Finally starting out!! Do I have evrything to get started??

[PattyCakes81]

Hi All!!

I think I want to start my 20 gal High tank!!! Finally after all the questions I ask!!

All I had to start with was the bare bones, Just a 20 gal high tank and metal stand, that's it.

Here is a list of all the things I have purchased and/or ordered:

1. Aquaclear 50 Power Filter
2. Lee's The ultimate Gravel Vac 25' Kit
3. Whisper 10 Air Pump (Found in closet, didn't know I had it)
4. Silicone Airline Tubing, 20 Feet
5. Floating Thermometer with Suction Cup
6. Seachem Prime Declorinator
7. 24" Versa-Top Glass Canopy
8. Glass Only Mag-Float Algae Scraper
9. API Freshwater Master Test Kit
10. Visi-Therm Heater 75W
11. Driftwood
12. CaribSea Instant Aquarium Freshwater Substrate Crystal River [grain sz. from 0.2mm to 0.5mm (is this a good size if having Cories?)]
13. Flourish Root Tabs
14. Freshwater Aquarium Salt
15. Air check
16. Five gallon bucket (just for aquarium)
17. Fish Nets
18. Tetra Tropical Crisps Fish Food
19. DIY Light Fixture with 4 10W Daylight Spiral CFL for 2WPG of light.

Don't want to do CO2!!
Am I missing anything?? ideas on what plants that I can use in this setup? ideas on foreground, mid ground, back ground plants?

Much Thanks,
Patty

[HolyAngel]

Sounds good to me.. The substrate should be fine for cories but I wouldnt use the salt if you get them as they can't tolerate it ^^

[PattyCakes81]

Originally Posted by HolyAngel

Sounds good to me.. The substrate should be fine for cories but I wouldnt use the salt if you get them as they can't tolerate it ^^

Thanks for tip about cories and salt. But I have the salt just in case of ich.

The substrate is it good for plants??

Patty

[Optix]

...missing something??

yep, CO2 :p

[dwc13]

I find a couple of 5G Homer buckets from Home Depot (or equivalent) really useful for lots of things aournd the aquarium including:

waterchanges
keeping aquarium plants and other items that have been removed while I'm doing maintenance/aquascaping in the tank
draining water from a bag with new fish; a decent-sized net will span the top of the bucket, making it easy to pour the contents of the bag out
functioning as an emergency hospital tank
rinsing filter media in
washing substrate and other items
functioning as a temporary storage / quarantine tank for plants (de-snail)
functioning as a holding tank for water allowing it to dechlorinate without adding chemicals
transporting fish/plants on an across town move
keeping smaller fish temporarily when changing/doing major work on substrate

[HolyAngel]

Oh +1 on the 5gal buckets! I forgot about that, totally necessary!

And yeah the sand shouldn't be a problem for plants at all as long as the root tabs are always replaced when needed.

[PattyCakes81]

Originally Posted by Optix

...missing something??

yep, CO2 :p

I know. But even with low light plants?

Originally Posted by dwc13

I find a couple of 5G Homer buckets from Home Depot (or equivalent) really useful for lots of things around the aquarium including:

waterchanges
keeping aquarium plants and other items that have been removed while I'm doing maintenance/aquascaping in the tank
draining water from a bag with new fish; a decent-sized net will span the top of the bucket, making it easy to pour the contents of the bag out
functioning as an emergency hospital tank
rinsing filter media in
washing substrate and other items
functioning as a temporary storage / quarantine tank for plants (de-snail)
functioning as a holding tank for water allowing it to dechlorinate without adding chemicals
transporting fish/plants on an across town move
keeping smaller fish temporarily when changing/doing major work on substrate

Oh forgot to list the 5 gallon buckets I got from Lowe's. Thanks for the tip though.

Originally Posted by HolyAngel

Oh +1 on the 5gal buckets! I forgot about that, totally necessary!

And yeah the sand shouldn't be a problem for plants at all as long as the root tabs are always replaced when needed.

Okay. Will keep up on the root tabs!!

[jreich]

even tho your going low tech you will probably want some kind of ferst besides root tabs.
and btw "functioning as a holding tank for water allowing it to dechlorinate without adding chemicals" this is false. chlorine will break down over time, but chloramine wont.

