20 Gallon Aquarium Setup For Home

[Lewis Lang]

Hi. I want to set up a nice 20 gallon. What is the rule regarding how
many fishes I should keep in the tank? Are there any differences
pros/cons between a regular 20 and a 20-long? What else will I need? Is
the hood with light required? What power filter would I need? Combos of
fish that cannot stay together (I know about bettas)? Can any tropicals
live with goldfish? Any other advice?

Thanks,

Lewis

[ss]

On 6 Feb 2005 01:25:16 -0800, "Lewis Lang" > wrote:

>Hi. I want to set up a nice 20 gallon. What is the rule regarding how
>many fishes I should keep in the tank? Are there any differences
>pros/cons between a regular 20 and a 20-long? What else will I need? Is
>the hood with light required? What power filter would I need? Combos of
>fish that cannot stay together (I know about bettas)? Can any tropicals
>live with goldfish? Any other advice?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Lewis

Hi,

typically with tropicals the rule of thumb is/has been 1" of fish per
gallon, bearing in mind that little fish may get big, thus taking up
more of your precious space as they grow. The difference in long or
short depends on the fish you keep, and at which part of the water
strata they occupy. Some swim near the botton, some the middle layer,
and some the top. research or look at any demo tanks at your local
store.

A hood with a light is recommended, as fish need a light pattern
similar to nature. The hood or canopy also will help keep polutants
out, such as dust or unwanted cat paws.

For a 20 gallon tank, again depending on the fish, you can get away
with an AquaClear 200 or a whisper 200, but filtration is never
wasted, more is good. Goldfish poop a lot, so make lots of waste,
thus better filtration should be given.

Cichlids cannot live with tropical, as they may eat them. Water
conditions and temperment guide the fish grouping. goldfish need cold
water, tropicals need, well tropical or warmer water, so not a good
mix there.

Angel fish or discus are very sensitive to water conditions, as far as
temperature and cleansliness.

I would suggest that for a start, stick to danios (for speed and
schooling), neon tetra, rasboras, barbs, a chinese algae eater, maybe
an albino cory (catfish) and whatever you do do not get a common pleco
(algae eater, botton feeder). They will grow beyond your tank, and
make a bloody mess. if you are stuck on these guys, get a bristlenose
pleco.

Hope this helps, it is just my 2 cents worth!

Paul

[Elaine T]

Lewis Lang wrote:
> Hi. I want to set up a nice 20 gallon. What is the rule regarding how
> many fishes I should keep in the tank? Are there any differences
> pros/cons between a regular 20 and a 20-long? What else will I need? Is
> the hood with light required? What power filter would I need? Combos of
> fish that cannot stay together (I know about bettas)? Can any tropicals
> live with goldfish? Any other advice?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Lewis
>
Why don't you start out with the FAQ at http://faq.thekrib.com/. There
are articles on filtration, lighting, some fish recommendations, and
stocking. NetMax (one of our gurus) also has a great site at
http://www.netmax.tk.

As for 20 gallon tanks, a 20 regular is deep and good for taller fish
like angels (although a 20 is kinda small for angels). A 20 long is
good for shoaling fish like tetras, barbs, and danios that like to swim
back and forth. It's also shallower so is easier to light if you want
live plants. The larger surface area of a 20 long also means that it
has more oxygen exchange and can possibly support more fish.

Some sort of canopy to stop jumping fish is a good idea. A basic hood
with a single light lets you see the aquarium and fish better. A deluxe
hood with two 20 watt flourescent bulbs will allow you to grow a lush
underwater jungle that includes about any plant you want (and/or all
sorts of interesting algae). Note that if you want plants, you need to
keep fish that don't eat or destroy them.

For a filter, my personal choice for a 20 would be an Aquaclear 200
because they're inexpensive and very flexible. Note that I've chosen
one size larger than the manufacturer recommends. You will get many
other recommendations for filters from people here, and most will work.

