp/B008CUZJF6/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=diy+co2&qid=1571041282&sr=8-3

Hope that helps :)

Here you go, this is more or less the exact setup I use. Citric acid is cheap, plentiful, and easy to use so I used it for my acid. The kit sells for about 14 dollars on Amazon and there are a bunch of bubble counters and diffusers to choose from.

EDIT: A check valve isn't really necessary since the pressure inside the system makes it impossible for the water to back siphon. Plus the diffuser itself requires pressure to push water through, so it's effectively impossible for a siphon to start unless the diffuser falls off.

The prices are different from when I ordered them but here's my exact setup!

Here's the co2 system

This is the bubble counter I have

Here's the diffuser I got but there's cheaper options as well

The nice thing about a small tank is I only need about 3-4 bubbles per second so my diy co2 setup can last almost three weeks which marks the time I do a gravel vac and dose with flourish. I keep the co2 running 24/7 and turn on a bubbler 15 mins before I turn the lights off, and turn the bubbler off 15 minutes before I turn the lights on.

This is what I used for my diy co2 setup:
I bought this (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008CUZJF6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and followed the direction in this link (http://www.co2supermarket.co.uk/diy-co2-kit-setup-instructions-guide-6.html)

I've been using a cheap diy co2 system. This one. It's ok, you just need to buy citric acid (also on Amazon) and baking soda and maintain it about once a week + or -.

I've been running the 24/7 on my 55 for a couple months now. If you don't plan to do CO2, it will be far too much light (at least in 24/7 mode). I was battling hair algae for the first couple weeks until I started CO2. If you raise it up a bit, you may be OK.

I don't see much of a problem going with a slightly Shorter light. You may have slightly less growth on the sides, but I doubt it will be noticeable beyond what full length would give you.

Edit: my CO2 I currently run: DIY generator with bubble counter/diffuser. You need citric acid (canning area of grocery store) every couple of weeks with some baking soda. My indicator shows I can get plenty at about 1 bubble per second. I will likely upgrade to a pressurized system later, just wanted to test drive CO2 before investing too much money.

Yes of course. I'm using this kit that's 15 bucks on Amazon.

Basic concept is you have baking soda in one bottle and citric acid in another. Once you seal up the system you push some acid into the other bottle and keep doing that until you build up some pressurized CO2. After you open the valve and it starts flowing into your tank, the pressure behind the acid will slowly push more of it as needed into the reaction chamber. This allows for you to turn the system off which is not something you can't do with the yeast/sugar method.


I like this method so far, but it does have drawbacks. Some people struggle to build up enough pressure for ceramic diffusers to function correctly. With those coke bottles I can get up to 2 bar without really fearing that they'll pop, but I wasn't sure if even that would be enough. Instead, I chose to route it into a small pump on the right side there and I get great diffusion. The problem with the first time I did that was I didn't have a bubble counter so I was just using the end of the hose to count. Once I had it at a bubble a second, I attached it to the pump, but the lower pressure in there just slurped up all the CO2 before I noticed. Basically used 2 weeks of reactants in an hour lol. I have a bubble counter, check valve, drop checker, and longer tubing coming on Wednesday. (sorry for this wall of text, I just got started and couldn't stop)

swords can get bigger, but you can also keep them trimmed. I personally like to take up as much volume as I can with plants.

The DIY kit I bought came with detailed instructions and was quite reasonable to set up.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008CUZJF6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

• Get the bubble counter, black tubing, and diffuser they recommend with it. I also added a check valve and solenoid, but that's getting fancier.

I don't know exactly how you plan to do your CO2, but this is a very cheap DIY alternative that gives you control over your CO2 output.

What size tank is that? In my experience you have to seriously overdose iron to keep even a reddish color, I use seachem iron added to the minor elements while estimative index dosing. With that light if your tank is less =< 18" tall, you will need some carbon added. You may be able to get away will excel for a bit but long term going with an "estimative index" fert and co2 injection will be cheaper and easier.

Also, swords are heavy root feeders so you definitely need to get some root tabs for them the grow and flourish.

This is my current co2 setup that's easy to put together and only cost a few dollars every few months to fill for my 29g:

Empire Paintball 24oz CO2 Tank - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007XKFQCM

AQUATEK CO2 Regulator Mini - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008TJCPSY

Fluval Ceramic 88g-CO2 Diffuser - 3.1 Ounces https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GCO35G (Note you can choose a different diffuser if you want)

AQUATEK CO2-Proof Tubing 16 Feet - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008UCOFJW

Fluval CO2 Indicator Kit - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052M9886

most expensive stuff was actually the stupid aquasoil.. no one locally was carrying the fluval stratum anymore, so i got stuck dropping 20 bucks per 4 lb bag. I refuse to use eco complete ever again. Most expensive stuff will be the light and the regulator, going LED and larger tank is more expensive at first, but you save money in the long run

• regulator - 119 + 15 shipping i believe (found a coupon code - platned20 i believe) http://www.co2art.co.uk/products/professional-aquarium-co2-dual-stage-regulator-with-advance-swiss-solenoid-and-smc-valve
  
  
• 5lb co2 tank - 90 Filled, 15 dollars per fill (every6-8 months at 2 bubbles per second) - local gas supplier (oxygen supply co. - check welding supply, resturant supply stores, medical supplies)
  
  
• co2 tubing - 10 bucks (not crucial) https://www.amazon.com/AQUATEK-CO2-Proof-Tubing-16-Feet/dp/B008UCOFJW/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1473970795&sr=1-2&keywords=co2+tubing
  
  
• finnex planted+ 24/7: https://www.amazon.com/Finnex-Planted-Automated-Aquarium-Controller/dp/B00U0HMWLI/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1473970617&sr=1-2&keywords=finnex%2Bplanted%2Bplus&th=1 You can find alternate lights, i just was torn between this and the fluval aquasky / plant light
  
  
• glass diffuser - 6.00 https://www.amazon.com/S-T-International-Aquarium-Glass-Diffuser/dp/B00I47YVVU/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1473970285&sr=8-10&keywords=co2+diffuser
  
  
• bubble counter 4.00 https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-88g-CO2-Bubble-Counter-Ounces/dp/B004GCPM6K/ref=pd_bxgy_199_2?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B004GCPM6K&pd_rd_r=K54X5Q0VQ1P3FTY6E8KV&pd_rd_w=dv9SA&pd_rd_wg=Ef6cf&psc=1&refRID=K54X5Q0VQ1P3FTY6E8KV
  
  
• drop checker - 10
  not convinced at these being accurate at all https://www.amazon.com/Aquarium-Dioxide-Monitor-Solution-Indicator/dp/B01C9DGXV0/ref=sr_1_6?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1473971368&sr=1-6&keywords=co2+drop+checker
  
  
• drop checker solution - 8 https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-CO2-Indicator-Solution-0-34/dp/B0052UAL7U/ref=sr_1_9?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1473971368&sr=1-9&keywords=co2+drop+checker
  
  
• canister filter (personal pref) ~100 - https://www.bigalspets.com/eheim-classic-series-canister-filters.html (I got one on sale at petco for 90 bucks - national geographic cf70 uv - discontinued)
  
  
• seachem/ aqua vitro aquasolum - 1lb per gallon roughly @ 19 bucks a 4lb bag
  
  
• decent check valve for co2 - 3 bucks
  
  not going to go into the various other crap i bought so totaling it all up ... (preparing to wince)
  
  ---
  About $575 after tax/shipping/lube.
  
  with the stuff i got that is now in a bin for being crap... tack on about another 150-200 bucks (aquatek regulator/ paintball sytem)

You'd need:

A diffuser and bubble counter (this has both in one and is one I use. Work VERY well in my 10g.

Tubing

A check valve. I do not recommend skimping out here There's also this bubble counter/check valve combo.

And a drop checker

The drop checker is essential for noobs like us. Purists will say you don't need it but I don't want to risk gassing my fish.

Also, I think the regular you linked has a bubble counter and check valve! I just read it's description

Ask away of you have more questions! I have two tank with co2. On my 10g, both my light and regulator are plugged into the same timer and it works fine.

I use the adaptor for the paintball setup, I used to play paintball so had a tank, what I forgot was how easy o-rings get damaged and after a weekend of setup needed new ones to run the adaptor, messing and checking for leaks meant putting the tank on and off. Got a 100 pack of o-rings and been using that adaptor and the rather cheap wyn co2 regulator off Amazon of the same colorway.

At the price of the linked kit, I probably saved a little, piece parting only took a little time, assurance of a more expensive regulator may be a comfort, I knew how they should work and researched mechanism to know I could mess with the one I got if I had a problem.

Rhinox Glass Drop Checker

Aquario Neo CO2 Diffuser S

Adapter

[CO2 Regulator] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D4MBF4Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_w1RTVFzwfDilY)

[Indicator Solution ] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072MJBNLX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_MHSRWpefnxKji)

Tubing 16 Feet

[100 o-rings]
(https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009HI6F3W?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share)

I was recommended this Beamswork light on here awhile ago and it has been great for me for the last year or so. If you are looking for a budget light this one has been great for me so far.

As far as co2 goes it is super easy to do honestly. It only cost me about $100 to set mine up and it is great knowing I can put almost any plant in and it has a chance. I am currently starting a carpet in my tank since I've had the co2 setup for awhile. Here is my setup:

But here is a copy pasted comment explaining my setup and links to all the parts I used that I gave to someone else:

Ok. I'll try to type out my whole setup.

The biggest parts of the setup are the tank and regulator. I use an Empire/Tippman co2 tank with a Double Sun Hydroponics Regulator.

Now, aquarium regulators aren't made with paintball tanks in mind, but most sporting goods stores won't refill tanks above 24oz due to safety reasons. So instead of buying a 5lb tank that no one can refill, I just use a simple Aquatek Paintball co2 adapter to attach the regulator to the tank I have. So for that part of the setup you just attach the adapter to the regulator and then after you fill your Co2 tank attach the tank to the adapter, done (make sure the regulator is plugged in and everything is tightened if you have already filled the co2 tank). Do not attach the adapter to the Co2 tank first, the adapter opens the tank so you'll just empty your Co2 into the air. So attach everything to the Co2 tank last lol.

I also use teflon tape on the tank threads and adapter threads just to help prevent any loss of co2 through the adapter. It probably wouldn't leak without it but I would rather be sure so I just wrapped up both pieces before the install.

Now that you have your regulator/tank setup we just need to get the co2 into the aquarium. I attach Aquatek co2 tubing to the bubble counter that comes attached to the regulator and attach it to a Rhinox check valve, this prevents any water from getting to the regulator, then run co2 tubing from the check valve to a Rhinox co2 diffuser, this condenses the co2 into tiny bubbles so it absorbs into the water.

Boom, almost done. We have co2, we are getting it into the tank, but now how do we know how much? We need a NilocG co2 drop checker and some Drop Checker Solution to put in it. This will come with a card that says the proper colors. I would suggest starting with low co2, check the next day, if the drop checker is still blue, increase the co2 a tiny bit and check again the next day, repeat until it turns green, yellow is bad and you might gas your fish so don't increase co2 too much at a time to protect the fish.

Regulator, bubble counter, dual gauge, needle valve built in one. - $57.99 - I've read the more expensive the better, but this one has worked great for me.

Inline Diffuser - $39.99 - I use this to attach to my tubing on the canister filter. Much cheaper if you go with a regular diffuser that goes inside the aquarium.

C02 Tubing - $9.99.

I bought a 5 gallon filled C02 tank from a local welding store for about $60.

​

Co2 tubing, I reccommend any of these diffusers, and then if you want you can get a co2 indicator. Other possible buys are a better check valve and bubble counter.

Hello I was having the same issues as you in which my water had a low tds (around 40) and high phosphates so I decided to get an ro unit without the di and I am pretty satisfied. [I went with the ro buddie that gets sold on Amazon for about 55 bucks and it's quite cheaper today.] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DOG63OY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_zAfmzb2AQ0QVQ) I personally prefer this one because I only need ro water every 2 weeks for water changes on my 10 and 20 gallon shrimp tanks so in total only need about 3-4 gallons every 2 weeks. My ro water comes out at a tds of 3 ppm with the ro buddie but if you want it to come out at zero, you can also purchase the di part as well.

Get her going then! LOL

There are cheaper RO units out there but they aren't as efficient or cheap to maintain as the more expensive units. But a cheap RO unit is still better than tap.

$60 RO Buddy

You won't regret the sump, its worth every penny. Allows for stability and places to hide all your equipment. I've ran sumps on all my reefs. Here are some motivation pics and vids.

Old 125 vid

125

Sump

Here is the mobile version of your link

Something like this would probably work.

https://smile.amazon.com/VicTsing-Submersible-Aquarium-Fountain-Hydroponics/dp/B00EWENKXO/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1535763850&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=small+water+pump+for+fountain+cordless

apartment brewer checking in! A friend of mine turned me on to the method she uses for her immersion chiller (and I've seen around the internet a bunch) and it works great. 20+ft of copper coil, two vinyl tubes to attach, a submersible pump (kinda like this) and a bucket. attach one vinyl tube to pump and coil, other end goes from coil to sink. Fill a bucket, put pump in bucket and go to town. After 5 or so minutes the water coming out of the tube into the sink has cooled to where you can put it back in the bucket (adding a few frozen water bottles to the bucket) and reuse the water.

no need for garden hose or crazy business!

