Stocking A Hex Aquarium

[RobynR]

Hi everyone,

I had a couple of 10-gallon fish tanks when I was in college, but could never have anything bigger. When I graduated and moved out, I gave the fish a good home with my neighbor. A few years later, I'm in my own place and can have whatever I want... except that issue of the budget and actual available floor space. My husband is not really into fish, but gave me the go-ahead for up to a 30-gallon aquarium. The budget is low, so I've been watching Craigslist for a few weeks and I found a 28- or 30-gallon (advertised as a 30; my bad math says 28) hex aquarium. It's 2 feet tall, 18" from side to side, and each panel is 10" wide. My original plan was a 30-gallon long tank, but floor space being limited and this tank being a really good deal prompted me to change my mind and go with the hex.

My original plan was to end up with an angelfish, a dwarf cichlid, a small school of marbled hatchetfish, and a few corydoras in a planted tank. The guy at the fish store (not PetsMart!) seemed to think that was doable in a 30-gallon tank. However, I know the hex has significantly less surface area and swimming area, and I'm not sure how that needs to change my plan. I also know the cories I had in my 10-gallon tanks liked to make quick dashes for the surface from time to time, so I don't know if they'd like a tall tank.

So my question is, in a well-maintained tank, how close can I come to that original plan without causing problems? Obviously I'd cycle the tank first, add the fish a few at a time over the course of a few months, be careful of my water conditions, etc. I'm not dead set on the fish I had in mind, especially if they'd be stressed in this kind of setup -- just want to wind up with an attractive mix that will be happy and healthy with what I can provide.

Thanks!

Robyn

 

[waterdrop]

Hi Robyn and welcome to TFF!

I don't think you will necessarily have to change your plan too much. You are correct that the smaller surface area is significant. The way I would think about it would be to plan on certainly not going above the one inch of mature fish body per US gallon guideline and ideally staying somewhere below it. If you've not worked with that guideline, the work is mostly in looking up each fish you are interested in on this or other web sites and determining the likely maximum size the fish can grow to at maturity. Always use this maximum size and multiply by the number of fish of course.

Unfortunately you may find a number of aspects of a tank like this difficult. It can be very hard to work in deep tanks. A gravel cleaner with an extra long tube will help. It can also be somewhat difficult to find the right plants. Having good light reflectors will be more important in a deeper tank.

The members here are great though so I think if you work at it you will find answers and ways around all the tank problems. You've got a good month or two during the fishless cycle, before the filter will function for fish, when you can be discussing all these things with everyone and I'm sure you'll get it planned out.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[RobynR]

Thanks for the response! You're right that I have plenty of time to work all of this out. I just got the tank yesterday and I need to clean it out, rinse the gravel that came with it, etc. and decide where to set it up before I can even start my fishless cycling. It came with a hang-on-back filter and an undergravel filter. I've never done an undergravel filter, but the impression I've gotten is that a) the HOB should be enough and b) the UG may wind up being more of a headache than a help. My plan is to remove the UG filter and run the HOB filter, and save up to eventually replace the HOB with something like a nice canister filter. Does that sound reasonable?

As far as plants go, I'm planning to stick with things I've read are really easy to grow: some combination of java fern, anubias, najas, watersprite, and maybe java moss. Everything I've read says those will grow in almost any conditions, so my hope is that if I set up a decent light I shouldn't have too much trouble with them. The tank didn't come with a light, so I'll be able to pick out what I need anyway.

I was a little wary of doing a tall tank, but the tank with the stand, filters, a heater, gravel, an air pump, lots of decor (no way it would all fit!), a net, gravel cleaner, etc. was $30, which is hard to refuse. The equipment is definitely used, and not all of it was cleaned perfectly before it was stored, but nothing too bad and it seems to all be in good working condition -- guy just wanted it out of his house and didn't care about getting a lot of money for it. Hopefully I won't regret it.

 

[waterdrop]

1) definately dump the UG, you don't need that headache
2) yes, discuss the HOB and get the right media types per our members advice, don't just guess
3) replace the HOB with a good EC as soon as you can afford it and use the HOB media to seed it

--wd--

 

[RobynR]

Today was fun! Pulled everything out of the tank -- including that UG filter -- washed it all down, used vinegar solution to get rid of some of the crusty stuff that always seems to show up on used tanks, rinsed the gravel, etc. Chose a spot for the aquarium and got it all set up. It now contains water, gravel, a couple pieces of decor to keep it from looking so empty, and a thermometer. Got the HOB filter up and running with a new cartridge (it's one of the Whisper filters like I had on my tanks in college), but it's a little louder than I recall. May just be because it hasn't been used in a while, but I think I'll make a new filter a priority before the noise drives my husband nuts. If I get one relatively soon (in the next week or two), would it be best to run it in conjunction with the HOB filter for a while rather than trying to seed it with the old media? Or should I wait until the cycle is complete and then seed it? Or just make it my top priority and get it before I start cycling?

