Reddit mentions: The best aquarium thermometers

Hey, first off, KUDOS to you for doing the research FIRST. It makes it SOOO much easier doing it this way!! (That was not meant to sound condescending btw, but totally a good thing because too many people don't and then sadly have to come here for help (the help is ok of course but we've all been there too when you need immediate help! And it just reduces the likelihood when you do the research in the beginning.

Good list, I have a couple tens and a tight budget so hopefully I can help.

Tank: Check. Lid: Check. I like the Aqueon tanks because the VersaTop lids fit them! I learned the hard way the Petsmart tanks are like 1/8 of an inch longer and those lids fall thru or are too big, can't remember which is which lol.

Filter/media: I have heard not great things about biowheels but don't remember what or where. Maybe you could do a search here on reddit in case I saw something here. But, regardless of that, I would still suggest an Aqueon 20. Higher gph at 125 instead of 100 and a larger box, so you can fit more media inside it. Even if you got the cartridges in the beginning, you'll eventually give them up for better media and it will give you more room for a mesh bag with ceramic rings or something else. I have 4 Aqueons (two 10s, a 20, and a 30) all of them very quiet. Don't bother getting the cartridges. Go for better media. It's a little more $ but it's worth it. And the customer service is fabulous. My first one's motor seemed to be slow after 3 months but the store's return was 2 months. I called them and they sent me a new motor for free. And you won't have to replace the media really (not never but maybe after several years) vs the cartridges will eventually get so mucky they are disgusting after a month and water won't flow thru them anymore. You could just get this kind. This will save you $ in the long run so you don't have to keep buying cartridges. (just take out the blue plastic)

Heater: I know Eheim is supposed to be good. The reviews didn't seem that great on Amazon for that partic heater though (?) Heaters seem to be on sale at Petsmart the adjustable aqueon is $17 right now. I like the black ones because they don't seem to get that white calcium deposit (or whatever that is), the Pro, but the I have the glass ones too and they are fine even if they get that on them. I have several knock on wood that have been running for 4 years and for the price...

Light: I like the profile on those Aquaneats better than the other ones , it's thinner. I have a little 9 inch one on a 2.5 gallon and it's perfect for it. Very bright!

Substrate: Unless you are planning on having fish or shrimp that require soft water/low pH, you could save money by picking up some inert substrate like sand instead of the ADA. Keep in mind I think that leaches ammonia in the beginning, so make sure to let it like for several weeks before fish till it dissipates. This is where you could save some $ I think. All my tanks are planted and just have Petco sand or gravel from Chewy's.

Thermometer. That strip will not really work in the smaller tanks. It's weird. It works in the larger volume tanks. On my 29, it shows a fairly accurate temp, but even in my 20 long, it doesn't always register a temp. I wouldn't bother, I think I placed one on my 10 and it may not even register it if I remember. Pick up one of the Digital ones like this and just leave it on all the time and the batter lasts forever. I think I've had most of mine for 3 years, 4 years, something like that and only replaced batteries in some of them sometime this past year. Like this, just find whatever one is cheapest.

To save $, you can get your plants on r/AquaSwap. Go for medium and low light plants, not high light plants.

And get the API Master Test Kit, you'll have to have that to have a tank.

EDIT: Heaters and lights are necessary. Fish need fairly consistent temps and unless your house is always in their range... And for the light they all need a day and a night period and not sunlight which will create algae issues potentially and the plants will require a light.

You had me until you added your fish choices. I would not do either of those personally. Unless you do all male guppies. But, you have so many others that you could choose from.

I was in your shoes not too long ago, it's overwhelming! Here's a list of things that I bought, but I am not an expert so if others have better input go for that:

Equipment

• 10 gallon tank with hood
  
• Broad Spectrum Light The one that came with the hood did not provide enough for the plants, you definitely need to invest in a broad spectrum bulb.
  
• CaribSea Flora Max Substrate I learned that shrimp prefer darker color substrate, this was worth the investment! My shrimp were so unhappy with cheap gravel, after switching to this substrate they are very active.
  
• Air pump
  
• Sponge filter
  
• Heater, maybe optional for you?
  
• Thermometer
  
• Gallon Bucket
  
• Siphon
  
• Seachem Prime Because it's a smaller tank, I ended up poking a pinhole sized hole in the seal so that I could use it as drops rather than pouring it in.
  
• [Seachem Stability] (https://www.amazon.com/Seachem-67101230-Stability-500ml/dp/B0002APIIW/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1499786377&sr=1-1&keywords=seachem+stability) Use this while you're cycling your tank, follow the instructions.
  
• API Test Kit
  
• Feeding Tray For the longest time I was really confused as to how the feeding tray worked, you can either get a tube or pre-soak the pellets and then drop them into the tray using long tweezers. This will help prevent ammonia/nitrite spikes.
  
• Long Tweezer Set
  
• Pellets Do also feed them blanched vegetables, make sure to peel the skin and buy organic to avoid chemicals/pesticides
  
• Timer Outlet Worth the investment! So you don't have to keep remembering to turn the light on and off.
  
  Shop for whatever is cheaper, I have a huge heater because I had an extra one from before. I've read that it's not necessary but also have read that if you want them to breed you need to stimulate warm water. For now, I keep the heater off and leave it at room temperature of 72F. They seem very happy! Most important in my opinion, add plenty of plants and a marimo ball or 2.
  
  Lastly, I'm unsure of the siphon, I think it's good to have a bucket and siphon just in case your water parameters are looking bad so you are prepared to do a water change. From what I read, shrimp have a very low bio load and should be able to sustain themselves. Make sure to do tests regularly.
  
  EDIT I just read that this is your first aquarium, so here is a detailed write up:
  
  Setting up your tank
  
  
• 1. Find a stable top to place your aquarium on, keep in mind a well sunlit room will mean more plant/algae growth. Make sure it's sturdy and made for heavy objects, don't want to place it on a flimsy shelf or it might break! I keep mine on top a waterproof place mat because water drips are going to happen.
     
• 2. Rinse everything as a precaution! NEVER use dish soap!! If you must sanitize, vinegar is okay. Just make sure to rinse thoroughly. Also, NEVER use any kind of soap on your hands before handling things, just rinse well with water. Add your substrate, I lightly rinsed mine as there are beneficial bacteria living inside the substrate, pour it in. Make sure it's at least 2" of floor. Your water will be cloudy if you bought the substrate I listed, don't worry as it will settle after an hour and be clear.
     
• 3. Fill water half way, use a small plate and pour the water on top of that to avoid the substrate being pushed around. NEVER use hot water! If you're using tap water be sure to always use cold water. It's also recommended to purchase "RO water" (Reverse Osmosis Water) as some times your tap water can be too "hard". The best thing to do is use the test kit on tap water and go from there. If the kH/gH are very high 100+ you will need to use RO water. I like to place my plants and decor now while the tank is half full. Place in your thermometer, heater, sponge filter, etc. After that, continue to fill all the way to the top remembering to aim the stream on top the plate. Leave about a half to an inch from the top.
     
• 4. Take out plate, plug in filter, add in Seachem Prime and Seachem Stability. Please read the label for instructions and dosage according to your tank size. Since there is nothing inside you can add it after you've added the water to the tank. Moving forward, be sure to add the chemicals in the water bucket BEFORE pouring into the tank.
     
• 5. Turn on filter, wait for the water to settle and temperature to come up. They say shrimp can tolerate 52F to 86F but ideally room temperature water is best, this is where your water heater will come into play. Follow which ever cycling method you choose before purchasing your shrimp. This can take up to 6 weeks.
     
     After your tank has cycled
     
     
• 1. When adding your shrimp, there are many methods, the way I acclimate my shrimp is:
     
• 2. Put the shrimp in a 1 gallon tub using the water that they came in.
     
• 3. Drop in a tablespoon of the tank water, ONCE every 2 minutes.
     
• 4. After the water has reached 1/3 old water, 2/3rd new water, your shrimp are ready to be placed into your tank.
     
     Please don't skip the important step of acclimating your shrimp! They are very sensitive to water changes and this ensures that they will survive.
     
     Here are my water parameters, people have all kinds of ranges but this is what works for me:
     
     
• kH: 60 / gH: 40 / pH: 7.0 / NO2: 0 / NO3: 20 / Ammonia: 0 / Temperature: 72F
  
  I hope this helps... again, I was in your shoes not too long ago, it was really overwhelming. But after a lot of research I think my tank is in a good place :). Other users, if there's anything in my list that seems incorrect please let me know!

Under 100 bucks will be a little tricky, I think I can get close but having to buy a lighting fixture/hood will end up pushing it over.

• 20 gallong Long aquarium (30 x 12 footprint) $32.99 @ petsmart(you might be able to find this cheaper with a glass top at a LFS where dollar per gallon on these smaller tanks is a little more common.
  
  Second Option 29 gallon - has the same dimensions and usually just a little more expensive--however, you might be able to find an all-in-one kit with a hood, heater, and HOB filter for about 100 bucks...if so, that's the way to go for sure.
  
  
• Marineland LED full hood 30"x12" $35.99 @ Amazon with free shipping.
  
  2nd Option - Nothing cheaper right now.
  
  
• Filter: Aqueon 50 $23.10 @ Amazon This gets even cheaper if you make your own filter media instead of using their cartridges. Aqueon are decent little filters, and for that price and GPH you'll have a tough time beating it.
  
  2nd option: Penguin 200 $25.49 with free shipping @ Amazon The penguin has more media options and more media volume even not counting the biowheel. But it is a much noisier filter. My true preference would be an Aquaclear 50, but they're just not on sale right now and we're on a budget.
  
  
• Heater: Aquatop 100W for $14.99 @ Amazon . Aquatop is a bargain brand so this is a bargain product. But it's cheap and comes with free shipping.
  
  2nd Option - eheim jager 75W heater $24.27 @ Amazon eheim's last and are very reliable. I have a pair that are over 6 years old and still work great. Spending the extra money here would be worth it if you ever want to perhaps use the tank for something else down the road.
  
