I hope this is the right place.

[NoHugTheFish]

Sorry if I step out of line this site is still a little confusing to me.
Black Friday sales are here! So I get to purchase my first tank back into the hobby since I was a kid! The catch is that I live in the boonies, there is no LFS so have to order online to pick up an hour away. What I'd like is basic I know, I'm thinking a planted/internal filter combo that has Apistos or Rams, tetras and of course clean up crew assistance. Right now I'm looking at (because I have a super sturdy end table that fits it perfectly) the Aqueon Frameless Cube Aquarium, 35 Gallon I'm more about happy fish than scapes and style. All suggestions are welcome and VERY much appreciated! Does anyone have opnions on lighting or filters that I can order today? Is it overkill that I'm considering 2 smaller internal filters on opposite ends of the tank on low because if one should fail I'll have a back up going? I know I'm that person who asks stupid questions but I don't want to make stupid mistakes, I want to do right by my critters and my wallet. Thank you! TYIA!! Here's another dumb question, would you use a contrasting substrate so the fish stand out or would you use one that feels a bit more like camo for the fish? A less stressed fish is a healthier fish? Am I taking this too far?

 

[10 Tanks]

Hello NoHug. Welcome back into the most interesting, satisfying and rewarding hobby on the face of the earth! Which are you? The potato state or the gem state? I can never remember. I have fond memories of my family trips to Kuna back in the 1950s and 60s. Anyway, 35 gallons is a great start. You can use a simple sponge filter and just make sure to change half the tank water at least once a week. This will be fine for the fish and better for your wallet. I recommend a darker substrate in the form of pebbles. I like gray, but there are others. Easy to clean and always looks good. Your aquarium should come with lighting, so you shouldn't need to pay extra for it. Some come with a filter, so you may not need the sponge.

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[NoHugTheFish]

Hello NoHug. Welcome back into the most interesting, satisfying and rewarding hobby on the face of the earth! Which are you? The potato state or the gem state? I can never remember. I have fond memories of my family trips to Kuna back in the 1950s and 60s. Anyway, 35 gallons is a great start. You can use a simple sponge filter and just make sure to change half the tank water at least once a week. This will be fine for the fish and better for your wallet. I recommend a darker substrate in the form of pebbles. I like gray, but there are others. Easy to clean and always looks good. Your aquarium should come with lighting, so you shouldn't need to pay extra for it. Some come with a filter, so you may not need the sponge.

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Thank you very much! I know you people are the pros! I can do a sponge filter/ 50% changes & grey pebbles it is!
Oh & lol, it's the Gem State even if it is known for potatoes but funny thing is they grow more beets and onions than anything? Weird. I REALLY wish I knew some cross over aquarium rock hounds to go harvest my own stone!

 

[10 Tanks]

Hello again. You can be a little creative and possibly find some local rocks or pieces of natural wood to fancy up your tank. I have several large tanks and have decorated all of them with local stuff from the water and wooded areas where I live. It's a real treat to see the finished product and know you did it. There's a lot to learn in this hobby and the best part is, you'll always find out something new. Just have some fun!

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[NoHugTheFish]

Thank you for the support and encouragement!! I really appreciate the advice!

 

[jaylach]

In the past I have found slate, NOT shale which is a different form of the same rock, to be awesome for making an interesting and cheap hard scape, even good for building caves. If you have a local garden center ask them if they have any broken slate slabs. Getting broken pieces is usually dirt cheap. Just make sure to use coarse sandpaper or an emory board to remove any sharp edges to avoid injuries to your fish.

Slate is also good for mounting some plants such as Anubias and/or Java Fern. Lava rock is also good for this.

I won't get into filtration as I'm an advocate of under gravel filtration which isn't all that popular around here.

You might want to look at the reviews for the tank that you linked. It has a high percentage of 1 star reviews for leakage. Always look at reviews. Pretty much ignore the 4 an 5 star reviews but pay close attention to the 1 and 2 star reviews as you want to see where people have had issues, not the happy ones.

Just to mention... If you need to order fish on-line here are the top two that I'd recommend.

Dan's Fish, Quality Freshwater Aquarium Fish

Get freshwater fish guaranteed to succeed. Angelfish to rainbowfish, catfish to killifish, and many more for sale. All shipped Next Day Air.

dansfish.com

Freshwater Tropical Fish For Sale Online - The Wet Spot Tropical Fish

We specialize in both common and rarely seen freshwater tropical aquarium fish. Come check out the largest variety of fish for sale online!

www.wetspottropicalfish.com

 

[Mikeyboy123]

Nice tank, but at only 21" in all dimensions, you are restricting your choice of fish. Cubes like that are great if you are setting up to be viewed from all sides, but in most cases it is far better IMO to go for a tank that is rectangular. You could get a 90 or 100cm tank that would have a similar volume, but you'd then have a far greater choice of fish you could accommodate.