Going big - Noob!

Hello, everyone my name is Mohammad after working hard for 2 months, I was able to save 800$ for my fish tank. For about 6 months now, I been dying to get a reef tank but after thinking about it more, I change my mine for something more basic like a fresh water tank this is my setup, I was planning to get any tips or info would be great.

Everything I'm going to buy:
https://pastebin.com/c6cSyH4g

The tank itself is going to be over 60 Gallons:
1 Male and 1 Female - Red and White Ryukin Goldfish 26$
1 Male and 1 Female - Black Moor Goldfish 16$
2 Males and 4 Females - Albino Cory Catfish 24$
GLOFISH BARB- GLOFISH DANIO- GLOFISH TETRA 134.99$

I feel when it comes to equipment, I'm good to go, but something I been having a lot of trouble with is making up my mind on how I'm going to get the tank itself ready what I mean is that what I should put in my tank to have it ready for fish plus what I should do when it's time to clean the tank itself the water temperature will be 75F and the lighting will have timer doing 10AM - 8PM everyday.

 

You are going to be way overstocked with that plan. I'd either do just the goldfish (which is pretty close to overstocked already) or just the other fish. If you go with the other fish, forego the barbs - they aren't the best choice for community fish. 10-12 glo danios, 10-12 glo tetras, and 8-10 bronze/albino cories is the way to go.

Also, I don't know where you are located, but $800 can take you a long way if you get used equipment. I got 3 of my 4 tanks from craigslist for great deals.

 

Thanks for the advice, I will get 200-gallon tank with 4 Filter Systems and 4 Aquarium Heaters. Could you give me an idea on how I should cycle and maintenance the tank its self since, I'm spending over 200$ on fish so I don't care if I have to wait a long time for the cyle but I would love if the maintenance schedule could be easy my main goal is the have the tank clear and make sure all the fish is healthy and happy! <3

 

200g is definitely over 60g...unless you mean liters. Anyway, most folks on this site would recommend a fishless cycle. All you need is a source of ammonia and some time. You can either buy pure ammonia or you can use fish food, but keep in mind that fish food has a bunch of phosphates in it that will build up over the course of a cycle. You can speed things up by adding bottled bacteria. I've used Tetras SafeStart Plus with great success. Alternatively, you can do a fish in cycle, but I'd definitely used SafeStart or another bacteria additive if you go this route. Tetra recommends one small fish per 10 gallon when using SafeStart. The glofish danios would be a great option for a fish-in cycle as they are pretty hardy.

 

200 Gallons lol.
Could you link me the pure ammonia from amazon?
Plus for the bottled bacteria I been told Seachem Stability 500ml is the best.
I don't want to do the fish-in cycle since most of my fish is over 10$ USD lol, could you link me a video for doing the fishless cycle?
And last any idea how I should maintenance the tank my end goal is to have a clear and healthy tank without that much work.

 

The biggest differences between stability and safe start is this:
Tetra safe start: add entire bottle once with source of ammonia. Wait 3 weeks before you do anything to the tank.
Stability: add recommended dose everyday for seven days with ammonia source. This is good as you can add this (leftovers)in the future whenever the cycles goes crazy for one reason or another.
Once the tank settles in (2 to 3 months) you only really have to worry about water changes and scrubbing algae off the walls once a week.
That's the bare minimum amount of work you'll have to put in. If you go with plants it'll be a bit more work with trimming, fertilizing, etc.

Don't worry too much about the water being clear as that will take care of itself in a month or so.

 

Okay, I will just get Tetra SafeStart Water Treatment any idea of how much ammonia source I use for each gallon, plus could you link me the pure ammonia from amazon.

Plus do you have any idea why I keep seeing people talk about Carbon? It seems like it will help make your tank look clear. And how many gallons do you think the Marineland Pro-Series Bio-Wheel Power Filter support? It says 90 gallons on the page but I have a feeling that's a lie.

 

Tetra safe start plus is the name of the bacterial supplement. the one without the plus is a declorinator.
Carbon is good for removing certain chemicals compounds in the water. But, the carbon gets exhausted in a month or two and replacing them gets expensive really fast.
Look into Seachem Purigen. It's a lot better at this.
Also, the filter media is what holds the bacteria in most cases so replacing that every month will trigger another minI cycle as it will dispose of that bacteria.
Maybe consider using a sponge filter(even a small one) with the main filter if you're going the active chemical removal way with carbon or Purigen.

