55 Gallon

[WhistlingBadger]

Water Hardness is - 157 PPM or 9 gpg. I found that on the water works website! I looked around more today at fish tanks and now, really don't know what I want! 20-39 gallon is calling my name, more and more. 20 gallon or two of them sound fun. One dwarf gourami, and 6 Zebra Danio's is what I have thought more and more about. A 20 gallon can handle that correct? I like the Aqueon Quiet Flow 30 and gets good reviews from Amazon.com. For a hood/light, do they sell those individually? How much is that going to cost? Everyone has told me not to get a set so I'm not going to. I trust you guys. Thanks for any more advice, lol.

Your water is nice, medium-soft. In a 20 long, you could keep a dwarf gourami, 10 zebra danios, and a nice school of small loaches or catfish. And a few amano shrimp.

 

[Byron]

Water Hardness is - 157 PPM or 9 gpg. I found that on the water works website! I looked around more today at fish tanks and now, really don't know what I want! 20-39 gallon is calling my name, more and more. 20 gallon or two of them sound fun. One dwarf gourami, and 6 Zebra Danio's is what I have thought more and more about. A 20 gallon can handle that correct? I like the Aqueon Quiet Flow 30 and gets good reviews from Amazon.com. For a hood/light, do they sell those individually? How much is that going to cost? Everyone has told me not to get a set so I'm not going to. I trust you guys. Thanks for any more advice, lol.

Some things to think about here. First, gourami are sedate fish, not active swimmers. Such fish do not appreciate active swimmers around them, and danios are all active swimmers. If you are set on a gourami, you want similarly quiet tankmates which will be species of rasbora, tetras, substrate fish like cory catfish (with sand only). Not every species in these families will work, they are just generalities.

The dwarf gourami is a health risk. The Honey Gourami are better in a similar size.

The tank size needs careful consideration. Longer tanks are better than shorter tanks in the same volume. Example, you can have more options with a 20g long (30 inches length)as opposed to a standard or high 20g (24 inch length). This can make quite a difference.

The Aqueon Quiet Flow 30 is a hang-on-back filter. Personally I would never use a HOB filter in this small a tank. Fish suiteed to these tanks are less active and a quieter filter is better. This is why you need to have a good idea of the intended fish, a strong flow can cause trouble for sedate fish.

 

[10 Tanks]

Hello Jonas. Good for you. 55 gallons is the best size in my opinion. I typically keep five or six this size for my Goldfish. Seapora has a good, inexpensive sponge filter. A breeder filter "L". Remember to cycle the tank properly, prior to adding fish and once cycled, a fifty percent water change weekly, will keep the fish in good condition.

10 Tanks

 

[JonasN515]

I just found a used 55 gallon for 50 bucks. I'm hoping that comes through. Back to square one but I'll take it. Next step is to look for a filter which I have found a used one as well. A Fluval Aquarium Power Filter? Will this work for that? For a hood, where can I get one? I have looked a sand at Ace Hardware. Is this a ok place? Thanks guys!

 

[jaylach]

I just found a used 55 gallon for 50 bucks. I'm hoping that comes through. Back to square one but I'll take it. Next step is to look for a filter which I have found a used one as well. A Fluval Aquarium Power Filter? Will this work for that? For a hood, where can I get one? I have looked a sand at Ace Hardware. Is this a ok place? Thanks guys!

Congrats!

On the filter a model number would be needed to know if it is sufficient for the tank.

Would like to know what type of samd as I don't think that all sand is good. Ace should be fine as a source.

If you don't mind an open looking tank you can just get a piece pf plexiglass cut for a lid but you would need some spacers to allow air flow. As to an actual hood that would likely contain lights you can get at pretty much any pet store or on-line. I'm sure that others will be able to give good advice as to a hood choice. Would need the actual physical dimensions of the tank.

 

[sharkweek178]

The Aqueon Quiet Flow 30 is a hang-on-back filter. Personally I would never use a HOB filter in this small a tank. Fish suiteed to these tanks are less active and a quieter filter is better. This is why you need to have a good idea of the intended fish, a strong flow can cause trouble for sedate fish.

There's a simple solution for this. You can make a baffle out of a plastic water bottle and use a little duct tape to hold it into place.

It works so well that my honey gourami sometimes hangs out directly under the water bottle baffle.
Aqueon QuietFlow is pretty good. It is extremely quiet. Quiet enough for a bedroom. I noticed a lot of plastic framing in the filter and realized that was designed to give beneficial bacteria more surface to grow on. I added some bio beads in a mesh bag to mine. You're supposed to use carbon filter cartridges but you can replace them with some foam. It's also self priming, which is nice in the event of a power loss.

 

[Uberhoust]

You can get the 24" hinged covers at Petco, or PetSmart, for the covers, they might fit, though I would compare the measurements before I bought the two you would need. Their actual size is closer to 23". Plexiglass works too but for a piece the size you are talking about and the thickness you would need it could be expensive, it is here, but where I live the prices don't always match what is available in the states.

Play sand should be OK but if it is construction sand it is not very good because it might have very angular grains. If you can get in the yard there will likely be some sand that is from a damaged bag, pick some up and look at the sand grains with a lupe, if they are rounded the sand should be OK. This kind of sand will require a lot of washing before going into the tank to remove the dust.

 

[sharkweek178]

I just found a used 55 gallon for 50 bucks. I'm hoping that comes through. Back to square one but I'll take it. Next step is to look for a filter which I have found a used one as well. A Fluval Aquarium Power Filter? Will this work for that? For a hood, where can I get one? I have looked a sand at Ace Hardware. Is this a ok place? Thanks guys!

I recommend Quikrete play sand. Since it's designed for children to play in, it's completely non toxic and non abrasive. It works great. Just make sure to clean it well before putting it in.