VicTsing 80 GPH (300L/H) Submersible Water Pump For Pond, Aquarium, Fish Tank Fountain Water Pump Hydroponics with 5.9ft (1.8M) Power Cord https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EWENKXO/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_ydEkyb7Z76REJ

Seriously. $9

I use five gallon buckets, and I bought a small water pump on Amazon, pumps the water in slowly disturbing nothing. I generally just let the hose pour water down the side of the glass.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00EWENKXO/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1504375762&sr=8-3&keywords=water+pump

When I first got my 29g it had a light similar to that one. I managed to keep crypts and java moss alive, but anything else died. The plants didn't do well, they were barely surviving and it took months for them to grow even a little bit.

If you are interested in growing plants it is so much nicer to have the proper equipment/supplies and be able to grow whatever you want than to save a few bucks and hardly be able to grow anything.

I'm not sure what your budget is, but for $90 you can get a really nice light like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Finnex-FugeRay-Planted-Aquarium-Moonlights/dp/B00GH9HURE.

Being a maker, I know it's hard to hear, but you're better off just buying something made for a planted tank. You really have to worry that the LEDs are in PAR range and cheapo high-wattage LEDs are often outright lies (see). I have a Finnex Planted Plus and it's great, but most importantly of all, it Just Works.

First of all thanks for the response.

Some of that article was a bit technical for my current understanding, but I think I see what they mean about hitting ranges that are beneficial for photosynthesis but not as much for algea - and the fact that visible light doesn't equate to a plants needs.

I took a look at the brand you mentioned and found one that specifically calls out the 660nm PAR.

http://www.amazon.com/Finnex-FugeRay-Planted-Aquarium-Moonlights/dp/B00GH9HURE

Do you think the light above may suit my current needs? (36'')

If you just want light then you can go for whatever cheap lights you want. LED's are cheaper electricity wise, and without live plants you can go for normal white.

Something like this would be a very cheap and good solution if you don't care much about aesthetics and you're willing to build a mount. You won't have a moonlight for night though, but as long as the room isn't completely dark at night it should be ok.

If you want an all in one solution then this is about twice as much (you want the 36 inch one) but it's very low profile and comes with a moonlight.

The cheapest possible solution would be 1 or 2x of these mounts which you can get bulbs in the 4-6 dollar range, like these. If you tank will be sparsely ornamented then one would work ($12 is cheap as hell to light a 29g) but it won't be lit brightly and it will cast shadows and you'll have a lot of light pollution in your room.

finnex stingray

If you want a little more light/features and ability to grow a little more in a low tech, I recommend the Current USA satellite+, it's what I use on my 10gal.

Finnex Stingray is a great option.

https://www.amazon.com/Finnex-Stingray-Aquarium-Light-20-Inch/dp/B00NAFQ6FK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493672499&sr=8-1&keywords=finnex+stingray

Finnex Stingray (if $40 is what you consider cheap).

I was able to snag an aquarium friendly sponge from the PetCo by me. Yeah just stay away from the carbon lol. If one day you need carbon you can throw a little bit of carbon in a stocking in the filter.

Here is the [light I used] (https://www.amazon.com/Finnex-Planted-Automated-Aquarium-Controller/dp/B00U0HMWLI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484759496&sr=8-1&keywords=finnex+planted+plus+24+7).

I've heard nothing but good things about finnex lights. I was also in the market for an led strip and researched for a couple days before purchasing one. I went with the finnex planted it has a 24/7 day/night cycle which is awesome in my book.
Heres a link if you're interested:
https://www.amazon.com/Finnex-Planted-Automated-Aquarium-Controller/dp/B00U0HMWLI/ref=s9_simh_gw_g199_i1_r?_encoding=UTF8&fpl=fresh&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=&pf_rd_r=61C6JK3C2YA922GZZ7ZT&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=a6aaf593-1ba4-4f4e-bdcc-0febe090b8ed&pf_rd_i=desktop

I had the current light on a 36 g bow-front. It didn't produce enough light for my swords and anubias. I switched to the finnex planted plus and had better growth. I'm going to add c02 to my setup this weekend. Hopefully the finnex will be sufficient for a high tech, if not I'll add the current and run two fixtures.

Finnex Planted+ 24/7 Fully Automated Aquarium LED, Controller, 30 Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U0HMWLI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rxvxzbRBVY6C4

Thank you for the tips. Will grab some root tabs for sure.

The light is:
NICREW ClassicLED Aquarium Light,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ID3OK3S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Try this one NICREW ClassicLED Aquarium Light, Fish Tank Light with Extendable Brackets, White and Blue LEDs, Size 28 to 36 Inch, 18 Watts https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ID3OK3S

I have a 5 gallon I’m selling with a light, heater, and HOB filter for $60 so definitely put your zip code! But before I upgraded my tank I had a simple sponge filter with air pump from amazon, a Nicrew light, and driftwood from a local store that cost me $10... in total my first set up was... air pump , sponge filter , Nicrew light (that was $14 when I got it...) and the tank $10, lid $10, driftwood $10= about $8”:) or you can do this HOB heater

Oh and for plants in this sub, there’s tons of people that sell good, tons of plants, good priced! I got TONS OF PLANTS for $20-$30 from bquad. But he isn’t the only one

Should you get into the hobby? Of course!

Should you buy the cheap bare tank instead of a normally priced starter kit? Probably.

You'll need an appropriately sized glass lid which is $29 at that link for a 40 breeder. You'll also need a heater ($15ish), most of that same basic design are equally (un)reliable so you could get two smaller ones to improve reliability compared to one large one, but don't worry about brand name.

Then a light, which ranges from $42 suitable for viewing and low-light plants up to a lot more money for high-light suitable LED fixtures.

Then water conditioner such as Prime ($13)

And food for $3-$20, too many choices for me to even suggest one.

Overall this gives a better experience than a starter kit due to higher quality and more versatile... everything. The consumables are also larger than the sample sizes included in kits, though those are big enough to last quite a while anyways. And the equivalent cost starter kit is probably a 30 gallon and this is larger. But the overall cost is $130ish which illustrates that those starter kits are actually a decent value, as well as being convenient.

http://www.amazon.com/Finnex-Planted-Automated-Aquarium-Controller/dp/B00U0HMWLI

i would use this one instead. the fugeray wont penetrate fully to the depth of that tank.

http://www.amazon.com/Finnex-Planted-Automated-Aquarium-Controller/dp/B00U0HMWLI/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1453563046&sr=1-1&keywords=finnex

NICREW ClassicLED Aquarium Light, Fish Tank Light with Extendable Brackets, White and Blue LEDs, Size 30 to 36 Inch, 18 Watts https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ID3OK3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_y.AZCbQX2JHXT

I would say the Finnex Planted+ 24/7. It really looks great, cheap, and does an amazing job for my tank.

https://www.amazon.com/Finnex-Planted-Automated-Aquarium-Controller/dp/B00U0HMWLI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478708015&sr=8-1&keywords=finnex+planted+plus+24+7

Low light plants

Really nice light (assuming this is a 29 gallon?)

OK Light

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ID3OK3S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

75 liters. Long.

I think it’s this one I bought on amazon a few years ago. Not sure though.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ID3OK3S/ref=twister_B0772N6YMJ?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Old light from my 29 gallon, works perfectly fine, but decided to go with a more high tech lighting setup.

Local pickup only!

Here's the amazon listing for more specs: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ID3OK3S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Tank is a custom 34gal tall. Looking to upgrade the old single 24in t12 bulb to led. As the t12 is simply not cutting it for my plants.

Trying to decide between a set of high CRI led floodlights, and a 18w Nicrew led bar.

The floodlights are similar to these, but cost $15 from my local electrical supply house. Using high cri philips LED. 5500K color.

Lookalike floods: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01LXRTJZ3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_UK-TAbYC1JEJA


Nicrew: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01ID3OK3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_SM-TAbXJHQ2Z5

As it stands, I'm looking to go with an mbuna tank (considering overcrowding maybe in the future to reduce aggression as some recommended) & no plants.
Lights: I was looking for a light that's just for a fish aquarium, not for plants since algae growth and all. The ones you suggested should still be fine? Plus, I came across this on amazon before I read your post, what do you think about this?
Filter: Would (2) AquaClear 50's be enough for a 50 gal. overstocked tank, since you mentioned 8-10x tank volume?

Also, your answer was very helpful to me as I'm looking to get started with my new tank, thank you so much!

Edit: Might be a silly question, but I was wondering, would it be risky to put 1 or 2 haps/peacock in my mbuna tank (considering going with a 50 gal.)

I am using this for my light. Struggling to find a hood as well for it though



NICREW ClassicLED Aquarium Light,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ID3OK3S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Thank you! Are there any other plants just like that? I also bought this light do you have any clue how much I'd have to manage the light to make sure Algae doesn't grow?

My lights. i dose 5ml for my 20g. They My plants don't show any deficiencies save for my red flame sword, they aren't as red as they should be.

I think my light is good enough. I'm using a Nicrew ClassicLED at 50% for 8 hours (4 hours with a siesta in between). Nothing fancy, but works well, I think. But I really love the planted aspect of my tank and want to step up to the next level besides just doing root tabs and liquid ferts.

I just bought a 29g as well and had to upgrade my light. This is the exact one I bought and love it, it’s the same as my old one but bigger.

NICREW

Nicrew LED from Amazon

Aquarium light
Aquarium heater
Aquarium filter
Aquarium lid
Water Conditioner
Water test kit
And then you can get the aquarium (10g) at Petco
I strongly recommend live plants: Java ferns, anubius, Marimo Moss Balls, bacopa, cryptocoryne, Valisnaria, hygrophila, easy low light plants. Malaysian, Spider (not sharp), Mopani, and manzanita are all good types of drift wood for a betta aquariums

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01ID3OK3S/ref=oh_aui_i_sh_in_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That makes sense. I had a light that wasn't powerful enough and my plants had a hard time surviving. The algae problem started a little while after I got a new light.

I have it on a timer from 7am to 9pm. I didn't think to shorten the time the light is on, now that it's more powerful. Is there a recommended time the light should be on?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01ID3OK3S/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use this light on my 20 long. Good luck so far.

you know, i'm almost certain my light isnt strong enough for this plant anyway :(

Any low-light plant (java fern, anubias, etc.) will be fine. Check online to see which plants need to be planted in substrate and which ones will grow on other surfaces. I have both nana petite anubias & java fern in my tank - neither grows in substrate, so they're easy! My light stays on about 5 hours a day.

I haven't used it personally, but I've heard good things about the Finnex Planted + 24/7 : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U0HMWLI/ref=asc_df_B00U0HN1DG5419634/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B00U0HN1DG&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167154348866&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3111673664299888318&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9012430&hvtargid=pla-305313603279&th=1&psc=1

well if you the cash one of the best led fixtures right now would be this

I'm sorry. It's finnex not fluval. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00U0HMWLI/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510480366&sr=8-1-fkmr2&keywords=fluval%2B24%2F7%2Bplanted&th=1&psc=1

I am using these lights, running CO2 (not at high levels), substrate is a mixture of fluval stratum and flourite. I am also using a little stump killer (very low doses) to keep SOME nitrates for the rapens, as I have no fish in here yet. I can physically remove this stuff and it comes back like this in a matter of a couple days. I've tried spot treating with H2O2 and I've also tried some blue-green slime remover, which seemed to help a bit, but never fully cleared it up.

I think thats fair! This is the one I got This is the original then yeah?

Finnex 24/7

Finnex is quite good for the price. The 24/7 30 inch bar is only 90 bucks: http://amzn.com/B00U0HMWLI

I've got a finnex Ray 2 and it's quite impressive. The nice thing about the 24/7 is that you can tone it down a bit if it turns out to be too bright.

Nicrew LED Hood Light for Aquarium Fish Tank, Adjustable from 28" - 36" Length https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ID3OK3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_qnivbbLXikco4

It's got bad reviews from people in this sub before but... you can see the results.

I don't know that much about Red Lotus in particular but bulb plants I grow outside have all they need to grow stored in the bulb itself, they can grow into a full sized plant in a cup of water without any soil. Your Red lotus may be using the nutrients in it's bulb to grow well even without bright lights. I would go for this Nicrew it's $40. It will give you light you need to to try more varieties
of plants and see them really thrive. If you want to save more money try a 30" LED shop light from Home Depot, don't worry that it's not made for growing plants, in my experience overall brightness(intensity) is much more important than wavelength(color temperture)

NICREW ClassicLED Aquarium Light,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ID3OK3S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share that’s the link for the light. The tank I got from petco

NICREW ClassicLED Aquarium Light, Fish Tank Light with Extendable Brackets, White and Blue LEDs, Size 28 to 36 Inch, 18 Watts https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ID3OK3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_d3xCCbERR8HW2

5 Peppered Cory
1 Angelfish
1 Gourami
6 Cardinal Tetra
1 Male Blue Ram

No issues with the fish in terms of aggression so far!

No idea what the plants are, just started dosing excel today.

This is the light I have, will it be OK for the plants or should I get something different?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ID3OK3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_aQMQybDVK40K7


Thanks for all advice in advance :)

• If You Can, Get a Aqueon Tank - Only because Aqueon Also Sell Tops Separately, But you May have to Buy the Top online. I Haven't seen to Many Petco/smarts Have them On Hand.
  
