New Tanks :)

[fyrefaerye]

So after much brain picking and searching I've finally got both tanks up and running. My 36 gallon is still missing a few fish but I'm adding them slowly... 
 

 This is my 10 gallon
 
 

 
 And this is the 36 gallon. 
 
I thought I would never get a decent picture of either. I tried without flash and all that fun happy jazz but these images came out clearer and you can see the fish better. )

 

[Supraman]

Neat tanks, how were they cycled?

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Agree with the above and also what fish have you got and are planning on getting?

 

[fyrefaerye]

Fishless cycles on both with me monitoring the ph, nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, etc with my api master kit and doing 30% water changes every day. Oh and seeded with mature filter media from another tank. The 10 gallon has 2 silver dollars (I'm working on rehoming them), 3 hatchetfish, and a female betta. The 36 gallon has 6 harlequin rasboras, 3 dalmatian mollies (1 male, 2 female), 4 fancy guppies, and a rainbow shark. The 10 gallon is pretty much set except for hopefully finding a new home for the silver dollars. The 36 gallon I'm planning getting a honey gourami and another small schooling breed. I was originally looking at neon green rasboras, but I can't seem to find them locally so I'm going to have to sub something else. If anyone has suggestions I would be very appreciative.

 

[Livewire88]

Welcome, 
 
Can I ask why you did 30% water change each day during the fishless cycle? Also did you add any source of ammonia to the tanks during the cycle? 
 
Cheers 
Dan

 

[fyrefaerye]

The water changes stemmed from something I read. I think it was here, but I'm not sure. And I suppose I should specify. I did water changes on the 10 gallon. The 36 gallon I left alone. As far as adding ammonia I didn't add anything extra. I added a few flakes of food added every other day. I've been doing so much research trying to make sure I did the right thing that I think I'm suffering from information overload. Anyway, I added food every other day and tested to keep an eye on the levels. Then I researched fish and waited.. 

 

[CoryLover95]

Neat tanks!  Love the sunken helicopter .  A background might look nice, though.  I really like black for the color.  It brings out the colors of the fish and plants.  My 37-gallon was set up without a background and someone on here suggested one.  I found an old piece of black plastic that the roof repairmen had left behind them, cut it, and taped it...perfect!  So it doesn't have to be super expensive--black cardboard might even work temporarily.

 

[fyrefaerye]

I've been thinking about a background I just haven't been able to make a decision...

The black sounds like a really good idea. As far as stocking goes, I haven't been able to find the neon green rasboras so I have pretty well nixed them from the tank. I thought I had done my math pretty well as far as stocking, but after Blondie mentioned in another thread about overstocking I redid my math and realized my mistake (for some reason I was thinking the harlequin rasboras would only get to 1" instead of two). Also we had a small incident. Yesterday while I was feeding everyone in the 36 I found the rainbow shark dead behind the tall green plant. 

 I've checked all the levels in the tank. Everything seems fine. The pH is a little high but I'm working on that. I realized the reason is my tap water has a high pH. Ammonia is 0 ppm, nitrate and nitrite 0 ppm. I don't know that I will replace him, although he was kind of my favorite. I added a dwarf gourami instead of a honey because all my local sources were out of them. 

 

[CoryLover95]

Aww, I'm sorry about your shark 

 .  

 

[RCA]

I've been thinking about a background I just haven't been able to make a decision...

The black sounds like a really good idea. As far as stocking goes, I haven't been able to find the neon green rasboras so I have pretty well nixed them from the tank. I thought I had done my math pretty well as far as stocking, but after Blondie mentioned in another thread about overstocking I redid my math and realized my mistake (for some reason I was thinking the harlequin rasboras would only get to 1" instead of two). Also we had a small incident. Yesterday while I was feeding everyone in the 36 I found the rainbow shark dead behind the tall green plant. 

 I've checked all the levels in the tank. Everything seems fine. The pH is a little high but I'm working on that. I realized the reason is my tap water has a high pH. Ammonia is 0 ppm, nitrate and nitrite 0 ppm. I don't know that I will replace him, although he was kind of my favorite. I added a dwarf gourami instead of a honey because all my local sources were out of them. 

 
You can use a black bin bag as a background, very cheap and if you do not like it, easy to remove
 
Sorry about your shark, although to be honest when I saw him in the picture I thought he does not look good, so not surprised and alas he may have been ill when you purchased him.  If you look you will see he is sunken on his underneath front.
 
Where are you located?  Can you add it to your profile ...

 

[fyrefaerye]

I'm in Florida, Fish. Sorry. I updated my profile. I wondered when my wife brought him home because he seemed much lighter than the one we previously had (the first one was a casualty of my ignorance). I just thought maybe it was because he was younger since he was much smaller than the first one.

 

[RCA]

Thanks for updating your profile, it makes things easier, and my profile name is RCA - Fishaholic is the name the TFF gives you as you get more posts, yours will change to Fish Crazy or something after a certain point
 
If you do go for another shark try to make sure it has good colouring and is uniform throughout it's body, active with fins raised, then hopefully you will have him for some time.

 

[TallTree01]

It's a nice tank i guess. some of the ornaments are a little tacky for me.
Its for the best the shark died. He would get too big, aggressive and active for the 36 and may of taken Some of your other fish with him.
I would get more hatchets after the silver dollars are rehomed cos they'll be stressed in a trio.