  
• Thermometer - Going as cheap as possible here, and I always like the accuracy of an analog thermometer. $3.92 with free shipping at Amazon
  
  2nd Option - nothing cheaper that's anywhere near as close in the reliability/accuracy department.
  
  So, that puts my 1st option total @ $110.99 with shipping but without any applicable sales tax for a new set up. Now you can really find something on craigslist.org for cheaper often times, so it might be worth it to look around there--but a lot of that stuff i found is on sale currently so if you wait too long it would be gone.
  
  Now for the fish.
  
  
• I would go with a pair of convict cichlids. They will breed every 2-3 weeks and if there's nothing else in the tank they can put out 100+ fry. Now with this set up they're never going to get very big without a grow out tank, but they will never eat their babies and they're pretty cool fish in their own right. They are also hearty so if you take care of the tank they'll live for several years breeding like bunnies.
  
  2nd option - Guppy tank with 2-3 males and 12-14 females. They will match the convicts for numbers and like the convicts they are very low in Thiaminase (which is super important for predator fish). They are relatively hardy but I find them to be super boring. They will also eat the heck out of their own babies. But on the plus side they're a bit dummer and slower swimmers than the convicts and with several harems you'll have a nicer sizing pattern on the fry that do survive.
  
  Which ever way you go make sure to put a sponge or some panty hose over your filter intake to keep from fry getting sucked up. Also, always gut load with a good quality food right before feeding. Something like New Life Spectrum Cichlid Formula for the convicts. This will make sure the Largemouth and Oscar are getting the optimum nutrition from the live food.
  
  Now that it's all said, you can actually breed your own earthworms for about 10 bucks in materials plus compost [Here's how to do that](
  http://www.herper.com/earthworms/earthworms-culture.html) and your fish will appreciate the live food variety.
  Hope this helped!

Hi there,

Please consider my revised additions/changes to your lists as I see some things that could be better/improved. - - - - - PLEASE FISHLESS CYCLE!!!!!- - - -- - http://injaf.org/articles-guides/beginners-guides/the-nitrogen-cycle-and-the-fishless-cycle-getting-your-aquarium-ready-for-fish/

DO NOT BUY that 5g TALL Marina brand tank (I had the smaller 3g version in the past and ended up ABSOLUTELY HATING it because of the built-in internal filter compartment that took space away from the betta + was a pain to maintenance + the flow was difficult to modify)...

I HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING TANK KITS!!! (They're even cheaper than your other mentioned options and far better for the betta by providing it with much more HORIZONTAL SWIMMING SPACE:

https://www.petsmart.com/fish/starter-kits/top-fin-essentials-aquarium-starter-kit-5262256.html it's ON SALE NOW AT TIME OF MY COMMENT FOR JUST $24.

THE TOPFIN 10g KIT IS GREAT TOO! - FOR JUST $45.49 (Right now at time of comment) - https://www.petsmart.com/fish/starter-kits/top-fin-essentials-aquarium-starter-kit-5262353.html

• FILTER options for the 5.5g/10g tank kit above:
  
  

1. EITHER the included TopFin HoB filter from the tank kits above - modified via: https://i.imgur.com/QYNiVEV.mp4 - Ditch the carbon cartridge (once you get the stuff to mod the filter) and go for the following supplies: - https://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Clear-A1370A1-Aquaclear-20-Gallon/dp/B0006JLO5K/ - https://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Flo-Aquarium-Filter-Media-Thick/dp/B01J5MV86S/ - https://www.amazon.com/3IN1-BIO-SPONGE-Biochemical-Sponge-QUACLEAR/dp/B00VPL0V0W - The pre-filter intake sponge that you had in your list would be good for this HoB filter that's included in the 5.5g/10g TopFin Essentials kit.
   
2. OR this SPONGE FILTER setup (my absolute favorite, HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND): - https://www.amazon.com/Powkoo-Double-Biochemical-Aquarium-Gallons/dp/B01M3VALFU/ - Petsmart: TopFin Quartz Bioballs (they are perfectly sized to fit into the two dual filter media chambers of the sponge filter I recommended above, plus come in a nice plastic canister for storage). - https://www.amazon.com/U-picks-Aquarium-Gallon-Quietest-Accessories/dp/B07RRNDMXJ/ <--The perfect mini and quiet airpump kit + all accessories to hook up to the sponge filter and run it (quiet airpump, check valve + airline tubing) - (If you have questions about setting this sponge filter stuff up, ask me once you have all the parts in hand. It's very easy.)
   
   

• BETTA FOOD: NorthFin Betta Bits (click link), Hikari Bloodworms (high quality w/ added vitamins), AND ZooMed Betta Dial-A-Treat (3-in-1 treat wheel) (DO NOT BUY THE TETRA RIVER SHRIMP - THOSE ARE FARRRR TOO BIG for tiny betta mouths).
  
• Dr. Tim's Ammonia drops for FISHLESS CYCLING!!!!
  
• PLEASE consider Seachem Prime (500 ml will last you a VERY long time for just 2 drops per gallon, for the 5.5g tank) - FAR more effective and requires less drops per gallon than almost any other dechlorinator brand (toss/remove that Tetra betta safestart, such a tiny bottle and not as effective for the cost).
  
• Seachem Stability - Excellent bacteria starter for new tanks to nitrogen cycle Dr. Tim's version might work too but I have no experience with it, as I put my trust in Seachem's brand.
  
• Alternative Thermometer - nice magnetic attachment feature
  
• DO NOT buy that 18 lb gravel - those pieces are HUGE, the description says 1 to 2 inch per piece, and that will trap debris and waste so badly and you certainly won't be needing 18 lbs of that stuff for the 5.5g tank I recommended. https://www.amazon.com/Spectrastone-Shallow-Regular-Freshwater-Aquariums/dp/B001OTSPDA/ You'll just need TWO of this pack, and may NOT need all 10 lbs of it but best to get at least 8-10 lbs of this smaller gravel - you should set the tank up with no more than 1-2 inches thick of the gravel. Sand is ok too, but I have no personal experience using it, and it might be difficult to siphon sand since it's so fine it might get sucked up if you try to gravel vac it...
  
• PLANTS!!!!
  
  • biOrb makes great silk plants. A great value - 2 plants per pack for about $14-$15: https://www.amazon.com/biOrb-Plant-medium-green-purple/dp/B003KGBJ06 <-- my two bettas LOVE these! I always catch them lounging on the big broad leaves. AND the shorter ones for foreground: https://www.amazon.com/biOrb-Plant-medium-green-purple/dp/B003BG2TEA/ (as you can see, I'm kind of a fan of the BiOrb silk plants xD haha! They're really great and my bettas do like lounging around on them). My Hikaru can vouch for the BiOrb silk plants (lol look who didn't want to have his nice nap on the BiOrb silk plant leaf disturbed): https://i.imgur.com/7miG7h5.mp4
    
  • Here’s my two tanks (see the silk plants and my sponge filters that I recommended, in action): https://i.imgur.com/ty9t3RJ.mp4 And https://i.imgur.com/x7VLj4l.mp4
    
  • However, live plants would be even better... there are some beginner ones like Marimo moss balls (get at least 3-4), java moss, Java Fern, etc. READ ON for more info and where to buy: r/AquaSwap - lots of plants sold there OR here: https://buceplant.com/collections/aquarium-plants
    
    About live aquatic plants:
    
    https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/plantsetc
    
    https://www.petmd.com/fish/care/5-live-aquarium-plants-even-beginner-can-care
    
    https://modestfish.com/best-beginner-aquarium-plants/
    
    https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/top-5-easy-aquarium-plants
    
    https://www.theaquariumguide.com/articles/10-best-freshwater-aquarium-plants-for-beginners
    
    **** ALSO anything I hadn't commented on from your original list to offer alternatives = fine by me, keep them in your to-buy list :)

People will yell at you for keeping it in a bowl and some people will even recommend they have to have 10g of water to be healthy.

A bowl is not healthy for the fish, but I've kept bettas in 2.5g tanks with no problems. The most important part is getting a filter and a heater, and not over feeding.

You want more lateral space than height, so a cubic or cylindrical tank isn't optimal. A simple 2.5g from Petco is what I use and is fine; it has the foot print of a shoe box. Bettas aren't really vertical swimmers, then are lateral swimmers; they also benefit from more surface area, which a rectangular tank gives.

I run this filter on my 2.5g and haven't had problems with it for a year. It will do better if you clean it every month.

Heaters are tricky; my best advice is to get a digital thermometer like this one and watch the temperature. My 2.5g hasn't dropped below 79 in a couple months, and I'm not running a heater. In the winter I use a heater like this one to keep the temperature steady. When you do start using a heater, you want to watch your temperature closely to make sure you aren't over heating the tank!

I use a desklamp with a Spiral CFL light bulb as lighting; but I also keep live plants. Your lighting completely depends on what you have in the tank. Keeping some plants isn't hard, but it is a balancing act that you have to get used to. You also have to do a little research about the type of plant and it's needs. If you want plants, give me a PM and I'll give you some easy plant recommendations. If you don't want plants, get a 10watt spiral CFL "Daylight" (6300K) lightbulb and put it in a desk lamp that is a couple inches above the water; or just put the tank in a window that gets some light through the day.

Food is simple; a small pinch of flake food or a little bit of freeze dried blood worms every few days is fine. Obviously live food is better, but it is also more work and more expensive.
___
TL:DR

• 2.5 Gallons is fine; buy a tank from petco for ~$10
  
• Get a small filter for $15
  
• Get a nice thermometer for $8
  
• If you temperature is too low, buy a nice heater for ~$20
  
• Get a desklamp and a 6300K (Daylight) lightbulb ~$20
  
  Here is my 2.5g now after I trimmed it and before I topped it off. It has ~20 Black Bar Endlers in it now instead of a Betta. If you want a tank with live plants like that it takes a bit of planning, but isn't too bad.
  
