[kr]^3

Okay, so I recently won a goldfish and read up on it and tried to provide it with everything it needed and it died after 3 days....

It's been a while and, after looking in the store I saw that the tank I bought said it was recommended for bettas, guppies, and tetras...
it's a Hawkeye Aquaview Plus 1 gal tank. Pictured here on the bottom right <http://hawkeyeaquarium.com/aquatanks.html>

I'm only planning on getting 1 Fancy Male Guppy for my tank so the size isn't the worry. But I'm confused on the type of filtration system it's working with and what exactly I need to do for this tank as, it's not like the larger tanks and doesn't have temperature control or anything (though I do have a thermometer on the outside and the water stays about 76-80 degrees Farenheit).

The tank currently has glass beads in the bottom of it, I DID get them from the aquarium section of the store so I assume that these are suitable (once properly cleaned) for the fish but maybe with the type of filtration this tank uses they aren't?

There aren't any other decorations other than the beads. If you look on the website under 'set-up' instructions you can see a more detailed diagram of the tank. It also does have an air pump, just so you know.

Can someone please give me some guidance in working with this tank? (I really want to make a suitable home for my fish D=) I've read through most of the beginner's guide information but I'm just not sure how it all fits in with this particular tank

outlaw

Welcome to Fishlore!

With that tank and the picture, it looks like it uses a Under Gravel Filter (UGF) and unless the picture is lacking, its missing any type of filter media. Did it come with anything that goes on the riser tube? Also, if you haven't, you might want to check here for some more info on your guppy, Guppy Info.

Also be prepared that most people will tell you that your tank is too small for your Guppy. Most use a guideline of 1Gal per adult inch of fish. After you figure in the glass beads (think you had in your info) and any decorations, you are going to have less then 1Gal of water in that tank.

You'll also want to read The Nitrogen Cycle. It is very helpful in keeping your fish alive and healthy.

Lucy

1 gallon is too small for a guppy. There, I said it. lol


Welcome to Fish Lore [kr]^3

I'm really sorry about your goldfish.

Tropical fish need a heated, filtered, cycled tank. It's close to impossible to stabilize the water temperature in a 1g.

Undergound filters can get really nasty underneath. Leftover food and fish waste will collect down there quicker than you know it creating ammonia spikes. Ammonia is toxic to fish.
It's also hard to clean.

Read the link outlaw gave about the nitrogen cycle and consider getting a larger tank.

I'm glad you're asking questions before getting fish.

Here's a couple more I hope you'll find useful.

http://www.fishlore.com/FirstTankSetup.htm

http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/freshwater-beginners/

http://www.fishlore.com/Beginners.htm

Good luck.

Chief_waterchanger

If your tank water range is 75-82 or somewhere inbetween you should be just fine without a heater. Very few of our tanks in the fishhouse have heaters and we keep the air temperature between 65-95 (it ranges throughout the day) and the water temp (in everything from the 3g to the 220g) stays between 75-82.

Alessa

Guppies need a minimum of ten gallons, cycled filtered and heated, and also need to live with a minimum shoal of other 3. They are social fish, and also very active. temperature fluctuations are specially severe in small tanks, because they do not retain a steady temperature for long and cannot be properly heated.

JstJake

I'd advise you to not bother with the one gallon tank...If you can afford it, go for ten gallons (or more pref), that way you'll have more space to work with, happier fish and ultimatley more interesting to look at than one solitary deppressed guppy!

If you are set on getting just one fish, prehaps a betta is a betta (hahah) fish to go for, because they actually like being alone, on top of this (I'll say this quietly) bettas look better!!



Good luck..kepp us informed on how everythings going!!

Chief_waterchanger

I sort of agree with the others that the larger tank you can get the better it is, but we keep literally hundreds of guppies in the fishhouse and have a heater in none of their tanks. Most of their tanks aren't filtered, but we know what we are doing as far as the filter thing goes, and would suggest a filter unless you plan to be diligent in learning the filterless method. We do keep the room they are in anywhere from 65-95, as I said earlier.

So from our experience they do not -have- to be in a heated tank.

I agree that the tank, no matter the size, should be cycled properly, without fish.

