Newbie

Hi there,

I am new to the site. I am looking to set up a tank with guppies, mollies, tetras and a separate shrimp tank.

First need to learn a few things

 

YAY, a new member. You are at the right place. Remember pictures when you set up. we love those.

 

Thanks. Links are always welcome.. I already have a 15l Nano tank for the shrimp..(Had shrimp in there before - then moved houses and didn't think about the water) Looking at something not too big to start off with for the other fishes.. maybe a 60l tank.. We do have borehole water so that's the other issue I need help on..

 

And I will have some plants in the tanks for sure..

 

Yes I can do a 3 ft tank, I am still in two minds about the mollies, but will definitely do Guppies and tetras.. anyone that can recommend where to buy fish tanks? And what is the basics I would need? I know the basics - filter, air pump, LED light, heater.. (best place to buy this please) I was looking at using sand as a substrate, lava stone of dragon stone and some plants.

Something like this

 

Hello and welcome, if you ever need some plants i always have some cutting floating around

 

Ah thank you Nirvashen - Once my tank is set up i will definitively take you up on that

 

Hi @Marike,

Welcome to the Forum

Look forward to your new project

 

Welcome Marike....

Sent from my LM-G810 using Tapatalk

 

For all who need it, a simplified doc explaining the nitrogen cycle and how to cycle a new tank

https://docdro.id/sKpV1FF

 

Welcome @Marike ! I usually get most of my aquarium goods from Aqua Empire in Randpark Ridge, as they almost always have everything i need.

For tanks, i'd check out VIP Pets at Retail Crossing, their prices are usually pretty good. I would be cautious about livestock and plants from there though - plants are mostly unlabelled so you never know if you're getting a plant that is actually aquatic or not, and livestock management appears to be fairly poor. Lots of floaters the last time i went.

For heaters, i usually go by 1 watt per litre. Gives enough juice to get things back up to temp quickly without the heater staying on permanently. Via Aqua is a good budget option, and you should be able to find it at most Local Fish Stores (LFS).

For filters, i'd probably go with a good hang on back filter, like a Tidal 55 or Aquaclear 50. The cheaper brands tend to use little cartridges filled with charcoal that would need to be replaced rather than cleaned, which would wipe out your beneficial bacteria that control ammonia. Aquaclear is a bit more difficult to find around here, but lots of stores keep the Tidal.

For lighting, the best budget option i've seen around is Zetlight. Something like this: https://www.rbmaquatics.co.za/collections/zetlight/products/zetlight-ms-60f
Should have plenty of light for growing most plants, and is easily dimmed should there be an algae problem

For substrate, i'd definitely recommend giving the pool filter sand and root tab combo a go. There are specific aquarium soils that work very well, but the cost is a hard pill to swallow. Best budget option for aquasoil is Langa.

For hardscape, definitely check out AquaEmpire. They have massive bins of materials and a practice area set up at the back of their shop. Keep an eye on the Facebook page so you know when new stock arrives, and you can get there before everything gets snatched up. It sometimes happens in less than a day...

For plants, best local spot i've found is still AquaEmpire. If you're willing to get them delivered, McMerwe in Bloemfontein provides pretty good quality plants from what i've heard, as well as RBM Aquatics in Cape Town. Also, fellow hobbyists! I'm going to be clearing out a batch of plants soon, and @Nirvashen has also offered.

In terms of a planting list, stick with everything that has a label like "Easy", or "No CO2 required". Will make the start of the aquascaping journey a lot easier. Plants like Amazon Swords, Cryptocorynes, Anubias, Java Fern (Microsorum Pteropus), Bolbitis Heudelotii (African Water Fern), Pearl Weed (Hemianthus Micranthemoides), Rotala Colorata, Hydrocotyle Tripartita, Staurogyne Repens. They should all do pretty well. Try out a new type of plant every few months and you'll soon get an idea of what you like and can grow.

One thing i can definitely recommend is some kind of liquid fertiliser to be added regularly. Something like Scape Complete, or the Seachem fertiliser range. More nutrients available in the water column will make the plants happier, and they should then out-compete the algae.

Good luck, and let us know how it all goes

 

Hi @Marike and welcome to this beautiful forum with the most amazing people.

I like that you chose to research first unlike most of us who just buy fish and then try to figure out what we need to do. That inspiration pic you posted looks really good and now i cannot wait to see the outcome of your tank

 

Wow, thank you so much for the feedback. I will definitely go and have a look there. Thank you for the links as well. With regards to my borehole water, does anyone know where can maybe have my water tested? Or what should i be doing?

 

Hi Marika, welcome!
Regarding the stocking options, I've recently been looking at mollies for my own tank and have been totally stunned at just how big they get. I definitely think platties would be a better option with tetras and guppies. They look kind of similar but stay much smaller.