  I'm giving you this list because cost increases with size. A great 2.5g will cost you ~$60-100 upfront, and not much in the long run. A good 10G will cost you ~$100-200 because you will need a stronger filter, larger heater, larger tank, stronger lights. A bowl is the cheap option, and your fish will lose its color, likely lose some fins due to fin rot, and I would be surprised if it lives a year. A tank with a filter and heater will solve all those issues.

Hmm odd that the water fizzed up. Did you rinse out the tank and rinse off the carbon and decorations before putting them in? The fact that you can smell chlorine is probably a good indicator you are best of to switch to a different water conditioner. (I like Seachem Prime.) Betta's like a low flow filter so just keep an eye on the filter or even switch to a sponge filter, or filter with a sponge over the intake, etc. Remeber to test your tap water too! I will link some products I have used or similar to those I have used in the past and had success with. (It may be a good idea to compare prices at your LFS store to Amazon, as I know my local Petsmart/Petco charges a fortune for a lot of aquarium items without much selection.)

API Freshwater Test Kit (Amazon wow $19.99 right now!) or at your LFS -Don't buy the test strips.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000255NCI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

SeaChem Prime ($4-$13 depending on size from Amazon or at your LFS. I swear by Prime.)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002568S6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

A thermometer is a good idea to make sure your heater does not create a major issue. I do not use this exact one but figured I would add it to the list with a link ($2)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002AQITK/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Here I will just attach a link for a sponge filter I use in a 10 gallon (~$12). You will need some airline hosing and an air pump (tetra air pump works) if you get it, though I think it may be a little big for a 4 gallon. Also, an aquaclear is by far my favorite HOB filter if you go that route. Hopefully, your filter will workout!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXRDZPO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A316L92SV4DH0Y&psc=1
Tetra Air pump (~$7)
https://www.amazon.com/Tetra-77851-Whisper-Pump-10-Gallon/dp/B0009YJ4N6/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1506349229&sr=1-1&keywords=tetra%2Bair%2Bpump&th=1
Aquaclear 20 (110V ~$25): This may be a little big for your 4 gallon, not sure as I have the Aquaclear 50 on my 30 gallon but I will add it along just in case.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000260FVG/ref=twister_B00MO35VD2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Airline Tubing (a few dollars, great to have)

Household Ammonia without surfactant (to do your fishless cycle) see link http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles_51/fishless-cycling-article.htm

If you decide to go with silk aquarium plants, they have few fun options online. I would also suggest really plants as they will help reduce nitrates in the future. Some good low-tech plants would be anubias, or java fern (and some others). These can be tied to a rock or driftwood as don't need to be placed in the gravel/sand/soil itself. (A small clip-on LED for an aquarium should work
if you go this route.)
https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/plantsetc

I would provide food options, but r/bettafish has done a great job!
https://www.reddit.com/r/bettafish/wiki/food

Here are a few they have mentioned:

Ocean Nutrition Atison's Betta Food (~12)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/huc/view.html?ie=UTF8&newItems=C38WET63RPACA8%2C1

New Life Spectrum Betta Formula (~$10)
https://www.amazon.com/New-Life-Spectrum-Formula-Semi-Float/dp/B0038JTL1Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1506350883&sr=1-1&keywords=New+Life+Spectrum+Betta+Pellets

Hikari Betta Bio-Gold (~$13)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013EXTU7S/ref=twister_B00ZJZMXIS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

You should be able to find frozen daphnia, and frozen brine shrimp at Petco/Petsmart, and live brine shrimp at your LFS.

Will add on later! Happy cycling and keep us posted!

I also started my first saltwater tank a few weeks ago and I'm 14. Now I went for a nano and it went just fine. First you need to learn about cycling. This is probably the most important thing. Ammonia and nitrite are extremely toxic to fish. There are bacteria colonies that make these into nitrates, the nitrates are only harmful in large quantities. Fish waster produces ammonia, which is transformed into nitrites by bacteria which is transformed into nitrates by bacteria. When you setup your tank, you need to throw a deli shrimp inside to produce ammonia. Then, with testkit you will test the water until you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitirites and less then 20 ppm of nitrates. Nitrates are removed through water changes. You will need ocean salt, RO/DI water, a heater, a hydrometer, a test kit, sand, live rock, a powerhead, and a filter. First you clean up the tank. Then you add sand that has been rinsed. Mix your saltwater and fill the tank about halfway. For a 20 gallon, I would purchase around 30 pounds of live rock. Place the rock in the position you like. The live rock is probably the most important thing in the tank. It houses the bacteria that keeps your fish from dying. This should be done within 2 hours. When satisfied with the placement, fill the tank up. Let it run for a day with the heater, filter and powerhead on. Check for leaks. Also, when making saltwater test it with the hydrometer do the specific gravity is between 1.021 and 1.026. Most fish prefer 1.024. The next day drop in the shrimp ad start testing. It will take around 3 weeks until your tank is ready for fish sometimes longer. The cycling process cannot be rushed. Any fish placed in earlier will DIE. Now, you wait. Also pH can be an issue. Use a marine buffer to take care of this. Algae is a bitch in saltwater and you will need a good cleanup crew. Go to reefcleaners.org and look at their recommendations and go from there. What do you plan on stocking? Use aqadvisor.com to see if you will be okay. Don't buy any products that claim to provide bacteria and shorten the cycle. They don't work and result in dead fish. When you get your fish, use the drip acclimation method for 2 hours before placing them in your tank.
Here's some supplies you will need
http://amzn.com/B000260FUW
Inside the filter, remove the carbon and add this,
http://amzn.com/B0002A5VK2
Also, put pieces of live rock inside the filter.
http://amzn.com/B000256EUS
Use saltwater when doing a water change and use reverse osmosis or distilled water to replace water that has evaporated every 2-3 days. Draw a small line at where the water should be so you know how much to add.
http://amzn.com/B00019JOSO
When measuring salinity, hold the hydrometer and tap it a few times to get rid of bubbles which can affect the results. A refractometer is more accurate but more expensive.
http://amzn.com/B0002A5W9M
This is a pretty good buffer.
You will need around 25-30 pounds of Sand which you can get at your local fish store as well as the live rock.
These are some good heaters
http://www.petmountain.com/product/aquarium-heaters/11442-526438/viaaqua-quartz-heaters.html
http://amzn.com/B001VMSK0I

Order a few of these for accurate temp measurement
http://amzn.com/B008SJ1H7A

This is a good high quality fish food and there is a lot of it for a good price
http://amzn.com/B0002E7ITK

For a background I like all black backgrounds so I got this for my tank
http://amzn.com/B002DWVIBI

I wouldn't suggest doing corals because they are pretty hard and sensitive.

As for lighting, this is pretty good http://amzn.com/B008K37X7C
But I don't know your tank dimensions. Someone else could probably offer better advice on lighting and what powerhead to get. Powerheads are also necessary.

Try to get a glass canopy for your tank. They are pretty useful.

Here's some pictures of my tank, I also did a planted 30 gallon last year when I was 13.

http://imgur.com/WTMuqma

http://imgur.com/AhfkVu2

http://imgur.com/8X69aA1

http://imgur.com/meI9XCH

http://imgur.com/UFGoJYU

http://imgur.com/AN3juZa

My freshwater tank

http://imgur.com/Uvw0iM

http://imgur.com/wbWgKPY

http://imgur.com/jIJs0x5

http://imgur.com/HnkVhau

It's very kind of you to not just let him die! If you get him spiffed up you may be able to find someone who likes fish to take him in, so you don't end up feeling burdened...

but in the meanwhile, there is some basic stuff you can do. If your measurements are correct, then he's probably in a 2 1/2 or 3 gallon aquarium, which while not the best, will certainly suffice. This means the main things you'll need are a filter and a heater.

It would also be nice if you got him some stuff to hide in, so he doesn't stress. They make aquarium decorations, but a clean, well rinsed ceramic coffee mug or unpainted terra cotta planter will do the trick for cheap.

By the way, can you post the name of the water conditioner that you found in the tube? It will help me be able to figure out if it's a dechlorinator or not, which is the most important thing.

Also, does the tank have a lid? Bettas will jump out of water, especially if the water quality is bad.

Anyway, there is plenty of inexpsensive, decent equipment for a tank that size:

I personally happen to like this filter for a tank that size, and it's very easy to install/maintain.

Here's a nice little heater that's worked very well for me. You'd want to maintain his water between 75 and 80 degrees, so it's always a good idea to have a thermometer to make sure the heater is doing its job properly.

From there, maintenance is pretty easy. Feed him just 3 or so of those little food pebbles a day, and once a week give him some of the bloodworms for variety. The main thing is to not overfeed, because they have very small tummies.

Once a week, change out about 25% of his water, and rinse out your filter pads with old aquarium water if they need it. They make little syphons especially for this, because the suction they create helps you vacuum poo out of the substrate.

You can also get that Tetra kit on Amazon, if you want, OP (same price, but maybe more convenient): http://www.amazon.com/Tetra-29095-Cube-Aquarium-3-Gallon/dp/B008CA7W7E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412106897&sr=8-1&keywords=tetra+3+gallon

And, I hate to be a total downer, but a heater and a thermometer are also really needed. Bettas like water between 78 and 82 degrees F. You can buy a cheapo heater, though, at least for now. I have these thermometers and they are good and cheap and work: http://www.amazon.com/HDE-Digital-Fish-Aquarium-Thermometer/dp/B00GR0LKN8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412106999&sr=8-1&keywords=digital+aquarium+thermometer

Also, I would super, super advise switching out that plastic plant with a silk one. Your betta wants somewhere to rest, but plastic plants can snag betta fins. And you do need a dechlorinator if you don't have one. (If you don't have one, I recommend SeaChem Prime, but if you do have one, use whatever you are using.)

So that's more than $30. BUT: it will take you less than an hour a week to take care of the little dude once your cycle finishes, so hopefully that balances out. Please read about cycling in the sidebar if you have not already. You are doing fish-in cycling. Understand what that means and what you need to do to keep your fish safe. I would normally advise buying a test kit, but that will bring you even further over budget and you can bring samples to a pet store and they should test your water for you if you ask. The nitrogen cycle is a great little science lesson if your kid isn't too young, also!

