>You can get plant from that river what.

Technically yeah your brother is correct. Java fern originated from our own local rivers.

>Uncle: what fish you're rearing? None? What's the point?


Owhh boy, there are tons of beautiful fishes in the planted tank. Guppies and neon cardinal tetras. All of it suitable in our local climate, and if you hardworking enough at keeping the environment stable, guppies and neon tetras can breed more fishes.

I recommend this channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv3ih_zLt4Q

James Findley (refer to the guy in the video) usually use top of the line equipment from ADA (aqua design Amano). Expensive for beginner or someone that doesn't have a deep pocket. My suggestion is to cut some of the equipment to a more cheaper alternative. ADA tank is beautiful, but super duper expensive. My recommendation is, get a tank suitable for your budget per square cm. Which mean, get what is the biggest that you can afford, because of the bigger space, the lower the chance of mess up (like overdose fertilizer etc). For soil, ADA still the best for value. Get the Amazonian soil, and get the granular type, not powder as the granular type is less "cloudy" when pouring water.


For plants, get Monte Carlo for carpeting plant. Don't get hemianthus callitrichoides 'Cuba'. From my experience, monte carlo is more forgiving than HC. Monte Carlo can survive without CO2 injection. HC need cooler water and CO2 injection. It is doable for HC to survive in a hot climate like Malaysia, but need a CO2 injection. Monte Carlo is like a big version of HC. Usually, HC is for a nano tank. Owhh yeah, these kinds of plants usually float. So you will need to be careful to anchor them. For java fern, you can anchor to the rock. Java moss you can either glue (use waterproof glue) or better use rope. ADA has a biodegradable rope. I recommend using the rope rather than glue, and ADA rope is cheap IMO.


For CO2, depends on budget. You can DIY (not recommended because it fizzles out quickly in a few weeks), or get proper canister + regulator and solenoid. As I said before, you can get away from not using Co2, especially in Malaysia, as Malaysia has higher rate exchange of O2 and Co2 due to the temperature (don't quote on me, I forget the source). That's why our tropical rainforests are among some of the oldest in the world. As our climate suitable for plant growth (we don't have winter, and tons of perennial species). It translates also to underwater growth from seaweed and local flora. You can get away from Co2 by using some of the plants that are originated from our own backyard. But if you truly interested, I'm recommending this book: https://www.amazon.com/Ecology-Planted-Aquarium-Diana-Walstad/dp/0967377366. But a bit warning, without CO2, the growth rate is slower than using Co2 injection. So need to be patient, and cannot overdose on fertilizer. Need to keep that in mind. Fertilizer is like a vitamin. Better low dosage than overdose. I recommend Seachem Flourish. If you want to keep red plants, you must buy the iron supplement. But for a beginner, just get the balance (NPK is the exact ratio like 10:10:10 with trace elements). ADA also have their own fertilizer, but you will need to check their local price. I'm using DIY method because I've already had my own liquid fertilizer from Serbajadi. Serbajadi also has liquid fertilizer intended for a normal household plant, but the ratio of NPK is super duper high (21:21:21) with trace elements. This is too high for the aquarium and if you are not careful, algae will grow rapidly in this setup. I'm preferring this method as it is cheaper than buying top of the line aquarium fertilizer as I have my own plants (chilies, tomatoes). So usually I dilute the fertilizer and shower the plants and use the rest for the aquarium.


Buy also API freshwater masterkit. Expensive, but worth every ringgit. Why? You can test almost every metrics available, from PH to water hardiness. Our local tap water PH usually ranges from 7 to 8. A bit "hard". So keep that in mind to always check the source water. Not only that, you can use the kit for a nonspecific test that is not aquarium related. For example, testing local river water quality (for fishing).