• Not sure on Dividers - Sorry.
  
• When it Comes to a Non-Planted Beta Tank, No Co2 Required.
  
• And I Buy my Lights off Amazon from Here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ID3OK3S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_sUz8BbMEG2AT2

I just wanted to say, it sucks that this responsibility was thrust upon you but you seem like a great person who is really trying to do the best for his betta!

I know you said you're low on money, but sometimes Petsmart or Petco will have a dollar per gallon sale so you can get a 5 gallon for $5 or 10 gallon for $10 (I actually only have a 3 gallon because I am a poor college student, but plan on upgrading as soon as I graduate).

I have a more expensive heater to keep the tank at a stable temperature but before that I used this one and a cheap thermometer.

Your betta will be ok! It seems that you are trying your best for him and bettas are more resilient than we think :)

Thanks for the feedback! Yes, I already have a glass thermometer in there.

He's been in the tank for about a week. He eats well (mostly Hikari pellets, but also Betta Bug Bites) and has been getting more active with the lights on/off cycle and the same few people filtering in and out. He showed interest in the new thermometer I put in tonight and has stopped hiding every time I open the lid. (Probably because it usually means food time!)

I cycled the tank for about a week before adding him in. I did get the API Kit and my levels were good--0/0/0-5 and my pH is 7.4. I tested again tonight and have maintained the same levels.

I didn't rinse the substrate , as it said to add it directly and then water. I treated my water with the appropriate amount of conditioner that came with the tank kit. (I've ordered Seachem Prime for the water change and beyond.) I planted my plants (Not sure what I have, honestly) and left it to cycle. I dropped in an Aqueon Pure bio ball as well. I added Flourish tabs in two places after a few days when they arrived. I've also since added a moss ball.

This is my gravel vacuum. I also have a general tank kit (net, rake, etc) and a plant kit. I plan to stock Seachem Stability and Seachem Stress Guard. I ended up with a bottle of Tetra Safestart Plus because I thought I would need it, but haven't.

I'm so nervous! The last time I had a betta, my only knowledge was to take him out of the cube, put in fresh water, treat it, and dump him back in. I want to be a good fish mom!

Anecdotal, but I have this 25w in my 5 gallon, set as high as it can go, and it barely keeps the water at 75 now that it's almost winter and the ambient room temp is lower. So yeah, I'd go with the 50w.

The cheap $2 glass thermometers work fine, imo.

Looks nice and clean. I have a similar 5 gal. It's a Fluval Spec V. Not sure how strong your output flow is, but I had to direct mine up because it was pretty strong even at its lowest setting. The poor Betta was getting pushed around a bit too much. I'd also recommend a thermometer. The settings on heaters aren't all that accurate.

Edit: The thermometer I use:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002AQITK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467157638&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=aquarium+thermometer&dpPl=1&dpID=41IBRKnwMUL&ref=plSrch

And the water heater I might recommend. It's a little more stealthy. I've had no issues with mine. It's kept the water at a steady 79 degrees.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00KKYXT4K

Sorry for the crap links. I'm on my phone.

I bought my tank about a month ago and have been letting it run, as per the advice I received here. It is now finally ready to house a fish. I don't want to hurt or stress out my fish at all so I waited til everything was set. Plus my tank decor only just arrived due to the original package getting lost by UPS.

I may buy a betta this weekend if I see "the right one" but I am ok with waiting!

Here is a list of things I got, based on the general reddit consensus. I wished someone had included a list like this so here you go

Fluval 5 gallon (includes filter/light)

Hydor heater (hides right in the side part of the Fluval tank)

Thermometer

Sponge thingy to make the filter stream not too strong for bettas (I zip tied it on)

Easiest way to do water changes I've found is with a water siphon with faucet adapter. here is a "cheap" one on amazon

African Cichlids are very territorial. Don't waste your money on other varieties of fish without doing research.. those cichlids will kill them most likely. I've had Jack Dempsey co-habitat.

give them several places to hide, rocks and pots plants are cheap/easy decor.

Pic of my late fish tank RIP little buddies

Go on amazon and get the Aqueon version. It's like $23. Petsmart and Petco, etc are WAY overpriced.

Did it for you. Guess I was lucky and got it at a good time cause I paid $23.xx and it was prime. Here is for $30. Still WAY cheaper than a chain store. http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Aquarium-Water-Changer-Feet/dp/B000YAJKL6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418177170&sr=8-1&keywords=aqueon+water+changer

Would you suggest the Python brand itself over say, the Aqueon water changing system? The look pretty much the same but Aqueon is $27.99 vs $39.99. Or does it not really matter?

http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Aquarium-Water-Changer-Feet/dp/B000YAJKL6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1419183036&sr=8-3&keywords=python+water+changer

Aqueon Aquarium Water Changer
The Amazon link

I have one and oh man I love doing water changes now lol but if you drain and fill with a garden hose that is pretty much the same thing. I was carrying buckets for days for a small % water change, I knew something would give, my back or my patience

Try this one (or just the attachment can be had as well). You should only need to unscrew the aerator/flow limiter from the main faucet's output and put this in. Same as installing a water filter on the tap

http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-Aquarium-Water-Changer-Feet/dp/B000YAJKL6

edit: I was thinking of the "flow valve assembly" here, although you might want to look into a better quality one, or some zipties, just in case

I bought an Aqueon water changer. I don't have enough water pressure at my kitchen sink to use it just yet. The previous owner had a reverse osmosis system under there that is mucking things up.

Anyhow, I cut the hose at about 8 feet to use manually for now (I'll splice it back together once I resolve my water pressure situation). It cleans my gravel fast enough in that I don't have enough water removed from the tank by the time the gravel has been cleaned, so it does a good job (it's only a 40 gallon tall though).

From what I've read, you can pre-treat your tank with enough for the entire tank, and then figure out what temperature your tap water should be based on trial and error, and then you just vacuum the gravel and replace the water with the same device without using any buckets.

It's probably the best bang for your buck at $25. You could splurge more and go with the Python or better, but from the reviews I've read, the Aqueon is good enough.

Pythons are an aquarium owner's dream! Worth every penny. Here's the one I have.

I would really really reallyyyy love this because I have a big fish tank and it is very hard to do water changes and I've heard this is a life saver for that!

A little about me... I'm a 21 year old girl, about to be a senior in college. I'm majoring in biology and hope to go to veterinary school after undergrad. I love everybody here and I love life in general. I'm just about to move into my first apartment which I'm very excited about! I'm pretty outdoorsy and love hiking, climbing, camping, etc.

What about you?? Tell me about yourself!

https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I

I have two of those. Everybody seems to love them. One was knocked into the tank by one of my Oscars. It still works even though it sat at the bottom of the tank for awhile.

https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I

best one if you haven’t tried yet is

EHEIM Everyday Fish Feeder Programmable Automatic Food Dispenser https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001F2117I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_oXIACbM4145DV

easy to adjust and easy to program

EHEIM Everyday Fish Feeder Programmable Automatic Food Dispenser

I definitely recommend the programmable kind- they're a little pricey but they work great. I break the algae wafers into little chunks that are small enough to be deposited by the feeder. http://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Feeder-Programmable-Automatic-Dispenser/dp/B001F2117I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373668034&sr=8-1&keywords=fish+feeder This is the one I use, it has an adjustable door so you can choose how much food comes out when you use is.

I'd recommend the Eheim Everyday Feeder. I've used it for several vacations and it's been very reliable. It works fine with the smaller betta pellets.

He should be fine for 3 days, and I would advise staying away from one of those dissolving vacation feeders, I had one crash my tank.... :( But I do recommend this automatic feeder, I have used it for a 3 week time frame with no problems, I used it on my tank with my betta and neon's in it, and my betta eats the neons food as well as his so its all good.

And if you have amazon prime there is 2 day shipping on it....might be here in time.

Guys, i am very much tempted to set up an aquarium in my home. But, I will be gone overseas for a vacation for 4-6 weeks every year. I was looking at vacation fish feeder https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001F2117I#Ask and looks very promising. The reviews say that people have left their aquarium for long time. I checked with my friends and they suggested to not set up an aquarium. The problem is that most of my friends will be gone during that period.

I want to ask if any of you guys have tried leaving your aquarium for 4-6 weeks with vacation feeder?

I use battery auto feeders on all my tanks for their daily staple food. These ones are great. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001F2117I/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They never look mangled, they were swimming around like normal not hiding or anything.
They looked like bones which ive never seen before.
I am feeding them https://www.cobaltaquatics.com/collections/flake-fish-food/products/cichlid-flake-food and yes they were eating before death.

They are fed 3 times daily by 2 EHEIM Automatic food dispensers and they do not leave much if anything behind. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001F2117I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This seems like a pretty good option: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001F2117I/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A14IZ8JAGKKH3G

I've used this one before. It just rotates the drum and dumps food out of a hole. You can set the time of day and how often it rotates and you can adjust the opening to allow more or less food to fall out with each feeding. You can also set it to rotate twice each time if you need a larger feeding. The drum holds a good amount of food but flakes are a bit of a pain because if it gets splashed or just too moist, they stick and don't actually fall out when they're supposed to.

You can try to reduce portions. From what I have read, their stomach has size of their eyeball. 3 medium pellets (as Omega One betta pellets) or 1-2 big (if mouth is big enough, as New Life spectrum betta pellets). The same amount of food, but giving it time to be digested and moving south before the next feeding.

Emaciation theoretically could be due to internal parasites, but you can find shorter articles in search for fish diseases internal parasites. Some of them manifest in stringy poo, some in emaciation, the treatment is different, Prazi for worms and metronidazole for protozoans, both are available in fish stores and online, can't say about coccidia treatment, it could be sold under brand name, not generic name.
I have no experience with this, my fish had different problems.

What you can try too: keeping tank clean, including vacuuming detritus from the gravel, squishing moss ball like a sponge in the old tank water, keeping filter media clean, removing dying plant leaves, regulating light intensity and photo period for optimal for these plants growth. Planted Tank or Aquariums subreddits could help. Planted Tank can tell what to do when brown spots appear on java fern. Java fern roots have to be tied or lightly superglued to something (rock, wood, decorations) or kept down by some gravel pieces.

More water changes, slowly adding new water to allow fish to accommodate to it.

When feeding fish, watch that food was actually eaten, not lost in the gravel and sits rotting there.

For ammonia, from what I have seen online, it was recommended to keep a lot of fast growing plants as cabomba, moneyworth, elodea, hornworth, water lettuce, duckweed. But check their temperature range, elodea, hornworth and salvinia were dying in my tanks.

But with this amount of everything in your tank you shouldn't have ammonia at all, if lost food, decaying plants and waste was removed.

Nitrates are removed by water changes. You can make denitrator (cut water bottle with Seachem De*Nitrate or Matrix in it, set above sponge filter, you can see this in search for DIY biofilter), I tried, it helps, but water changes in small volume are better and easier.

Check by finger all internal surfaces in decorations, if there are sharp edges. My betta log had them, had to remove it.

Now testing stuff that can really help, if you can afford it:

API GH and KH test kit, most useful after ammonia and nitrates test kit. Results will be 1 drop = 1 dGH or dKH (degree of hardness). GH is most important, related to osmoregulation and health, see this, scroll down to kidneys. KH should be some to prevent pH swings, but not too high, harsh for the fish. You have to know them in your tank and tap water and make adjustments, if necessary. Aquarium subreddit can help with it.

TDS, measured by handheld pen, around $15 on Amazon, it has to have "Calibrate with NaCl" on the back, and 342 ppm calibrating liquid for it. I'm using HM TDS meter.

What does it do: bettas are low TDS fish, you can keep it this way by diluting tap water (if yours is hard) by distilled water and doing top off by distilled water too. You will have to keep an eye on GH and KH at the same time too, TDS could increase because of organics accumulation in the tank, if GH decreases, then more water changes are due.

Eventually you will see the dynamics of all of this and it will be not necessary to measure GH and KH frequently. With TDS it takes second to take readings, no problems with doing this even every day.

would this work to test?

https://www.amazon.com/API-GH-KH-Test-Kit/dp/B003SNCHMA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466430907&sr=8-1&keywords=aquarium+water+hardness+test

The API kit I bought had PH, high range PH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate testing, I thought that'd be enough.


But all the like, seriously fish and liveaqauria stuff keep listing preferred PHs so I was kind of worried when I saw that. They listed kribs as being OK to 8.0 at least so I thought they might be an option. Damn damn damn

Yeah i think the shells will grow back. No problem, glad I could help!

You should also get a hardness & carbonate hardness test kit.

It's general hardness and carbonate hardness. These two parameters are important in a shrimp tank. RCS need a GH of 6–8 and KH of 2-5. From the picture you posted, the white band below the head can be from lack of GH, too much protein, their growth is faster than their body can molt.

You can get a test like this one https://www.amazon.com/API-GH-KH-Test-Kit/dp/B003SNCHMA

Check this out https://www.aquariumcreation.com/blogs/news/setting-up-a-shrimp-tank when you can. It should give you a good overview of what your shrimp need.

