Water Purifier

I need help on a 20 gallon tank.I am going to buy a kit that has a filter and everything?

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Ekam S asked:


I’m going to have live plants and planning to keep 6 neon tetras not sure about rainbowfish 6 zebra danios,6 tiger barbs 4 platies and I’m not sure which algae eater to get that gets along with them.Another question is should I fishless cycle or cycle with the zebra danios or tiger barbs?Which way is the quickest I also live in the country so I get my water from a different source then city waters so if I used a water purifier in the water but the water didnt need it would it be harmful to fish?Try to answer all the questions!

Joel

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• Jessica C

  March 20, 2009 | 9:16 PM
  

  That is to much stock for a 20 gallon, to have all this and the rainbows go with the 55 gallon kit. Rainbows do best in groups of 6 and alone get to big for a 20. You can get the danios and barbs (that is exactly what I have, 6 of each and 2 MM platies in a 40 gallon) and for the algae eater I would go with otos they stay rather small, a pleco will get to large for a 20 gallon. so choose the tetras OR danions and the 6 barbs, or the 4 Platies and the danios OR tetras, you can have two of the 4 but since they are all schooling fish and they have to have atleat 6…pick two and it will make a nice tank. Or simply get a bigger tank. For the cycle, I never do a fishless cycle, I cycled mine with guppies, 6 barbs are to many fish to cycle with. and you have to have atleast that or they will kill eachother. If you have well water, that will not do well in the fish tank. look into a r/o setup if you can afford that or setup a clean barrel and catch rain water, I did that for a long time. otherwise, store bought gallon water will be your best bet. Try Bio Spira to quickly cycle the tank, but you must make sure that it has been cooled since shipment. I don’t know about the water purifier, sorry, But use guppies to cycle your tank then in around 6 weeks (if you do not use the bio spira) you can slowly add your stock…6 danio’s or tetras first. Wait a few weeks and add the barbs or platies.

• chris s

  March 21, 2009 | 6:38 AM
  

  First off i would stay away from tiger barbs..Seem aggressive to me! If you can get to a local pet store that carries bio spira its a pouch with the right bacteria that you can immediately put in fresh water and it will be immediately ready for fish ..its awesome no need to run cycles with this stuff..

  Test your water with a test kit… you wont need any purifier if your tests straight out of the faucet is a ok!! Keep filter and air stone or something for oxygen..And if possible keep live plants!! They are as important to fish as Trees are to humans..!!!

• Dan V

  March 22, 2009 | 4:08 PM
  

  Fishless cycling is always better. No two ways about it.

  The only proven and consistently effective way to speed up the cycling process is to use seeded (used) filter media or some gravel from an established tank.

  Adding conditioner will not hurt anything, even if your water is well water. If it isn’t well water from a private well that only serves your home, you can safely assume it’s chlorinated by Federal Law if you are in the US. Can’t speak for other countries….. I have never looked into that.

  There is no reason in the world why you couldn’t use well water. Actually, most city water is just well water that has been through a sediment filter, aeration, and chlorination. If it didn’t come from a well, it came from a reservoir that was fed by a spring, which came from an underground aquifer - same place well water comes from.

  Algae eaters, except Otocinclus in a tank that size will cause more mess than they clean up. Oto’s should be kept in groups, I would go with 3 in a 20g, but not until the tank is established and has some algae or they will starve.

  I would also suggest rethinking that stocking plan. A 20g is not enough room for hyper-active Zebra Danios, and barely adequate for Neons. They need room to do their thing.

  Tiger Barbs are not good tank mates for anything. In a group of 6 or more, they are LESS trouble, but certainly not trouble free.

  The Platy’s would be OK though.

• Fishy

  March 25, 2009 | 12:44 PM
  

  I would cycle with fish but only 3 to start to keep your bioload to a minimum while you start. Just make sure you keep checking (2x a day) your ammonia and then your nitrites. If the ammonia is over 1ppm do a water change of 25% try to keep water changes to a minimum (best weekly)that way you allow bacteria to grow and second of all you won’t shock your fish with so many changes (need to have water at same temp as tank). Second test your water I don’t think you will have much trouble it will probably be “harder” water due to more minerals if it is well water. So I would stick with that. Also everybody thinks they have to have algae eaters you don’t you just have to keep up with cleaning and water changes. Third platies are livebearer and have baby fry frequently you want to consider that into your fish population ….
  I recommend the biowheel powerfilter …because you don’t need an airpump which is really noisy…
  Hope this helps!