Shawnie

I betcha the newbies wanting to learn will see the fact that overstocking and unheated will be ok...remember EVERYONE, Chief has been keeping fish for probably most of his life...and he DOES know what hes doing..its not for the beginner for sure!

Lucy

I hope you're nor suggesting keeping a betta in their 1g tank. They thrive in heated, filtered cycled tanks.
I wouldn't suggest anything under a 5g., that's just me. Several of our members keep their bettas in a 2.5g and they do wonderfully.



CWC, the big difference is you and Dino know what your doing. Experience is the key word.

I'd never suggest to someone who has never kept a fish to keep it in anything less than the recommended cycled tank size, and the recommended stabletemperature.

Edit: typo

Fishies-for-me

I am going ot state a very controversial thing here...lol All my life I have had guppies. Untill recently I have never had a heater in their tank. I never had an out break of ick...not even after our power was out in the middle of winter for 7 days back in the 70's....The water stayed just above freezing in the tank ( we only had a kerosene heater to heat a whole house so mostly only the kitchen got heated.). I lost the week ones but the ones that survived did not get sick. I have heaters in my tanks not ( all 5 of them ) and have had ick in one tank 2 times now ( after buying new fish<<<never put in new fish without q'ting them 1st...lol). In my opinion having naturally fluctuatin water conditions makes healthier fish that are better able to withstand cooler water. Water in the wild can fluctuate a lot even with a fish swimming from one depth to another...now as I stated this is just my opinion and not a fact of any kind...plz don't beat me up to badly..lol

Chief_waterchanger

I agree that experience is the key, Lucy. The only reason I insist on getting my opinion out there is that one can not gain experience if they do not either:

A) Attempt alone (carries a great risk of failure)
or
B) Attempt to learn how others have succeeded when deviating from the 'text-book' way of doing it.

As my signature says, I do not mean to find fault with anyone's methods. I simply want to get people thinking and show the up-and-comers to the hobby that text books are written by people and people, even I , can be wrong about something or not cover every possibility.

Shawnie, I've only been keeping fish for about 2 and a half years. I kept my first tank of fish after befriending Dino. He and I live in the same house and co-own the fishhouse. So I learned with over 50 tanks my first year and we soon topped 100. Dino has kept fish for 30 of his 41 years of life, so having him as a mentor definately excelled me leaps and bounds faster than I would've having started alone. Thank you for the vote of confidence, but as I said, I do not mean to tell anyone they are wrong, simply that there are other ways.

Lucy

No beating up, it's Fri, after all, we save that for Wed.

He gotten a few different opinions and can try what he feels is best for him and his fish.

Ultimately, it will be up to the original poster how he chooses to keep his fish. Just as it is with the rest of us.

Whichever he chooses, I wish him well.

Shawnie

thought beatings were mondays? to Jump start our week!

I wish him well also....TGIF!

Fishies-for-me

Whewww...whoda tunk it...saved by friday....lol. I knew when I got outa bed it was a special day today!!


PS..I also use salt in my tanks sometimes.....( ducks and runnss)

sirdarksol

Most people's homes, however, don't range so far into the upper reaches of that. My house, for example, ranges from 65-72. My unheated tank stays toward the bottom of that range because the surrounding air doesn't get warm enough to bring the tank's temp up to carry it through the night.

You may also have an advantage due to the fact that all of the different tanks are radiating off some of that excessive heat during the night, keeping the smaller tanks a bit warmer (using water as heat-sinks and radiators is a common tactic for greenhouses).

Anyone who's going to keep a tropical fish in an unheated tank should, at the very least, keep an eye on the temps throughout the first year, and get a heater if they every dip steadily below the tropical fishes' comfort zone.

JstJake

Beacause he was talking about keeping ONE fish, a betta would be better alone than a guppy alone (true right?). I never mentioned anything about keeping it in his 1 gallon, in fact I said he should get a 10 plus gallon and not bother with the one gallon!

Lucy

Thanks for the clarification. Yes, guppies should have more than 1 and betta usually don't play well with others.

[kr]^3

Ack, such an enthusiastic response! >_< Sorry I wasn't on last night but let me try to address everything.....