Strips are inaccurate. The Master Kit is $22 at Petsmart, they'll price match their online price.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_o0rEDbS5WQW3F

The kH and gH kit is on Amazon, might be at Petsmart but I never seen.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003SNCHMA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_P0rEDbC12T7Z6

I use test kits from API:
pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, hardness

For their main food source, I use calcium-enriched algae pellets.

Not every cray will eat fish, so I wouldn't worry about that at all.

A 10 gallon might be ok for your crayfish right now, but it will eventually require at least a 20 gallon tank (ideally 30+).

Here are some steps you can take to help out your cray:

• Remove any old food. Do a 50%+ water change, being sure to use a dechlorinating water conditioner like Prime. Make sure the water is about the same temperature as your tank. Repeat water changes at least every other week. Test your parameters to make sure they are ok!
  
• Turn your tank lights off (if you have any) and add some more hiding spaces. Try not to spend too much time right next to the tank, or interacting with your cray in any way. It needs time to adjust to its new surroundings. It probably doesn't feel safe just yet.
  
• Offer a small piece of algae wafer or blanched vegetable every other day or two. Remove it if not eaten.
  
  It's great that you're reaching out for more information. It sounds like you and your cray will really benefit from doing some more online research. Read up, there is a lot to learn!

The gh/kh test drop kits are available on amazon for 6 bucks with prime/free shipping, this was about 10 dollars less than my local petsmart. Also the master test kit is about 6 bucks cheaper on amazon as well. Good luck with your shrimps :)


... I don't work for amazon or anything, I just really like a good deal, and was kinda miffed at petsmart for trying to overcharge so much.

1. You can get a digital TDS (total dissolved solids) meter or the API GH/KH liquid test kit.
   From my understanding, dH (German degree of hardness) is not a specific measurement but rather a conversion to/from ppm (1 dH = 17.5mg/L or ppm).
   
   
2. Snails (even the pest/pond/bladder variety) are generally a good thing. A sudden bloom of snails probably indicates overfeeding, as your snail population directly reflects the amount of food available for them to eat. Less food = less snails. Feeding less and cleaning more should decrease the population, but you might want to keep the ones you have to clean up what's already available in the tank. Afterwards, their population will regulate itself.

you can get the [api gh kh test] (https://www.amazon.com/API-TEST-Freshwater-Aquarium-Water/dp/B003SNCHMA) and that will give you exact numbers on how hard it is (gh) and the calcium in the water (kh)

Excel itself is simply a source of carbon for the plants - some love it, and some hate it (mostly mosses and algae related plants). Excel is a stand-in or supplement for a proper Co2 system - plants need Co2 to grow - fish will produce small amounts of Co2 and plants produce Co2 at night in small quantities, but a proper system will be needed to reach high levels of dissolved Co2, which may or may not be needed for certain plants. Adding Co2 will drop the pH in the tank, so it will need to be closely regulated - I'm not sure if Excel effects the pH. I do use Excel but my tanks all have Co2 regulators tied to the pH so any drop in pH would stall my Co2 and hold the pH at a stable level.

Plants need a lot of other things to survive. Different plants will need different levels of nutrition, but the primary ferts to look at would be carbonates/bicarbonates, minerals, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Carbonates and Bicarbonates are measured as "KH", aka Carbonate Hardness.

Minerals are measured as "GH", aka General Hardness.

Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium are the main elements in most fertilizers, and are known as the NPK values or NPK ratio, see Labeling of fertilizer.

KH and GH can be tested for using simple tests such as the highly regarded API test kit. Most tap water has some level of KH and GH that's probably fine for most plants, but it's something to look into, and you should definitely be increasing both if you're using distilled or RO water. Aquatic life such as fish and invertebrates will need a KH and GH that match their natural habitat, most plants are more forgiving. Seachem sells both Equilibrium for GH and Alkaline Buffer for KH. Alkaline Buffer can also be used with Acid Buffer which converts KH into Co2.

As for general ferts, root tabs can be great, but you can also use liquid fertilizers, such as Seachem's line of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium, along with Seachem Flourish. Whether to choose a liquid fertilizer or root tabs largely comes down to the kind of plant as some get most of their nutrients from the water column and some get them mostly from the substrate. A good indicator is where the roots are on the plant. If the plant mostly or only has roots below the substrate, then of course root tabs is a good option, but some plants will also have roots above the substrate which means they will be able to grab nutrients out of the water column with ease.

There are a lot of other trace elements that plants can benefit from, but the primary ones you need to look out for are NPK. Sorry to throw you into the deep end, so to speak, but Excel on its own is not nearly enough to provide proper nutrition for plants, and depending on your setup and what you're doing to treat your incoming water, you may not be doing enough to support a planted tank.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003SNCHMA/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_zVhlybM53ZDAG


Here ya go brother. Cheapest I've seen it. Comes with everything you need including glass vials.

Make sure you cycle your tank before adding the fish in. If you don't know what that is, read this guide: https://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles_51/fishless-cycling-article.htm

​

As for the gravel issue, the problem with that coloured gravel is that the unnatural colours can stress out the fish, not that it is inert. Substrate is there to stop the fish from feeling stressed (it provides a more natural environment and doesn't reflect fish like the glass bottom does), to decorate the tank, to host beneficial bacteria that help with the nitrogen cycle, if you have bottom-feeding fish like corydoras to allow them to forage through it as they would in the wild and, if you have root-feeding plants, to provide nutrients for them. However, some plants feed through the water column instead, and if you do have root-feeding plants, you will probably want root tabs or a soil substrate to provide nutrients (this doesn't have to cover the whole tank). Gravel isn't normally what you would use to provide nutrients to plants, anyway, so it being inert doesn't make it useless.

​

Shells and even some substrates can be used to add minerals to the water to harden it, but whether or not you will need this depends on what the water in your local area is like and the species of fish you are keeping. Bettas generally like quite soft water, so this probably wouldn't be necessary. You should be able to check how hard the water in your area is with a google search. If not, you can get testing kits for this such as this API one https://www.amazon.co.uk/API-CALCIUM-Saltwater-Aquarium-1-Count/dp/B003SNCHMA?th=1 You'll also want to research the preferred water hardness of whatever species of fish you are keeping. If you do need to raise it, you will be able to do it more accurately by using a product such as seachem equilibrium, or mixing magnesium and calcium yourself, but you will need to research how to do this. Shells and substrates that raise water hardness are normally used for fish that need extremely hard water, such as cichlids.

You can get a test kit for $8 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003SNCHMA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_MlIaBb9KNMRDR
It's essentially performing a titration to test carbonate hardness (KH). That is the single biggest measure of the buffer you have that is keeping your pH stable. If KH is low, your PH is pretty much guaranteed to be unstable.

It's about 25 clams on amazon. I added the ceramic diffuser for another 5.

Fluval charges quite a bit for the cartridges, but it takes a standard small co2 cartridge. They can be had for about a dollar a piece from other sellers on amazon.

probably referring to this, from personal experience I can tell you it's not worth it, the canister lasts maybe 3 weeks and the "diffuser" is very large and needs to be manually filled and closed. I've read some people have been able to adapt the system to co2 cylinder but that doesn't seem worth it to me either.

He is talking about this. Instead of using their overpriced proprietary cartridges you can use the 16 gram threaded cartridges meant for bicycle tire inflaters like these.

Thanks, I'll do a bit more research on CO2 before I pull the trigger. I'll probably end up buying this since it's pretty cheap and seems good for a beginner.

I have a pleco, and he does wonders. I already use rodi water. Currently I use this https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Mini-Pressurized-20g-CO2-Kit/dp/B0049RL3H4 but with a normal diffuser.. Looking to switch to an automatic gla regulated 5lb tank. How is gla's ferts different from flourish?

I have no complaints with mine! It's a small fluval co2 diffuser, I do take it out probably once a month to wipe it down but I haven't had any problems with it getting dirty. Here's the link to it on amazon:
Fluval Mini Pressurized 20g-CO2 Kit - 0.7 ounces https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0049RL3H4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ovVRybR1KD1TP

It’s the tiny little cheap Fluval system that uses disposable CO2 canisters. The refills they sell are a huge ripoff but you can use cycling pump refill cartridges and the threads are perfect. If bought in bulk, only 1 - 2.50$ per refill, lasts ~2 weeks.

https://www.amazon.ca/Fluval-Mini-Pressurized-20g-CO2-Kit/dp/B0049RL3H4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540362864&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=fluval+co2&dpPl=1&dpID=41GHMk-SUuL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/RedRock-Unthreaded-Gram-CO2-Cartridges/dp/B01IC4B34M/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1540363079&sr=8-2-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=threaded+co2+cartridges+16g&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Mini-Pressurized-20g-CO2-Kit/dp/B0049RL3H4 . Do you mean this kit?. also what adapter do you use?

Yeah, the only difference is that I used the Fluval diffuser. The glass diffuser is a lot more fragile - I dropped mine and it shattered. The Fluval one is a clunky piece of plastic, but holds up well. I've been re-evaluating my setup and will be replacing my DIY system with something more robust. Before I get into why, let me go share some advice with they DIY system...

 

First off, I'd also get a check valve. This will prevent siphoned water to back up into your CO2 setup. There are bubble counter/check valve combinations, even a diffuser/counter/check valve combo.

I haven't purchased these, so I can't comment on the quality. I will say - I purchase most if not all my supplies from Amazon with great success. I always buy the least expensive equipment. Most of it I can tell comes from China, but the quality is still pretty good - it gets the job done.

 

Second, the DIY setup is good, but does not last. The DIY kit you can get on Amazon is awesome - fits right on any standard soda bottle and has a nice needle valve and pressure gauge. My problem is durability, the setup I used to create the tank I have in the picture has recently broken down. The pressure gauge ripped off (because the tubing wore down) and although I tried to reattach and seal it, there was a slow leak that I wasn't willing to try and repatch. This is the second DIY kit I've broken, they both broke at the tubing piece that connects the gauge and the bottle cap. The main reason why it breaks down is because I shake the shit out of those bottles to stir up the Baking Soda and/or Citric Acid. I never really paid attention to the pressure gauge flopping to and fro, but now I realize that after enough "fros", the tubing worn down until it tore off. So if you stick with the DIY setup, try to either not shake it like a polaroid picture - or hold the pressure gauge steady.

 

The DIY system is cool because it makes you look like Walter White and also provides a "cheap" way of getting CO2 into your tank. All you have to buy after you have your setup is Baking Soda and Citric Acid. Baking Soda, I get at Costco for cheap and is so big it will last forever. Citric Acid - I haven't really looked in depth at purchasing local - but Amazon sells these 5lb bags for $15. I think it's the best deal on Amazon. I've only bought two bags total (I tried it in my 75 gallon tank - STUPIDEST IDEA EVER - but that was when I was really new to the hobby). I'd say for a 5-10 gallon tank, 1 5lb bag of Citric Acid should last you for maybeee a year - depends on your bubbles per second obviously.

 

One major con I have for the DIY system besides durability is that it's all manual. Sure - you can figure out how to rig up a solenoid of some sort and what not to get it on a timer- but seems like more trouble than it's worth for a DIY system. I let my CO2 run 24/7 which isn't ideal - but as the picture above clearly shows - it works. The other downside of it being manual is that baking soda surprisingly doesn't mix all the way with water. So when you introduce it to the citric acid solution (which mixes well with water) - the entire reaction may not occur until you shake it and baking soda then reaches the citric acid. Having to periodically check my CO2 system isn't terribly difficult, especially if you chose the DIY setup to save money - but sometimes if too much citric acid is transferred into the Baking Soda side - a fuckton of CO2 is created and now either is pumping into my tank or my soda bottles look like they're ready to explode. I will say - this has happened to me very rarely. I've seen my soda bottles build a lot of pressure before - but never bursted. So it's not the end of the world, just an unexpected inconvenience.

 

The other major con I have is refilling. Sure refilling doesn't take that long, empty the neutral baking soda/citric acid solution and add a the the right amounts of the new solutions in. But after doing it so many times - I'm kinda tired of it. I sometimes have extra soda bottles at the ready with the solutions and unscrew the old ones and pop in the new ones. Good plan, but still takes time and effort.

 

If you're careful not to shake the tubing of the pressure gauge, content with either having CO2 run 24/7 or manually turn it on and off AND are willing to periodically refill soda bottles, then I'd say give the DIY system a shot.

 

I chose the DIY setup when I first started the hobby and wasn't sure how dedicated I would be. Also - I didn't have a great paying job that would warrant me paying more for a convenient/foolproof CO2 setup.

 

Which brings me to what I plan on doing now. Now that I'm more interested in the hobby, I've decided to step my game up. For starters, I have a 75 gallon tank rigged up to a 20 lb CO2 tank that I have to refill every 3-4 months. I live by a small hydroponics shop that refills my CO2 tank for $20. I don't know if $20 is cheap, but the store is close, convenient and gets the job done. I also attached a $40 solenoid to it so I could connect it to a timer. This setup has been AWESOME. Very simple, and 100% reliable. I just take my empty 20 lb tank to the store and get it filled and plug it back into the solenoid.

