New Tank - New Start!

[hanny93]

Hi everyone,

I've delayed this a little bit haha, but just saying hi!

I currently have a 16 gallon tank (only little I know but it's alright until I can get some money coming in)
I have 4 mollies - 2 silver, 2 golden.
3 guppies -1 male, 2 female (I think, to me it looks like they all have that gonopdium but I got them from different male and female tanks at my lfs.

I've just changed from black gravel to white sand, and it looks ace! my tank loojs so much better and bigger, with 4 live plants, I'm not sure what they are, 2 look like ferny type things, and the other two are borad leafed little things. A bit like huge clover.

I have a filter and a heater set at 26C and a light thats on from 8am to 10pm.

I feed them Hikari Tropical Micro Wafers and occasionally baby brine shrimp, all bought from my lfs.

If anyone can think of anything worng/improvements they can make I'd be more than grateful, that includes, plants, eqipment, fish or substrate

I'm a big worrier so I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot of my posts!

 

[elisew]

Hi and welcome to TFF

The tank sounds nice, pics would help and we`d be able to id the plants for you then
the only thing that immediately stands out is the length of time you have your lights on for, a lot of light is likely to cause horrible algae to grow in your tank. Lights on 12-8pm would be ok and you could then have a moonlight (blue led) light on 8pm-10/11pm? Up to you though

 

[hanny93]

I'm trying to locate a camera at the moment, if all else fails I'll just have to use my blackberry cmaera but it is RUBBISH!

And yeah I've heard that, I used to leave them on 24/7, then cut it down to 8am-10pm, the only thing is that I'm at college during the day, so I turn them on when I get up and turn them off when I go to bed.

And moonlighting looks ace, but isn't it expensive?
I'm not particularly well off and cant afford ridiculously expensive lighting
But thankyou anyway

 

[elisew]

8am-10pm is 14 hours worth of light which the fish don`t need
You can get the single 1Watt led moonlight lighting which isn`t expensive and would look lovely in a tank that size. I know it`s not always easy to just go out and buy stuff and at the end of the day it`s up to you, I`m just giving you something to think about

Look forward to seeing pics

 

[Skins]

hello and welcome to the forum.

Keith.

 

[hanny93]

Got a photo here for you, taken on a blackberry so the quality is rubbish, but i suppose you can still make them out..

http/s1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc375/hannuh93/?action=view&current=003.jpg

I know the planting is very sparse, I wanted to do it gradually so that if i decided to take any out i wouldnt have a compost heap in the middle of my hallway..

 

[guppi]

Hi and welcome.
Picture back ground would be cheap and would make the fish more at home.

 

[TigerJack]

Hello! Tank looks nice, I really like the rock around the plants. I would add a nice background to make it look even better! I just put one on my tank and it looks 100% better.

 

[hanny93]

Yeah I know I should get a back ground, what type should I get? I wouldnt mind a mirror type one, but I dont know how that would work.

Also, if I were to get a normal one, which would look better, plain or like a waterscape thing?

PS thankyou I'm quite proud of it really, to say I've gone from having a rubbish little plastic thing to this is a fair achievement for me, even if it isnt for anyone else!

 

[TigerJack]

I went to petsmart to get mine. One side is lighter colored and has plants and fish swimming around. The side that I used is darker colored and has lots of plants and rocks on it. I was gonna use the fish side but didn't want to freak my Betta out!

 

[hanny93]

Is pets at home the same as petsmart in the uk?
Would it look alright with a plain black one? I like keeping things simple so you see the fish first, then appreciate the backgorund, plants, substrate etc.

But lol at the betta thing, my lfs had mirrored tanks and i swear one of their male bettas had a squashed face.

 

[TigerJack]

Lol poor fish! I keep hearing about Pets at Home. I assume it must be basically the same thing....a chain pet store? I think any kind of background would be great! Just something to hide the wires

 

[rob158]

to the forum,

 

[FishAreFriendsNotFood10]

Is pets at home the same as petsmart in the uk?
Would it look alright with a plain black one? I like keeping things simple so you see the fish first, then appreciate the backgorund, plants, substrate etc.

But lol at the betta thing, my lfs had mirrored tanks and i swear one of their male bettas had a squashed face.

plain black would make your sand stand out really well

and welcome to the forum

 

[hanny93]

I like plain black idea, but you said to hide the wires, the air pump tube is in the tank, has anyone got any ideas as to how to cover it up? and the sepcies of the plants?