Starting Clean and $60

[l33tfreak]

Well it seems that my tank had went to hell when I realized that Gouramis don't go well with some community fishes, and well made them their Saturday desert.

And so today begun my dismantling of it and getting my 3 bucks for the only 2 tetras and gourami left. This thing is completely clean and ready to go for another try. I've definitely learned a lot after my horror story and this is what I have and want to do:

My stuff:

- 30 gallon tank. A bit taller than longer.
- Undergravel filter with crappy heads
- White gravel
- A basic Powerfilter 30 with disposable carbon cartridges (exactly 60 gph)
- 2 air pumps
- 150 watt heater which still r0x0rz after what it's been through
- 3 lava rocks

This is what I want to do:

1. Get black gravel... can't believe I thought white gravel would cut it, then I found out how fish doo doo easily shows up... With a 34x14 base, how many pounds of gravel would it take for 2.5 inches?
2. Stock it with (probably 5-7) plants that grow more so that I can have the gravel bottom 80% filled with plants. By the way does the undergravel filter drastically affect plant growth?
3. If it doesn't, I wouldn't mind getting 2 of these powerheads. However, I am wondering if with the combined gph of my 60 gph cartridge filter and 2 powerheads would be overdoing it. If one of those is 84, then with one I'd have 144 gph. If I had 2, I'd have 204. Which sounds just right for a 30 gallon tank?
4. Get a decent flourescent light that doesn't cause evaporation as much as my current one does. (It would evaporate an inch of water in a week! ) It's a 22" 20 watt one. I am just wondering if there is some type of tube that doesn't cause much evaporation yet can keep the plants growing.

5. And now for the reason I am doing all of this, fish! ...

Well I ain't to good with community fish, so I think it's time to take care of 2-4 fish. After looking at my local aquarium I've decided to get an Oscar. I wil get either 1 or 2 juveniles for 10 bucks each and maybe a plecostumus or small shark to clean the bottom. I am wondering if a 30 gallon can support 2 oscars, or if I am looking at just 1 oscar.

Thank you for you help! B)

 

[lilslim321]

um u will be lucky to keep one oscar in there i think cause they get pretty darn big. good luck my friend has a oscar in his 55 and he says that aint big enough for his. so it depends

 

[semper fi]

definitely would not be big enough for an oscar. should try for some samller fish. would dump the undergravel filter. the debris under them can cause ammonia and nitrites to go nuts. had one in my tank and had all kinds of problems, took it out and everything is normal. the powerheads are great for circulating water. attach sponge filters to them. you want to filter your water about 3 times per hour. so with a 30 gallon, your filter is not big enough. darker gravel does have it's conveniences. like you said the poo is less noticeable. blue gravel has a tendency to bring out the colors of the fish more.

are you planning on a fishless cycle? this could take about 4-6 weeks. keep the filters that you do have working even with out fish to keep the bacteria alive.

maggie

 

[l33tfreak]

Hmm even if I just have one oscar juvenile?

 

[semper fi]

no matter what size the fish is now, you want to properly filter out the harmful toxins from the tank. filter appears to be too small for that size tank. for now, the tank is big enough but depending on what you feed the dempsey and the rate of growth he will outgrow that tank.

maggie

 

[William]

l33t, r0x0rz -> Someones Been playing computer games I take it

 

[cryosi]

lottery code i think! lol

 

[l33tfreak]

^^^BIG BUMP^^^

hmm so it seems I can't have an oscar and I definitely don't have the change for a 50 gallon tank. So any recommendations for large fishes (besides goldfish) that I can keep 1-3 of in a tank with a pleco?

And yes, I am a big gamer. I make maps for games in fact. My site is going to be up soon: www.l33tfreak.com