 

Because my 20lb CO2 tank setup has been so successful in my 75 gallon, I've decided to do something similar for my 5 gallon. While a 20lb CO2 tank is complete overkill - there are pretty good alternatives out there. I've looked at using the Fluval 20G CO2 kit and using Threaded CO2 Bike Tire Cartridges. The diffuser that comes with the Fluval system is huge and I would never use it. So basically I'm paying $30 for a regulator that can't even easily attach to a solenoid. Also those 16g bike tire cartridges seem small and wasteful. So your costs are $30 for the setup and ~$30 for the CO2 cartridges - which who knows how long those last. The main benefit to this setup is that it's super small. This seems like a good setup for sure and was very close to going for it, but I've decided to go with something else.

 

I'm buying a 24 oz Paintball CO2 tank ($25) , a CGA 320 Adapter (CGA 320 is the size of the standard CO2 tank threading) ($10), and a regular solenoid ($40). The prices seem reasonable except for that CGA 320 adapter piece. $10 for a piece of metal. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the same piece at Home Depot or Lowe's and I'm also lazy. So I'd rather pay the $10 then figure out how to jerry-rig my own. The adapter allows the threading of a Paintball tank to connect with the threading of a standard CO2 solenoid. Considering the Fluval setup is $60, I'd say this $75 paintball setup is worth it - especially since it now has a solenoid! The main difference is CO2 refill. Dick's Sporting Goods (also local for me) refills 24oz paintball CO2 tanks for $5 and every 5th fill is free. I think 24 oz will last me a long time anyway. In any case - I think the main obstacle whether it is using a 20lb CO2 tank or using a 24oz Paintball tank is where you're going to get that CO2 filled. You can search for a local Airgas or like a place that sells/refills Fire Extinguishers. Bars use CO2 as well for beer - but you don't need food grade CO2, that's just overpaying.


 

I know I went a little overboard, but this is all information that I've recently researched and figured I'd share it. I can't comment on the performance on the paintball tank setup just yet, but I assume it will work fine.

 

TL;DR DIY systems are cheap and good, but not 100% reliable/consistent and must be manually turned on/off/. You may or may not marry a woman named Skyler White during the process. Major costs are $15 for DIY rig, $15 for a 5lb bag of Citric Acid. I'd recommend using a 24oz Paintball CO2 tank because they can attach to a solenoid and are reliable and consistent. Major costs are $25 for a 24oz Paintball Tank, $10 for a CGA 320 Adapter, a $40 solenoid. $5 fill ups at Dick's Sporting Goods.

What type of DIY system do you have? I have a citric acid/ baking soda setup and it has enough pressure to go through the diffuser.

You could use something like the low end fluval co2 systems.
https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Mini-Pressurized-20g-CO2-Kit/dp/B0049RL3H4/ref=pd_sim_199_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0049RL3H4&pd_rd_r=1BP0WCT9V6RAB7XF1WRP&pd_rd_w=Mk6rY&pd_rd_wg=wctUM&psc=1&refRID=1BP0WCT9V6RAB7XF1WRP

here’s the product I’m out to dinner but I’ll PM you later a picture if you’d like, it’s a pretty small footprint out side of the tank, the included diffuser is a tad large for my 5 gal but I don’t think it detracts too much.

I would recommend you set up a DIY CO2 system first to see if the results are what you're aiming for. It will cost about 1/5th the price of a prebuilt system. In my case I didn't want to deal with wasted CO2 cartridges that just end up in landfills anyways; so I got myself Seachem Flourish Excel which is a liquid CO2 dose. Dose every day manually but its only 1mL per 10 gallons every day or every other day depending on your plants requirements.

Amazon has it cheaper: http://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Mini-Pressurized-20g-CO2-Kit/dp/B0049RL3H4

Also since we don't know how big your tank is and how many plants you have its hard to say if that's enough CO2.

https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Mini-Pressurized-20g-CO2-Kit/dp/B0049RL3H4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=fluval+20g&qid=1554097357&s=gateway&sr=8-1

It seems like replacing the co2 cannisters would get really expensive though. I'll probably try DIY for a little while but could see myself breaking down and getting a legit kit. Any suggestions? I saw this cheap fluval one but the replacement canisters get expensive.

Edit- word

It could be too many plants not enough co2. I'd give it a shot as it should give your plants a boost to health either way. I highly recommend the fluval 20g co2 passive defuser! It's great for 5-10 gallons.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0049RL3H4?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image

You'll need the sponge some airline tubing and an air pump.
Then just hook it up. Different sponge being used by same concept

This ones not too large, and you can stick it to the glass.

• Make sure you take that dead plant out asap. If it decays in there, it will cause a whole spike in your water quality.
  
  
• You can look at the Jardin Aquarium Sponge Filter. I've used them several times and have had no issues.
  
  
• Some substrate for a planted tank that I have used is Eco-Complete
  
  
• Do you have flourescent lighting? LED lighting? Incandescent? That all ties into good plant growth :)
  
  
• For the wood, I would try boiling it and then soaking it to keep the water clearer if that's what you want.
  
  Just do it all slowly if you are having trouble affording it. I know how it is to be able to afford even a fish. Just do everything a little at a time. Good Luck!
  
  

ok, something like this could work
http://www.amazon.com/XY-2831-Sponge-Filter-Aquarium-10-gallon/dp/B0056XVF82/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1463855420&sr=8-8&keywords=sponge+filter

or this

http://www.amazon.com/XY-380-Aquarium-Biochemical-Sponge-Filter/dp/B0051XIN78/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463855420&sr=8-1&keywords=sponge+filter

Could work, keep in mind these are just examples and there are several brands out there that are similar in price and might have better shipping

Marina Battery-Operated Air Pump https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TLWXOS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_cbMdzbCJMNTEY

XY-380 Aquarium Fish Tank Biochemical Sponge Filter, 4-1/2-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051XIN78/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XbMdzbCW64ACY

5 Gallon White Bucket & Lid - Durable 90 Mil All Purpose Pail - Food Grade - BPA Free Plastic - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A1LUFEY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_FcMdzbJ3S2MBT

I'm sure you can find the bucket cheaper in store.

Usually the sponges have a gallon rating you can go by (on the box, varies by model). This Sponge Filter is similar to the one you describe, and supposedly lists 100 gallons as the max load. People in the comments recommend it only be used in tanks 50 gallons or smaller to be on the safe side. This being said, I ran a 60 gallon sponge in my 40 gallon tank without any issues for several months before upgrading a canister filter.

I'm no expert (feel free to correct me! :P), but from the size of your tank those sponges look more than ample. They're not blocked off, and the pumps are moving air in a steady stream. If you're worried about suction, you can usually feel it when you touch the sponge. If you see slight accumulation of particulate matter on them, it's safe to assume they're working.

Okay this is easy then.

Don't use tap water for anything at all.

1. First we need to get your TDS down to where it should be.
   We are going to do what is called a water restart. You are going to empty the water (save 5 gallons of water in a bucket and put the little guy you have left in the bucket).
   
   You will have to purchase this product (http://www.hanaquatics.com/salty-shrimp-shrimp-mineral-gh-kh/)
   If you get 200g it will last you a lifetime.
   
   Once all the water is drained you will fill the RO/DI water into buckets and add the salty shrimp to RO/DI water until the TDS is between 200-250. Add this water to your tank. Now your tank should be between 200-250 TDS.
   
   Wait 24 hours with the filter running etc.
   
   Take a small bucket of water and drip acclimate your shrimp (see: https://youtu.be/ZSnJjTEjWyU).
   
   This is going to take a few hours. Every 30-45 mins make sure to take some water out of the bucket. Eventually the water in your bucket and the water in the tank will be within 20 TDS of each other. When the water in the bucket is close to the water in the tank you will be set to transfer the new shrimp into his home.
   
   
2. Top off water with RO/DI water. Dont worry about pH swings you will have enough kH in your water that it will be a non issue.
   
   
3. Neos are pretty hardy. You could probably go 3-4 weeks easy before you will need a water change depending on how much crap you add to your water. When your tank gets to 250-300 TDS (or 3-4 weeks depending on which happens first) it's time for a water change.
   
   
4. When doing a water change the end goal is to make sure the TDS will end up between 200-250 TDS. It's a little bit of a guessing game (since I hate sitting down and doing all the math) but lets say your tank is at 300 TDS. I would do a 20% water change and when I am adding new water to the tank I would add gh/kh+ to the new RO/DI water until the TDS was 120-150. Once I added that to the tank the tanks TDS should normalize to about where I want it.
   
   A few pointers about your tank:
   
   
5. You will want a new filter. From the picture I saw I would araid of shrimplets getting sucked up into the big cracks you have on the filter you have. I would suggest a small aquaclear and to purchase one of these (http://www.hanaquatics.com/ss-filter-guard/)
   
   
6. I would purchase a small air powered filter (http://www.amazon.com/XinYou-Aquarium-Biochemical-Sponge-XY-2821/dp/B009V3UGDS) or (http://www.amazon.com/XY-380-Aquarium-Biochemical-Sponge-Filter/dp/B0051XIN78)
   
   The sponge filter will grow mincroorganisms that the shrimp love to eat. It will allow your shrimp to graze and be healthy at all times.
   
   I know this is a large wall of text but once you get the hang of it Neocardina are quite forgiving.
   
   NOTE: The salty Shrimp gh/kh is very concentrated so a little will go a long way.

You want the “power filter” it mounts on the edge of your tank rather than all the way inside and with one of those you don’t actually need a sponge filter. I was just saying you could use the one you posted with a sponge filter (like this https://www.amazon.com/XY-380-Aquarium-Biochemical-Sponge-Filter/dp/B0051XIN78) and then just plug the tube on it into the intake of the power head.

This would make a nice gift. If you don't like that, then just about anything else from the same website would be nice. It's all sciency and fun, so I'm sure he'd enjoy it.

Species fall into niches and develop ecological status-quos though, which I think is what most ecological worry is about. It is very interesting though to realize that the system isn't self-contained. I like those ecosphere things, but I always found them a little misleading. They seem to represent a self-contained system, a circle of life that is a complex perpetual motion machine, but in reality it only works because of a constant influx of energy.

As far as conservation goes, I don't know if I would have cared if I got to see do-dos, but I'd feel like a dick if I deprived future generations of some of the cool stuff this planet has to offer. I'd feel worse if I contributed toward the particular undoing of humanity.

The next best thing in desk decoration culture!

I've wanted one of these myself since I was little, it's a tiny shrimp ecosystem: EcoSphere Closed Aquatic Ecosystem, Small Sphere https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005IZOB5M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_UopizbPNQW0QA

There's a bunch of geeky options here: http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/geeky-office-supplies/

Amazon has a cool section of interesting workspace items: https://www.amazon.com/stream/0ee129b6-20d0-4bc1-b100-5fadf9e625b3/ref=strm_theme_workspace?asCursor=WyIxLjYiLCJ0czEiLCIxNDk1MzI0ODAwMDAwIiwiIiwiUzAwMTQ6MDpudWxsIiwiUzAwMTQ6MjoxIiwiUzAwMTQ6MDotMSIsIiIsIiIsIjAiLCJzdWIxIiwiMTQ5NTMyNzQ2NDc4NiIsImhmMS1zYXZlcyIsIjE0OTUzMjM5MDAwMDAiLCJ2MSIsIjE0OTUzMjg1MTI5MTciXQ%3D%3D&asCacheIndex=0&asYOffset=-231

You could always get him a Self Contained Ecosystem. I've heard good things about those.

Or on the cheaper side: A live pet moss ball in a jar.

http://www.amazon.com/EcoSphere-Closed-Aquatic-Ecosystem-Sphere/dp/B005IZOB5M

Name: "EcoSphere"

$60 - $410

Product Link: https://www.amazon.com/EcoSphere-Closed-Aquatic-Ecosystem-Sphere/dp/B005IZOB5M/

I think it is hard to say, but I found this And it says it will live for around 2 to 3 years.

I don't know why it will die off, if it's the water, the shrimp population or the plant, but I find it fascinating that this is possible at all.

But this is a very basic ecosystem with a basic lifeform with very basic sustenance.

An EcoSphere

I would pamper myself with this Ecosphere. I think it would be so relaxing to look at! Plus the whole idea of the thing is just cool.

Your jewelry is AMAZING!!!! The things I would do for that birds nest necklace... lol Thank you so much for the chance to win some!! Im super excited!

If I got Kitten mittens for my cat, I think she would murder me in my sleep. They would be so darn cute though...lol

HAPPY FOUR MONTH BIRTHDAY LITTLE LUNAR3!!! <3

Ogni animale ha i suoi pro e contro, a meno di non prendere questo

The Amazon page of the product itself says: "There is no feeding or water changes required. The average life span is between 2 and 3 years"

here's my suggestion. This filter is for a 150g rated tank.
I had this running 3 turtles in a 75g tank and it kept it crystal clear. Get some sponges from the dollar store and put 2-3 in each layer of filter for this and it will do even better(

I am running a Sun Sun HW-304B in a 55 gal and its been going strong for over a year, friend of mine has 3 of the same filter with no issues and he got his first 2 years before me. I don't know if it will last as long as an Eheim but it keeps my tank clean through overstocking and light maintenance schedules when i get busy. At the price i dont know if you can really do better unless you spend at least twice as much.