Once your tank is cycled, you will just need to do water changes once a week (drain a percentage of your tank, with 3 gallons you'll probably do something like 50%, honestly, since it is so small and changes are so easy). Temperature match new water using the thermometer, add dechlorinator, and pour the water in. Once a month or so, rinse out your filter media in some tank water (NOT tap water). And obviously feed your fish small amounts every day-ish, keep an eye on the temperature, and try to notice any potential disease issues.

If you do the things I listed above, that's basically the bare bones of betta keeping right there. Everything else is extra. You may want to creep over on /r/plantedtank one day in the future, and you may want to visit /r/bettafish as well, but this should be sufficient to keep your betta healthy.

If you have any questions, let me know.

I'll just give you my generalize copy/pasta I usually hand out in situations like these so if you wanna read it when you got a chance, then you have it! Also has tips and purchase links for Amazon as well for different axolotl stuffs.


HOW TO CYCLE:

1. Set up tank with clean conditioned water. 2. Add recommended amount of beneficial bacteria per label
   
   
2. Add "waste" to the tank, so a little bit of say fish flakes ( they're cheap and you need a waste source since you DO NOT put a fish or axolotl in a uncycled tank. The flakes are gonna break down into ammonia. The goal with cycling is to get benefical bacteria to build up so they can change (eat) the waste & breaks down the ammonia into nitrite then finally break it down further into nitrate. All these chemicals can hurt axolotl.
   
   
3. Test tank a couple days later with a testing kit ( avoid strips, they will lie to you and give false results) if there is ANY ammonia or nitrite present, you arent cycled. If there is no nitrate present either, you arent cycled.
   
   
4. If you find ammonia or nitrite, take 50% of the water out and add clean treated water. Add more seachem stability ( benefical bacteria) ( add these each time you change water. Even if it's cycled)
   
   
5. Add a pinch more flakes & Continue to do this until your tank is cycled. Meaning you have no ammonia, no nitrite and a presence of 40ppm or less of nitrate.
   
   
   
   Warnings:
   1.If your tank isn't cycled, you are going to chemical burn them with ammonia in the water. And they will suffer. Nitrate ( the final of the chemical process) can also burn the fish/axolotl. This is why we keep this number under 40ppm. If it is higher than 40ppm, change the water 75%.
   
   
6. This beneficial bacteria lives in the filter. If you change your filter, you just ruined your cycle. Don't do this. If it gets nasty/clogged & you have to replace the cartirage, leave the old cartirage in with the new one for a few days so the beneficial bacteria can inhabit the new filter. If you can avoid replacing that, just rinse/gently squeeze out the filter in old tank water when you do clean the tank to keep from murdering the bacteria
   
7. Letting the filter dry out will also kill a cycle.
   
8. 
   
   *NOTE: Most bottles of beneficial bacteria say they cycle a tank in a day. Cycling can take up to a month in some cases but usually just two weeks if you keep on it. This requires constantly monitoring, testing and replacing most of the water in the tank when you get high ammonia/nitrite levels. You need ammonia/nitrite to be 0 and nitrate to be more than 0. Definitely less <40. If all your levels are higher than this, or if nitrate remains 0, your tank isn't cycled.***
   
   
   Summery;
   So basically, cycling builds beneficial bacteria which makes these waste breakdown chemicals go through a cycle of breaking down into a less dangerous form which keeps fish/axolotl from getting sick/dying. ... Most new fish people don't do this. And fish store employees try & tell them just adding something like seachem stability fixes this. It doesn't. An uncycled tank is basically new tank syndrome and it kills animals.
   
   You still are going to need to keep an eye on chemical levels after the cycle..Occasionally different things can cause the cycle to "crash", like changing the filters or a high tempeture, or the filters becoming dry..
   
   Once your tank is cycled, and you have an axolotl, honestly it's not that much work. The cycles the worst part. I feed my adult axolotls once every other day, I change 75% of their water twice a month, and add water to top it off / spot clean occasionally two-three other times a month due to the water I lose due to evaporation.
   
   
   Stuff you'll need:
   
9. Air stone+ airline+ air pump ( cheap ones are at Walmart.
   
10. Seachem stability ( beneficial bacteria)
    
11. Seachem prime ( it's a water conditioner I just prefer seachem)
    
12. A tank, 10 gallon minimum for 1 axolotl. But the bigger the better.
    
13. A filter
    
14. Hides for the axolotl
    
15. A syphon / water vacuum ( to suck out the poo/change water easy. I have a long food grade plastic hose I got from Ace hardware. I syphon and let it drain into the yard
    
16. A bucket
    
17. A Tupperware
    
18. A fan. Literally any fan you can put on top the tank and point at it will work. I have a table fan sitting on top my tank and blowing at the water to help keep it cool. A chiller is best, but they are expensive.
    
19. A tank thermometer ( don't get the thermometer strips, they lie
    
20. A master fresh water test kit.
    
21. Worms or repashy or pellets
    
    
    
    Links:
    
22. Test kit https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000255NCI/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1549784772&sr=8-2&keywords=master+freshwater+test+kit&dpPl=1&dpID=51FQhbpfB0L&ref=plSrch
    
    
    
23. Fan suggestion
    
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001R1RXUG?aaxitk=NqgMhM9.r7.gAHICKezCoA&pd_rd_i=B001R1RXUG&pf_rd_p=0ef604ef-c787-43e9-9404-52a4ff25a95c&hsa_cr_id=8386596470601&sb-ci-n=asinImage&sb-ci-v=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-na.ssl-images-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F71pMktGGyRL.jpg&sb-ci-a=B001R1RXUG
    
    
24. Tank thermometer
    
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002AQITK/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1549784880&sr=8-5&keywords=tank+thermometer
    
    4.
    Air pump + line + stone.
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B073DWVX5P/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1549784937&sr=8-11&keywords=air+pump+for+aquarium&dpPl=1&dpID=41%2BcSpzfDgL&ref=plSrch
    
    
25. Filter ( basic the tank you have probably already has one)
    
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000260FUM/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785038&sr=8-2&keywords=hob+filter&dpPl=1&dpID=41Rr1kpTVOL&ref=plSrch
    
    
26. Shower poof ( hang these so they slow the flow of water coming out of filter. Axolotls don't like a lot of heavy water flow. Get these at the dollar store and rinse them before going in tank. You don't have to get these online. I'm just showing you)
    
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01F88BMC8/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785094&sr=8-3&keywords=shower+pouf
    
    
27. Seachem stuff
    Prime; https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00025694O/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785181&sr=8-1&keywords=seachem+prime&dpPl=1&dpID=41Q0rRc8NML&ref=plSrch
    
    Stablity:
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002APIIW/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785210&sr=8-1&keywords=seachem+stability
    
    
28. Food
    Pellets:
    
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0787T25J1/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785278&sr=8-1&keywords=axolotl+pellets
    
    Repashy:
    https://www.chewy.com/repashy-superfoods-meat-pie-gel/dp/166289?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=f&utm_content=Repashy%20Superfoods&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQiAkfriBRD1ARIsAASKsQLQAXpk3WwGiCwRMr6OQmbfUXPIZutYnADrujltXxW1PPSVgYpPduEaAmAaEALw_wcB
    
    Ice cube trays for repashy( frozen is better. It's a jello. It will really trash your tank. So frozen is better):
    
    https://www.amazon.com/niceCube-Mini-Ice-Cube-Trays/dp/B01L7ZFBXW/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785496&sr=8-2-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=mini+ice+cube+tray&psc=1
    
    
    
29. Hides. Here's a good example..I soemthing similar. Just go to the reptile section at your pet store. Get one that's not rough but smooth. Plastics a good option. Just rinse it well before you put it in tank
    https://www.arcatapet.com/m/item.cfm?cat=22600&source=GA-PLA00522600&fullsite=0
    
    
30. Water vacuum. This is what I have + I have a big long hose for big water changes. I use this to spot clean poo and "vacuum' it into a 10 gallon bucket
    
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B011DDJZ9Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549785739&sr=8-1&keywords=aquarium+vacuum
    
    Feeding tongs: They're actually tweezers for planting a planted fish tank. These can grip worms very well.. The Amazon ones that are silver suck and will make your life hell. Don't waste your money on ones on amazon unless you can find these on Amazon.
    
    https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/fish/feeding-accessories/fluval-straight-forceps

I've been told that heating pads aren't good because they don't heat the air well enough and a failure could burn your hedgie, so I stick with a lamp.

1. A thermostat is essential to keep the temperature regulated. I use this one. Look for one where the watts rating matches or exceeds your bulb's watts. Having the degrees printed on the dial is nice, but not really necessary. Place the probe at the furthest point away from the lamp. Edit: And it should have an automatic shut-off for failures!
   
   
2. You need at least one thermometer of course. I recommend one attached to the thermostat probe and one at the opposite end or maybe a bit closer to the center. That way you know if heat is being distributed evenly.
   
   
3. Next is your lamp. You'll want at least an 8" reflector dome, bigger distributes heat better. If you have a really long cage you might want two lamps. It's SUPER important that you get one with a ceramic or porcelain socket, NOT plastic. The one I linked is the one I use. The reviews are abysmal, but it's worked well with relatively light use for the last 6 months. The clamp is unusable though. For a while I had it laying flat on a metal grid on top of the cage. Now it's hanging from the cage wall with wire. The important thing is that it's secure and isn't touching anything that could melt or burn.
   
   
4. Last is your bulb, either a 100W or 150W ceramic heat emitter (CHE). Make sure you get one that doesn't give off light.
   
   And that's it!

Bleu has been happily living on my desk in my home office for about 2 weeks, the tank has been setup for about a month. He's currently the only inhabitant and I will likely be adding a few striped khuli loaches or some shrimp in the near future I haven't decied which direction to go yet. I also am trying to track down some floating plants but haven't had any luck at my LFS or Petsmart, I might check Petco in a larger city this weekend that's about an hour away or some LFS in that area.



