[AquaNoob]

3 days ago a set up a brand new 20 gal tank kit. It seemed to be a pretty nice one and reasonably priced at $100. I'd been looking to get an aquarium due to the found memories of my betta fish that died last year. I got the tank all set up with a heater a bubbler filter and full hood. It looked rather bland making its way though the cycle so I added some plant bulbs. Some lilys and some aponogeton. They have been sitting on the gravel with no signs of life so far. What should me next step be with this aquarium to get it ready for fish. Still dont know what fish I want.


On the same day I set up my old 2 gal hex tank that used to house my betta. Looking for some ideas for that small tank and an interesting fish to place inside.


Anyfeed back would be appreciated! Thanks for help out a beginner!

 

[AquaNoob]

Update:

Most of the bulbs are starting to sprout. They don't seem to be attaching to the gravel substrate yet. Took a sample of my water to PetcoTM and the water check out great he said, surprising to me since it has only been 3 days! No Ammonia or Nitrates! Tuesday I will be adding fish. This is what I'm thinking. 2 sets of 5-7 schooling fish and a larger fish or a pair of more prominent fish to be the focal point. Suggestions?

Also I'm leaning towards just a Betta in my 2 gallon hex but am not quite sold on another Betta because I want something you don't see very often. Suggestions?

 

[susankat]

First on the 20 gal the tank isn't cycled yet so if you add fish do it slowly and keep up with water changes.

On the 2 gal hex, how about adding cherry shrimp to it. Very little upkeep to them.

 

[NursePlaty]

You need some sort of ammonia for the tank to cycle; either ammonia by fish or pure ammonia by the bottle (fishless cycling).

The reason why both your ammonia and nitrate are at 0ppm is because you havent introduced any ammonia or any sources of ammonia. When you cycle, you are growing 2 sets of bacteria, 1st set is the ammonia-to-nitrite converting bacteria and the 2nd is the nitrite-to-nitrate converting bacteria.

If you plan to cycle with fish, the waste and fish food will be converted to ammonia. And this is where your tank starts to cycle. But you need to keep the toxin levels low by doing water changes or your fish will die. You will get an ammonia spike, then it will decrease. Then a nitrite spike, then that will decrease. Then finally nitrate readings.

 

[AquaNoob]

I put water conditioner into the tank when I first got it. Does that have ammonia in it?

 

[NursePlaty]

No it doesnt. Ammonia can be from fish waste or buying ammonia from a hardware store, it comes in a bottle.

 

[archer772]

You can also just throw some fish food in it and that will start the cycle

 

[AquaNoob]

Update: I figure I might as well keep this thread going so people that want to imput some advice can read the full story all in one place.

Tuesday morning I went up to my LPS and bought what I thought the sells rep told me would be good to start out the tank with. I picked up 5 sunset platys and 1 halfmoon betta for my 2.5 gallon. Got home and looked up some more information of platys, soon I freaked out. I decided I better go check and make sure that they aren't mating. I pulled out the 2 males and placed them with the betta in my 2.5 gallon tank. They seem to be getting along ok, the betta is a little agressive at times but is calm other times. Hopfully they will get along because I think they look nice together in the smaller tank. Lots of color. So now I have the 3 female platys in the 20 gallon tank for 3 days and the seem to be active and happy. Swimming up and down and all over, but not really schooling much. Are platys schooling fish? The next thing I want to do is pick up some plants for that tank and some more fish.

I really want a rainbow shark along with a school of about 5 other fish to be able to fit in my 20H.