Your Fish Tank - How Big Should It Be?
It’s tempting, when you’re just starting out in the aquarium-keeping hobby, to keep things small. It seems logical that a goldfish bowl or a small tank will be easier to maintain than one of those wall-sized monsters, but in fact it’s just the opposite.
The bigger the tank, the easier it is to care for. A larger volume of water helps minimize the effect of temperature changes, pH swings, and the biological toxins that come from decaying plant and fish wastes. With toxins more widely dispersed in the water, your filters have more time to do their job, while your fish stay healthier. All of this means that beginning aquarium hobbyists don’t have so much to fear from common early mistakes.
Also remember that small fish are generally more active than bigger fish, and are much happier with more room to swim around in, so don’t get a small tank just because you like small fish!
In my opinion, the best size to get you started is a standard 40 or 55 gallon rectangular tank. These are easy to find, have lots of standard accessories, are relatively inexpensive, and they’re easy to take care of. It doesn’t take too long to change the water or do other standard maintenance, all parts of the tank are easy to reach, and you’re less likely to have problems with algae growth than in a smaller, narrower tank.
Do yourself a few favors when looking at tanks to buy. Start with glass, because acrylic has its own tricky issues to master. Check the glass or packaging for a safety symbol, certifying the strength of the silicone caulking used to hold the panes of glass together. Also be sure to get a snug-fitting cover that’s easy to clean – you’ll need that to keep both feisty fish and evaporating water in the tank, and it’s inevitably going to get filmed or crusty over time.
Buy a stand that’s sufficient to support your tank’s weight – remember that a 40 gallon tank can weigh up to five hundred pounds when it’s full of water and gravel! Choose the location of your tank carefully, to make sure the floor is level and strong and, that direct sunlight doesn’t fall on the tank during certain parts of day (this will throw your temperature maintenance off).
Set up the stand, and do anything you need to in order to make sure it’s absolutely level – anything out of kilter will put pressure on your tank’s glass or joints, and they WILL give eventually. Not a pretty picture!
Speaking of which, most modern fish tanks are never going to leak, break, or fall, but accidents do happen, and it wouldn’t hurt to add a rider on your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance to cover potential water damage to your carpet or floorboards.
September 16th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
When setting up a tropical fish tank…how long should you leave the water to settle before adding your fish?
And if the tank is 240 litres how many fish would go into the tank? (Im thinking about 10 cory catfish/loaches, about 20 small tetra's & some Gourami's; maybe 40 fish in total.
As in 5 cory catfish, 3 loaches & 2 plecs. Thanx!
September 17th, 2008 at 12:53 am
24 hours should be good as long as you have the filter running during that period
some advice tho, 40 fish is wayy to much for that tank, that tank would be majorly overstocked….try only 20 fish at max
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September 17th, 2008 at 12:55 am
I think your meant to leave the water for a couple of days, not sure about the amount of fish, ask at the pet shop!
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September 17th, 2008 at 12:57 am
fewer corys (1 or 2), tetras are good cause they don't get overly large. buy a few fish at a time so if there is a problem you aren't overwhelmed. get your catfish and loaches first.
thumbs up to matt b 20 is about max for that size tank.
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fluffy
September 17th, 2008 at 12:59 am
Leave the water a day to settle and the temp to stabilise.
But you do understand about cycling the tank right? That is VITAL. Running the tank empty does nothing to cycle the tank.
If you are cycling with fish, start off with just a few, and leave them in the tank for at least 2 weeks before adding any more fish. Allow six weeks to build up the full stock of fish. I would go with a few cory catfish to start with, tetras usually prefer an established tank as they are very sensitive to ammonia in 'new' tanks.
Your tank will be OK with that number of fish if they are small species like corys, neons, Otto cats and dwarf loaches/gourami. All fish that only grow 1 or 2" long.
But watch the size that some fish, which you buy small, can grow to. Many species of pleco will grow to over 12".
Be patient with building up the stock and you will be OK.
Ian
Edit… People, this is a 240L / 60gal tank. Are you seriously saying that 20 tetras or corys is going to over stock it . Reality check please, go and throw out your 1" rule and actually think about this. 20 fish may be right if they are up around the 3-4 " range, but if you are keeping neon sized tetras, try a school of 50, plus some other fish.
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September 17th, 2008 at 1:01 am
Tradtionally you should leave it about 4 weeks to let the bacteria develop. Although we have found that adding stress zyme- insta-start, tap safe and monitoring the nitrate levels using nitrate minus if necessary. Also you could add some hardy fish to keep the bacteria going. OUr favourite is Tiger Barbs. They seem indestructable! However remember Barbs aren't fantastic tank mates in the long run!
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September 17th, 2008 at 1:03 am
Worldwide averages for the completion of nitrogen cycle times are 21-28 days tropical, often longer for coldwater, consider fishless cycling first, or ammonia and nitrite can and probably will damage fish. Any one who cycles with the fish in the tank is risking their lives. Only when ammonia and nitrite readings are a flat zero in parts per million and nitrate production is underway is it genuinely safe to add fish.
LFS advice on this is usually complete bulldung. Shopkeepers are not usually experts, in fact, most of them are morons out for the quick sale.
I would suggest anyone and everyone read up on fishless cycling and the nitrogen cycle, and actually how long it does take to co,mplete and actually make the water safe before ever buying a fish.
Its not about letting the water settle, its about growing a bacterial colony in the filter that will prevent the fish poisoning itself with its own wastes, by biologically converting ammonia into nitrate, which is roughly 40 times less toxic, and still necessitates weekly water changes.
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September 17th, 2008 at 1:05 am
around 3 hours. you have to let the tank water get to room temp.
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