Equipment:

10 Gallon tank from Petco $1/gallon sale

Aqueon 06105 Pro Heaters Submersible Aquarium Heater, 50-Watt

Marina Stainless Steel Thermometer

Perfecto Manufacturing APF33200 Glass Canopy Aquarium, 20-Inch

Marineland Single Bright LED Lighting System 18-24-Inch

Quantity 2 Marina S10 Power Filter

Penn Plax Hide-Away Stackable Stone Aquarium Ornament

Natural sand substrate

1 Java Fern

1 Wisteria (I think...)

I'm going to move the Java Fern today I read last night you aren't supposed to bury the Rhizome so I need to get it attached to a rock or piece of drift wood. I think a decent size piece of drift wood would help the barren look as well on the right until I can get some additional plants. The tank itself has been doing great the filters are very low current which is perfect for Bleu. I've been using the API freshwater master test kit to keep an eye on things and doing about a 25% water change every two weeks.

• edit: I'm using some filter floss and ceramic in one of the S10 filters with some filter sponge and the original filters in the other plus some filter floss in the output

I just wanted to say, it sucks that this responsibility was thrust upon you but you seem like a great person who is really trying to do the best for his betta!

I know you said you're low on money, but sometimes Petsmart or Petco will have a dollar per gallon sale so you can get a 5 gallon for $5 or 10 gallon for $10 (I actually only have a 3 gallon because I am a poor college student, but plan on upgrading as soon as I graduate).

I have a more expensive heater to keep the tank at a stable temperature but before that I used this one and a cheap thermometer.

Your betta will be ok! It seems that you are trying your best for him and bettas are more resilient than we think :)

Ok, so, don't panic. Here's what you need to get:

1. A tank. 5 gallons is the minimum for bettas, but 10 gallon tanks are way easier to find it seems. I've found tons at rummage sales and thrift stores for $10 or less. Check out craigslist and/or /r/Aquaswap to try and find cheap used tanks in the 5-10 gallon range (or bigger if you want, there isn't a "max size" really). They also aren't really all that expensive to buy new either.
   
   
2. A filter. Any old HOB or sponge filter should do fine. This one is $11.99.
   
   
3. A heater. This one is $9.99 but I highly suggest paying a little extra for one like this so you can adjust the temperature if needed. To check the temperature, these thermometers are only $1.99 and you can find them at like any pet store with a fish section.
   
   
4. Water test kit. You said you have other fish so there's a good chance you already have one, but if you don't, pretty much everybody uses the API master test kit because it's not too expensive and tests for everything you need.
   
   
5. Water conditioner. Since you have other fish you probably already have this, but if not, I recommend seachem prime. It's super concentrated so it'll last a long time.
   
   
6. Betta food. Self explanatory, the wiki on the sidebar has some suggestions on quality foods.
   
   So what you need to do:
   
   -You can transport the fish just in a little container, it might be easiest to just use the bowl he's currently in. Just try not to slosh the water around too much.
   
   -You can use some filter media from your pleco tank to "seed" the cycle in the betta's new tank so you wont really have to worry about fish-in cycling.
   
   -Read the wiki in the meantime, it can probably answer most of the questions you might have.
   
   I think that covers a lot, if you have any more specific questions feel free to ask!
   
   Edit: Formatting

I never imagined that I would be a fish owner, but I have found myself with one, and I have a huge soft spot for all animals, so I can't stand to see them neglected so I want to provide the best home the little guy I can! Here is the list of what I've gotten so far. Let me know what you think and if I have made any mistakes!

Aquarium Rocks

He already has ~5lbs so I figure 10 lbs should cover a 5 gallon tank pretty well.

Betta Balls

Gravel Vacuum

Seachem Prime

Thermometer

Heater for 5 gallon tank

5 Gallon Tank

API Freshwater Test Kit

He already has a betta log, betta hammock, a small decorative plant, Tetra betta pellets, and some bloodworms for treats. Hopefully this covers all bases for little Zazoo! (Yes, my gf named him after the bird from the Lion King. Lol) If you have any other tips for a complete beginner, I'd love to hear them! Thank you for your suggestions!

I just wanted to say-- thank you so much for taking time to learn about betta's and not just go off of what the general population seems to think.

One additional suggestion-- make sure that any plants you offer are either silky or live plants. The plastic ones will tear up their fins. You can often find nicer silky ones in the reptile sections of pet stores or Amazon rather than the fish. Like this one for example. It also offers lots of hidey space, which betta love!

The hanging /suction cup silk plants in the reptile section could also be neat, though I've never used them in a tank personally. It might be cool to have a plant sort of trailing down in a corner.

They definitely should have a filter, but make sure it's not too strong of one. You might be better with an under gravel filter or two small filters. Also-- make sure you buy a temperature gauge. You want to check regularly to make sure the heater is still working properly-- 75-80F water always feels cool to the skin so it's hard to tell.

Hi guys! this time the give away is ended. Congrats to our winners u/TDD40 & u/krisjoseph . We will PM you, pls check out your Messages. Thank you everyone who entered! We've already got our next give away in the works so keep your eyes open for more chances to win free stuff!

Here are 15% off coupon codes for C929-A WiFi Aquarium Temperature Controller if you are interested in.

US: VN4PBSUT https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Y2L95KH

CAN: Z8IE2J8A https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07WPC27DK

Thanks all !

1. Some fish have metalic layers that only show in certain lighting (flashes). That may be what you are seeing in terms of the coloration. The gold along his back makes me think it is just his metalic layer. The other possibility is Velvet (https://www.google.com/search?q=betta+velvet&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiJlNeoioTUAhVCwlQKHfCBCrMQ_AUICygC&biw=1578&bih=909) but again, it looks like he has a metalic layer and that could be it.
   
   
2. Definitely not jumping on you here :). Heaters are still useful when you live in a warm climate. As long as the thermostat is is functioning correctly, it will successfully keep the tank in a much tighter range temperature-wise. As opposed to seeing nearly 4 or 5 degrees of fluctuation through the day/night cycle a decent heater (~$15.00) will usually manage to keep it within 2 to 3 degrees. If you are only seeing the odd behavior at a certain time of day that leads me to believe that he is responding to the temperature fluctuation. The heater simply turns itself off once your tank is at the correct temperature. It will not fry your fish :). These are the ones I really like and find extremely reliable: https://www.amazon.com/Aquarium-Submersible-150-Watt-Vertical-Thermometer/dp/B06XPW62PF/ref=sr_1_3?srs=3306424011&ie=UTF8&qid=1495476852&sr=8-3&keywords=aquatop+heater
   
   
3. As soon as you can, invest in an API Master Freshwater Test Kit. As a casual hobbyist it will last you years and it will give you a MUCH better idea of what could be causing him stress.

I would stick to bloodworms, mealworms, earthworms that sort of thing. Always do store bought food, you don't want to feed him anything affected by pesticides.

You should get a thermometer something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Aquarium-Terrarium-Thermometer-Black/dp/B0017N8W90/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1427248948&sr=8-7&keywords=reptile+thermometer
He'll need a temperature between 50 and 75 degrees fahrenheit. A fan overhead should be good if it gets too hot, or if too cold, a tank heating pad or small heat lap should be good.

Here's a general care sheet that looks pretty good for any more future reference you might need. Enjoy your new buddy!

http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Frogs-Amphibians/Tiger-Salamander-Care-Sheet/

As stated in title, Fishy is the newest member of our household.

My first instinct was to read up on bettas and in doing so, found this subreddit.

I have several doubts, such as:

• what kind of betta is this?
  
  
• Is it healthy? (Ive seen more vibrant colors on pics posted here)
  
  
• Can/Should I pair it with other fish?
  
  
• Are pellets preferred over flakes?
  
  As per suggestions on this sub, I think buying a bigger tank is my number 1 priority; im currently looking into a Tetra Tank (3 Gallons), this one is favored by my wife, as she finds its aesthetically pleasing (and I agree). However, most people suggest a 5 Gallon tank, so Im also looking into a GloFish Tank, we both dislike the blue led on this model and the black plastic lid it comes with.
  
  In any case, we're also looking to buy the following:
  
  
• heater
  
  
• Thermometer
  
  
• Silk plant
  
  
• Log/Hiding spot
  
  
• Filter * which we think we would only buy if we get the Tetra Tank, as per amazon commenters suggestions.
  
  We already have a net (for scooping), drops to dechlorinate water, aquarium salt (for cleaning) and what you see already in the tank.
  
  Please help us give this fish an awesome life!
  
  PS.: We are not in the US, if it even matters.

Oh dear. Is this your first big fish tank? Or first fish tank?

I would highly recommend getting a Python Water changer. It is a little pricy but it is worth the cost.

Other things you will probably need with your python for doing water changes/filling the tank.

- Some 5 gallon buckets from home depot (Great for all sorts of things, they just come in handy in the hobby, a must-have) Very cheap

- A Digital thermometer for water to help temperature match to your tank before adding the water.

- A fish saver cover for your python water changer to help you save fish when you're doing a water change.

Necessities

api liquid test kit

sponge filter

airline tubing for sponge filter

air pump for sponge filter

thermometer

fluval spec v kit. Comes with filter, decent light that can grow some lowlight plants, idk what else but I hear it's pretty good, I would look around on other sites to find it cheaper

dechlorinator if you don't already have it

heater, I happen to live somewhere where the temperature of my tank floats right in the bettas range, but if this isn't the case for you then you'll need a heater

You'll need something for a lid, can't find anything on amazon but you have a few options: going to a petstore and looking for a 5 gallon lid, going to other websites to look, or making a DIY lid, which can be done with greenhouse panels, or even wood if you don't mind cutting.

Substrate is optional, but if you want it you can either get pool filter sand, which you can find at your local Home Depot or lowes (assuming you're in the US), you'll have to rinse it first but it's really cheap, $8 for 50lb which is more than enough.