Filtration. Get an Eheim filter if you can afford it. I'm dead serious. My Eheim filter still running for 2 years. Most of the cheap filter dead less than a year. Some anecdotal review stated Eheim filter can last up to 10 years. That's how quality it is. It is super duper quiet and you literally can sleep beside it and not hear a single decibel. If you prefer overhang type, get the Fluval. Cheaper and if you get the C4 version, it has tons of filtration. If you literally broke, just use cheap pump and overhang box. Or better still, DIY like this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL271pKi_qY

Don't sacrifice filter or not using a filter in the setup. As a good aquarium need a good filtration and water movement to facilitate bacteria growth and gas exchange/diffusion of Co2 and O2. Don't believe any videos that showcase aquarium without a filter. Also, the filter can act as a vacuum pump for mosquito larvae, a problem in Malaysia that Aedes mosquito like to breed in fresh, clear and clean water. A stagnating water is good breeding ground for mosquito. Keep that in mind.


For lighting, get an LED lamp. Cheaper actually using LED as it uses less watt and less heat issue. Get the full spectrum 6500K version for freshwater. DONT get the blue spectrum LED. That lamp usually for a saltwater tank. I believe in Mid Valley shopping mall, there is an aquarium shop on the top floor. And it has tons of aquarium light selection. You can buy online if you like. But a bit cautious buying lamp from China, please ensure you get proper voltage and proper ballast. If you too afraid to dive into thousands of LED selection, I'm suggesting for you to get an Ikea lamp desk that has an E26 socket. And use LED bulb 6500K from Phillips. Hang it over the tank. Same thing, and you can change the bulb whenever you like. Also get a timer. I'm suggesting about 4 to 6 hours daily light. Don't over 12 hours. Trust me. Algae can grow much quicker than plants. More exposure of light means more algae can outgrow the plants. Also, most of those videos don't tell you this, but for the first few weeks, you cannot put fishes or shrimp in the tanks. The filter and the biodiversity still cannot support the additional load of fish. This is called nitrogen cycle: http://freshwater-aquarium-passion.blogspot.com/2010/10/nitrogen-cycle-for-dummies.html


That's where the API master kit is useful. You can test the water parameter until it is stable. Usually, it takes one week. If you have any more questions, feel free to join on https://np.reddit.com/r/PlantedTank/. Good luck.

I love the AquaClear filters. The 30 may be overkill on a 10G tank with just shrimp in it, but I sure don't see anything wrong with it. :) Their bioload will be pretty low, and you can always turn down the output if the flow is too much for them.

I'm not sure about the heater — I don't have any experience with the pre-set kind, and I'm not sure how accurately they're calibrated or anything. I always recommend Eheim Jager Trutemp heaters, though, and they're reasonably priced on Amazon if you're considering returning the one you have.

Plants! Plants are terrific, and they can be beautiful, too. :) The first thing you should do for plants is decide how much work you want to put into maintenance. If you want something that's pretty much set-it-and-forget-it, I'd go with root tabs for fertilizers or a dirt substrate capped with gravel. (There's a phenomenal book out there called Ecology of the Planted Aquarium by Dr. Diana Walstad that's really readable and full of great information on using dirt to provide nutrients for your plants.) Both of these methods are great for beginners, the lazy, and people who want to spend the majority of the time looking at their tanks instead of working on/in them. The root tabs aren't as messy initially, but the dirt doesn't need to be replaced. (You'd probably want to replace the root tabs every few months.) Next, join us in /r/PlantedTank. That sub is a terrific resource for planted tanks!

You can use either sand or gravel. I'd go with something black to make your cherries stand out better. There's black Flourite, black sand, black Eco Complete... I'm sure there are lots of options out there that I'm not familiar with, too. If you choose sand, make sure the bag isn't marked "not for use in aquariums" — a lot of that stuff will probably make a huge, cloudy mess in your tank.

For lights, I recommend Finnex LEDs if you decide to go the LED route. A FugeRay or FugeRay Planted+ would provide terrific light for a 10G tank. Current USA also makes a fixture (the Satellite+) that's totally customizable in really cool ways, but has a lower plant-useful light output than the FugeRay or Planted+. Personally, I think Marineland and Fluval lights are hella overpriced, but they're probably not bad lights. If LEDs aren't your bag, though, I'm a lot less helpful since I don't have any experience with using other types on tanks. :) Really, though, you can get away with some pretty cheap options, like a couple of desk lamps with CFLs in them if you want to!

Hope this helps!