I have smaller aquaclears that I love, they have the advantage of being easy to clean (no cracking open a pressurized canister) so I find I do it more. I have this sunsun that I run on my winter goldfish tank that I like and you could probably get away with just one on a lower bioload community tank. Again the disadvantage of any canister is taking it apart to clean but honestly it's not that hard, especially if you aren't running it on a super high bioload fish like me so it needs to be cleaned once a week.

Weelllll...the best setup is the biggest you can afford. The bare minimum for 2 fancies would be a 40 gallon breeder, but the more space you can give them the better. If you live in the US you can get a pretty awesome discount on aquariums up to 75 gallons (varies by store) fairly often when they do "Dollar Per Gallon" sales. Petco does the most frequent DPGs but Petsmart and Pet Supplies Plus also do them. Petsmart sometimes just has heavily discounted sets also. Anyway, $40 is the least it will cost if you buy a new tank, but maybe you can find a great deal for a secondhand tank on a resale site if you prefer that route.

Filter...maybe go with a SunSun as they're quite cheap for their quality. I use this one and while the UV sterilizer is generally unnecessary I guess it might be helpful in an ich outbreak or something. It's actually slightly below the 10xph flow rate for my 55g so I supplement it with a HOB filter that I keep spare media in in case it's ever needed. For media in the canister I have sponges of varying coarseness, generic ceramic rings (for nitrifying bacteria), and Seachem Matrix (for nitrate-consuming bacteria).

The best water tester is the API Freshwater Master Test Kit. It may seem expensive at first glance, but it's actually cheaper over time - AND more accurate than strips. For water changes, since I don't have a faucet that can support a Python auto-changer, I use a pump stuck to the bottom of the bucket to push water up through spare tubing. Saves me the trouble of lifting heavy buckets or trying to gradually scoop the water out.

The best foods are New Life Spectrum, Repashy, Saki-Hikari, and if you need a cheaper option Omega One. You should also supply plenty of leafy greens; the fiber is very good for their digestive tract.

wondering this too.

or a brand new SunSun 304B for 78 bucks. sure, you might be able to DIY a can for a bit less than 78 bucks. but how much less really AND have the piece of mind of no leaks and a proven design?

> Well, if the husband doesn't want to be Aquarium Robert Smith, just wait.

Cure reference, nice.

> The cheapest way would be to purchase a good HOB filter like an Aquaclear 70 or a fluval C5, though you can get a SunSun canister through amazon at just barely a little more. You're definitely going to want both filters on as you're cycling.

Is this one appropriate? Then to confirm, you are saying run both the 220 that we already have and the SunSun?

> Speaking of which, you've mentioned you're cycling your tank currently--what method are you using to cycle it and do you have a testing kit for your water parameters?

The tank has been filled & there are some cherry shrimp in there right now (We'll find them another home before the cichlids hit the tank.) My husband was in charge of the cycling process, but I can tell you he did some minimal reading & then winged it LOL. He put a used filter from our other tank in there for a week or so in a mesh bag, along with a decent amount of gravel from an active tank. We have since removed all of that so we could put in the sand to prepare for the cichlids. Other than that, cycling has mostly just been waiting (2-3 weeks so far). We tested for ph & ammonia. Ammonia is 0 and I don't remember what the ph was offhand (but it was within range of the cichlids I was considering at the time). We'll need to test that again anyway since we pulled the gravel & put in the sand this past weekend. I also ordered a water hardness test that hasn't arrived yet after reading that cichlids seem to like hard water.

so if i get this

http://www.amazon.com/SunSun-HW-304B-External-Canister-Sterilizer/dp/B008986EQO

ill be set?

I had a Used XP-L,, in my experience.. the best bang for your buck filter is this one..

http://www.amazon.com/SunSun-China-HW-304B-External-Canister-Sterilizer/dp/B008986EQO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449086307&sr=8-1&keywords=sunsun

i one one running close to 3 years and still going strong.

I'm probably going to go with this.

I've been in the turtle game for about a year now, recently I've upgraded my 55 gallon canister filter to 150 gallon one called Sunsun HW-304B and wow has it been an improvement. Turtles need 3x the filter so if you have 55 gallon tank you're going to need one rated for 150-200 gallons which canister filters are preferred since they can last a long time without cleaning and provide better suction.

If you do go the canister filter route I would get this media kit that has everything you need to started.

As far as chemicals go I would stick with TetraFauna Aquasafe and API Sludge Destroyer, use only a little bit since that will make your water cloudy if you use too much.

To pick up food waste and whatever else get this long pole fishnet instead of those short ones that they sell at pet stores so you can get in there really deep without shoving your arm in.

Turtles also need 2 types of light UVB and heat, I found that this combo lamp works fine.

I have the three stage version of This on my 55 gallon tank. They are super cheap and get the job done quietly. The 4 stage should be plenty for 75 gal.

You already saw my other comment, but I'll add one more thing here: You might want to consider a small "sponge filter" for a 6.6 gallon tank instead of the hang-over-back filter. Most hang-over-back filters are for 10 gallons or more, so if you can't find a smaller one, just get these materials for a sponge filter:

• a small sponge filter. They look like this.
  
• a small air pump, like this.
  
• "airline" tubing to connect the pump to the filter. Like this.
  
• an airline valve. Like this. You'll need this to lower the amount of air being pumped to the filter. For a 6.6 gallon tank, you don't need much air to keep the tank filtered. Start out with the valve all the way open (lots and lots of bubbles, the tank will look like a hurricane is blowing through). Then, slowly close the valve until the water looks calm and the fishies don't look like they're fighting a current.
  
  The nice thing about sponge filters is you rarely need to clean them. I've run them for over a year without cleaning them and never had an issue. Super convenient.

Word. You'll also need a small air pump and a length of rubber tubing.

Air Pump

Tubing

10 Gallon pump
V
Check valve
V
Sponge Filter
V
Tubing

The check valve is a one way valve, which keeps water from coming backwards through the hose into the pump. This could happen during a power outage.

Nah, never skimp out on airstones and filtration. Female bettas are solitary except in very large, heavily planted tanks, they are very aggressive fish too. High quality pellets like hikari pellets should be alternated with frozen food, my bettas usually took both. Flower pot is for a hiding cave, and ducky might be too bright and stress out the fish. Natural decor looks prettier imo than man made stuff anywho, especially if you do it right. Never use test strips, they're expensive and innacurate, liquid test kits are the better option. Basically add seachem stability to the water for as long as it says, and put fish food in to make ammonia for the bacteria to feed on. Once you hit 0 ammonia and nitrite you're good.

For filtration supplies my recommendations are:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000NP8W84/ref=cm_cr_othr_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8#cm_cr_carousel_images_section
https://www.amazon.com/Penn-Plax-Aquariums-Flexible-Standard/dp/B0002563MW/ref=pd_aw_fbt_199_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=T5060PXA17HMGYQ77ABQ&th=1
https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-Whisper-Easy-Aquariums-Non-UL/dp/B0009YJ4N6/ref=pd_aw_sim_199_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=M73HJGY41F3HX940NJJG&th=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B076S3D75C/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1539721622&sr=8-4&keywords=small+airstone&dpPl=1&dpID=41QZJrnKZZL&ref=plSrch
And of course seachem prime and stability

What country are you located in?

Petco has the dollar per gallon sale every so often. So, you could get a 10 gal for $10

Then:

Sponge filter

Air pump tubing

Heater

Thermometer

Edit: this is just basics. Other things you'd need: a hood, a liquid test kit, Food- this one is just okay, cheaper in store to get Omega one pellets, absolutely need water conditioner- this one is very concentrated

At one point didn't transthetics have the option to buy detachable balls that could be added to their prosthetics? I could have swore that was a thing but looking at their website now I don't see it. It sucks because that would hit everything you want.

I have a couple freetom prosthetics. I've never heard of anyone that offers to add an ejaculation system to posthetics you already have unfortunately. You might be able to DIY some sort of ejaculation system for them? Like if you filled something with lube and put it in the shaft and squeezed the shaft, or maybe put it more in the base with a tube going up the shaft. Using a tube like that would be the only way it could work if you also wanted to use the insertable rod that comes with freetom prosthetics. My first thought is one of those little cake pipette things like these with a tube attached, maybe like this or this? Kind of similar to the idea of combining the peecock pleasure rod with a freetom but hopefully without the problem of pieces of it sticking out or not fitting right, and without having to buy a whole second prosthetic. No idea if that would actually work or not though. I also found this link talking about another method of piecing together different parts of different packers, but using cheaper products, maybe that would work?

Set up for single Axolotls

Realistic initial start up cost $135
Excluding cost of axolotl

$5-$40 20g tank MINIMUM preferably 30g (offer up, let go, Facebook groups and pet stores)

$1-$70Hides - decor or caves or even home made must be water safe even pvc piping works minimum of 2 (decor can become expensive fast if you want to make your tank look very “pretty”)

$20-$30Filter - something with low current flow sponge filter or a canister filter with something to break up a strong flow if you have a sponge filter you need air line tubing and a air pump

Bacto-Surge High Density Foam Filter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GOFPX9I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_oov7AbY5ESARC

Penn Plax Airline Tubing for Aquariums –Clear and Flexible Resists Kinking, 25 Feet Standard https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002563MW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kpv7AbQ20H9V7

Tetra Whisper Easy to Use Air Pump for Aquariums (Non-UL) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009YF4FI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Hpv7AbC3Y8R2Z

$10-$15 Water additives
Water dechlorinator follow instructions on bottle if the tank isn’t fully cycled use prime plus follow instructions on bottle

API TAP WATER CONDITIONER Aquarium Water Conditioner 16-Ounce Bottle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004LO9KSY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1qv7AbHFPEHT5

Tetra 77960 SafeStart, 15-Gallon, 50-ml, 1.69-Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003E2RI74/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1tv7AbDHHEMEY

$20-$35 API water test kit to make sure the water is in good parameters
http://www.axolotl.org/requirements.htm

API FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT 800-Test Freshwater Aquarium Water Master Test Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_zvv7AbK35G0WW

$2-$10 Aquarium thermometer that reads down to 60 degrees F

CNZ Digital LCD Thermometer for Aquarium Fish Tank Vivarium Reptile Terrarium https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KPXVI94/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_yxv7Ab1NSQ5H6

$5-$20 Aquarium syphon

Aqueon Medium Siphon Vacuum Aquarium Gravel Cleaner, 9-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004RK1WBK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2aw7Ab3Z5KS9B

Feeding

$2.50-$3 Fishing earth worms (Walmart sporting goods section)
$10-$15 blister pack of 30 blood worm cubes (I can sell them to you while supplies last for $15 or you can buy them at any pet shop that sells fish)

Earth worms when they get bigger try to feed them nibbles of a worm like the size of their head and move up as they get bigger and frozen blood worms for first month to month and a half try to feed the earth worms to the axolotls ever couple days by hand until they start accepting them they might start accepting earth worms as soon as a week after receiving them from me (feed frozen blood worms every other day until they are regularly eating pieces of worm )

Maintenance

You can use a turkey baster and clean up their poops as you see them you’ll still have to do water changes but much less water 25%-35% or use a syphon once a week and do a 30%-50% water change along with the water dechlorinator and some of the safe start plus make sure to test the water regular with the api test kit

Keeping the water to the correct temperature

60-64F is the perfect water temp for them but it can be hard to achieve during summer but doing more regular water changes can help with that and putting a fan over the aquarium blowing on it will help by up to 4-5 degrees

NO SAND OR GRAVEL ESPECIALLY NO GRAVEL EVER sand maybe fine once they are 6-7inches but they will swallow it and they can become impacted and possibly lead to death

Yes, I taped an air pump needle to the airline tubing with some duct tape. The air-line with a couple of layers of duct tape will fit snuggly through a water bottle sports cap.

Cherry and blue dream are the same species and will interbreed.

I would recommend picking one or the other.

When they interbreed, you won't get purple, instead you'll get some poorly colored blues, some poorly colored reds and a lot of "plain" which are basically mostly clear with some light brown.

Also neocardinas like lower temperatures, if you're looking to build a colony you should avoid tropical fish since they prefer warmer temps. If you're keeping shrimp a heater isn't really necessary.

I agree to wait for the $1 per gallon sale, it really is difficult to beat.

Over the last few years I've had 6 20g's going at the same time with slightly different set-ups from sponge filters to HOB to canister. I experimented with all methods, hi-tech, low-tech, waldstadt.

The most important thing you can do is think about what your end goal is. You'll make mistakes at first, everyone does. But if you plan ahead you can minimize how costly they will be.

If I were to recommend a set-up to a beginner.

• $20 aquarium PetCo $1 per gallon sale
  
  
• $35 AquaClear HOB filter
  https://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-20-Power-Filter-Listed/dp/B000260FUM
  
• $8 SunSun powerhead
  https://www.amazon.com/SunSun-Submersible-Aquarium-Hydroponic-Powerhead/dp/B00OUJ60RY
  
• $90 LED + full spectrum. As far as lighting goes, I've never been let down by Current USA, but I've never tried this model.
  https://www.amazon.com/Current-USA-Satellite-Freshwater-Aquarium/dp/B00C7OTE0O
  
• $40 Substrate I recommend aquasoil
  https://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Soil-Amazonia-Liter-Normal/dp/B00519832W
  
• $80-$150 for hardscaping. I would recommend Seiryu, Manten, or Ohko stones. You'll want 20-30 lbs and the cost ranges from $3 per lb to $6 per lb.
  