If it says 90 it's probably good for a 90 gallon. But, it's never a bad idea to slightly over filtrate as long as there isn't a torrent in the aquarium.

Update: by a torrent I meant water moving in the tank way too much that it makes the fish uncomfortable.

 

Any idea of how much ammonia source I use for each gallon, plus could you link me the pure ammonia from amazon. So I should not use carbon or purigen but If I can ask when I replace the filter every 2 - 3 weeks would that be bad? And what does 'torrent' stand for in fresh water tanks? And how would carbon or purigen be bad if I have to replace the filter every 2 - 3 weeks anyway?And why do people keep saying Seachem Prime 500ml is better than Tetra SafeStart Water Treatment plus?And do sponge filters work better vs hang on filters if so how and why?

 

I strongly suggest a canister filter, you can customize them better than a HOB, or sponge filter. Don't worry about how many gallons they are recommended up to, GPH is more important, with a canister, you want 5x turnover, with an HOB, you need at least 7-10 turnover.
Prime is used with every water change, TTS+ is used when cycling a tank, and is a one time use.

 

Any idea of how much ammonia source I use for each gallon, plus could you link me the pure ammonia from amazon. Could you link me a canister filter that could support over 100 gallons of water? And would acanister filter keep the tank cleaner vs HOB or sponge filter? And how do I figure out what GPH I need? And what does turnover stand for and last will a canister filter just be something I take out every 2 weeks and wash down with a hose?



PS:
Would it be okay if I use Prime to clean the water then after that I use the TTS+ to start the cycling?

 

In most cases a canister will keep the tank cleaner. I've also heard about great things about Aquaclear HOBs.
Eheim and Fluval are great choices and can't go wrong with either one. A lot of members here also use Aquatop/SunSun. When you research different filters, and the fact that you have at the least a 60 gallon, look for filters that have a GPS of 350 and up. There are so many filters out there, and really comes down to personal choice, what you can afford, and your specific needs. I suggest that you do research on your own on this.
Be patient.
Turnover means how many times in an hour the water is filtered. Also when you research, it should list the GPH of each filter.
As with all filters, clean the filter itself and the media in the used tank water during a water change. Never use clean tap water to clean anything, if you do, you will kill off the beneficial bacteria(BB) that is essential to maintain a cycled tank. How often you clean the filter depends on what type of fish you have, what you feed and how often
I've never used ammonia to cycle my tanks, I've always done a fish in cycle. From what I understand, pure janitorial ammonia is what's used.
Prime isn't used to clean the waters, doing water changes and vacuuming the substrate helps with that.
When you are ready to use Prime to cycle the tank, it is used first, then 24 hours later, add the TSS+(whole bottle), wait an hour, then add fish. Since you have a 60 gallon, I'd cycle with 5-6 fish. Once you do all that, don't do anything to the water for two full weeks. Make sure that you have an API Master Test Kit, liquid, not stips. Strips are very inaccurate.
If I missed anything, the more experienced members will correct me, or add on.

 

Yeah after having a contractor check my floor I was told I should not get a tank over 100 gallons of water. I would love to use a canister but I don't know any good ones plus it seems it would cost me a lot of money over a long time. I would do the cycle with the fish but I was told that would be a lot more work so if anyone could tell me how much pure ammonia source I use for each gallon, plus could link me the pure ammonia from amazon it would help. My tank is going to be 100 gallons do you think a 1- 3 sponge filters would do the job if I clean it every week and did a good water change?

 

I can't tell you about sponge filters, never used them.
I actually believe that canisters are expensive to buy (depending on make/model), but much cheaper in the long run. From the research that I have done on the Aquatop/SunSun, they are very inexpensive, and have a good reputation. A lot of members when cleaning the filters, don't have to replace, or buy media that often. Some have even gone a year without replacing media, only rinsing it out and putting it back in. Again, this all depends on how you maintain your tank.
Please seriously consider a canister, even if you have to save for it, you will be much better off.

 

Yeah, I will think about it I would love if someone could give me some advice about the sponge filters I don't care if I had to clean it every week since it would only take a few minutes.

ANYONE LOL \/
if anyone could tell me how much pure ammonia source I use for each gallon, plus could link me the pure ammonia from amazon it would help.

 

Sorry I can't give you more info on sponge filters or using ammonia to cycle a tank...out of my wheelhouse. It may be best to do your own research on this. Again..have patience. Also cheap and easy in the beginning could mean hard and expensive in the long run. This is not a hobby to be cheap.

 

Yeah, thanks for your advice I hope someone who knows about this replies.

