Freshwater setup for my dorm

[davidgallant]

I am building a freshwater setup for my college dorm. I guess I could say I have alot of electronics in my room(personal computer, webserver, audio workstation, lcd projector, and a tv). I wanted something to spruce up the place, and was suggested to get fish.
With that said, I am limited to a 10 gal tank because I live in campus housing, but I am going go to with the 12gal marineland tank. I was suggested by ZOE to take a peek at
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German Blue Rams (pair)
Albino Kribensis (pair)
Apistogrammas (pair)
Scarlet Badis (dario dario) (trio)
Male Dwarf Gourami (one)
^ With those, you could perhaps also add a few tetras (neon, cardinal, harlequin rasbora)
You could also look into shellies (pair) - they are dwarf cichlids that make their homes in shells.
Killiefish (pair)
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Any other suggestions? I want something flashy, colorful and pleasant to look at through wee hours of the night while I am studying.
Any other suggestions for tank kits?
Thanks.

[Zoe]

I just thought I'd add, that a nice, heavily planted tank can also be very impressive. Depending on what you go with, that may not be possible (the shellies for example, will dig up your plants). But if you went with, say, a dwarf gourami, a handful of tetras, lots of plants and some shrimp...

[davidgallant]

Originally Posted by dolifisis

I have that tank and love it except for if you plan on live plants you may want to consider a retrofit kit. That's another $60 or so new. I just put one on mine and it's still not as much light as I like but twice as much as it was. Started cycling this one with pure ammonia almost 3 weeks ago and it should be ready by the weekend.

You lost me? Why the retrofit kit????? So I will need 3 weeks with the tank and chemicals before I drop live fish in? I didn't think it would be that long, i figured just a few hours/days???

[davidgallant]

Also, in reguards to Zoe, and the amount of fish, is it better to introduce them all at once, or a pair at a time then a school? or vice versa??? I think i want to do 4-8 fish, depending on the size.

[Puffer Pita]

Please read the articles in the library about the nitrogen cycle and fishless cycling. The tank must be cycled before the fish go in, and it takes 4-8 weeks on average, unless your LFS carries Biospira. Don't fall for Cycle or any other bottled product, they are useless. Biospira is the only one that contains the correct live bacteria needed.

[Zoe]

There are several methods of cycling your tank. There is a thread (http://www.fishforums.com/forum/begi...-question.html) which details them, and I also suggest you do some research on the nitrogren cycle. But, briefly:
In nature and in established aquariums, the fish produce waste ( toxic ammonia) which is broken up by bacteria. In a new tank, these bacteria are not present. So you need to develop these bacteria before you put your fish in, or you fish will die from ammonia poisoning.
A way to cycle is to put in a few feeder fish. They will produce ammonia, and will suffer from the high levels in your tank, until enough bacteria are present. I don't like this method, I don't think of any fish as being expendable. This method takes several weeks to a month.

You can also add daily pure ammonia until your ammonia level reaches 3.0. You have to keep doing that until there are enough bacteria to break down the ammonia and the nitrites, so those levels are both zero. Also takes 3 to 4 weeks.

Or you can throw an piece of shrimp into the tank. It will degrade, produce ammonia... Again, 3 to 4 weeks.

Personally, I prefer the "instant cycling" method. In this method, you put the bacteria in the tank to start with. You can:
- get some gravel and/or water from an established tank
- get some filter goop from an established tank
and get some bio-spira from your LFS or order it online (which is live bacteria).
This method takes a couple days. You should invest in a testing kit (at least, an ammonia and nitrite testing kit). When your ammonia and nitrite levels are down to 0, you can start introducing your fish.

All that is very brief But it'll give you a good idea.

The retrofit kit offers better lighting for your live plants, if you choose to go with live plants.

If you're getting a pair of something, you can introduce them both at once. But not 8 fish at once. Introduce one "unit" of fish at a time, over a couple weeks. So, say, put in your school of tetras. 4 to 5 days later put in your main fish or your main "pair". A few days later, add your otto cat or your corydoras or your shrimp if you decide to get some. Oh, don't necessarily be down on going with a species-only tank (ie JUST a pair of apistos, or shellies). It's not as much fish volume, but you may find you enjoy watching two dwarf cichlids more than a school of tetras. Or not It's up to you!

[davidgallant]

Originally Posted by Boxermom

Please read the articles in the library about the nitrogen cycle and fishless cycling. The tank must be cycled before the fish go in, and it takes 4-8 weeks on average, unless your LFS carries Biospira. Don't fall for Cycle or any other bottled product, they are useless. Biospira is the only one that contains the correct live bacteria needed.

Where?? I didn't see a 'library' on the forum homepage.

[Puffer Pita]

I apologize, wrong site. Here are some links for you to read:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/articl.../fishless.html
http://www.thepufferforum.com/articl...microbes1.html
http://www.thepufferforum.com/articl...microbes2.html
http://www.thepufferforum.com/articl...terchange.html

[dolifisis]

Originally Posted by davidgallant

You lost me? Why the retrofit kit????? So I will need 3 weeks with the tank and chemicals before I drop live fish in? I didn't think it would be that long, i figured just a few hours/days???

I went with the retro fit kit because the original kit only comes with a 13 watt bulb. Barely enough for just low light plants. Refitted it with a 32 watt and that still may only be good enough for low to moderate light plants.
Don't skip the cycling. I went with pure ammonia because I had no luck finding Biospira but I didn't mind. I felt like a scientist with my medicine dropper and test strips. Glad I'm almost done because my kitten chewed the rubber off my medicine dropper today.