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total newbie wanting to

  • #21
I am trying to remember the formula for calculating gallon capacity. Is it LxWxH/231?
 
  • #22
ok! ill give the tank 30W worth of light, that brings down the cost by about $40. And the 500l/h bio filter will be a 400l/h filter. That will bring down the cost by only $1...
look at my plan on page 2, what do you think? did i miss out anything?

thanks!
 
  • #23
[b said:
Quote[/b] (SnapTrap @ Jan. 04 2004,06:08)]A seventeen gallon tank can hold eleven and a half inches of fish.36W is way more light than you need.Maybe 20 W.
The filter you mentioned is too powerful.  500 L or 250GPH is far to much.  Add two hardy fish to start, and the rest in two months.
(everyone probably knows this..but just in case..)
a 17 gal tank can support "11 inches" of SMALL fish!
for example, 11 one inch tetras would be fine..
but one 11 inch Oscar would not be fine!
wink.gif

a 17 gal tank would be WAYYY to small for an Oscar..even though it might still be "eleven inches of fish"
or even two 5" goldfish wiould be far too much fish for a 17 gal tank..
there is a big difference between "inches of fish" and "total fish mass"..so the "inches of fish" rule really cant be used for any fish larger than tetras..its meaningless for larger fish..
scot
 
  • #24
Catfish do need to be fed, especially because you won't have any algae for them to eat yet. They like those little green wafers that sink to the bottom. The package will tell you which type likes them. One is just algae, another is algae with shrimp/fish meal. There might be others. My supposed veggie eater only likes the shrimp ones...
rock.gif
 
  • #25
[b said:
Quote[/b] (wezx @ Jan. 05 2004,03:49)]ok! ill give the tank 30W worth of light, that brings down the cost by about $40. And the 500l/h bio filter will be a 400l/h filter. That will bring down the cost by only $1...
look at my plan on page 2, what do you think? did i miss out anything?

thanks!
The only thing I can think of is that you should not put two male guppies together in the same tank. Since both the guppy and the tetras are schooling fish, and your supposed to have five at least in a school, I would go with on or the other. The sex ratio should be 1 male to 4 females. Do you know anything about pH? Also a sponge filter would be unneccesary.
 
  • #26
Aw dang, that's exactly what I have, 2 guppies and a bunch of schooling fish, including 6 tetras. They all get along, you can tell the guppies prefer to stay by themselves. So Snap Trap is totally right. I was thinking about getting some more, but my tank is "full."
 
  • #27
yes i know about pH, ill try to test my filtered water when i get a litmas paper
i like guppies more than tetras... also if i put all female tetras/guppies except for one then they will breed alot right? so of i want guppies I can only have one male? ill probably have one male and 1 female
thanks
 
  • #28
[b said:
Quote[/b] (SnapTrap @ Jan. 04 2004,15:08)]The filter you mentioned is too powerful.  500 L or 250GPH is far to much.  
SnapTrap,
1 US Gallon= 3.78 Liters so 500 LPH = 130 GPH

Wezx,
Yes the formula for liquid volume (in US gallons) is LxWxH/231

As to buying the water test kits, many fish stores will test your water for you for free. (Especially if you are spending money in their stores. Dont be afraid to ask.)
Also I dont believe I saw this mentioned anywhere in this thread but copper is toxic to all invertebrates. Before you buy snails for your tank, have your water tested for copper (would be a great time to ask for that free test I just mentioned  
wink.gif
 ).

Good luck with your tank
Steve
 
  • #29
[b said:
Quote[/b] (wezx @ Jan. 06 2004,20:45)]yes i know about pH, ill try to test my filtered water when i get a litmas paper
i like guppies more than tetras... also if i put all female tetras/guppies except for one then they will breed alot right? so of i want guppies I can only have one male? ill probably have one male and 1 female
thanks
One male guppy will continually chase the female around. I would have at least three females to each male. Sorry about my miscalculation with the metric system. I thought that one liter was about a half-gallon. I wish the US would use metric.
rock.gif
 
  • #30
thanks so with all the number right,which filter should i get? 500l/h?
 
  • #31
wezx, you are from Singapore. You do not need a heater!
 
  • #32
oh thanks gugin, thats makes the total set up only about $100!
are you into this aquarium stuff too?
 
  • #33
Well, I have been keeping tropical freshwater fish for about 20 years. I used to specialize in keeping loricarrids (sucker catfish) and anabantoids, especially fighting fishes (but not Betta splendens, B. imbellis, and B. smaragdina). Nowadays I am lazy and so grow aquatic plants (Cryptocorynes, Utricularia) and some tiny shrimps, which I am quite fond of.
smile.gif
 
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