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mrspnut

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Lincoln, UK
Hi,
I've been reading forums and googling for ages and I think my head may fall off with all the information so I'm posting to ask some specific questions.

I currently have a very small 20l tank that we used to have a black moor in (for about 6 years) I also have an aqualine internal power filter and a small amount of gravel.

I would like to set up a new tank to house some neon tetras and would like some advice on what else I need to buy to get going. I'm planning on doing fishless cycling and have read loads about that today but I don't have a great deal of money to begin with because we've just bought a new house and new windows, floors etc etc. :rolleyes:

Any advice and recommendations would be greatly appreciated as would information about aquarium shops in and around Lincoln because I haven't come across any on my travels and web listings seem to be years out of date.

MTIA
 
Neons are quite sensitive, its recommended to let your tank mature for about 6 months after the cycle before you add neons

You also need a heater.

Edit:

Im sure sure if you could fit a small shoal of neons in a 20l. Someone else will talk to you about that.
 
Please do a fishless cycle ask on here in tropical discusion about it PLEASE
 
Hi mrspnut and wecome to the forums! :hi:

Hopefully you've finally found the right home here in our beginners section. There are lots and lots of experienced aquarists who like to chat here and many who should be able to help you in plain english with the process you're hoping to learn about. It can be a very fun way to learn some new information and to enjoy the hobby.

Your case presents in a way that we see many times a month and the best way to get started is for you to settle down to some good reading at your convenience of our Beginners Resource Center where we've collected some of our threads that help people get started. Read the ones about the nitrogen cycle, about starting a tank and about fishless and fish-in cycling.

What's even more fun though is to ask questions as you go along right here in your own thread and also to read other beginner's threads and get a feel for the range of questions people are asking. It makes it more fun.

Filters are quite central to the core skills you'll need and so a good first goal is to learn about the funtions of filters and what types of filter media are recommended and why. That way you can be sure you've got the right stuff in there before your fishless cycle starts!

~~waterdrop~~
 
Thanks all of you for taking the time to reply.

I have been reading the beginners threads that you've collated and thankfully having done a science degree with a large element of microbiology I understand the nitrogen cycle pretty well.

I was really looking for more practical suggestions though, like whether or not to buy a hood, how to fit a light and which heater might work best in such a small tank.
 
OK, that explains it better. A 20L/5G tank is among the smallest that get talked about here sometimes and perhaps some of the betta hobbyists will happen along and be able to advise you. I've noticed them discussing very small heaters and things every now and then here in the beginners section (and I'm sure they hang out a lot in the betta forum too if you want to try some over there.) I'm not that knowledgeable about good equipment for very small tanks, although I think the idea of a 5G with a nice shoal of cardinals (some will say its too small but that wouldn't be my opinion) swimming amongst a bunch of plant would be really great.

I've seen some really pretty but very small nano tanks with "designer" lights that sit above, separated from the tank. In fact, you can just rig up any manner of light in that way and it can look pretty cool with a small tank. A clear top of some kind is very helpful in that it lowers water loss due to evaporation and also just about any types of trops will jump sometimes. I believe there are even some very small external cannister filters made for nano tanks...

~~waterdrop~~
 
For a little tank like that, a 25W heater would be big enough. There are some that size in almost any brand of heater that you like. As WD said, the little lights for a 5 gallon are not a real issue since almost any desk light could be used to light up the tank. To prevent fish jumping out, a cover can be cut from a piece of clear plastic such as the lens material for a fluorescent light fixture. That way the fish and water stay in and the light can get in too. If you bore a small hole in the plastic, you can use it as a handle to lift the piece and can even feed the fish through the hole.

As far as local fish shops, are you talking about Lincoln, Illinois or Lincoln, Nebraska or one of the other Lincolns? It is a fairly common name for a town in english speaking countries. If I am not mistaken, there is a Lincoln in the UK too.
 
For a little tank like that, a 25W heater would be big enough. There are some that size in almost any brand of heater that you like. As WD said, the little lights for a 5 gallon are not a real issue since almost any desk light could be used to light up the tank. To prevent fish jumping out, a cover can be cut from a piece of clear plastic such as the lens material for a fluorescent light fixture. That way the fish and water stay in and the light can get in too. If you bore a small hole in the plastic, you can use it as a handle to lift the piece and can even feed the fish through the hole.

As far as local fish shops, are you talking about Lincoln, Illinois or Lincoln, Nebraska or one of the other Lincolns? It is a fairly common name for a town in english speaking countries. If I am not mistaken, there is a Lincoln in the UK too.
Yep, that'd be the one all the others are named after! :lol:

I have a 25l tank with a 25w heater that seems to work well :)
 
Thank you very much all of you.

I shall look for a 25w heater then and perhaps see what lighting I already have that could be utilised.
Waterdrop - that's exactly the sort of set up I wanted to go for but with neons not cardinals.

I do already have a clear plastic lid for the tank that came with it, and the filter I have was good enough for the black moor we had so hopefully it'll be good enough for the tetras.

BTW, I am in the original Lincoln and last night I was in the original London too. :D
 

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