You will also need a 75 or 100 watt heater (100 if your house is cool,
75 if warm) if you intend to keep anything other than goldfish. Since
goldfish like cool, oxygenated water and tropicals warm, they generally
are best kept in separate tanks. As for other compatibility, start
hanging out in your local fish store to find out what you like, and post
specific questions.

Other stuff you'll need
- Gravel; the type depends on your fish and whether you want plants
- An airpump, airline, suction cup and airstone.
- Water conditioner to remove chlorine or chloramine from tap water
- Thermometer
- Plants (real or fake), decorations, bogwood, rocks, or something to
provide hiding places for the fish. Again, what you use partly depends
on the fish you intend to keep.
- pH and ammonia test kits at a minimum. Nitrite is good too.
- A very clean bucket (new is best) dedicated to fishkeeping for water
changes
- A siphon with a big tube at the end for cleaning the gravel
- Power strip with a ground fault circuit interrupter
- Plain ammonia if you want to do a fishless cycle, bacteria if not

I'm sure I've forgotten something but I'm equally sure it's in the FAQ.

Other advice: I LOVE planted tanks myself. I would go for the 20 long
and twin tube hood and stuff the tank with plants. Plants look
fantastic, improve water quality, and provide great hiding places for
the fish. I love to stock a planted tank with brightly colored fish
like fancy guppies and platies in hard water or cardinals and barbs in
soft and watch the fish swim through and around the lush plants. It's a
little bit more challenging at first because you're learning to care for
both fish and plants, but can be very rewarding in the long run.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[Elaine T]

Lewis Lang wrote:
> Hi. I want to set up a nice 20 gallon. What is the rule regarding how
> many fishes I should keep in the tank? Are there any differences
> pros/cons between a regular 20 and a 20-long? What else will I need? Is
> the hood with light required? What power filter would I need? Combos of
> fish that cannot stay together (I know about bettas)? Can any tropicals
> live with goldfish? Any other advice?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Lewis
>
Why don't you start out with the FAQ at http://faq.thekrib.com/. There
are articles on filtration, lighting, some fish recommendations, and
stocking. NetMax (one of our gurus) also has a great site at
http://www.netmax.tk.

As for 20 gallon tanks, a 20 regular is deep and good for taller fish
like angels (although a 20 is kinda small for angels). A 20 long is
good for shoaling fish like tetras, barbs, and danios that like to swim
back and forth. It's also shallower so is easier to light if you want
live plants. The larger surface area of a 20 long also means that it
has more oxygen exchange and can possibly support more fish.

Some sort of canopy to stop jumping fish is a good idea. A basic hood
with a single light lets you see the aquarium and fish better. A deluxe
hood with two 20 watt flourescent bulbs will allow you to grow a lush
underwater jungle that includes about any plant you want (and/or all
sorts of interesting algae). Note that if you want plants, you need to
keep fish that don't eat or destroy them.

For a filter, my personal choice for a 20 would be an Aquaclear 200
because they're inexpensive and very flexible. Note that I've chosen
one size larger than the manufacturer recommends. You will get many
other recommendations for filters from people here, and most will work.

You will also need a 75 or 100 watt heater (100 if your house is cool,
75 if warm) if you intend to keep anything other than goldfish. Since
goldfish like cool, oxygenated water and tropicals warm, they generally
are best kept in separate tanks. As for other compatibility, start
hanging out in your local fish store to find out what you like, and post
specific questions.

Other stuff you'll need
- Gravel; the type depends on your fish and whether you want plants
- An airpump, airline, suction cup and airstone.
- Water conditioner to remove chlorine or chloramine from tap water
- Thermometer
- Plants (real or fake), decorations, bogwood, rocks, or something to
provide hiding places for the fish. Again, what you use partly depends
on the fish you intend to keep.
- pH and ammonia test kits at a minimum. Nitrite is good too.
- A very clean bucket (new is best) dedicated to fishkeeping for water
changes
- A siphon with a big tube at the end for cleaning the gravel
- Power strip with a ground fault circuit interrupter
- Plain ammonia if you want to do a fishless cycle, bacteria if not

I'm sure I've forgotten something but I'm equally sure it's in the FAQ.