[kevmo911]

The air pump, tubing, and check valve are unnecessary, especially since you've got a HOB filter. You didn't mention fish - make sure you'll have an appropriate number for that size, and that they'll get along. And don't forget about a janitorial crew.

Foreground - dwarf sag, crypt parva, HM
Mid - could really be anything. More crypts?
Back - hygrophilas, ludwigias

Just picking basic, low-demand plants. There are a ton out there. Try the sticky on low-light plants in the plant forum.

[dwc13]

Originally Posted by jreich

even tho your going low tech you will probably want some kind of ferst besides root tabs.
and btw "functioning as a holding tank for water allowing it to dechlorinate without adding chemicals" this is false. chlorine will break down over time, but chloramine wont.

I completely disagree with your assertion. Chloramine does break down over time, it just a lot longer to do so than chlorine.

http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/pages/pu...licationId=777

The EPA has established a Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL) for chloramines of 4 parts per million (ppm). This is the highest level of a disinfectant allowed in public drinking water. In Lincoln and Omaha, chloramines concentrations at the tap typically range from 0.5 to 2.3 ppm. Chloramines break down naturally over time. Therefore, the chloramines level can vary within either system and in water delivered at any given tap. In general, water delivered in portions of the distribution system closer to the treatment plant will contain chloramines in higher concentrations. Conversely, the chloramines concentration may be lower in water delivered farther from the treatment plant.

[jreich]

Originally Posted by dwc13

I completely disagree with your assertion. Chloramine does break down over time, it just a lot longer to do so than chlorine.

sorry to jack your thread, but yes everything breaks down over time, but that is totally impractical, and you dont really know when the chloramine is totally broken down. Why not just spend $5 on a bottle of prime which will last you for 6+ months and call it a day. Nothing to worrie about that way, and you wont have to keep a closet full of buckets of watter while you wait for the chemicals to break down. From what i have read it takes over a week for chloramine to break down. Totally impractical for the quantity of water we need for a WC. Leaving your water to age is 80's style fish keeping, thats how it was done before people knew better, and before chloramine was being used in our water systems.

[dwc13]

OP -

Does the Lee's gravel vac come with a hose that is considerably shorter than 25' (say, 5' to 6')? If not, you might want to go to Lowe's or Home Depot and buy a shorter length of tubing that will fit the gravel vac. I haven't used the Lee's gravel vac so I don't have firsthand knowledge as to how well it works, but I would think there are times you wouldn't want to deal with 25' of tubing -- like those occassions when it's just easier or more efficient to use a 5G bucket to collect the siphoned water rather than connecting the device to a faucet. I undestand why aquarists with larger aquariums would be interested in something like this (or the Python), but even on my 45H I'm only changing at most 2 5G buckets worth of water (excluding an emergency situation) so carrying buckets is no big deal.

[jreich]

sorry to thread jack again, but there is no reason to buy a shorter length of hose because if its to long you can just cut the hose you already have then just reatach the connections.

[dwc13]

Originally Posted by jreich

sorry to jack your thread, but yes everything breaks down over time, but that is totally impractical, and you dont really know when the chloramine is totally broken down. Why not just spend $5 on a bottle of prime which will last you for 6+ months and call it a day. Nothing to worrie about that way, and you wont have to keep a closet full of buckets of watter while you wait for the chemicals to break down. From what i have read it takes over a week for chloramine to break down. Totally impractical for the quantity of water we need for a WC. Leaving your water to age is 80's style fish keeping, thats how it was done before people knew better, and before chloramine was being used in our water systems.

My original post indicated "dechlorinate", which means to remove chlorine from. That hardly takes much time at all, especially when an airstone is being used. BTW. the correct term for removing (both parts of) chloramine is "dechloramination". I didn't use that term in my original posting.

You're 0-2. Want a shot at the hat trick?

As far as keeping water in buckets being totally impractical, don't tell that to the folks who years ago would have multiple barrels full of water being dechlorinated and conditioned for addition to their tanks at a later date. Some folks probably still use this method, as not everyone is in a hurry.

[dwc13]

Originally Posted by jreich

sorry to thread jack again, but there is no reason to buy a shorter length of hose because if its to long you can just cut the hose you already have then just reatach the connections.

Is there something in the water in Philly?

Why would you cut the hose when you just might want the full 25' length sometimes but other times a shorter length is more suitable?

0-3. Hattrick awarded.