Outlaw asked:
"With that tank and the picture, it looks like it uses a Under Gravel Filter (UGF) and unless the picture is lacking, its missing any type of filter media.Did it come with anything that goes on the riser tube?"

Is there a certain type of filter media that I should get to go with that kind of filter?
-and-
Yes, there's an air stone that sits in the riser tube, it seemed to be making more bubbles when I first put the fish in... I'm guessing perhaps it has something to do with the under gravel filter system....

Outlaw also said:
"Also be prepared that most people will tell you that your tank is too small for your Guppy. Most use a guideline of 1Gal per adult inch of fish. After you figure in the glass beads (think you had in your info) and any decorations, you are going to have less then 1Gal of water in that tank."

I'm thinking of at least perhaps maybe getting a 2 gal or so, I really AM concerned about getting the proper size but... I live in a dorm so there's a space problem = \ I think 2-2.5 gal is all I can manage with the space I have.

Lucy said:
"I hope you're nor suggesting keeping a betta in their 1g tank. They thrive in heated, filtered cycled tanks.
I wouldn't suggest anything under a 5g., that's just me. Several of our members keep their bettas in a 2.5g and they do wonderfully."

Mm... I was gonna say that, my roommate has a betta and it's tank is half the size of the one I have actually w/ no filter. He's been alive coming up on a year now and seems really well adjusted (even though he has to take long trips to go home over breaks). She even knows way less than I do (before I researched I tried asking her some questions but she really didn't know). Iono, I guess maybe some people are lucky like that?

Chief_waterchanger said:
"If your tank water range is 75-82 or somewhere inbetween you should be just fine without a heater. Very few of our tanks in the fishhouse have heaters and we keep the air temperature between 65-95 (it ranges throughout the day) and the water temp (in everything from the 3g to the 220g) stays between 75-82. "

I live in a dorm with no air conditioning...... so.... it definitely stays between 75-82F And will continue to do so through the winter (the heaters kick on automatically and we continue to stay about that hot in the rooms).

Fishies-for-me said:
"PS..I also use salt in my tanks sometimes.....( ducks and runnss) "

I was planning on using some aquarium salt for the guppy, as I'd read that they like that. I just need to figure out the nitrogen cycling business first -_0


-----
Okay, so now here's some new questions!

If I end up getting a 2gal tank, I can really only have 1 guppy in it? (not two to keep the 1 from getting lonely?)

But pretty much, with the tank I have now, I can really only keep a betta? (though, because of the bubbles, I'd be a little worried that maybe there's too much of a current for it?) There's no other type of fish that could do alright in that tank? (just wondering...)

Thank-you all for your responses! I'm starting to feel a little better about having the knowledge to take care of a fish.

sirdarksol

Possibly the most important thing to learn. There are some things that I would put down as "rules." Things like certain fish absolutely need a certain amount of space (a goldfish in a 1g bowl will never do well, as goldfish simply need more space to move around in).
Most of what we consider to be "rules," though, aren't. They're strongly supported guidelines (i.e. it's a good idea to cycle a tank, though, if you're up for doing huge daily water changes, not necessary).
For that matter, you pick up two different books, and they may present two different "rules" (I have one book that says all aquariums would do well with salt, another that says none would. I would be willing to bet that the first person's local water supply is soft and low in pH, while the second person's is hard and high in pH).

Fishies-for-me

Us eof salt is very controversial....( that's why I ran) I will clarify that and say I only use it when I have a problem such as fungus or such...it is used as a tonic or medicine...not all the time.

Alessa

A betta is the only fish that I know of that would do "alright" in a 2.5, as long as it is cycled, filtered and heated. Guppies need to be with others and are much to active, thus needing much more space than a 2 gallon (at least 10). Anything under 2.5 gallons is just too small for anything.

Dino

There are lots of fish that do well in tanks as small as 2.5 gallons.
Endlers, least killifish, many of the regular killifish, gambusia, the smaller gouramis, any of the dwarf/pygmy cories ( limit 3).
Also, guppies are not schooling fish, I have seen no difference in behavior if kept alone or in schools, other than breeding behavior.