 

Sponge filters are mainly used for tanks less than 20 gallons so I wouldn't use them as your sole source of filtration if you are going to have a 100 gallon tank. You'd probably want to look into canisters as the above posters mentioned.

You can just pick up pure ammonia from a hardware store but make sure there are no dyes, perfumes or surfactants.

Here are some links of interest:

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/ammonia-instructions-for-a-fishless-cycle.19627/

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/q-a-with-tetra-about-tetra-safestart.58116/

Pure ammonia dosage calculator (bottom of page):

 

Anything other but a canister filter again I would like something that all I have to do is clean the filter itself. Like how a sponge filter works.

 

Anything other but a canister filter again I would like something that all I have to do is clean the filter itself. Like how a sponge filter works.

In a tank that size with the stock you're planning, I wouldn't recommend it. You could do Hang On Back filters but you would still have filter media to rinse weekly and the unit itself to clean monthly.

 

So no advice about the filter.

 

I can't imagine a song filter being sufficient for a 100 gallon tank. But I am not an expert. That sounds like it wouldn't move enough water... but I guess some people use them in 10-20 gallon tanks with low bio-load, so maybe if you have 6-8? At that point I think a canister that you clean out monthly would be less work, and less noise! Air powered filters can be noisy! Good luck.

 

So no advice about the filter.

I thought I already gave you my advice on filters? I agree sponge filters are not going to provide enough filtration for that tank and whatever you're planning on stocking it with.

If you go with HOB's, you want 10x the total filtration of your tank size so 1000gph. For canisters, you want 5x the filtration.

 

Lol OP, if you were really looking for advice, it's all been given.

Looking at your stock, you're 100% better off with canister filters. Goldfishes have notoriously high bioload. You're gonna need all the biological filtration you can get.

Which brings me to my next point: do not use a sponge filter. A sponge filter would work well for a medicated hospital tank, or a temporary holding tank, but you should never use it on its own, much less for an aquarium you're looking at, and the type of fish. The amount of beneficial bacterial it can actually hold is negligible.

If you're not into canisters, then look into HOBs. The aquaclears are good, but you're gonna end up needing 2.

 

I have a fluval fx6 canister and a marineland emperor 400 hang on back on my 120g. I am a big fan of filtration, filtration, and more filtration. That is one area I do not skimp for the health of my fish. That gives me about 1500 total gph. Also, with a tank that size, you need to make sure there are no dead spots. I have two power heads with sponges on the intake connected to pvc pipe running under the sand to create a jet stream with several jets moving the water.

Goldfish have a huge bioload and can be a big pain to keep your tank clean. They should not be mixed with other tropical fish as they are cold water while tropicals need warmer water. Two heaters should be sufficient.

 

I have a fluval fx6 canister and a marineland emperor 400 hang on back on my 120g. I am a big fan of filtration, filtration, and more filtration. That is one area I do not skimp for the health of my fish. That gives me about 1500 total gph. Also, with a tank that size, you need to make sure there are no dead spots. I have two power heads with sponges on the intake connected to pvc pipe running under the sand to create a jet stream with several jets moving the water.

There's this. The thing with good filtration is, yes you do spend more, but:

- you do less tank maintenance
- you spend less on medication because your fishes are healthy
- they last. A long time. I have 2 Eheim 2215 that are 5 years old, one of which is the first filter I bought when I started the hobby.

 

I'm sorry, but it seems as though you are really trying to go the cheap route with the filter. I, and others have STRONGLY recommended that you get a canister filter, but it seems that you are intent on a sponge filter.

I can promise you one thing....you will run into so many water problems with a sponge filter. Again..this is not the hobby to to be cheap.

 

The only way I can see a sponge filter being practical in a tank that size is if you're going bare bottom with no decorations and you use power heads to provide circulation. Even then you'll have to have a fairly low bioload.
I do believe that if set up right you can have enough water being processed by the bacteria. But, it might not be anywhere near as clean as you want it to be.

 

Have you guys never seen the huge planted discus tanks people will run on sponge filters? They have excellent bio filtration and pretty decent mechanical filtration. They have to be clean constantly though yo avoid clogging, and I'm pretty sure a gold fish is way to beefy for them. Not recommending the sponge, just not understanding all the hate I see for them atm. Sponge filters can do excellent work in large tanks, just not a goldfish tank.

 

The only thing I have to add about filtration is that sponge filters are VERY loud. I'm not sure if this makes a difference to the OP, but keep this in mind. I've tried a few and had to get rid of all of them because of the noise. If you don't like canister filters, HOB would be your next best choice.

