How Did You Decide On Tank Equipment?

I'm only considering starting up a tank in the future, nothing set in stone yet. To be honest, I'm not sure my fiance REALLY wants to have a tank.
How did you decide what equipment to go with? It's all so overwhelming.
When I was little, I had a 10 gallon tank set up a couple of times, it was one of those kits from Walmart. The heater/filter/etc. always worked fine, even though I was EXTREMELY overpopulated every time. Think multiple guppies, swordtails, cories and some tetras/danios depending on which time I had the tank set up. The guppies and swordtails had many babies over time as well.

How did you make decisions on what filter? I've obviously always had the HOB and I see a lot of you use those as well, is that best or simply cheapest and easiest to deal with?

My plan is a 29 or 30 gallon tank, I can fit up to a 4 foot tank, however, my house is very old with wood floors that aren't exactly even. My fiance plans to use a brace in the basement to make the floor stronger, but I will still be concerned about weight. And getting the tank level.

Where do you all buy your equipment from? Amazon? The closest pet store to me is 30 minutes and it's disgusting. The closest nice store is an hour. Petco and Petsmart are 2 hours from me, so clearly in person shopping is slightly difficult. I like to read reviews and research things....hence this long post.

The only things I'm set on is sand instead of gravel because I want either cories or kuhlies. And not a planted tank, I don't think I'm up to that.

 

I mainly use HOBs and sponge filters. Canister filters are also good. With HOB filters, get one with a gph of 8-10 times the tank size (240-300 for a 29/30 gallon). With canister filters, a gph of around 5 times the tank size (150 for a 29/30 gallon) is good. Do you have any other thoughts on stocking?

 

Lots and lots of reading helped me to decide to go with Aqauclear HOB filters on the three 20 gallon tanks I have. I also have a small one on a 5 gallon and I love them all.

Amazon is pretty good for shopping and so is Big Al's. At Big Al's you will earn reward dollars for future purchases.

 

I actually ordered my biggest tank (46 gallon acrylic bowfront) from Petco online, as well as the stand. My local Petco didn't carry the exact one I wanted at the storefront. It was on sale online with a significant drop in price. I ended up utilizing a canister filter for it (Fluval 306). I purchased it at Amazon. I buy lots of things from Amazon.

 

For HOB filters take the number of gallons and multiply by 8-10. That is the number of gallons per hour (GPH) you want your filter to operate at. With a canister you can get away with multiplying by 5. Canisters are great in that they can take a much wider array of different types of media, but not really necessary for tanks smaller than 40 gallons. I do happen to have a nano canister on a 3.3 gallon though

I work at a pet store, so I buy a lot of my supplies from where I work. However, Amazon and websites such as Dr. Fosters offer a wide range of equipment to use, sometimes for considerably less.

Be sure to read up on the Nitrogen Cycle before starting any tank in the future.

 

I'm only considering starting up a tank in the future, nothing set in stone yet. To be honest, I'm not sure my fiance REALLY wants to have a tank.
How did you decide what equipment to go with? It's all so overwhelming.
When I was little, I had a 10 gallon tank set up a couple of times, it was one of those kits from Walmart. The heater/filter/etc. always worked fine, even though I was EXTREMELY overpopulated every time. Think multiple guppies, swordtails, cories and some tetras/danios depending on which time I had the tank set up. The guppies and swordtails had many babies over time as well.

How did you make decisions on what filter? I've obviously always had the HOB and I see a lot of you use those as well, is that best or simply cheapest and easiest to deal with?

My plan is a 29 or 30 gallon tank, I can fit up to a 4 foot tank, however, my house is very old with wood floors that aren't exactly even. My fiance plans to use a brace in the basement to make the floor stronger, but I will still be concerned about weight. And getting the tank level.

Where do you all buy your equipment from? Amazon? The closest pet store to me is 30 minutes and it's disgusting. The closest nice store is an hour. Petco and Petsmart are 2 hours from me, so clearly in person shopping is slightly difficult. I like to read reviews and research things....hence this long post.

The only things I'm set on is sand instead of gravel because I want either cories or kuhlies. And not a planted tank, I don't think I'm up to that.

What do you mean by a "Dirty store". Also, if you buy from PetSmart online, you would get free shipping at over 100$ (I wouldn't really recommend petsmart, due to them overpricing things). If you live in canada or america you could use kijijI or craigslist respectively to find old tanks and equipment.