Hey mate. Congrats on jumping into the hobby. Firstly, have you measured ammonia recently? You want to be certain that your tank has cycled properly before adding livestock, even though you have added some fish already.

Clownfish are a great start and get along with most other fish. Some are more aggressive and territorial than others. Any kind of tang is a bad idea in your tank, as it's just too small. But there are a huge range of other awesome fish you can keep with the same striking appeal! Fish like dwarf angels, numerous wrasses and schooling anthias are good striking fish to take the place of a tang.

I would chuck in some clean up crew now for sure, and provided you have indeed cycled, do a a water change to bring those nitrates down. Don't go crazy off the bat with the CuC however. If not enough food is present for them, some can die from starvation and worsen your water quality from the start, which is no good. I know some websites in the States sell CuC packages with 100 or so snails in them for 40G breeders. Crazy! Pretty soon, it's more than likely you will start to experience a diatom bloom and various types of algae blooms as your system reaches some kind of biological equilibrium. If there's one thing I've learned in my limited time in this hobby, it's that you're maintaining a true ecosystem. It's all about balance and slow changes. If you tip the scales too much, too quickly, it will all fall on its head.

 

There's no great rush to stock your tank (nothing good happens fast in this hobby), as you've still go plenty to learn. So after adding your CuC, you should be researching a stocking list using forums and websites like reef central and liveaquaria to find suitable fish that will get along. Don't forget that there are several great books on everything about this hobby that, IMHO, are worthwhile having on your shelf. Maybe start with a book like this one to figure out who's who in the zoo. I purchased that book and it's been pretty helpful. Things that you should know before buying a fish, for example are: Do they jump? Do they eat coral (aka are they reef safe)? Do they eat prepared foods? Are they gonna eat my shrimp? Is my tank big enough? Catching fish can be pretty difficult, so you want to make sure you don't have to once they are in. ;)

 

Next. Corals. I bought this book to really get my head around what was out there. You'll buy a few corals first off, like leathers, GSP, maybe a hammer or torch or frogspawn. Maybe an acan because you're starting to like LPS. This book (and other online resources) can make it easier to understand what tank conditions these different corals require. Things like lighting, feeding, territory and flow.
With regards to your flow, ideally you will want uneven and random flow throughout your tank without any dead spots. Dead spots are where detritus will accumulate and break down, causing your water quality to deteriorate. The more flow the better! The things that prevent us from having a whirlpool are fish (they'd get tired), sand (don't want it blowing around) and coral (some types dislike too much flow). So find a happy middle ground. For example, in my tank I have one MP10 and a pretty powerful return. This generates a consistent flow pattern throughout the tank that is strong enough to not let detritus accumulate, but varied enough to have places in my tank for corals that love flow (right next to powerhead/return) or prefer it to be more gentle (other end of tank to MP10 is my hammers, duncans and torches).

 

But enough from me. One series of videos that really helped me can be watched by starting here - BRS 52 Weeks of Reefing Build. It's a great series produced by a reef shop called Bulk Reef Supply in the US. If you are from the US, I am very jealous, as they don't ship to Australia. The vids can come off sometimes as being a bit advertise-y, pushing the products they sell. But on the whole they are very well produced and contain a great deal of useful information for you to take away and research. They hit on everything you really need to know in this series.

 

Best of luck to ya mate. This hobby is a great thing to be a part of.

 

Edited for grammar and linkfail.

>why is a 20g high a bad place to start?


I originally thought that a 20g-high tank was 20" wide; but a 20g-high is 24" wide, while a extra-high has a 20" width. When buying lights, you'll have a much easier time finding fixtures in increments of 12".

My first reef tank was a 29g, which I think is a perfect starting size, but a finding 30" lights at the time was a pain.


>Im not looking to go BIG. i already have big for fresh water, and thats where im sticking since i have this tank as an extra and want to make use of it.


Just pushing the concept that the larger the tank is, the more stable it is. Go with largest tank your available space and finances allow.


>I plan on educating myself as much before i start, so i know where to start as well, so all opinions are great, thanks!