 

I, and the others here that 0osted on this thread are not against sponge filters. Just that in this particular situation, most of us believe that a canister is a better option.

 

Have you guys never seen the huge planted discus tanks people will run on sponge filters? They have excellent bio filtration and pretty decent mechanical filtration. They have to be clean constantly though yo avoid clogging, and I'm pretty sure a gold fish is way to beefy for them. Not recommending the sponge, just not understanding all the hate I see for them atm. Sponge filters can do excellent work in large tanks, just not a goldfish tank.

I can 100% guarantee you that hidden behind the plants, are the inlet and outlets to a canister.

Otherwise, expect to do large daily water changes.

 

Hello, first let me say thanks for all the feedback you guys been giving me. I have been spending some time looking on craigslist since I live in Orlando, Florida. I found many people selling 100 Gallon tanks with sumps, for fresh water tanks. I'm here to ask would a sump freshwater tank work? I been on youtube and google looking at other people tanks that use freshwater sumps and It seems like it works and would fit what I'm looking for. The tanks are only about 150 - 200$ fitting my budget great and I will be able to setup an auto water change too.

Plus the tank would offer a lot of space for the fish I'm getting.

 

Hello, first let me say thanks for all the feedback you guys been giving me. I have been spending some time looking on craigslist since I live in Orlando, Florida. I found many people selling 100 Gallon tanks with sumps, for fresh water tanks. I'm here to ask would a sump freshwater tank work? I been on youtube and google looking at other people tanks that use freshwater sumps and It seems like it works and would fit what I'm looking for. The tanks are only about 150 - 200$ fitting my budget great and I will be able to setup an auto water change too.

Plus the tank would offer a lot of space for the fish I'm getting.

Sumps are great. Most have incredible filter media volume, are easy as to maintain etc. the only con I can think of is that it takes up more space than say a canister.

You might also wanna clarify how the sump is set up, relative to the main tank? Off the top of my head, there are two common configurations:

1) it's just a separate tank that sits below or beside your main tank
2) it's set up as a partition of your main tank

For 2), it would be important to understand how much of the main tank is partitioned off to form the sump; then you can plan your stocking based off how much volume and footprint you have left

 

Sumps also have the benefit of you can hide your heaters in there, run a canister to it for extra filtration if needed, anything that you would normally put in a main tank can go in the sump. I would recommend doing a separate tank underbeath/beside over partitioned off though.

 

Sumps are great. Most have incredible filter media volume, are easy as to maintain etc. the only con I can think of is that it takes up more space than say a canister.

You might also wanna clarify how the sump is set up, relative to the main tank? Off the top of my head, there are two common configurations:

1) it's just a separate tank that sits below or beside your main tank
2) it's set up as a partition of your main tank

For 2), it would be important to understand how much of the main tank is partitioned off to form the sump; then you can plan your stocking based off how much volume and footprint you have left

The sumps I been looking at comes with a 100-gallon tank and a 50-gallon tank under the main tank. The tank itself is setup with a return pump plus an overflow box on the side of the tank. And would come with the stand and everything holding the tank.

Looks about something like this but this picture is missing the built-in overflow box inside the glass plus missing the return pump on the other side.

Sumps also have the benefit of you can hide your heaters in there, run a canister to it for extra filtration if needed, anything that you would normally put in a main tank can go in the sump. I would recommend doing a separate tank underbeath/beside over partitioned off though.

K, thanks for the advice.

 

Hello, could someone link me a webpage showing every fresh water fish that will eat other fish?

 

There is no such thing. If a fish isn't a pure algae eater like an oto, not many of those, it will eat anything it can put in its mouth. Obviously smaller fish won't be eating other fish, but that's about it. Anything else goes.

 

There is no such thing. If a fish isn't a pure algae eater like an oto, not many of those, it will eat anything it can put in its mouth. Obviously smaller fish won't be eating other fish, but that's about it. Anything else goes.

So fish don't have a fish code lol… okay thanks for the advice how big dose a fish have to be eat a other fish?

 

So fish don't have a fish code lol… okay thanks for the advice how big dose a fish have to be eat a other fish?

If the other fish is small enough to fit in its open mouth, it will usually be eaten. Angels will eat cardinal/neon tetras sometimes, but never a black skirt. Bigger fish can eat bigger fish and so on and so forth. Plenty of people have kept angelfish and Cardinals though, with no issue. Just need to point that out I think xD.