30G Tank Stocking Help

[iZemae]

Hey All,

I have been reading all sorts on 30 gallon stocking, and yet I am still a bit stuck as there all sorts of mixtures for each tank. Now, we believe our tank is 30 Gallons, the measurements are 80L x 35D x 50H in cm. If this is not 30Gallons, please let me know.

The tank has been cycling for a couple of days so still got a while left on that yet, but while that does that, we are trying to figure out what we can put in there, we have an idea but would love to hear from you guys to know if it would work. The tank is planted with real plants also. The filter is an Underwater Fluval U2 Filter.

Our First idea is:
2x Angel Fish
1x Dwarf Gourami
Between 6-10 Middle layer fish/schooling fish (We thought Cherry Barbs, but know they can be an issue for Angels, so happy to take suggestions here)
4/5x Kuhli Loaches
1x BN Plec

Also unsure as to what order we should add the fish to the tank, if someone can advise this too, that would be great!

Is this overstocking or is this a good amount and what would you suggest changing?

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

To work out the volume of water in the tank:
measure length x width x height in cm.
divide by 1000.
= volume in litres.

When you measure the height, measure from the top of the substrate to the top of the water level.

There is a calculator/ converter in the "How To Tips" at the top of this page that will let you convert litres to gallons if you need it.

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Do not get dwarf gouramis

Dwarf Gouramis (Trichogaster lalius) and all their colour varieties can carry Tuberculosis (TB) or the Iridovirus. Neither of which can be treated. Any dwarf gourami from Asia can have either or both of these diseases and there is no way of telling which fish has it until they die. Then it's too late because the disease is in your tank forever.

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The tank is not really long enough for adult angelfish. If would be ok for a group of young angels but they will need a longer tank when mature. Adult angelfish do best in tanks that are 4 foot or more in length.

If you only bought the tank the other day, see if you can return it and get something a bit longer.

 

[iZemae]

Hi and welcome to the forum

To work out the volume of water in the tank:
measure length x width x height in cm.
divide by 1000.
= volume in litres.

When you measure the height, measure from the top of the substrate to the top of the water level.

There is a calculator/ converter in the "How To Tips" at the top of this page that will let you convert litres to gallons if you need it.

----------------------------
Do not get dwarf gouramis

Dwarf Gouramis (Trichogaster lalius) and all their colour varieties can carry Tuberculosis (TB) or the Iridovirus. Neither of which can be treated. Any dwarf gourami from Asia can have either or both of these diseases and there is no way of telling which fish has it until they die. Then it's too late because the disease is in your tank forever.

----------------------------
The tank is not really long enough for adult angelfish. If would be ok for a group of young angels but they will need a longer tank when mature. Adult angelfish do best in tanks that are 4 foot or more in length.

If you only bought the tank the other day, see if you can return it and get something a bit longer.

Hi, thank you for those details, I did not know that about the Gouramis, and unfortunately, it got the tank second hand for a good price, and we can't really go any bigger without putting weight on the second floor of the apartment being a problem.

May have to rethink Angels and go down a different route for a stocking if this is the case, is there a stock group that you may be able to advise on?

 

[Colin_T]

Any idea what the GH (general hardness) and pH of your water supply is. This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

 

[iZemae]

Any idea what the GH (general hardness) and pH of your water supply is. This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

I don't right now, at work so no idea, I intend of taking some of the tank water to be tested before I put fish in the tank anyway. As for tap water, I just did a bit of research and found this:

"Most of our water supply can be classified as ‘moderately hard’ (on a scale of one to ten this would be seven).

The Total Hardness Level is 270 mg per litre as Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3). This is equivalent to:

PPM: 270"

Does this help?

 

[Essjay]

That is very helpful. Fish profiles give hardness as either ppm or dH. Yours is 270 ppm and 15 dH. This is more than "moderately" hard; for fish it is hard. You need to look at fish that are happy in hard water.
The best site for research is http://www.seriouslyfish.com/knowledge-base/ The fish profiles on that site give the hardness range for each species, and the size tank they need.

 

[Byron]

Now, we believe our tank is 30 Gallons, the measurements are 80L x 35D x 50H in cm. If this is not 30Gallons, please let me know.

This is 37 US gallons empty. Substrate, decor displace water obviously, so you will likely have closer to 25-30 actual gallons. The measurement guide Colin mentioned may sort this out, but again any objects in thee water displace some of it.

I agree with other members on the fish and water parameters.

 

[iZemae]

That is very helpful. Fish profiles give hardness as either ppm or dH. Yours is 270 ppm and 15 dH. This is more than "moderately" hard; for fish it is hard. You need to look at fish that are happy in hard water.
The best site for research is http://www.seriouslyfish.com/knowledge-base/ The fish profiles on that site give the hardness range for each species, and the size tank they need.

Thank you for this, I will do some research tonight and see what I can look at and hopefully come back with a stock list and see what you and the others think!