 

I actually ordered my biggest tank (46 gallon acrylic bowfront) from Petco online, as well as the stand. My local Petco didn't carry the exact one I wanted at the storefront. It was on sale online with a significant drop in price. I ended up utilizing a canister filter for it (Fluval 306). I purchased it at Amazon. I buy lots of things from Amazon.

nice to see someone else has had a good petco online experience...I thought I may have been the only one lol

 

The first thing I would do, is figure out what kind of fish I want to keep and how many. This would directly dictate what equipment I would need and go from there. This forum can help you do that.

 

I have read briefly about the nitrogen cycle, but will definitely get more in depth closer to getting the tank.
I forgot about Dr. Foster's and have never heard of Big Al's so thanks for those suggestions!

My stocking thoughts are kuhlies or cories (preferably kuhlies, but I don't know if I can get them around here), guppies just because I like the colors (I'm fine with fry and figuring out what to do with them), and maybe a school of something...rummynose tetras I like, or maybe a couple male swords or gourami of some sort. I've never had a gourami, not sure if that's the route I want to go, but I've always loved swordtails. If there are fish that eat the guppy fry, I'm tolerant of that as well. I'm just not exactly sure what's correct as far as a community tank and how many I can have. I know the inch per gallon rule isn't what I want to go by.

What do you mean by a "Dirty store". Also, if you buy from PetSmart online, you would get free shipping at over 100$ (I wouldn't really recommend petsmart, due to them overpricing things). If you live in canada or america you could use kijijI or craigslist respectively to find old tanks and equipment.

Sorry, didn't see this post. There are not much for craigslist for me, I'm quite the middle of nowhere. I'd have to go an hour or 2 for that as well, but I should check it out anyway.
When I say dirty, I mean you can smell it outside the front door. The tanks are atrocious and the staff doesn't really know what they're talking about when it comes to the animals, so I don't have much faith in the fish side of it. Maybe I'm just judging the filth, but I don't know if fish from there would survive long.

 

I have read briefly about the nitrogen cycle, but will definitely get more in depth closer to getting the tank.
I forgot about Dr. Foster's and have never heard of Big Al's so thanks for those suggestions!

My stocking thoughts are kuhlies or cories (preferably kuhlies, but I don't know if I can get them around here), guppies just because I like the colors (I'm fine with fry and figuring out what to do with them), and maybe a school of something...rummynose tetras I like, or maybe a couple male swords or gourami of some sort. I've never had a gourami, not sure if that's the route I want to go, but I've always loved swordtails. If there are fish that eat the guppy fry, I'm tolerant of that as well. I'm just not exactly sure what's correct as far as a community tank and how many I can have. I know the inch per gallon rule isn't what I want to go by.

What about this
4 Honey Gouramis
8 male Guppies (or 3 male guppies and 8 tetras or 2 male Swords)
10 KuhlI Loached or Corydoras

 

For the filter I usually just use what’s in the kit(majority of tanks are 10 gallon or under), but when it’s time to buy a new one I research and see what I like best. I also ask here which is a huge help considering equipment is not what I’m best at. I used to always get aquaclear filters HOB, but the last one lasted less than 6 months before it started leaking. Seems like their filters have gone down hill to me, so I got a seachem tidal for my 29 gallon and love it. Quite, adjustable flow, and good storage space.
Some good places for shopping have already been mentioned and I like both DRs and Amazon.
For sand I’ll give you tip, if you simply want a natural color or black, go with pool filter sand or black diamond blasting sand 20/40. Cheap and looks great in tanks.

 

I have read about the pool filter sand and blasting sand and both of those would actually be easier for me to get than actual aquarium sand and saving money always makes me happy anyway!

What about this
4 Honey Gouramis
8 male Guppies (or 3 male guppies and 8 tetras or 2 male Swords)
10 KuhlI Loached or Corydoras

Would I need all female Honey Gouramis or a male and 3 females?

Just out of curiosity, IF I decided to actually go for a larger tank than 29 gallons, what size would I need for kuhlies/cories, guppies, swords/gouramis and a school of tetras?

 

Would I need all female Honey Gouramis or a male and 3 females?

Just out of curiosity, IF I decided to actually go for a larger tank than 29 gallons, what size would I need for kuhlies/cories, guppies, swords/gouramis and a school of tetras?

1m/3f is fine. That depends on the type of Gourami.

 

1m/3f is fine. That depends on the type of Gourami.

I was kind of figuring if I went with gouramis of any kind, I'd need just 1 male or male/female or 2 females even. I hadn't read much about honey gouramis until right now.

 

I would recommend signing up for the Drs. Foster & Smith email list. They constantly have coupons; if you're patient enough, you can get 25% off! Cheapest place for glass lids and filter media that I've found.