I would buy the tank in person at a store or on some site like Craigslist where you can find used tanks for cheap

Also, don't forget to cycle your tank, if you don't know what that is I would do some research on it, it's possibly the most important thing in keeping any aquatic creature

Off the top of my head, will continue to edit to add stuff

That aquarium is a perfect size for a single betta and plants.

I nearly always recommend EHEIM Jager heaters. They have adjustable thermostats and an auto-shutoff if the water level gets too low. They're also super reliable. The 50 watt is nearly always cheaper than the 25 watt and it works just fine in my own 5 gallon.

I like live plants because they do help with water quality. Care really depends on what type of plants you go with. Anubias, Amazon Swords and Java Ferns are super easy to care for and don't need any special substrate. Some others like Ludwigia and some crypts are much harder and prefer dirted tanks. Certain species require CO2 supplements and fertilizers other than fish poop. All live plants will need trimmed occasionally. Silk just needs wiped down when it starts to look dirty.

Water changes are even more important in smaller tanks. Remember, the solution to pollution is dilution. 25% weekly is good so fish waste doesn't build up.

I've used a number of thermometers, but don't really have a preference. The only thing I'd suggest is that you avoid the stick on kind. They work fine at first, but accuracy won't last long.

Already you've got two different hypothesises mixed up.

On the one hand you want to know if CO2 affects temperature

On the other you want to know if the Earths atmopshere can 'self regulate' CO2 levels.

​

You can test the first one at home pretty easily All you need is somestick on thermometers and some empty 2L bottles. Once you're satisfied that CO2 does infact lead to higher temperatures you can progress to see current C02 levels.

In Hawaii the current CO2 levels are at about 415 ppm, while historically (ie over the past 800,000 years) the average is almost 50% lower at 200-300. Infact the ppm in the 1900's when oil was first discovered was near the common 'highest point' of the past 800,000 years. Now in less than 100 years since oil was discovered (and CO2 added by humans) we are now a good 40% higher than any other point in the past 800,000 years. Rising more rapidly than ever before, we have quite clearly left 'normal' territory of anything in the past millenia

He's been in the tank for about a week. He eats well (mostly Hikari pellets, but also Betta Bug Bites) and has been getting more active with the lights on/off cycle and the same few people filtering in and out. He showed interest in the new thermometer I put in tonight and has stopped hiding every time I open the lid. (Probably because it usually means food time!)

I cycled the tank for about a week before adding him in. I did get the API Kit and my levels were good--0/0/0-5 and my pH is 7.4. I tested again tonight and have maintained the same levels.

I didn't rinse the substrate , as it said to add it directly and then water. I treated my water with the appropriate amount of conditioner that came with the tank kit. (I've ordered Seachem Prime for the water change and beyond.) I planted my plants (Not sure what I have, honestly) and left it to cycle. I dropped in an Aqueon Pure bio ball as well. I added Flourish tabs in two places after a few days when they arrived. I've also since added a moss ball.

This is my gravel vacuum. I also have a general tank kit (net, rake, etc) and a plant kit. I plan to stock Seachem Stability and Seachem Stress Guard. I ended up with a bottle of Tetra Safestart Plus because I thought I would need it, but haven't.

I'm so nervous! The last time I had a betta, my only knowledge was to take him out of the cube, put in fresh water, treat it, and dump him back in. I want to be a good fish mom!

I always keep 2 different thermometers in each of my tanks... Helps me make sure the temperature is right, cause thermometers malfunction, just like heaters do and I don't like to take any chances. 1 digital like these:
Aquaneat Aquarium Digital Thermometer 3 PCS Fish Tank Water Terrarium Reptile Free Extra Batteries https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B077FNKM6F/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_VUOWCb37BWCGD
And 1 regular one like these:
Marina Floating Thermometer with Suction Cup https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0002AQITK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_8YOWCbH981P2D

You can get a package of dry fertilizers at greenleafaquariums.com for $15 + shipping: http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizers-supplements/micro-macro-fertilizers.html. You won't need Seachem Flourish or Excel if you follow the Estimative Index (EI) dosing regime. You probably don't need Equilibrium either. A quick google search will bring up several guides on EI.

I would spend another $7 and get a thermometer that won't be a total eyesore. This one is much better.

I would also get the CGA 320 Aquatek Regulator rather than the paintball regulator. If you'd like to start off with a paintball tank, you can buy an adapter to attach the CGA 320 Regulator to it. The advantage of doing this is you can upgrade to a full size CO2 tank (5lb, 10lb etc) down the road if you feel the need and you won't have to buy a new regulator. Also, grab a drop checker and 4dkh reference solution. There are great glass knockoffs on ebay for cheap. If you're planning on getting a pH test kit, you can use the drops from that in your drop checker along with the 4dkh solution. The solutions that ship with the cheap drop checkers are very dilluted.

If you're aiming to very closely replicate the image you linked, you're missing a few key elements: rimless aquarium, canister filter with glass pipes and some sort of inline heater. These are all fairly expensive and only add to aesthetics rather than functionality. Though, I am inclined to suggest a canister filter rather than a hang on the back filter if you can fit it into your budget. They're generally more reliable and most importantly much quieter.

The tank looks like a 2.5 gal. So here's a list of some inexpensive things you can grab to make him love his new home even more!:

• Sponge Filter very cheap and does its job well. You may need to buy a small air pump for it though, so maybe $5 more.
  
• Heater, however if you have the means to afford one that can be adjusted, I recommend this one I'm using this one for all of my tank.
  
• Thermometer to see if the heater works properly.
  
  If you get all of these from the links it should run you somewhere around $20.

I agree with NeriTina. If you ever look into another one, I recommend magnet ones. They'll actually stay lol:

https://www.amazon.com/JW-Pet-Smarttemp-Thermometer-Accessory/dp/B002ZMFM4A/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=magnet+thermometer+aquarium&qid=1570415499&sr=8-4

These are the ones I currently use and love 'em.

• The D120 is the way to go for lighting. You'll probably run it at 30-50% depending on what corals you put in.
  
  
• The 200g box of Reef Crystals is certainly the most economic way to prepare water. It's about a year and a half's supply for a 10g in four separate bags. If you're making your own water, you'll want a RODI filter too, BRS or Spectrapure sells the 4 stage which is plenty. I should note--for a 10g, it's probably cheaper to just buy prepared water from a LFS.
  
  
• A refractometer costs only a little bit more than a hydrometer but is significantly more reliable since it can compensate for temperature.
  
  
• You can typically save money if you buy your live/dry rock at a LFS instead of online--mixing the two will save you more money! You'll also get to pick the pieces.
  
  
• Buy this heater.

Hey, the main thing is you're taking steps to fix it! :)

In terms of treating your water, seachem prime is pretty much the industry standard and does far more than most water conditioners. You can get a small bottle that'll last a small tank for close to a year for about $4 on Amazon. An aquarium thermometer would be good just because water temp can vary greatly depending on where the tank sits (i.e. if there's a draft or air vent nearby, or a window getting sun, etc.) You can also get these pretty darn cheap on amazon.

I use this this

It's a little more expensive but gives you super peace of mind. You plug your heater into it, stick the temperature probe into the tank and set the heater to 1degree higher than what you set the thermostat to.

Saved. Thank you for all that information. I'm in the same boat as the OP. I'm wanting to automate things more than do robotics, though. For example, have a thermometer record a reading every 30 minutes in an excel spreadsheet and send me an alert if the temperature raises or lowers past a threshold.

For things of that nature I'm sure I'll have to learn a bit about electronics and soldering. Have any recommendations for projects heading in that direction?

I think you may be making this more complicated than it needs to be. B&W is very forgiving, and a few degrees drift one way or another won't really make a noticeable difference.

You don't need fancy sous vide wands or complicated arduino setups. Get yourself a large igloo cooler and some cheap digital thermometers. I use these.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYZZQVV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_uCjIzbTXNT9FP


Fill the cooler with water, float your bottles of chemistry in there, and bring the water to the correct temperature, and you're good to go. The cooler will keep the water at the right temp for longer than you're developing, but even if it doesn't, you can just drop an occasional ice cube in to maintain it, or, if you're doing c-41, just add some hot water from time to time.

I use this setup for B&W, C-41, and E-6 without any problems whatsoever. I develop in the bathroom in my garage and it doesn't have any heat or a/c, so it's 90° in the summer and 50° in the winter, and this $25 setup works perfectly fine.

Check out the Marineland Portrait (5 gallon) on Amazon - full kit, only needs a heater. - $57.46 - https://www.amazon.com/Marineland-ML90609-Portrait-Aquarium-5-Gallon/dp/B00O8SZTKQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1X2LC9K1PR12Z&keywords=marineland+portrait&qid=1550531669&s=gateway&sprefix=marineland+po%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-1

​

Add:

Indian Almond Leaves - $7.95 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HG1TMIW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08__o00_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Marino Moss Balls - find the cheapest with the best reviews - $7.95 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MT8YO3E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

VitaChem - $9.12 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BS96V78/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01__o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Betta Hammock - $7.56 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079ZM9H97/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05__o00_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My betta's favorite hammock - $5.99 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BTMKNY2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Seachem Ammonia Alert - $6.99 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000255R5G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Pipettes - $6.19 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073WLCQWD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thermometer - $6.99 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01A0TMS6Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Tweezers/Scissors for plants - $11.39 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Y9ZGYMK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09__o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Algae Scraper - $7.50 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01726KDKG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09__o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

API Freshwater Testing Kit - $17.59 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000255NCI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09__o00_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

Equipment List
____

• Lighting: AquaIllumination Prime set to 14k
  
  
• Lighting Mount: AquaIllumination Prime Tank Mount
  
  
• Filtration: Innovative Marine Media Basket
  
  
• Filtration Media: Chemi Pure Blue
  
  
• Filtration Media: Filter Floss
  
  
• Return Pump: Upgraded to Maxi Jet 900
  
  
• Flow: Only the Spin Stream for now
  
  
• Heater: Cobalt Neo-Therm 50 Watt
  
  
• Thermometer: HDE Digital
  
  
• Auto Top Off: Tunze Nano Osmolator
  
  
• Algae Scrubber: Two Little Fishies Nanomag
  
  
• RO DI Unit: Express Water 100 Gallon Per Day 6 Stage
  
  
• In Line TDS Meter: HM Digital
  
  
• Handheld TDS and PH Meter
  
  
• Aquarium Salt: Red Sea Coral Pro
  
  Chemicals and Food
  ____
  
• Kent Nano Reef A & B
  
  
• Brightwell Aquatics Zooplankton
  
  
• Two Little Fishies ReVive Coral Cleaner
  
  
• New Life Spectrum 1mm sinking pellet
  
  
• I also feed frozen mysis occassionally, and I have a .5mm Hatchery pellet for Walter from Sustainable Aquatics.
  
