In Need Of Opinions For A New Tanks

[SakanaLover2009]

Hello there I stumbled across this forum while I am doing some research for a new tank. I am the mother to two betta fish and have a deep passion for fish. So I am here to ask the proffesional fish owners of this forum on tips and advice on getting an aquarium.
My boyfriend has suggested a ten gallon tank since I am an beginner wouldn't have to worry about so many fish at once. I already have the knowledge that one fish equals one gallon in an aquarium and that filtration and heating is good for any aquarium. I would like to know some good brands on aquariums if any of you have a brand name that you are satisfied with.
In my area where I live I have a Petco and a Petsmart. For an aquarium I wish to go to Petco and Petsmart for the fish (mainly because the Petco where I live mistreats their fish However ever I did some research online and found an aquarium on Pet smart that is:
AquaTank X Plus 10 gallon
Seamless Acrylic Aquarium
Hood with 15 watt flourescent light
50 watt heater tetra powered filter and initial filter media.
This tank is $50.00 and with me being a poor college student loves this price. However, I have been given reviews that is hard to work with and what not and was wondering if you had any tank names that might be in this price range but is still descent for the fish. If not I can handle a big price...I don't need the fish to suffer. Anyway...if I can get some answers of this then I can write that down and ask some more questions( fish and watnot)
I hope to hear from you and thank you for taking time to read this.

 

[hollanda88]

Fluval are good for the smaller tanks as you get the internal fluval filters which are really good with a good flow rate.

I would personally go up to 20 gallons as you are likely to want to after about a month anyway .

You can get clearseal glass tanks with no equipment really cheap and get the bits fromm ebay cheap

andrew

 

[Davo86]

Hi, welcome

tbh I would ditch the idea of a 10G and try for a 15 or even 20G if you can,
bigger tanks are easier to maintain and enable a more stable environment for the fish resulting in healthier fish and hopefully a little less work for you.

Another problem with 10G tanks is that due to the size of the tank you are really limited on what species will live successfully in the tank,
You would find that some obvious species, such as neons or guppys, that you would expect to be suitable for a 10G, aren't

 

[rdd1952]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

I certainly understand you wanting to stay small for ease but in actuality, larger tanks are more stable and easier to maintain. It just takes a little longer to do water changes as you have more to change. I'm not certain whay they sell them for now but Petsmart used to sell a 29 gallon starter kit, complete with everything you need: filter, heater, etc., for about $100. That is what I started with but that was also back late 2004 so I'm sure they have gone up some by now.

As for fish, if you stay with community fish such as tetras, rasboras, corys, danios, etc. you shouldn't have any problems. There are some species of tetras that can be nippy but for the most part they all get along fine.

I would suggestion you do your research first to make sure you know the fish you want to get, how large they grow, what their water requirements are and what they are compatible with. But I guess since your here now before you buy your tank or fish that was a wasted statement as you obviously are researching already.

Have a read of the topics at the top of the New to the Hobby section and in the Beginners Resource Center (also at the top of the section). there are some really good articles to help make your start into your first tropical tank as simple as possible.

Edit: Davo is quick on the trigger today and seems to be beating me to the punch on everything today.

 

[Davo86]

Edit: Davo is quick on the trigger today and seems to be beating me to the punch on everything today.

Don't worry rdd1952, I'm loggin off for the evening now, so I leave the forum in your capable hands

 

[SakanaLover2009]

Wow it is nice to get some many replies in such a sort amount of time! Thank you! I am glad to know that getting a bigger tank is a good idea since I am doing research on some tropical freshwater fish at the moment and realizing a lot do not like a 10 gallon tank. So I am off to do some research on some tanks! Anywho I have some fish information that I need opinions for just to get a basic tip on what I need to look for. I have some fish information here....hope it helps.

Sparkling Gourami (the one I found in this forum and decided to do further research on)
Medium care
Size is 1.5 inches
Ph level 7.0
Temperature 76-82F
Behavior: peaceful
Tank size: 5 and above
Omnivore

Swordtail
Omnivores
Generally a good community fish however will become bully to other fish and eat other fish's fry
Hardness 12-30
Ph 7.0 to 8.3
Temperature 64-82F

Neon tetra
Ph 5.5-7.5
Hardness: soft to medium
Dh range: 1.0-25
Temperature: 68-78 degrees

I was in search of fish that can live in the same temperature and Ph levels (since I am guessing that is what you want for the little guys) If you know of any other breeds of fish that are very healthy and could handle my noob experience please share their names so that I can research them. Thank you so much again!

 

[rdd1952]

It is usually a very active forum although is does start to tail off around 5 or 6 US EST since the across the pond members are off to bed.

In any case, a couple things to keep in mnd. Swordtails are livebearers so unless you get only males, you will have fry. As for neons, they are generally considered to be less hardy and need a more mature tank but from my most recent experience and conversations with local fish stores, they seem to be much better in this area. So I guess it depends on the area you're in.

On suggestion I will make: take a sample of your tap water to the fish store and ask them to test it for pH, GH & KH and give you the actual readings, not hard, soft, acidic, etc. Knowing what your water is like will also help in deciding what fish you want. While most fish will adapt to a pH that isn't exactly in their optimal range, if you can get fish that suit your water, they will be at their best.