• $10-$25 for plants. For starting off I'd recommend something easy and fast growing like hygro pinnatifida, cabomba caroliniana, dwarf hairgrass, and rotala indica.
  
• $10 initial livestock. Get everything set-up and planted. Then buy 5 white cloud minnows to cycle your tank for the first month. These guys love the same parameters as your soon to be purchased shrimp.
  
• $5 second livestock purchase, get 2 otolincus catfish. By this point your tank should be cycled and some algae may be growing, otos will clean that up in no time.
  
• Now you buy your shrimp. You can get decent quality fire red cherry shrimp for ~$3-4 each, or blue dreams for $5-7 each. You'll want to start off with 10. Be good with your 20% water changes every week and soon they will be molting afterwards. Soon you'll get babies, after your first batch is born, buy another 10 to improve the gene pool a bit.

So I'm planning on getting a 55 gallon planted tank and was looking around for HOB filters. Would getting two of this be overkill? My hope is to keep the tank as clean as possible at all time with little water changes per week.

Alright...time to start typing out this monster.

Ive been reading guides and stuff, but i have a terrible memory when reading things, and theres some stuff i want to double check, etc.

Im looking to set up my old 29 gal tank from when i was a kid (its been empty for 10+ years). My goal is to do a planted tank with primarily tetras and shrimp...maybe a pleco and perhaps another type of schooling fish.

I probably wont be able to start cycling for ~2 weeks or so, though by the time i buy stuff on amazon, etc thats probably a decent timetable.

This light was suggested to me by another user. Should be sufficient for growing plants in a low tech system, right?

Ive seen various numbers for how 'oversized' a filter should be. Right now im kinda looking at these two (1) (2). Any comments on brand? It looks like i can get either one in bigger/smaller sizes. 400gph seems like it might be a bit overkill...but is 250 too low?

Ive read that often the agitation in the surface water by the filter is enough to provide sufficient gasses to the plants/fish...do you think that ill be true in a low tech tank? Would an aerator help? I dont think i'll mind having bubbles coming up in the background if it will, but am i overthinking this?



I wish i had saved more links on substrate and sand and all. Any recommendations for substrate for plants? Would probably like black stuff. I think this is the one i had read about being good?

Thinking about doing a bit of gravel in the tank, but i'd also like to do some sand. Maybe something like 2/3 sand (maybe a couple different types?) and then the rest gravel? Thoughts/concerns?

I thought i had read somewhere that people often use blasting sand (rinsed well)....anyone have comments on that? I could probably get some for cheap from work, though im not sure i want dark sand...


Best place to get a larger piece of driftwood? Ive looked around online a bit and have seen a ton of different sites and whatever, but was wondering if anyone had a suggestion for where to go. Im probably going to want one big piece, and then i can get smaller pieces from wherever.


I assume when im doing water changes and stuff im going to want to bypass our water softener? Our water is supposed to be pretty hard, do i want to maybe mix softened with unsoftened? (ive seen a lot of stuff about adding minerals to pure RO water, but havent seen much on softeners)




Im sure ill think of more, but this should at least be a good start...

Edit: Best place to get rocks and stuff? I'd like a couple for a natural look, im just not sure where to get them. I could get some red granite around here, but im not sure how that'd work, and it seems like it'd be really heavy...?

I run a dual setup in my 40 gallon long tank; a canister alongside a HOB. I love this setup and recommend it to anyone for larger tanks. It gives you the large size of the canister filter for a good amount of bio media, but you also have the HOB to add any small little things you need to for the tank. For example, in my HOB, I run filter floss, foam, and purigen. While in my canister I run bio balls, foam, and PhosGuard. Oh and I should mention that the HOB I use is an AquaClear 50, and the canister is an Eheim Classic 2215.
Specs on those:
Eheim:
164 GPH
Total Filter volume of 1.1 Gallons
Rated for tanks up to 92 US Gallons
AquaClear
200 GPH max (depends on how much filter media is inside)
Rated for tanks up to 50 gallons

I just recently purchased a 125 gallon tank and am slowly building up all the stuff to get it set up. I am looking at filters now and was looking for advice. I plan on planting it pretty heavily and stocking it with some big fish like black knife ghost fish, some catfish, and arrowana (knowing i will upgrade the size of the tank) I was looking at possibly doing an aquaclear. The 110 seems like its slightly too small for my tank which brings me to my question. would it be better to use 2 aquaclear 70 or 3 aquaclear 50 to make up for the size? are there some nice canister that would look and function better than multiple aquaclears? Thanks.

Sure! We love multis and I love telling people about them :) We live in Missouri so we have hard water, I don't have a test kit for the water hardness but it's high. Our water comes out of the tap at a ph of 8 so basically our water was MADE for africans!!

Their tank is kept around 78 degrees, no fancy lights, just a basic 20L with hood and light from Petsmart. The substrate is CaribSea for African Cichlids in black. Look for it on special at your local big box store. I think we got our 20lb bag for $4 or something. We use an african cichlid mix for their water here is a good article with a mix like we use. We also use Rift Lake Vital for the trace elements they need. We do 50% water changes on the tank weekly (and you have to make the mix for each water change of course).

We feed them Omega One Flakes, a few shrimp pellets, sometimes color bits to mix it up. They are very clean fish and keep their territories clean. Usually there will be two or three places in the tank where the waste seems to congregate, either they are putting waste bits of snail shells, food etc. there or it is naturally being swept their by the filter, an Aquaclear 50.

The fish are kind of hard to find so ask around. Usually people who have them have a colony going for years. My independent LFS has had them a couple of times (and asked $15.99 each!!). We bought them at the auction for about $3 each if I recall and the other six were given to us by the same guy.

I have this filter on it right now. I could probably get away without it though. I just have it for looks. I like the water flow, and it clears up the water quickly after a trimming session.

Are you using bioballs or live rock in the second chamber?

Most of the reading I've done is very anit-bio balls as they are a poor media for filtration.

Now, this might not apply to you because I'm trying to rehab a tank that had 2 yrs of neglect. But I "upgraded" the filtration and here's my setup:

1st chamber:
Biocube Skimmer

2nd Chamber:
Media Cartridge

Cartridge from bottom to top slots:


Purigen


Matrix in a bag


sponge


filter floss

3rd chamber:

empty


I'm considering upgrading the powerhead to increase the gph hitting the filtration and adding a splitter to the nozzle so I can have two directions of outflow in order to reduce dead zones in the tank.

The hard water isn't really a problem for what you have in there.

Also, try some Purigen in there to help with the coloring.
http://www.amazon.com/Seachem-165-Purigen-100ml/dp/B0002A5VK2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370280318&sr=8-1&keywords=purigen

Aquaclear 20

Replace the carbon with Purigen and you're good to go.

Okie dokie. I could do the 5 gallon tank with the filter, thermometer, fish net, and the small sponge filter (someone commented on the airpump first), and a halfway full small bottle of Fluval water conditioner.

​

I also have a bottle of Dr. Timm's Ammonium Chloride, a small packet of Purigen that can be bleached and reused (Purigen), magnetic algae cleaner, and a substrate vacuum thing. Are you interested in any of that?

I typically put one back to back for a couple weeks if I know one is going on the wayside. However, once I started learning about filter media I started just stuffing my Hang-On-Back filters with filter floss and ceramic rings. Right now my HOB has a small bag of purigen, a little clump of poly fill, and a pot scrubbie.

I experiment with different media regularly, but you always want to seed your new media by placing it in the tank(near the water flow) or, preferably, in the filter itself.

Purigen® is a premium synthetic adsorbent that is unlike any other filtration product. It is not a mixture of ion exchangers or adsorbents, but a unique macro-porous synthetic polymer that removes soluble and insoluble impurities from water at a rate and capacity that exceeds all others by over 500%. Purigen® controls ammonia, nitrites and nitrates by removing nitrogenous organic waste that would otherwise release these harmful compounds. Purigen’s™ impact on trace elements is minimal. It significantly raises redox. It polishes water to unparalleled clarity. Purigen® darkens progressively as it exhausts, and is easily renewed by treating with bleach. Purigen® is designed for both marine and freshwater use.


Basically, its this special plasticy bead stuff that goes in the hob or canister (the 100ml comes with a fine mesh pouch), it absorbs all sorts of metals, nitrates, excess waste etc from the water, pretty similar to what carbon does, except it does it a whole lot better, and it lasts a lot longer. It also polishes and removes tannins from water, water will look crystal clear once you start using it, i dont have a single tank with out purigen in an hob.

I love canister filters myself. You can typically get a more full range of filter material going than a HOB like what blowconfused mentioned. (What (s)he suggested looks great too though.) I would try out the 206 or 306 Fluval canisters.

Also, for clearing up your water; give Purigen a go. I absolutely love the stuff. It seriously is magical filter dust.
Plus it is rechargeable so when it has sucked up everything, you can recharge and it is ready to go for rounds 2, 3, and on. I'd go with this one first as the others will require you to buy the separate bag. This one is presealed.

I boiled mine for a total of 6 hours soaked for a week and had no tannins, I found another much larger piece and couldn't boil it and had no tannins after soaking it in a rubbermaid container outside and changing the water every day or two. But adding some Seachem Purigen it will suck up all the tannins and give you lovely clear water!

Just some info:

Picked up a nice sized piece of driftwood from the internet, as well as the very nice Marineland 5gallon hex. We're using a Purigen filter in the built in system, and it's worked phenomenally since day one at keeping the water clear and at a healthy balance.

For fish we have our Veil Finned Betta, a school of 5 phantom tetras, a yoyo loach, a snail, and about 10 cherry shrimp.

For plants, we've got a marimo ball that we're growing out to use as grass for the tank at a later time (which you can see at the base of the Easter Island statue bust), some marimo pieces on the driftwood, and a stone with baby tears growing from it which should grow along the floor as well. As for the large plant on the left I hate to admit this but I have no idea what its called. It's grown really really well since planting it.

Just thought we'd show off a bit! This is our first attempt at any kind of planted tank, and we've got huge plans for our upright 20 gallon in the near future. I plan on doing a before and after as soon as we finish with that one.

NOT MY CARD.

This aquarium thermometer relates to fraud because once you find the culprit you will capture him. You will drug him and bag him and put him in your trunk and transport him to somewhere isolated. Then you will tie him up and force him to watch Jersey Shore and My Little Pony and other terrible things that cannot be named will happen to him. Back to the thermometer, you will need to tape this under his tongue to make sure he is healthy enough to torture. Can't having him die on you. HE DESERVES PAIN !

https://www.amazon.com/Boxtech-Submersible-Aquarium-Heater-Explosion-Proof/dp/B07M665MNN/ saw this one it seems nice...

Thermometers:
https://www.amazon.com/Zacro-Aquarium-Thermometer-Terrarium-Temperature/dp/B01C6PE4G2/

Or if you don’t want to deal with batteries, I see this one is used by many folks here:
https://www.amazon.com/Marina-Floating-Thermometer-Suction-Cup/dp/B0002AQITK/

These are $2.24 as Amazon add-ons. They work fine; I have them in all my tanks plus extras to test water temps for water changes.

This is true. The only reason I ask is because the Sun Sun canisters come with a UV sterilizer in them. I guess a bucket, motor and UV light is hard to screw up. Was thinking about getting the 5 stage for my 55. the 304B

That would be the Sun sun hb-304b. Its about $100 and works really well. I have one on my other tank too.

Filter http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008986EQO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1421121421&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=31fg9kdaJ9L&ref=plSrch

1st level http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B50UPE0

Put this on top of the other floss http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002HBLUE

2nd level http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002Z7VAK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1421121104&sr=8-1

3rd level http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000R31KH2

With http://www.amazon.comgp/aw/d/B0006JLVUI inside of http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002X6F7AW put on top of the other media

4th level 2 packs of these http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000NRVLIU

Here is my layout, if I were to redo it I would have made the last 3 eheim pro. For the media I would have used the floss it came with at the bottom just rip it vertically, then foam, then the fine floss.

Overall I rate it 4.5 out of 5, sometimes it is hard to prime.

Filter
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008986EQO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1421121421&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=31fg9kdaJ9L&ref=plSrch

1st level
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B50UPE0

Put this on top of the other floss
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002HBLUE

2nd level
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002Z7VAK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1421121104&sr=8-1

3rd level
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000R31KH2

With http://www.amazon.comgp/aw/d/B0006JLVUI inside of http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002X6F7AW put on top of the other media

4th level
2 packs of these http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000NRVLIU

My gf has it in her tank using the lighting it came with which is three crappy LEDs. I mean they're bright but not like my Nicrew over the tank LED setup (which is also $20 and fantastic if you need lighting).

Gave her maybe a 4" cutting from my 5.5 gallon walstad and it branched out already and is probably 6-7" tall after a few weeks. No ferts, just one betta to shit in it for nutrients.