Awesome starter book: The New Marine Aquarium: Step-By-Step Setup & Stocking Guide


>And as far as patient, yes i plan on it. Looking for something that will slowly become a beauty, and something i can just sit back and watch life take over really. I plan on maybe 2 or 3 fish if that, small, a few shrimp or a star fish, and some coral, but i realize there are fish that destroy coral so im learning which are good which arent.


One of my beliefs is if you want a fish tank, build a fish tank. If you want a reef tank, build a reef tank. Try to pick fish based on how they can help maintain your reef, not just look cool. I love me some gobies and blennies.

Think about starting with soft corals. Zoonathids, Green Star Polyps, leathers and mushrooms are all great starting corrals.


>Why do you say bare bottom to start with also? I also want to have this as a self filtration tank also, that requires less maintenance once its stable and set.


I like bare bottoms because they're very easy to clean. If you really want to have substrate, I would still recommend going bare until after your rock is fully cured.

It's been a while so I'm not sure if it covers protein skimmers, but Anthony Calfo's Coral Propagation covers everything just about everything from tank overflows to setting up a commercial operation. It looks like the current edition is pricey, but the original is around $20.
https://www.amazon.com/Book-Coral-Propagation-Version-1-0/dp/0971637105


> Now in its sixth printing, the second edition of this best-selling, pioneer publication is full-format (8.5 X 11) and fully illustrated with nearly 1000 images in a blaze of color! The Book of Coral Propagation is the most comprehensive work on the care, display and cultivation of reef corals at every level of interest. Beginners receive thorough guidance, expert aquarists learn new tricks, and all folks are inspired to contribute with enjoyment to the conservation, keeping, and culture of magnificent reef creatures in educational home aquaria and commercial systems alike. Topics include a thorough and easy to understand explanation of system designs, inspiring displays, no-nonsense setting up, easy water chemistry, feeding, species selection, health and wellness... and finally how to successfully prune and propagate your thriving coral garden! Anthony Calfo's lifetime efforts practicing and mentoring on this subject are legendary. Written in his famously entertaining if not humorous style, this book has been revised to have the most current and comprehensive information among any reference today for reef aquarium hobbyists. The superb photography, heavy photo paper and sewn-case hardcover binding of this reference make it a collectible as well as definitive work. A must-have for reef enthusiasts!

I am going to suggest a book for you. Most of the folks on here do something called a NPT (Naturally Planted Tank) or Walstad tank. Lots of plants and garden soil or organic potting soil as the substrate capped with Flourite substrate. That makes keeping plants much easier. I would recommend a book to you: Diana Walstad: The Ecology of the Planted Aquarium. That should help you out greatly when it comes to getting your tank up and running.

Some cavets. Even she has backed down on saying that you can immediately add in fish. Still wait for your tank to cycle and do a fishless cycle to get it started. You can put plants in right away and they will help complete the cycle quicker. Also, when they say heavily planted, they mean HEAVILY planted with very little space.

I do more of a true Walstad than most. 20G with 3" of substrate (1.5 of potting soil and 1.5 of flourite cap)and very thickly planted. A true Walstad wouldn't use a filter and would just use a pump, but I like having my Marineland 360 canister. I just have ceramic filters in there, no sponges or anything like that however. I HIGHLY recommend canister filters over HoB (Hang on Back) units. Totally silent and they provide great flow. I have a sprinkler bar so I get nice even flow around the tank. Water movement is very important.

You will want good lights. Don't cheap out and expect to pay something for them. I would say go LED as they are by far cheaper in the long run. T5 after that but remember you have to replace T5 bulbs.

Hope that helps. The sidebar is useful, as are sites like this. Try to ask specific questions and you will get better answers. You will need to get testing kits. The API ones are okay for a simple freshwater planted aquarium. Start with Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and PH. Test your tap water first to get base values. If you have Ammonia or Nitrate in your tap water, you will want to invest in a RODI system and additives to put minerals back in it. Ask your LFS about those.

I hope that helps!

