Some real newbie questions

[Dragoro]

Am I supposed to leave my tank light on 24/7?

I was recommended rocks as my bottom and a piece of drift wood as decoration. Is this good?

I have a 20 gallon tank, and use a filter thats meant for a 50 gallon tank, is this a bad thing?

Sometimes my convicts and my flowerhorn hang out at the top of the water (the very top) but not for long periods of time just a few mins at a time, is this a sign of something?

 

[Bobnova]

Your tank light should be on for about half a day, just like a normal day/night cycle.
The fish will be happiest of you buy a ($10ish) timer and put the light on that so the light always goes on and off at the same times.

Rocks are good, they can be tricky to get the fish waste/uneaten food out of if they are really large though. Drift wood is nice too.

More filter then tank isn't a bad thing at all, in many cases it is a very good thing.
Just don't forget to clean the filter pad portion once a week when you do a water change.


If the fish are hanging out at the surface and gulping air or breathing really fast it's a sign of not enough disolved oxygen in the water (could be too high a temp for them, or not enough surface agitation).
It doesn't really sound like what yours are doing though.

 

[sirasoni]

The rocks/drift wood should work great as decoration. No, you shouldn't leave your lights on 24/7. There's nothing wrong with overfiltering your tank as long as your fish can handle the current. Your flowerhorn is going to need a much bigger tank but apart from that things seem ok. Oh btw, did you make sure to cycle your tank first? And...

 

[Dragoro]

Yeah, had the tank cycled for 5 weeks, first 2 weeks no fish, 3 weeks with the starters.


Yeah, I plan in getting at least a 100 gallon tank within the next few weeks. That should give me plenty of time to cycle it before the flowerhorn outgrows this one.

 

[bigspizz]

Yeah, had the tank cycled for 5 weeks, first 2 weeks no fish, 3 weeks with the starters.


Yeah, I plan in getting at least a 100 gallon tank within the next few weeks. That should give me plenty of time to cycle it before the flowerhorn outgrows this one.

What did you use?

 

[Dragoro]

They had me use some nitrate and amonia solutions, some bio solution and an api test kit to moniter the different rates.

 

[Dragoro]

Think Im going to donate the flowerhorn and convicts back to the store, and start again. I think I got some bad advice all around. Im going to start again with your guys suggestions. Money wise, its quiet a loss, the flowerthorn cost me 200, but Id rather him do well, then stay with me and not do well. I aint sure Im going to do this, but Im really leaning towards it, cause it sounds like I got some pretty bad advice.

 

[CHOMPERS]

Before admitting defeat, get a test kit so you can test your water. By knowing what is going on in the water, you will know when to change your water and if your filter is doing it's job. It will also give you hints if other things are going wrong.

I agree that you started with the wrong fish, but that is no reason to take them back. It sounds like you are willing to put in the effort to do things right, so your fish should be ok.

 

[sclabman]

a flowerhorn for 200 bucks????! how big is it?

 

[mishelly111]

How are things? I want to start up a bigger tank as well, but I have no idea what to start with. I've had tanks all my life, until I had kids. Now one of my daughters' is now into it. She has a 20 gallon, breeding guppies. I want my own again. I've been wanting to get a 90 or so gallon but I don't know what kind of fish to start with, So I've been putting off buying it. All this talk of "Cycleing the tank" first I've never heard of. Can anyone help........Please.