First Aquarium, Already Ready for Our Second! (New Guy)

[Shibby430]

Hey everyone! New aquarium enthusiast here! I just finished cycling, adding and getting everything settled in my 45G community aquarium. 3 Dwarf G's, 3 Dalmation Molly, 5 Swordtails, Red Tailed Shark, Paradise Fish, 4 Congo Tetra, 3 Moonrise Tetra and a Clown Pleco.

Everyone has settled in and gets along great! I am looking at starting a Tiger Barb tank with minimal tank mates. Probably a 65G.

Any advise on substrate, tank setup and decorations? Mostly, how many barbs should could we go with in the tank? Ive seen mixed reviews and numbers from different people.

I'm really excited to be apart of the forum!

 

[JuiceBox52]

Welcome to the forum! Before you set up another tank there are some stocking issues in the first. Before I go into it we need to know your GH level. You can find this info on your local water providers website or by calling them directly

 

[Shibby430]

Welcome to the forum! Before you set up another tank there are some stocking issues in the first. Before I go into it we need to know your GH level. You can find this info on your local water providers website or by calling them directly

Hey! Looks like the local is around 64 PPM. When I test the aquarium and the water straight from the tap it reads right around 65-75. I look forward to your advice!

 

[JuiceBox52]

Hey! Looks like the local is around 64 PPM. When I test the aquarium and the water straight from the tap it reads right around 65-75. I look forward to your advice!

Your water is too soft for the mollies and swordtails. I would rehome them and then add one or two more of each fish to your shoals, minimum for most shoaling species is 6, with 8+ being ideal

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Any advise on substrate, tank setup and decorations?

I suggest sand. If you have a low budget, I suggest getting play sand from Home Depot or Lowe’s. It is completely safe for aquarium use once it is properly washed.

As far as decor goes, I suggest driftwood. You can find this at most retail pet stores. Also look into live plants. I can give you a list of beginner plants if you want.

I hope to see you around the forum!

 

[Retired Viking]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I agree with the above forum members. Your mix of fish is wrong for the water. Hard water fish will have shorten lives in soft water because they will not get the nutrients they need and soft water fish will store up to many in hard water. It is like us eating to much fat in our diet, it is unhealthy and leads to health problems. It is important to tell us what your water reading are so we can help you decide on the right fish. I live in an area with moderately hard water but like soft water fish so I use RO water to help soften the water so it is healthy for my soft water tetras.

 

[Metalhead88]

I agree with above posts.

Also to add, increase the number of each tetra to at least 6.

The red tail shark is also the odd man out. These fish are aggressive and will likely kill most of your other fish in time.

I'm happy to here that you are enjoying the hobby already. You'll have multiple tanks in no time!

I'd love to see a picture of the tank.