I also recommend the Petco Brooklyn stand, if you're looking for a budget stand. Very nice looking, and if you want to hide the bottom, easy enough with a piece of fabric and stick-on velcro or a couple magnets (it's a metal stand).

 

Dr Foster and Smith frequently has free shipping, too. And their prices are pretty comparable to local pet stores.

 

When it comes to filter, I saw somewhere that the ideal would be a filter that cycles your entire tank 4 times per hour. I have a 55Gal and my Eheim Cannister 350 filters about 160Gal per hour so that's pretty good.

Aside from that, I got my first tank this september and I highly suggest to research the out of EVERYTHING you can think of. Figure out what kind of fish you'd like, if you want live plants (you really should have live plant), what kind of gravel you should get, how manyn fish you'll be able to have, how and how much to feed them, you MUST know and understand the nitrogen cycle like the back of your hand, that's what's the most likely to kill your fish as a beginner.

Finally, I'd google around where you live to see if you have a specialised aquarium store nearby, it should look neat, with clean healthy tanks and every employee should have experience with aquariums, that would be very beneficial rather than going to some petshop and dealing with teens with their first part time jobs.

Also, I took notes of everything I felt was relevant so you can have them if you want

 

I would recommend signing up for the Drs. Foster & Smith email list. They constantly have coupons; if you're patient enough, you can get 25% off! Cheapest place for glass lids and filter media that I've found.

I also recommend the Petco Brooklyn stand, if you're looking for a budget stand. Very nice looking, and if you want to hide the bottom, easy enough with a piece of fabric and stick-on velcro or a couple magnets (it's a metal stand).

The stand also has adjustable feet for leveling the stand/tank.

I have the 40 gallon breeder tank on a brooklyn stand and like it a lot. That's a step up in size from a 29/30 and more floor space for cories AND kuhlis (6-8 of ea).

If you have a Tractor Supply Co near you, they sell Black Diamond blasting sand (BDBS) a lot of us use as gravel. $8 for 50lbs is more than enough for a 40 gallon tank.

Dr Foster's and Smith is part of PetCo. I order from them and Amazon all the time. Speaking of... PetCo has their dollar per gallon sale going on until Feb 3rd. 40, 55 and 75 gallon tanks are 50% off so a 40 gallon breeder is $50. The brooklyn stand should be under $50. If you do go to PetCo, make sure they price match other stuff from their website as in-store prices are usually much higher.

 

When it comes to filter, I saw somewhere that the ideal would be a filter that cycles your entire tank 4 times per hour. I have a 55Gal and my Eheim Cannister 350 filters about 160Gal per hour so that's pretty good.

Aside from that, I got my first tank this september and I highly suggest to research the out of EVERYTHING you can think of. Figure out what kind of fish you'd like, if you want live plants (you really should have live plant), what kind of gravel you should get, how manyn fish you'll be able to have, how and how much to feed them, you MUST know and understand the nitrogen cycle like the back of your hand, that's what's the most likely to kill your fish as a beginner.

Finally, I'd google around where you live to see if you have a specialised aquarium store nearby, it should look neat, with clean healthy tanks and every employee should have experience with aquariums, that would be very beneficial rather than going to some petshop and dealing with teens with their first part time jobs.

Also, I took notes of everything I felt was relevant so you can have them if you want

I will research obsessively, I promise, it's what I do with my spare time.
There are definitely no aquarium stores near me, the closest would be probably 2 hours in Erie, PA and I'm not even sure there is one there.

The stand also has adjustable feet for leveling the stand/tank.

I have the 40 gallon breeder tank on a brooklyn stand and like it a lot. That's a step up in size from a 29/30 and more floor space for cories AND kuhlis (6-8 of ea).

If you have a Tractor Supply Co near you, they sell Black Diamond blasting sand (BDBS) a lot of us use as gravel. $8 for 50lbs is more than enough for a 40 gallon tank.

Dr Foster's and Smith is part of PetCo. I order from them and Amazon all the time. Speaking of... PetCo has their dollar per gallon sale going on until Feb 3rd. 40, 55 and 75 gallon tanks are 50% off so a 40 gallon breeder is $50. The brooklyn stand should be under $50. If you do go to PetCo, make sure they price match other stuff from their website as in-store prices are usually much higher.

I am considering a larger tank, the 40 breeder was something I had thought about before, I just don't know if it will be too much for me. I'm sitting here with a 4 month old baby on my lap, is a tank of that size "harder" to clean and deal with? Speaking of children, once she's crawling/walking, I'm going to have to make sure she can't get to the cords and stuff with a tank.....I hadn't thought about that part.

