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netDenizen
April 14th 06, 11:32 PM
Mellie101 wrote:
> Hello, thanks to everybody who gave me idea's for my 10g when it is
> vacated by my fry. I'm thinking of having 6-8 neon tetra's and 6-8
> white clouds. I know that they love the security of plants. Not had
> much luck on the plant front so far so advice on which plants are easy
> and are favourites of the neons and clouds. Another question is
> ornaments. Should I make better use of the 10g's with plants rather
> ornaments? My house is usually around 72 degrees. Would I have to
> have a heater in my quarantine tank as it would mean buying yet another
> as the 10g home tank will have the one I currently have? One more
> question :-) Should I add the tetra's first or the clouds? They seem
> so mellow and happy in their schools that I didn't know if would
> matter.
>
> All I need is my fry to grow at an alarming speed so he can handle the
> big goldfish in the 55g :-) Also in the throws of planning a basement
> renovation. Have picked out numerous places that tanks can go :-)
>
> Thanks for all your help
> Mellie
>

What plants depends on your water quality and lighting. You really need
15 watts or more fluorescent light to grow plants in a 10 gallon tank,
but a few hours of indirect daylight can help plants (and algae) grow
too. A bit of home-brew potassium nitrate fertilizer can also help
plants grow, if the fish don't provide enough fertilizer. As to plants,
in small aquariums I've had good luck with floating water sprite and
hornwort, plus planted Anubias, Vallisneria, Cryptocorne wendtii, Java
Moss and Rotala. My white clouds in the big aquarium love to hang
around, under and within the floating plants.

As to ornaments they take up room that plants can use. I still have a
castle in one of he goldfish tanks, though :) .

As to heat, if you keep only white clouds they don't need a heater. The
neons like some warmth, though. Your quarantine tank should definitely
have a heater available for when you quarantine most tropical fish -
cool water will stress them, which you don't want.

Which school of fish to add first? Well, the white clouds are hardier in
my experience, so I'd add them first if you're not adding all fish right
away. You do have established filter material and grunge to use in the
this aquarium to minimize or avoid any cycle, eh? If the 10 gallon is
already in fishy use now, don't sterilize it or anything that would kill
the helpful bacteria, and keep the filter running. If the 10 gallon is
fully cycled, I'd probably just add all the white clouds and neons at once.

Mellie101
April 15th 06, 12:10 AM
Great help, thank you. When I got my 55g up and running I bought 2
fancy goldfish and just added them to the aquarium to get the cycle
going. If I buy a school or neons or clouds I could add the neons to
the heated tank first and the clouds can go in the quarantine/hospital
tank. I know I have to buy another heater for the hospital tank but
there are a million things I need before that. New heater for 55g for
when the AC goes on during the summer, new gravel, new bubble wand, air
pump and plants. Its endless. The 10g will have filter media etc from
the 55g and currently is home to my single goldfish fry. I've seen
some stores have the neons and clouds in the shop tanks together so
won't really need to quarantine them if they are all buddies already.
Does this sound ok?

I've asked a million questions regarding the goldfish and now am
starting on the tropical. At least starting with neons and white
clouds will give me some experience before starting on something
bigger.

Cheers for the advice
Mellie

netDenizen
April 15th 06, 02:46 AM
Mellie101 wrote:
> Great help, thank you. When I got my 55g up and running I bought 2
> fancy goldfish and just added them to the aquarium to get the cycle
> going. If I buy a school or neons or clouds I could add the neons to
> the heated tank first and the clouds can go in the quarantine/hospital
> tank. I know I have to buy another heater for the hospital tank but
> there are a million things I need before that. New heater for 55g for
> when the AC goes on during the summer, new gravel, new bubble wand, air
> pump and plants. Its endless. The 10g will have filter media etc from
> the 55g and currently is home to my single goldfish fry. I've seen
> some stores have the neons and clouds in the shop tanks together so
> won't really need to quarantine them if they are all buddies already.
> Does this sound ok?
>
> I've asked a million questions regarding the goldfish and now am
> starting on the tropical. At least starting with neons and white
> clouds will give me some experience before starting on something
> bigger.
>
> Cheers for the advice
> Mellie
>

I'm glad you find the advice helpful, thanks! Others may have different
but valid suggestions and experience to offer.

You know, I found that after the first year or so the cost of aquarium
keeping went 'way down. I had acquired all the aquariums, gadgets and
fish that there was room for in the house. I'd also bought lots of
aquarium books and magazines - this was before mainstream Internet. The
aquariums were stable and fish lived on and on... Fish food is cheap,
and my biggest expense is probably the electricity for 200 watts of
lighting on the 90 gallon planted aquarium.

Happy aquarium keeping!