Went to the fish store to do some more looking around and pick up a water test kit. They checked the water sample I brought with me and said the pH is high right out of the tap but aging the water for 24-48 hours should take care of that. I'll test that out to be sure. Asked some questions while I was there, but thought I might be able to confirm their answers here.

The tank didn't come with a light hood, but the light shouldn't matter until I have fish and/or plants, right? As in, it won't make a difference to the cycling process?

Along the same lines, I want to buy a new heater but would rather wait until I add fish -- our house is between 76F and 78F this time of year, so it doesn't seem like it would be critical to have a heater until there are fish.

Finally, should I add plants before, during or after cycling? I suppose this could change the answer to the light question. I've read opposing answers on this one -- on one hand, supposedly the plants will be covered in algae that I can never get rid of and I'll wind up throwing out the plants (or at least wanting to); and on the other hand the plants will help the cycling process.

Haven't actually started the cycling process because I think I remember reading it's best to wait until the water has been in the tank for a day or so, and I couldn't find plain ammonia at my grocery store. Will check others nearby in the next day or two.

Thanks again! I'm excited about getting this started.

 

[waterdrop]

Correct, a light is not needed for fishless cycling and in fact a very nice way to avoid algae for the cycling period is to black out the tank with plastic and only have substrate in there, no plants or decorations. You are correct that there are various trade-offs and thoughts about plants or not during fishless. If you advanced search on my name and this topic you may find some threads where I've discussed both sides.

A heater, however, is a significant addition to fishless cycling. The bacteria will grow faster at their optimal temperature, 29C/84F in my opinion.

You should still describe all the types of filter media in the filter, including the new cartridge, and attempt to break them down into the basic types of media and discuss this with the members. Its important that various things are -not- in there and important that various others -are-, before getting underway with fishless cycling.

What type of kit were you able to get and also, have you been able to find the right type of pure household ammonia?

~~waterdrop~~

 

[RobynR]

I'll make a heater one of the top items on my to-buy list. I'll want a 150 watt, submersible heater with temperature control (as opposed to a "higher/lower" setting), correct? No other important criteria? Will also search for your posts on plants in cycling and come back with any questions.

The Whisper filter comes with a disposable cartridge that's a sort of soft fluffy material stretched over a plastic frame with "ultra-activated filter carbon" in the middle. I'll try to look around some more and see if I can find more details on exactly what the material is.

Have not yet found my ammonia, but I'll be making a trip to Wal-Mart tomorrow to check there.

I got the Tetra Test Laborett, which is one big kit that checks for almost everything (pH, ammonia and nitrites being the big ones) and a separate one for nitrates. Its the type where you put the water in the little vials, add chemicals, shake, and compare colors. The sales lady said it's not as accurate as I'd want for saltwater, but it's what they use for their freshwater tests in the store and is the best value for what I need. It seems to be a very nice store, healthy fish, several nice display tanks, and knowledgeable staff, so I'm trusting them a little more than I would most.

 

[RobynR]

I'll make a heater one of the top items on my to-buy list. I'll want a 150 watt, submersible heater with temperature control (as opposed to a "higher/lower" setting), correct? No other important criteria? Will also search for your posts on plants in cycling and come back with any questions.

The Whisper filter comes with a disposable cartridge that's a sort of soft fluffy material stretched over a plastic frame with "ultra-activated filter carbon" in the middle. I'll try to look around some more and see if I can find more details on exactly what the material is.

Have not yet found my ammonia, but I'll be making a trip to Wal-Mart tomorrow to check there.

I got the Tetra Test Laborett, which is one big kit that checks for almost everything (pH, ammonia and nitrites being the big ones) and a separate one for nitrates. Its the type where you put the water in the little vials, add chemicals, shake, and compare colors. The sales lady said it's not as accurate as I'd want for saltwater, but it's what they use for their freshwater tests in the store and is the best value for what I need. It seems to be a very nice store, healthy fish, several nice display tanks, and knowledgeable staff, so I'm trusting them a little more than I would most.