I've not been in the aquarium scene in a long time, but there are several good stores in that area, and even better, one of the best planted tank clubs in the country, GWAPA, in that area! If you plan on sticking to the hobby, look those guys up (gwapa.org was the url when I was involved). There's a tremendous amount of knowledgeable people there, meetings are a blast, and they've hosted at least 2 of the national aquatic plant association annual conventions in the past 10 years. They do interesting talks or projects at each meeting, often bring in various experts to give presentations (there is a local predatory plant expert who has spoken several times on Venus fly traps & pitcher plants, for example) And their monthly meeting auctions are amazing in available species and price. I can't encourage anyone close enough to join and attend meetings enthusiastically enough!

I hope OP doesn't give up. Like someone else said, keeping an aquarium isn't a dark art, but there are a few topics that aren't exactly intuitive that are key to keeping fish, mainly understanding the nitrogen cycle, regular partial water changes, feeding amounts and stocking levels.

Fortunately that info is widely available either online or in several great books (I'm a big proponent of a good book that I can reference when having problems). When I was managing an aquarium store, I pointed beginners to (a simple guide to freshwater aquariums)[ https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Guide-Fresh-Water-Aquariums/dp/0793821010] as it's simple, but thorough and has a good section on common diseases and how to treat them. For plants specifically, the internet is actually the best source for information unless you're looking for a plant species reference.

I actually just set up a 29g tank recently. I did a bit of research, so there's a few things I would recommend. First and foremost, if you have time, get this book: Ecology of the Planted Aquarium. It goes over all the science, but in a way understandable to laymen, for everything you need to know about the tank: substrate, lighting, to CO2 or not CO2, what plants are best to start with to avoid algae problems, etc. Her methods have become known as the Walstad method.

For cycling, you can do fishless or fish-in. I did fishless, as the fish I wanted to stock my tank with aren't very hardy and wouldn't tolerate cycling. I didn't want to buy a hardy fish just to cycle the tank with. Here's a guide for fishless cycling: here. All you really need is bacteria from your LFS (most give it out for free), and some ammonia (any place that sells cleaning supplies will have it for ~1 dollar/jug). Most people recommend getting the API liquid testing master kit to measure ammonia/nitrates/nitrites. Don't get use strips.

In a planted tank, filter isn't too important. As long as it is rated for your tank size it should be fine. Plants eat up fish poop and left over food as macronutrients.

For substrate, there are several ways to do it. I can't remember exactly offhand, but I think what Walstad recommends is about 1'' of potting soil (organic i.e. no fertilizers in it) and around 0.5'' of sand on top, but not more as it the fine grain can choke off the O2 supply for the soil bacteria underneath.

For fish, it's up to personal preference. I used AqAdvisor. It's not perfect, but it helps tell you determine how many fish your tank can hold and whether there are glaring compatibility issues.

For bottom feeders...I think this is also personal preference. I have 3 otocinclus cats and maybe 7-8 cherry shrimp running around. Just make sure your tank is big enough.

For plants, try a bunch of different species and see what sticks. Fast growing plants like water sprites are good at sucking up nutrients and reducing algae growth. If you're going for a certain look, I would draw out a rough sketch of what type of plants you want where (i.e. foreground carpet, tall background plants, driftwood/rock placement) before you fill the tank up with anything. It's easier to place and plant these things before you fill the tank up with water.

Other things: If you get a lot of plants, you'll want good lighting. Lots of guides on that, lot of choices too. LEDs have gotten pretty good recently, but are pricey. But they need to be replaced less often. As for CO2, again, it depends on how many plants and how often. I know some people that get away with just daily dosing of fluorish excel (liquid carbon), but if you are really going the whole hog with plants, might want to look into DIY CO2, which is what I'm using for my 29g tank or even an expensive pressurized CO2 system.

Tl;dr - Buy/get your hands on Walstad's book before you make any big decisions so you understand why you're doing it, not just because some guy told you to do it. If you really don't want to pay, here's the super spark notes version: here.

A saltwater reef tank is a whole different ballgame but that does not mean it is hard to learn or as expensive as people imagine. It is way more of a full on hobby.