I do have a TSC, so when I'd read about the sand, that's what put me towards that even more. Easy and cheap!
I saw Petco has a sale, but I doubt very much I'll make it to the closest one before the sale is over unfortunately. Good to know about the prices online, I didn't realize they were more in store.

 

Bigger tanks are probably a little more difficult where maintenance are concerned, and you will need to spend a little more on just about everything... like more filtration, more substrate, more hardscape and stronger lighting if you want to plant it. It'll be taller too, so 'hard to clean' as in you have to reach in further and may get your sleeves wet. All that said, a larger tank is more stable, so can be less stressful in the long run. For instance, should you ever experience an ammonia spike, it will be less likely to harm your fish because of the larger water volume. I would love the have a 40B if I had the space. I also love a long tank, so our 3 tanks are all 20 gallon longs, making them easy to reach into and cheap to light. There are 30 gallon long tanks available as well. Having long tanks can open up your stocking a bit because they offer more side to side swim space, as well as more bottom space than high tanks do.

I also sympathize with worrying about little ones. I'll be glad to help you with cord keeping if you'd like. I even have refrigerator lock's by Munchkin to secure the lid on the tank in the living room. My toddlers absolutely love watching the tank, and I enjoy seeing them learn about the hobby. My big kid has a tank of his own these days and I'd say it's a great hobby to do as a family. I would advise taking things slow though, I can't imagine you have a ton of energy these days, but those sleepless nights won't last forever!

 

Bigger tanks are a bit more expensive up front but less frustrating to keep stable. 20-55g are perfect for beginners, IMO. Maintenance isn't that much harder on a 40 gallon or 55g. A 50lb bag of BDBS is more than enough for a 40 gallon breeder (36" x 18" floor). I used about 35lbs and I have 1.5-2" depth. The 40b is also 16" tall so only 4" taller than a 20 long.

stella1979 you should get one too

 

I think that in a way my 46 gallon tank is easier to maintain than my much smaller tanks. I use a python water changer so no lugging water back and forth to refill it or carting away gallons of old tank water to discard.

 

Bigger tanks are probably a little more difficult where maintenance are concerned, and you will need to spend a little more on just about everything... like more filtration, more substrate, more hardscape and stronger lighting if you want to plant it. It'll be taller too, so 'hard to clean' as in you have to reach in further and may get your sleeves wet. All that said, a larger tank is more stable, so can be less stressful in the long run. For instance, should you ever experience an ammonia spike, it will be less likely to harm your fish because of the larger water volume. I would love the have a 40B if I had the space. I also love a long tank, so our 3 tanks are all 20 gallon longs, making them easy to reach into and cheap to light. There are 30 gallon long tanks available as well. Having long tanks can open up your stocking a bit because they offer more side to side swim space, as well as more bottom space than high tanks do.

I also sympathize with worrying about little ones. I'll be glad to help you with cord keeping if you'd like. I even have refrigerator lock's by Munchkin to secure the lid on the tank in the living room. My toddlers absolutely love watching the tank, and I enjoy seeing them learn about the hobby. My big kid has a tank of his own these days and I'd say it's a great hobby to do as a family. I would advise taking things slow though, I can't imagine you have a ton of energy these days, but those sleepless nights won't last forever!

Cord keeping will be necessary...she's nosy enough just being able to sit and look around, I can't imagine what she's gonna get into once she's mobile! I also have 3 dogs and 2 cats...one cat that is exactly like having a small child...into everything.

It appears my fiance is concerned about algae in a tank...he hates the way it looks. I might have to look into snails/shrimp/something else to keep that in check. I don't particularly care for otos or plecos...I think I'm the odd one out there.

 

My solution to cord keeping has actually been pretty easy. I mount the power strip as high as possible while keeping it as hidden as possible. So, it may be on the wall just behind the tank, on the back, or on the side very near to the back of the stand. In either of these applications, it allows for the wires to be contained behind the tank. I thought to zip tie them once, and regretted it within weeks when I had something else to plug in, or needed to change something. Anyhow, the plugin's are out of sight/reach out of mind, and the cords are arranged in the narrow space behind tanks that in such a way as to make them unreachable by little hands. This arrangement also allows for the drip loop to be in place on all my tanks. It may also be helpful to strategically place a small hook or some cord keepers in the wall behind the tank. All this is best figured out before there is water. It's important to do a dry fit.