  OnePlus 2 Manual Camera Settings
  
  
• Focus: Auto
  
  
• Aperture: 1/20
  
  
• White Balance: Cloudy (Very Bottom Option)
  
  
• ISO: 100
  
  For those interested my light is an AI Prime LED set to the 14k spectrum.

Looks good to me. You might wanna save up for a couple digital thermometer and humidity gauges because those ones work for such a short period of time and are really inaccurate. I had those recently and they only lasted for 5months, such a waste of money.

Here’s the ones I got off amazon that work great!

thermometer/humidity gauge

I just set up a 5 Gal DWC and installed a digital aquarium thermometer, I recommend. From what I know you should be keeping your res temp between 68 and 72. In my set up, my tent will run at about 77, with this air temp my res will raise to 75, so to keep it lower I put in a frozen bottle of water and generally switch it out twice a day.

Just learning myself so I hope that helps and happy growing.

​

Link for thermometer , https://www.amazon.ca/Zacro-Aquarium-Thermometer-Terrarium-Temperature/dp/B01C6PE4G2

I presume you don't have a thermometer or a test kit so i recommend this thermometer and this test kit. Water should be 79°F/27°C at all times; small fluctuations are ok.

Make sure you do small water changes, about 30% and add water conditioner; api is good, but prime is better. Add the water conditioner before you add it into the tank.

Something like this integrated would be good, surely not expensive too

Do a dub tub with the bottom tub filled with 4" or so of water to cover a fully submersible aquarium heater.

You only need a 50W aquarium heater to keep a tub warm. I used this one

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AFELTT2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And these were great for monitoring the temperature, I had two, one for water temp and one for air temp in the shroom tub. Temp probes are waterproof/submersible.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C6PE4G2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

With that said make sure to get a digital thermometer with any heater to ensure it’s keeping the proper temps. :)

This is the one I use:

Zacro LCD Digital Aquarium Thermometer Fish Tank Water Terrarium Temperature https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A0TMS6Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_mG8NDb8F34KAY

I use the following

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C1BYESU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

that one I use to measure ground temps

and one like this one would be good for measuring ambient temps, but for ball pythons ground temp is more important

http://www.amazon.com/HDE-Digital-Fish-Aquarium-Thermometer/dp/B00GR0LKN8/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&qid=1426551847&sr=8-24&keywords=digital+thermometer

edit for more info: the ones you slap on the side of the tanks are just measuring the temperature of the glass, ball pythons are terrestrial snakes for the most part so the ground temps should never go above 90

As far as equipment goes, get an AquaClear 20 (or 30) filter, an Aqueon (or other reliable brand, I've used Hydor with good luck) ADJUSTABLE heater. A thermometer. The lights you get depends on what you plan on doing with your tank. You're also going to need a water testing kit, a dechlorinator (most people will recommend Seachem Prime).

Is this going to be your first aquarium?

This is the one I use. Accurate and discrete:

https://www.amazon.com/Zacro-Aquarium-Thermometer-Terrarium-Temperature/dp/B01A0TMS6Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1465915582&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=digital+aquarium+thermometer&psc=1

I'm sure you could place inside the tubing if you wanted, the external bit that measures the temperature is certainly small enough to fit inside.

This is a copy/paste from another thread I did on this tank:

Hey!
So I was in your boat 3 months ago and with the help of some local saltwater guys I got my tank up and running. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT9FtqEUfgE[1] (looks a lot different now since i did some rescaping... I'll put a new video up soon)
Anywhosel... Don't go cheap... With anything... If you have to buy one piece at a time until you've got all your pieces do that. What I have:

Tank: http://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Spec-Aquarium-5-Gallon-Black/dp/B0089E5VLC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392354430&sr=8-1&keywords=fluval+spec+5[2]

Lights: http://www.amazon.com/Current-USA-Marine-Aquarium-24-Inch/dp/B00GFTK7CQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1392354461&sr=8-4&keywords=orbit+usa+lights[3]

Pump: http://www.amazon.com/Marineland-Mini-Jet-Powerhead-VERSION-Misc/dp/B009LN1HWW/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1392354739&sr=1-1&keywords=mini+jet+606[4]

Powerhead: http://www.amazon.com/EcoTech-Marine-VorTech-Propeller-Aquarium/dp/B003HLO636/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392354535&sr=8-1&keywords=vortech+mp10[5]

Gravity Tester: http://www.amazon.com/Salinity-Refractometer-Aquarium-Seawater-Agriculture/dp/B005ES6MOQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1392354641&sr=1-1&keywords=Refractometer[6]

Glass Cleaner: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0061PIRGW/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=20GUT5T0T21NZ&coliid=I1FAC5MICMTB5T[7]

I had freshwater fish before the saltwater and it's wayyy more maintenance but way more fun. You will want to abandon the freshwater the moment you get the saltwater up and running.

Thanks for the feedback! Yes, I already have a glass thermometer in there.

I also recommend getting a digital thermometer in addition to your glass one

https://smile.amazon.com/Zacro-Aquarium-Thermometer-Terrarium-Temperature/dp/B01A0TMS6Y/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=aquarium+thermometer&qid=1567811158&s=gateway&sr=8-7

I always think its a good idea to put a thermometer on either end of the tank

Something like this. It's magnetic, and it's pretty accurate.

Edit- it's $5 there, I believe I got mine for $2.50ish in store at a Petco.

Tank

42 LED Light

Jardli Glass Pot

25 Watt Submersible Adjustable Heater

Digital Thermometer

$120.00 Cash & Carry Only Please (95621)

*Everything is brand new. Smoke free home with two cats.

You can get one of these to help give you better insight to his conditions in there.

I bought my tank about a month ago and have been letting it run, as per the advice I received here. It is now finally ready to house a fish. I don't want to hurt or stress out my fish at all so I waited til everything was set. Plus my tank decor only just arrived due to the original package getting lost by UPS.

I may buy a betta this weekend if I see "the right one" but I am ok with waiting!

Here is a list of things I got, based on the general reddit consensus. I wished someone had included a list like this so here you go

Fluval 5 gallon (includes filter/light)

Hydor heater (hides right in the side part of the Fluval tank)

Thermometer

Sponge thingy to make the filter stream not too strong for bettas (I zip tied it on)

There's a billion different kinds that pop up on amazon, but here's one of the cheaper ones :)

My SO and I each have one of these http://www.amazon.com/HDE-Digital-Fish-Aquarium-Thermometer/dp/B00GR0LKN8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457717170&sr=8-1&keywords=aquarium+digital+thermometer.
They work pretty well. Within a degree accuracy.

Don't mean to budge in, but this is what I use in all my tanks. Only $2 as well. Seems to work well for the price.

https://www.amazon.com/Marina-Floating-Thermometer-Suction-Cup/dp/B0002AQITK/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1497554994&sr=1-1&keywords=marina+thermometer

If that heater ever sticks it will cook your tank in an hours. The general rule is 5 watts per gallon. Unless the tank is kept in a room normally at minus 5, that is really overkill. Also its best to use two undersize heaters. So if one breaks, nothing serious happens.


Or you could get a thermostat, I use this one on my heater.

http://www.amazon.ca/Hydor-Hydroset-Electronic-External-Thermostat/dp/B0006JLPEA

Just peel it off. If it leaves an adhesive residue behind, scrape it off with a single edge razor blade. Give the blade a rinse in warm water first, they come coated in a very thin machine oil.

May I also recommend getting a glass spirit thermometer to replace the mood ring strip? Much more accurate, and lasts essentially forever.

Cutie.

On a side note I recommend getting an in-tank thermometer. The ones that stick on the glass are notoriously inaccurate. Personally I use this one:

http://www.amazon.com/HDE-Digital-Fish-Aquarium-Thermometer/dp/B00GR0LKN8/

Looks nice and clean. I have a similar 5 gal. It's a Fluval Spec V. Not sure how strong your output flow is, but I had to direct mine up because it was pretty strong even at its lowest setting. The poor Betta was getting pushed around a bit too much. I'd also recommend a thermometer. The settings on heaters aren't all that accurate.

Edit: The thermometer I use:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002AQITK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467157638&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=aquarium+thermometer&dpPl=1&dpID=41IBRKnwMUL&ref=plSrch

And the water heater I might recommend. It's a little more stealthy. I've had no issues with mine. It's kept the water at a steady 79 degrees.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00KKYXT4K

Sorry for the crap links. I'm on my phone.

Been gathering info for a while now. Thanks to the fellow redditors for all the help and advice, especially K_draggon, LikeMaugal, Pllatium, Baboa, Tropheusdubosi, medym, and ispringer.

You guys gave me a lot of great advice that helped me put this together, along with information from nano-reef and ReefCentral

Tank is a 20 gal high spare tank I had. 50w heater, Light set up is Nova Extreme T5, pump is Hydor 425, Thermometer is Aqueon Coralife

The 2 larger rocks in the picture, was 1 large 11lb rock, smashed into 2 base pieces, picked up from Absolutely Fish in NJ

The rest of the rock was purchased from Gulf Live Rock

Tank was set up on saturday 2/25/12, which is the cloudy pictures. Tank finally settled around tuesday. Rock came in last night. Sadly a lot of the stuff didnt make the 2 day trip, but Im sure more stuff will appear soon.

