Introduction

Franki

Small Fish
Nov 12, 2013
32
0
6
#1
I just joined this group after reading some very helpful information here during the weekend.
I've had fish tanks off and on since I was a kid.
3 yrs ago I bought a 26 gal. Bow front. I had 2 Opal and 2 blue Gouramis, 1 Algae eater and 6 Cory's. 2 Pandas, 2 Peppered and 2 others I'm not sure about. The fish outgrew the tank.
I came home and found my oldest Opal got stuck in a decoration and I believe drowned.
Then I guess I noticed how big they had all gotten.
It was either rehome or new tank... So this past weekend I moved them into a 40 gallon and bought them some friends.
The transition went much better than I envisioned.
I'm pleased with the new tank and they appear to be too.
Franki
 

Franki

Small Fish
Nov 12, 2013
32
0
6
#3
Thanks for the welcome.
I am keeping an eye on the water. I actually used all of the water from the original tank in the new one.
I had a 70- 3 stage filter in the old tank and just moved it over without changing any of the stages for a week or two.
It is also a live planted and there are 3 separate air bubbler sources. So hopefully the good luck I had with the old tank will transfer over to the new one.
I added two Opal gourami's, 4 platys and 2 wood shrimp. Everyone is eating and fanning. So far, so good.
Franki
 

FishDad

Superstar Fish
Mar 4, 2012
1,218
1
38
Cleveland
#4
I actually used all of the water from the original tank in the new one.
Careful buddy. That might hurt you more than it will help you. Your nitrifying bacteria only grows on surfaces, not in the water column. What you could to is transfer some substrate to the new tank, or filter media.
 

Franki

Small Fish
Nov 12, 2013
32
0
6
#5
I did use all the old decorations and plants along with the filter directly from the old tank. Should that be enough?
Franki (with an I female gender)
 

Thyra

Superstar Fish
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
0
Yelm, WA
#6
I don't know exactly what you mean by "keeping an eye" on your water. You can not tell anything about the condition of your water by looking at it. You really need a liquid test kit for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
 

exhumed07

Superstar Fish
Apr 30, 2006
1,774
0
36
Illinois
#7
i'm pretty sure she is saying she is keeping an eye on it as a turn of phrase. I do determine my water changes visually though. unless something strange is going on, i look for cloudy water or dark water. my paludarium is really bad with dark water. i'll fill up a white 5 gallon bucket when doing a water change in that tank and it looks like coffee because of the wood in the tank lol.
I'm just saying that cause everyone has different ways of caring for a tank, but i do agree a test kit is essential.
 

Franki

Small Fish
Nov 12, 2013
32
0
6
#9
Thanks for the replies, nice group of people.
Yes by keeping an eye on it..... I do test the water.
I also have a NH3 read out that hangs in the tank.
If it shows any change I use the test kit.

Franki
 

FishDad

Superstar Fish
Mar 4, 2012
1,218
1
38
Cleveland
#13
+1 on what OC said. I have found the seachem brand to be very reliable. And I believe they last quite a bit longer than the mardel brand. FWIW Franki, if your PH seems stable you probably don't have to monitor it very closely. Unless you change décor or substrate or something like that.
 

Franki

Small Fish
Nov 12, 2013
32
0
6
#14
Thank for the information. I will start looking for that brand. I noticed when I came home tonight that I bought two ph testers when I meant to buy one ph and one ammonia so I will look for the seachem.
One more question for now if it's ok...
This is a 40 gallon breeder tank not for breeding but I wanted the wider, lower dimensions.
I have a 70 fluval filter.
I'm also not looking to add anymore but want to make sure I'm ok.
I have the 5 Gouramis, 6 Cory's, 1 Chinese Algae Eater, 4 Platys, and 2 wood Shrimp. Am I ok? I was going to sell the 26 gal bow front but thinking I might hang onto it and set up in the family room. Think I' need to move some of these guys?
 

Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#15
Personally, I would not keep a Chinese Algae Eater with anything except cichlids.

The rest seem ok to me, as long as you have sufficient flow for the shrimp to be able to feed properly.
 

Franki

Small Fish
Nov 12, 2013
32
0
6
#16
I understand the issues with the CAE. I didn't understand them when I bought him several yrs ago. He/she has grown considerably... One of the reasons for the bigger tank. I do feed it and it has never bothered any fish that I know of. I thought about putting it out in my koi pond which is a natural catch basin pond but from what I've read he won't make it. Fish stores don't want him and I'm not able to just throw him out. image.jpg
 

exhumed07

Superstar Fish
Apr 30, 2006
1,774
0
36
Illinois
#17
I would not add any more fish to the tank, a general rule of thumb to go by for tropical fish is 1 inch of fish per gallon. so say you only had guppies. that tank would be sufficient for 40 of them. but say all you are keeping are gouramis, 8 would be about the max if they all got to 5 inches long. this is not anything set in stone but it is a good guidline. as you can see with my signature, I like to overstock my tanks. takes more work to do though.
 

Franki

Small Fish
Nov 12, 2013
32
0
6
#18
Thanks.
I've done the overstocked thing which I had a 70 filter in a 26 gallon tank.
Pretty content with the group I have.. But was thinking today I wouldn't mind having a few- like 2 more shrimp of a kind that eats algae.
This is my first exposure to shrimp and I like these guys.
Saw one of them back up my large Opal tonight.
 

exhumed07

Superstar Fish
Apr 30, 2006
1,774
0
36
Illinois
#19
cherry shrimp are really good for algae. I've never really had good luck with them myself. but then again i have fish that will eat the young and pick on them after they molt while their shells are still soft.
 

Newman

Elite Fish
Sep 22, 2009
4,668
0
0
Northern NJ
#20
try amano shrimp. though any carnivorous fish will still eat them, and if not then the shrimp will leap out of the tank when spooked or they will crawl out. so make sure the tank is completely covered no gaps. believe it or not amano shrimp are really good at walking out of the water. not like cherry shrimp that depend on water to move.