Looking to buy my sons and I our first Betta fish. They are 9 and 3 and I think it is something that we can enjoy together while teaching them some responsibility and work ethic in the process. Not looking to spend an arm and a leg, but would like the nicest setup available for $100 or less (including filter system and heater). I've linked a couple of aquariums below, but feel free to steer me in the direction of some others and/or better deals/quality. We are limited on space, so I won't be able to do anything more than a 5g tank. I've never owned fish, so I'm a complete noob here. Any and all help is appreciated!!!

http://www.petsmart.com/fish/supplies/aquariums-and-stands/aquariums/elive-3-gallon-aquaponics-semi-circle-aquarium-kit-40418.html?cgid=300065

Tetra 29095 Cube Aquarium Kit, 3-Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008CA7W7E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_s4p.ybQZFS8V8

Penn Plax Curved Corner Glass Aquarium Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0069RR2CC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_y5p.ybJPG54RG

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hawkeye-5-Gallon-Panaview-Aquarium-with-LED-Lighting-and-Power-Filter/55134441

I just bought a 2 gallon tank with a filter but do I get real plants or fake? And she has marbles at the bottom but are marbles safe and clean?

Also, she only gave him 2-3 little Betta fish pellets a day. Is there something healthier I can give him?

This is the sponge filter I currently have - SPonge

This is what I was looking to get (not at all sure) - FIlter

I forgot the exact name of the catfish but I believe they are Panda Catfish - or look very similar. This is 1 https://imgur.com/OkgmIJj the other one look exactly the same but about half again as big.

​

I hve 2 air pumps. 1 came with the 3 gallon tank set up I got on Amazon - see Here (just realized its a 3 gallon not a 5)

And then I purchased an air pump - Pump

And maybe I got the name wrong for the glofish, the pet store I could swore said neon tetra on the tank but I have those and definitely not that - https://imgur.com/8xNmjPi .EDIT- You can see them better in the OP picture if you click on it. Reason I ask is because my Betta was going after them the first day and they seemed SUPER chill. I haven't seen them try to nip at anything so far. Although its been 3 days. Also the catfish was in the tank w them so I figured they would get a long.

​

OK so the guy in the petstore told me i can have up to 20 fish in the 10 gallon. It's a private store not petco or petsmart/petland etc. Is that not the case then? I don't want to crowd my tank I was just planning on getting 2 more colors of the "Glofish" and that was probably going to be it.

​

Thanks!!

I much prefer glass tanks, personally. I feel they hold up better and are less prone to scratches. Here's one that's a bit smaller but a good price:

Tetra 29095 Cube Aquarium Kit, 3-Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008CA7W7E/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_tXMrub0Y9NDCE

Also, with a square tank you'll have more of a footprint for plants and decorations etc.

Just my two cents. :) hope this helps!

Edit: try your LFS, too. I know mine sells 5 gallon cubes for around $25.

Hi! Thank you so much for sharing Jarrariums. I checked it out and it has tons of ideas and useful info. I'm not familiar with some of the terms you mentioned: spec, mods and spray bar. Forgive my ignorance, but I would love to learn so I can keep shrimp happy!

You can check the aquarium that I bought here

Thank you for all your help!

As someone that's gone thru the same scenario as you I'm going to give you some possible options you can take that will make things way easier on you. The initial investment may be on the higher side but it's the equivalent of a couple dinners and a movie for some high quality stuff that'll last a long time.

• You need 4 things for a happy Betta: A proper tank, a filter, a heater, and proper decorations.
  
  
• First, return that 1 gallon aquarium if possible. While Betta's don't need large tanks I'd recommend something at least 2.5+ gallons. The tank will stay cleaner longer and your fish will be more active.
  
  
• There are different quality aquariums. Look for something that's an all-in-one design (comes with filter and light) Personally I love Fluval, a company that sells all in one contained tanks that are high quality, run silent, and are well designed. For dorm life I'd recommend The Spec 3: https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Spec-Aquarium-2-6-Gallon-Black/dp/B009K0ZKAQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1506546740&sr=8-5&keywords=fluval+spec
  If that's too much money this is also a good budget tank: https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-29095-Cube-Aquarium-3-Gallon/dp/B008CA7W7E/ref=sr_1_5?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1506546844&sr=1-5&keywords=aquarium+kit
  
  
• Buy a heater, any basic heater that can sustain a set temp is fine: https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-26447-Submersible-Aquarium-50-Watt/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1506547013&sr=1-2&keywords=tetra+heater
  
  
• Decorations: Bettas have long fins that tear easily on sharp plastic plants. Buy soft or rounded decorations and substrate.
  
  
• It's also highly suggested to buy any type of water conditioner to remove chlorine from tap water etc.: https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-16172-AquaSafe-8-45-oz/dp/B00068JW0A/ref=sr_1_5?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1506547213&sr=1-5&keywords=tetra+easy+balance
  
  
• Betta food is subjective, though I like Hikari's brand that comes in those clear packages with the maze looking thing to dispense food.
  
  

yea divide it, keep in mind bettas do jump, or buy a really cheep 2.5 gallon tank. http://www.amazon.com/Tetra-29095-Cube-Aquarium-3-Gallon/dp/B008CA7W7E/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1426133030&sr=1-1&keywords=aquariums

http://www.amazon.com/Aqueon-17771-Desktop-Aquarium-Black/dp/B00404FLME/ref=sr_1_23?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1426133030&sr=1-23&keywords=aquariums

I’ll definitely look into that! I currently have him in this tank but might need something a bit bigger as he grows as well.

Do you think you could sneak in a 3 gallon?

I kept a betta in this tank with some success. The filter it comes with unfortunately has a high failure rate, but it worked well while it worked, and you can always upgrade to a better one.

Alternatively, if you can get a filter to fit the 2.5 gallon, it would make a huge difference for a fish in terms of water quality. It's just that most filters are probably going to be too bulky for that small a tank and too quick of a flow for betta or other small fish. Maybe a sponge filter? I've never used one before but I've heard them recommended a lot for smaller betta tanks.

Hey I'm looking to get started. I came across two Betta fish from a friend. Awful condition. Tiny tank, no filter, no heat, no light. I'm planning to give one away and buy a tank on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008CA7W7E/ref=s9_simh_gw_d0_g199_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=mobile-1&pf_rd_r=1S17GHMD53Z8M6HXA2Z6&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2068141862&pf_rd_i=mobile

Sorry in advance. I'm on my phone. I'm a teenager so money isn't exactly infinite. I was wondering if this was a good deal of not. Tips and advice would be nice too.

If you're still interested in trying CO2 at a lower cost, I used this.

https://www.amazon.com/DIY-CO2-Aquarium-Plant-System/dp/B008CUZJF6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1484320229&sr=8-2&keywords=diy+co2

You can find tons of Youtube Videos on how to set it up. You will need the above, two 2 liter bottles, a diffuser, and bubble counter. You probably also want a check valve to prevent siphoning.

You will also need to remember to turn the CO2 off each night, or to turn an air bubbler on. If too much CO2 builds up, it will kill your fish by morning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JzvfHO31Ug - This video explains it all!

Not OP, but I followed the guide laid out here a while back : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JzvfHO31Ug&t=76s

and the kit is available on Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/DIY-CO2-Aquarium-Plant-System/dp/B008CUZJF6

Personally, I found this to be too unreliable for me (But I was running a much larger tank). I'd imagine this would work well for smaller tanks though.

This is what I've got going on.

I bought this cap/hose system

This diffuser

You don't absolutely need a bubble counter but you could buy one if you want to be more precise. Also, the cap/hose thing allows for an easy and simple set up.

i used a system like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008CUZJF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_PLoOyb8PKEMAW
then something like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002APX5U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_aOoOyb1YCZFSN
inline before the bubble counter to get finer control of the gas. its not made for co2 but it worked ok. I had this setup on a 3 gallon so i really had to dial it back. you might be ok with the 1 valve on a 12 gal.

Thank you very much! Should I pair that with this little kit?

https://www.amazon.com/DIY-CO2-Aquarium-Plant-System/dp/B008CUZJF6/ref=sr_1_17?keywords=diy+co2&qid=1557886690&s=gateway&sr=8-17

Reviews seem iffy, but it'd be a good way to gain experience with CO2 systems for not a lot of money.

Sorry it took me so long to respond. I've had a rough/busy week. Here is a link to the setup I purchased, minus the 2 litre bottles and chemicals. https://www.amazon.ca/ZJchao-DIY-Aquarium-Plant-System/dp/B008CUZJF6
It also contains a metal ball on the Citric Acid side with a magnet to pull it out of the liquid and stop the reaction. All of this is attached to airline tubing and then into a 3 in 1 glass diffuser with a ceramic plate.

My aquarium is a 30g community tank. Cardinal and Rummynose Tetras, Harlequin Rasboras, an EBR and a GBR. Also lots of live plants.

this video pretty much explains it I bought everything I needed from Amazon & big Al's

[diy system](ZJchao DIY CO2 Aquarium Plant System https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B008CUZJF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_4JwzybTHT4HK9)

Citric acid I bought from Amazon and baking soda was from grocery store

[3 in 1 diffuser, bubble counter, check valve. I live in Canada I bought it from Big Al's](Tropica CO2 Diffuser (3-in-1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017EHHWKC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_SMwzybE3D2YMT)

[co2 drop checker](Fluval CO2 Indicator Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052M9886/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_sQwzyb6Z9EGKE)

I've read about ppl saying to be careful not to tip over the bottles so I just cut 2 holes in a box to make sure the bottles didn't fall

I've been considering setting up a DIY Co2 system. Would something like this be a good place to start? http://www.amazon.com/DIY-CO2-Aquarium-Plant-System/dp/B008CUZJF6/ref=pd_sim_199_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=511Ek4woPxL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0BC8SD6AFR3HPD5WDBZA

Couple of ways. There is the yeast/sugar and baking soda/citric acid. I find the baking soda way to be more reliable. You will need 2 2l liter bottles and i would buy the diy co2 kit that is super awesome. Also diffuser and bubble counter. I run my tank with 2-3 bubs.
DIY CO2 Aquarium Plant System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008CUZJF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_.OxgybV71V35P heres a link!

Why not try DIY CO2. I bought one of these for a low tech tank and it works very well. The gauge doesnt work but it doesnt need to. For some reason the instructions show a tube going down into the liquid of the main reactor but that doesnt make sense and you should just pull it off. Mine is still producing CO2 3-4 weeks after i initially set it up.

I use this one. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B008CUZJF6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Wow. Some people!
If you go down the DIY route I recommend Citric acid & bicarb instead of yeast. Much, much more reliable and tunable.
I use this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008CUZJF6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

With an upgraded needle valve (a must):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00PBDQJK6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

looks like "melt"

I advice a simple DIY CO2... seeing what my plants did after struggling for ages is wonderful.

just need a few cheap amazon parts to order and sugar, bit of baking soda yeast and a cpl old lemonade bottles.

You'd be golden and hitting your head why you didn't do this before.

Oh sorry!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008CUZJF6/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza

I actually ordered everything individually from Amazon. I’m sure you could probably find everything locally as well but it was easier for a newbie like me to get it all from the same place.

Aluminum CO2 Paintball Tank https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0008G2WAW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_J3vBDbY97P8E0 - $22 ( + $5 to fill with CO2)

Aquarium CO2 Regulator with... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F7P8TL3?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share - $53

AQUATEK CO2 Paintball Tank CGA... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004M49QDC?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share - $12

aFe Power Magnum FORCE 54-11473... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N36MAO4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share - $18

AQUATEK CO2-Proof Tubing 16 Feet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008UCOFJW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_z6vBDbMW07193 - $8

Century 24 Hour Plug-in... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MVFF59S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share - $9

Aquarium Carbon Dioxide CO2... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C9DGXV0?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share - $11

Total: $148

Again, total newbie and this is the bare minimum of quality and price I was comfortable with. I plan on upgrading to a bigger tank and a better regulator in a few months. Do your own research too.

http://i.imgur.com/kujrMR6.jpg
2.5 gallon

Fauna: 4x White Cloud Minnow

Flora: Hemianthus Callitrichoides
Cryptocoryne Parva
Marimo Moss
Unknown plant in the back. Trying to find something to fill in the back.

Driftwood: Manzanita

Equipment: Beamswork 12" LED
Deep Blue Biomaxx Nano Filter
Rhinox Glass Drop Checker
Rhinox 1000 Glass Diffuser
Empire Paintball 24oz. CO2 tank
AquaTek Mini CO2 Regulator
AquaTek CO2 Tubing
DIY Teabag + Activated Carbon filter
Plug Timer

Dosing: 0.5 mL/day Flourish Excel
0.5mL/week Flourish Comprehensive
CO2: 8 hours, Light: 8 hours, offset 30 minutes.

Here is the desktop version of your link

I would go with this.

It is specifically designed to transport co2 and won't grow brittle or fail over time like many other tubing will, including silicone which is the kind you are buying. Silicone also has fairly high co2 permeability, which makes it at least a wasteful choice in terms of tubing.

Awesome! Does this tubing look better?

Thanks for your feedback!

I also bought these but not sure if required: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008UCOFJW/ https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005C76W4Y/

Well the DIY setup is definitely not dangerous. It's just pressurized gas in a 2 liter soda bottle. Worst case scenario, it explodes and makes a really loud sound, and gets vinegar all over your room.

And yes, those are almost the only three products you'll need. You will also need a basic electric timer for like six bucks, and some rubber tubing for the CO2.

Edit: Link to some tubing

I got these three things.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008TJCPSY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1414104173&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004MFGRLA/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1414104269&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008UCOFJW/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr1_1?qid=1414104332&sr=8-1-fkmr1&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70