First water change is scheduled tonight, as Ive noticed salinity has dropped to about 1.0 and Im told to keep it around 1.01-.02.

HOB filter is an AC70 which is getting El Fabs 'fuge mod in the next week or so.

Only signs of life so far are a sand trigger, about 4-5 bristle worms, which after researching more are "Fire bristle worms" And i read they are the worst kind and dangerous, So i will be plucking them out at night as I see them. And a few dozen peanut worms in the rocks. There was a small snail, and crab, that I found that didnt make the trip , which would of been nice to have.


I gave about 3 cups of sand to a friend, whos going to put it in his tank for a few weeks, and then give back to me, so I can get some of his copipods and other stuff he has living in his sand, and to help cycle my tank quicker.

I highly recommend getting a cheap aquarium thermometer if you do this. The wire is thin enough to not interrupt the seal and you'll be able to track the temperature without opening the door.

here's a 2.5 gal that comes with a filter and light. I keep my betta in one of these and have a heater and a thermometer and he's doing really well.

I use these: http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/KAT0/24100/N0650.oap?ck=Search_oil+pan+heater_-1_-1&keyword=oil+pan+heater

Regulated with one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Hydor-HYDROSET-Electronic-Thermostat-Temp/dp/B0006JLPEA

The oil pan heater gets attached to the bottom of a metal fount with some high temp silicone. With the hydroset thermostat the water stays at a nice even 60 or so degrees even when outside temps fall to -15.

I highly recommend a refractometer instead of the cheaper salinity checkers that you fill with water and look at where the arm floats to. Before I switched to a refractometer, my salinity was way off because of microbubbles on the arm that made it read higher than it really was.

Anecdotal, but I have this 25w in my 5 gallon, set as high as it can go, and it barely keeps the water at 75 now that it's almost winter and the ambient room temp is lower. So yeah, I'd go with the 50w.

The cheap $2 glass thermometers work fine, imo.

These are $2.24 as Amazon add-ons. They work fine; I have them in all my tanks plus extras to test water temps for water changes.

I've always found these thermometers to be garbage. I recommend spending the extra couple of bucks for the old-fashioned mercury-style thermometer

you can buy four of these for $12. Put one on each window facing out and maybe that'll convince them?

fresh and I use this one http://www.amazon.com/SODIAL-TM-Aquarium-Vivarium-Thermometer/dp/B008SJ1H7A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405489935&sr=8-1&keywords=digital+thermometer+aquarium cuz i have prime

Buy one of these.
https://www.amazon.com/Zacro-Aquarium-Thermometer-Terrarium-Temperature/dp/B01A0TMS6Y/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1486853938&sr=8-3&keywords=digital+thermometer+aquarium

Place the readout somewhere visible. It's always on. Battery lasts 12+ months on mine before I have to change it. I have three separate thermometers on my tank - temperature is one of the most important aspects to watch in your tank.

So petsmsrt sells these 5 gallon kits for $30, (There's also a 10 gallon kit for $30, but my store doesn't usually have them). They have everything except a heater and substrate, but I've heard you can buy pool filter sand to use as substrate, which would be cheaper, and there are some heaters on Amazon you could get. I put some links and a total cost (other than substrate) below, and it comes out to about $90.

5 gallon: https://www.petsmart.com/fish/tanks-aquariums-and-nets/aquariums/top-fin-essentials-aquarium-starter-kit-40713.html?cgid=300129

Heater: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_sAnVAb4BGEVMS

Thermometer: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002AQIU4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_IznVAbV5P8XSD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OQO69Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_HwnVAbNSCPJWW

Total cost:
30×2 + 11×2 + 3.50×2 = $89

It's currently at 76.2 F and has typically been in the 75-77 range. I've seen it as low as 74 I believe. (Mind you I'm using this cheap thermometer though so I wouldn't 100% trust its readings: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008SJ1H7A/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1).

I use this heater, had it for 3 weeks so far plugged in 24/7 and it's doing just fine: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0090I7RC2/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have 4 females and 2 males. After being in my tank for about 4 days 1 of them was berried. The other 3 females are saddled and apparently ready any minute now for a male to fertilize 'em.

Your water heater should have a built-in thermostat. Set it to the temp you want and the heater will turn itself on and off to maintain that temp.

If you meant thermometer, I just use this style that sticks to the glass: https://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Crystal-Horizontal-Aquarium-Thermometer/dp/B000633PU8/ref=zg_bs_2975477011_13?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3VCAYQ0V3WFSMTZVBB7P

I've tested it with my thermocouple temp gauge and they're accurate enough.

Get an aquarium thermometer, it’s not expensive (less than $10). There are traditional glass-tube type, and digital ones with probe that goes in tank. I initially bought a traditional one at Walmart, but I broke it while cleaning the tank. So I got a digital one from Amazon. I got it over a year ago, but I’m still on the original battery.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01A0TMS6Y/

Do either of you have a digital thermometer shut off, like this one? How long have you been running your inline?

I use a few $2 thermometers (in different tanks) that read exactly what I put my heaters to so far: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002AQITK/

For 10 more dollars you can monitor tank ph too.


2-in-1 Combo pH & Temperature Meter Water Quality Tester Replaceable BNC pH Electrode for Aquariums Hydroponics Tanks Aquaculture Laboratory https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MYVZH4N/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_xBpNDb77FVQWG

Or at least get a thermometer designed ed for water instead of roast beef.

Zacro LCD Digital Aquarium Thermometer Fish Tank Water Terrarium Temperature https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A0TMS6Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_jDpNDbMB64MC1

Buy this

Came to say exactly this.. There's one on there right now that's right at 25$ that i'd been looking at this week:

https://www.amazon.com/Ade-Advanced-Optics-Salinity-Refractometer/dp/B005ES6MOQ/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1522523470&sr=8-10&keywords=refractometer

http://m.petsmart.com/h5/hub?id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.petsmart.com%2Ffish%2Faquariums%2Ftop-fin-5.5-gal-aquarium-starter-kit-zid36-17829%2Fcat-36-catid-300065%3Fnull

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006JLPG8/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1421727524&sr=1-4&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003JW8YY0/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?qid=1421727616&sr=8-7&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&dpPl=1&dpID=41GG306TQ7L&ref=plSrch

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003U84S3O/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?qid=1421727654&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&dpPl=1&dpID=41XQDTcfiPL&ref=plSrch#immersive-view_1421727666581

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003ZW9AU6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1421727698&sr=8-1&dpPl=1&dpID=51bvqaKNWgL&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SX200_QL40

Try this

Drops in salinity are way less harmful than increases - lower levels of salt mean higher oxygen content in the water so going that direction is not a problem. Increases in salt make it harder for your fish to breathe. Get yourself one of these too, makes measuring salinity way more accurate: Salinity Refractometer, Aquarium & Seawater - Dual Scale (1.0 to 1.070 S.G.) by Agriculture Solutions https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ES6MOQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Km.yybRYQ0EZS

http://www.amazon.com/SODIAL-Digital-Aquarium-Vivarium-Thermometer/dp/B008SJ1H7A/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=284NMZWSHPWKE&coliid=I2MLUUDKFJG7YT
+
http://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-SEM-1562A-Speed-Charge-Maintainer/dp/B0009IBJAS/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=284NMZWSHPWKE&coliid=I3SR18WLB08KQC
=
22.13
unless I have bad math which is always possible.

Isn't that the worst sort of panic? I ended up switching to these digital thermometers because I have a lot of tanks

>Not yet

NO NO NO NO FUCKING NO.

NEVER. REPEAT NEVER PUT A HEAT SOURCE IN WITH A SNAKE THAT IS UNREGULATED. It can burn or kill your snake. Go and order one, or go to a reptile store immediately and get one. Its literally one of the most important things in snake husbandry. And get a digital thermometer to keep track as well.

I dont mean to sound mean but this is something that needs to be done NOW for the health of your snake.

What is the wattage of the bulb and how long do you leave it on ?

EDIT: get the following (or equivalent) immediately

thermostat

temp gun

thermometers. one for hot and cold sides

NOT MY CARD.

This aquarium thermometer relates to fraud because once you find the culprit you will capture him. You will drug him and bag him and put him in your trunk and transport him to somewhere isolated. Then you will tie him up and force him to watch Jersey Shore and My Little Pony and other terrible things that cannot be named will happen to him. Back to the thermometer, you will need to tape this under his tongue to make sure he is healthy enough to torture. Can't having him die on you. HE DESERVES PAIN !

Okay, here's what needs to be done. It's going to be a little work but you will need to quantify the frigid water.

​

Step 1) Find a regulation, federal/state law that states the minimum standards for water temperature for tenants.

​

Step 2) Get a water thermometer. Amazon has one for $7. https://www.amazon.com/Zacro-Aquarium-Thermometer-Terrarium-Temperature/dp/B01A0TMS6Y/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=water+thermometer&qid=1550049219&s=gateway&sr=8-7

​

Step 3) Take pictures of the water thermometer with your cold-ass shower water, bathroom water, etc. Note: Don't jack up the thermometer by getting the digital reader wet. Just get the probe wet. I know what you are thinking you dirty bird.

​

Step 4) Go to IG with complaint and evidence. Concurrently go to a Town Hall Meeting with your Commander and SPEAK THE FUCK UP. Don't be like the sheep in the audience. Don't be intimidated by rank at that meeting. This is your time to say something dammit.

​

Step 5) Give IG/Command time to address the problem. If it doesn't work out. State/Federal representative hired by the people (votes).

​

The Army is having SERIOUS problems with retention right now. You can mention something like that to SGM or the retention NCO when they bring it up to you. 2LTs, brand new to the Army, are living off-post and able to complain to their landlords and get this shit taken care of quickly. Just because you are junior enlisted, doesn't mean you have to put up with shitty living conditions.