 

[Rediahs]

I have a Whisper filter like that. It's the Whisper Ex30... found it's a piece of crap, there's this dumb "bio-scrubber" board thing that you can't do anything with, meanwhile the only filter cartridges they sell for it are carbon thingies, nothing else will fit in the thing, you can't replace it, you can't stock it with mature media, you can't use it to seed anything... and I think that it was slowing down my fishless cycle since my cycle seemed to pick up quite a bit once I added an AquaClear god I LOVE that filter, I bought another one because it was on sale for like $15 to use for my future hospital tank.

If I were you I'd ditch the Whisper and get something else, I luvs my AquaClear, it makes me very very happy

 

[Miss Wiggle]

I think your gonna be a bit short on swimming space for an angelfish, but the rest of your stocking should be OK.

WD is getting you on the right track with cycling so will leave you in his capable hands

 

[waterdrop]

Filters are all about -volume- of media and it sounds like that whisper is pretty marginal in that dept. Unfortunately, carbon is also not a media we leave in our filters full time usually. Its optimal us is as a "chemical" filtration media and is put in when we want to clear meds, yellow tannins from woods or the occasional organic smell of unknown origin. Other than that its better left on the shelf where our other fish supplies are. It only lasts for 3 days and then should be pulled and trashed and more put in if we are using it for one of its designed purposes.

Instead, the media we want are ceramic rings, ceramic gravels, sponges, bioballs etc., the first 3 being my favorites for typically-sized beginner aquariums. Its possible you should consider whether you could afford an AquaClear HOB even now at the beginning to replace the whisper. Besides, sounds like a bit of a noise problem. You should still be saving up for an external cannister like an Eheim, TetraTec, Rena or Fluval as these will have greater media volume, flow and ease of maintenance in general. Fitting and EC properly to your tall hex may take a bit of thinking due to the long hose lines possibly needed though, so for now an AquaClear may be the quickest, cheapest way to get a good start going.

In searches you may find some discussion of the three functions of media: mechanical, chemical and biological. Sponges and ceramics will overlap each other and be the type things you'll want to be sure to have, whereas you don't want carbon in there. You also want to use the manufacturers flow rates (not the recommendations of what size tanks they can handle) to be sure you are at 5x turnover or above in the filter sizing.

Walmart has some sort of "Gold" or "Goldex" on the label of the ammonia that people have reported as being ok. You want to shake it and be sure it doesn't foam, only makes bubbles for 2 or 3 seconds as if it were water. If you sniff, be careful, its dangerous to us too, not just fish. You want to be sure it doesn't have any dyes or fragrances.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[RobynR]

Still on the search for ammonia... no luck at H-E-B, Wal-Mart or Lowes. Wal-Mart and Lowes both had ammonium hydroxide, which foamed when shaken. Didn't see the Goldex stuff anywhere. Still need to check Ace Hardware, Target and Home Depot before I start worrying that I'll never find the stuff. Guess it gives me some more time to figure out the filter issue!

Looks like I can get the AquaClear filter at PetsMart for a reasonable price, so I'll plan to get that one before I get my cycle going.

So my to-buy list at this point is: better filter, ammonia, new heater. When the cycle is finished: light, plants (possibly sooner), fish. When I have the money saved up: external canister filter.

If I need to reconsider on the angelfish, any suggestions for something else that would fill out that level of the tank nicely? I have to confess I'd be very sad to forgo the angelfish, but if I need to I will. I've always admired them and was hoping I could finally have one now that I could have a tank larger than 10 gallons. When I started planning for a 30 that was the first thing on my list, and I tried to pick everything else to fit around it... except, apparently, the tank. I'd heard they liked taller tanks, but I suppose that meant taller larger tanks. Maybe someday I can upgrade to something a little larger.

 

[rhstranger]

If you have a local mom & pop hardware store, that's where I finally found Goldex. Of course, after searching for 3 months.....

 

[RobynR]

If you have a local mom & pop hardware store, that's where I finally found Goldex. Of course, after searching for 3 months.....

Yikes! I sure hope it's not a three-month search for me. I just checked Ace Hardware online and they carry 10% ammonia hydroxide. Is that the stuff? It looks like it, but they're a bit of a drive so I wouldn't mind being sure.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yeah lots of people plan their tanks around angelfish, they are a really beautiful fish but a 30gal is really the absolute smallest you'd want for them, they'd be much much better in a 40/50 gal tank. I've kept a fair few angels over the years and the difference in behaviour and how they look when you get a nice group up into a 60 gallon or something like that is really phenomenal.

I just don't see that a hex that size would give them enough swimming room unfortunately.

don't be too disheartened though, you'll be keeping fish for a long time and will undoubtedly have other tanks than this one in the future so you can just chalk up the angels on your 'one day' list.