Loooking to start up a freshwater tank. I got three small river fish.wanting a 20 gallon tank for sure. Is there any bang for the buck "kit" tanks out there? Or a good website to purchase a fresh water aquarium. Just need a tank pump and filter right? Thank you (fish heads) hehe :b

yes, there is a bargain site. its called Craigslist.com =D. I have gotten all 3 of my tanks (55 gal, 40 gal, and 20 gal) all with tons of goodies for way cheap from other people locally. I would highly recommend buying a used setup for your first time. cheap and easy. good luck!

What kind of fish are your river fish? They will tell you what size tank you need - depending on how big they will be as adults and if you need to have more than 3 of them.

You will need a filter, heater, light, tank, lid, gravel, plants and decorations. You should also grab a liquid test kit, as the strips aren't accurate.

Did you let your tank go through the Nitrogen Cycle before adding them? If not, your fish may end up dying. There are many posts on the forum about the Nitrogen Cycle and ways to do it.

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If they're river fish they will probably like a stronger current. make sure you get a 20 long and not a 20 tall. Or as previously stated, a bigger tank in general. Good luck!

The right tank you need? You should get the biggest you have space for and can afford. Larger tanks are easier to keep and especially important if you are new at fishkeeping.

Yep bigger is better,and you need to go by the type of fish you have in order to determine a good starting point.Craigslist is a wonderful place to look for deals.Any chance you can post pics of the fish?Are they locally caught or did you buy them?

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"Come to the dark side....we have cookies...and filters/heaters/and water changes!"

Well if things goplanned. I'll be picking me up a 75 gallon tank. The nitrogen cycle se3ms a little too long for me to wait. 4 to 8 weeks? Also it was also a little overwhelming for me. So I guess I just get water ph strips and test the ammonia levels and nitrate nitrogen. Is there like a way I can just put the exact amount of bacteria in the tank. Through some math formula. Or buy bacteria. This seems more in depth then I thought. But if there's anything worth doing it's worth doing right? So I'm onboard.

I don't know what type of fish they are. Maybe perch or some kind of carp. But really enjoy wild species.

As far as test strips cld someone research a link that I will need fora 75 gal. And also a heater and filter. Wld like to get all 3 for 70 bucks. Is that possible?

Thank you all,

Marrisa*

Awww... There's a say thanks button. How cute!

Yes theres a thanks button,and its very helpful!

No way to determine the exact amount of bacteria needed,it has to colonize onto your substrate and filter.different filters are different sizes so its not really an exact.Its not that hard once you get started,but do not get test strips.They are way too inaccurate for a cycle and really only good to give an estimate at best.

For a 75 gallon you will need a pretty good sized filter.This and the heater are two of the most important things,and going cheap can have bad effects.I would browse craigslist for a canister filter,as that would be the best choice for a tank this size,not to mention better for the fish IMO too.Good brands are Eheim,Fluval,Rena,and Marineland.There are others too,just google search canister filter.Ebay is a good place to find one too for a good price.Heaters,Eheim is a good brand as is Hydor and some of the Marinelands are good too.

Wilds are my thing too,but I like wild bettas.Just something about a fish you dont see anywhere else and when people come over and say"What is that!"Its a great feeling!.

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"Come to the dark side....we have cookies...and filters/heaters/and water changes!"

So do I need a canister, power filter, and a shimmer too. As in all three? Or wld just a canister filter work. I do better with links so I can actually see whats being talked about.

canister filter - Google Search

You dont need a power filter with a canister.A canister filter sits under the tank.It holds a little over a gallon of water depending on the model you get.The good thing is the entirety of the canister holds filter media,giving a lot more room for that wonderful beneficial bacteria to grow.

I think you mean a skimmer?I think most people use those for salt water tanks.Shouldnt need one of those.

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"Come to the dark side....we have cookies...and filters/heaters/and water changes!"

Great! So how many gph filterwld I need for my tank..

Canisters are preferred IMO, for that size tank. Nothing says you have to go that route. Many use hang on back type filters. A 75g is as high as I would go using a HOB. Aquaclear has their AC110 that will work well. Not exactly as much filtration as you might want, but it will work for starting out on a moderately stocked tank. Not exactly under your $70 limit though Aquarium Filters: Hagen AquaClear Power Filters

Look for a heater there also. I would get a new heater, not used.

I found a eheim 2213 for 75. May spend a a lil over budget I usually tend do. Hehe

So if I don't plan one having a a lot of fish maybe 4. So do u think a smaller canister rated for a smaller tank would work?

Also I'm curious how many watt of a heater do I need. As well if they come with thermostats

No dont go smaller,it wont do as good.

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"Come to the dark side....we have cookies...and filters/heaters/and water changes!"

I'd go larger, not smaller.

There's no magic amount of bacteria to cycle a tank. It just takes time. I know it's annoying and reaaally hard to wait it out but if you skip the cycling process you end up with dead fish. It is the first step to being able to keep healthy fish.

And as Bev said, try to get a liquid test kit - the strips just aren't accurate. (I've made that mistake before!)

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I second the liquid test kit suggestion.
I recommend the freshwater kit from API.

Also... some carp can get bigger than your entire tank....
Yes, you can do a fish in cycle, but you will REALLY need a good test kit for that, and need to test for ammonia, nitrItes, nitrAtes, and do water changes daily.

You may want to look into a "python" for those water changes.
Lugging buckets gets old fast.

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