Other advice: I LOVE planted tanks myself. I would go for the 20 long
and twin tube hood and stuff the tank with plants. Plants look
fantastic, improve water quality, and provide great hiding places for
the fish. I love to stock a planted tank with brightly colored fish
like fancy guppies and platies in hard water or cardinals and barbs in
soft and watch the fish swim through and around the lush plants. It's a
little bit more challenging at first because you're learning to care for
both fish and plants, but can be very rewarding in the long run.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[Elaine T]

ss wrote:
> On 6 Feb 2005 01:25:16 -0800, "Lewis Lang" > wrote:
>
>
>>Hi. I want to set up a nice 20 gallon. What is the rule regarding how
>>many fishes I should keep in the tank? Are there any differences
>>pros/cons between a regular 20 and a 20-long? What else will I need? Is
>>the hood with light required? What power filter would I need? Combos of
>>fish that cannot stay together (I know about bettas)? Can any tropicals
>>live with goldfish? Any other advice?
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Lewis
>
>
> Hi,
>
> typically with tropicals the rule of thumb is/has been 1" of fish per
> gallon, bearing in mind that little fish may get big, thus taking up
> more of your precious space as they grow. The difference in long or
> short depends on the fish you keep, and at which part of the water
> strata they occupy. Some swim near the botton, some the middle layer,
> and some the top. research or look at any demo tanks at your local
> store.
>
> A hood with a light is recommended, as fish need a light pattern
> similar to nature. The hood or canopy also will help keep polutants
> out, such as dust or unwanted cat paws.
>
> For a 20 gallon tank, again depending on the fish, you can get away
> with an AquaClear 200 or a whisper 200, but filtration is never
> wasted, more is good. Goldfish poop a lot, so make lots of waste,
> thus better filtration should be given.
>
> Cichlids cannot live with tropical, as they may eat them. Water
> conditions and temperment guide the fish grouping. goldfish need cold
> water, tropicals need, well tropical or warmer water, so not a good
> mix there.

*blink* All the cichlids at fish stores ARE tropical. Any fish with a
mouth big enough to eat another fish will try. Period. Now, some
African cichlids need very hard water and are aggressive so they can't
live nicely with tetras and barbs. Many South American cichlids grow
far too large for a 20 gallon tank. However, plain old angelfish are
also cichlids and do fine in community tanks. Cichlids that are
appropriate sizes and tempraments for a 20 gallon community would be
rams (hard to keep), Apistogramma spp., Microgeophagus altispinosa, and
kribensis.

>
> Angel fish or discus are very sensitive to water conditions, as far as
> temperature and cleansliness.
>
> I would suggest that for a start, stick to danios (for speed and
> schooling), neon tetra, rasboras, barbs, a chinese algae eater, maybe
> an albino cory (catfish) and whatever you do do not get a common pleco
> (algae eater, botton feeder). They will grow beyond your tank, and
> make a bloody mess. if you are stuck on these guys, get a bristlenose
> pleco.

No chinese algae eaters! They grow large, very aggressive, and attack
the slimecoat on other fish. Perhaps you meant siamese algae eater.
Agree with the rest - nice fish. Clown plecos - Peckoltia spp. are
also cool if you want a pleco.
>
> Hope this helps, it is just my 2 cents worth!
>
> Paul

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[Larry Blanchard]

In article >, eetmail-
says...
> You will also need a 75 or 100 watt heater (100 if your house is cool,
> 75 if warm) if you intend to keep anything other than goldfish.
>

I read that 2-3 watts per gallon was a good idea just in case the heater
failed to shut off. So I installed a 25 watt in my 10 gallon tank. It
failed the other day - I noticed it when the tank was a little over 80
degrees instead of its normal 75.

If I'd had a big heater in there I might have boiled my fish and plants
before I noticed.

I'd put a 50 watt in the tank unless it's in an completely unheated area
and a cold climate.

--
Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description