But that means there is a lot more to keep you occupied and a much larger variety of creatures. You don't even have to keep coral if you don't want to (which is harder and more time consuming than just saltwater fish). I'd recommend absolutely searching youtube for reef saltwater tanks. That will be the best way to get a feel for what the hobby is like and show off some beautiful tanks. And/or check out forums online like http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/index.php once you get more into it and need specific help and information, as well, there are tons of great intro books like that I'd recommend before buying anything: https://www.amazon.com/Marine-Reef-Aquarium-Phil-Hunt/dp/0764160230/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1549988343&sr=8-3

There is a lot of preparation involved before you even think about getting any livestock at all, so make sure you read up before going out to the fish store.

Feel free to ask me any specific questions!

For the fertilizer doses, I'm not really an expert, but you should get some good ideas from the Tom Barr website...his website is actually a lot more technically helpful than reddit on some of the more scientific aspects of planted tanks.

You can be much more precise measuring your fertilizers (and its cheaper) to buy dry ferts. I like to buy mine from greenleafaquariums.com

Your substrate choice will affect your experiment as far as fertilizing. Some, like organic potting soil, or aquasoil, will contain fertilizers. Some, like sand, are completely inert. It may make your life easier to measure the effects of fertilizer dosing with an inert substrate. Or have a sand as a control tank or something. Some of the special planted tank aquarium substrates don't contain nutrition themselves, (like fluorite, etc) but they bind them easily, and store them for plant use. Again, not sure if that would affect your experiment or not.

You'll need to make sure you take your lighting into account as well. That will affect your plant growth rate a lot.

Fast growing and minimal maintenance can include water sprite, water wisteria, amazon swords, dwarf lilly.

Edit: http://www.amazon.com/Ecology-Planted-Aquarium-Diana-Walstad/dp/0967377366/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422486719&sr=8-1&keywords=planted+aquarium+books&pebp=1422486721098&peasin=967377366

Amazing resource for you to cite for any paper you have to write.

It would be adequate, but not ideal. Get as big a tank as you can afford, both price-wise and size-wise. More volume means more stability, the ability to select larger fish specimens, and, overall, less headaches. Sumps are great and if you can afford the extra expense/setup time, you will never regret getting one. You can get another tank, maybe 15 gallon, and put your skimmer/heaters in there, as well as more rock. It's a great place to add supplements and increase your water volume.

Read and research all you can now. It's much harder to change things after you've got creatures living in your tank. Two great, essential books: http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Marine-Aquarium-Step-By-Step/dp/1890087521 and http://www.amazon.com/The-Conscientious-Marine-Aquarist-Professional/dp/1890087998

To hold you over until you get those books: http://www.fishlore.com/SaltwaterBeginners.htm

The key here is patience. Yes, it's hard work, but most of the hard work is only at the beginning if you plan it right and don't rush it. Good luck! Feel free to ask me more questions.

First off, I don't really know my stuff-- I'm relatively new and not much farther along than you, but I've been doing a ton of research lately. SO take what I say as booksmart, not lifesmart, OK?

Next, if you're interested in planted aquariums, it's absolutely essential that you get this book by Diana Walstad. You don't need to fully understand everything in there, but you need to get at least acquainted with the methods and theories. This will keep you from spending many more hundreds of dollars on ADA-type stuff, should you choose to go with this method. This will also answer a bunch of your questions about stuff like CO2, filtering and lighting. It will direct you on the proper methods and ideas regarding starting the nitrogen cycle in your tank. Your local fish store can also help out as well.

However, briefly:

• Lighting. The traditional approach used to be at least 2 watts per gallon (this is with fluorescent tubes). However, recent technology has allowed this to be less, with the advent of High Output bulbs (you'll typically see someone reference their lighting setup as 35WHO, with the W being watts). The Walstad method says you shouldn't need as much, but also that you don't need CO2. LED lighting doesn't work with watt-per-gallon equations, you need to need to know coverage and PAR value. This thread on plantedtank should help guide you. Know that LED's are rather new to aquariums and there's not any set rules, with many people just building the arrays that they want.
  
  
• Filtration. Generally, people like to go for the ability to cycle the water in your tank at least 3 times the capacity. That means that if you have a 10 gallon tank, you want the filter to be able to filter 30 gallons per hour. Don't go by the "50 Gallon Filter" rating on the front of the box-- look at the specs and see that it can filter he appropriate gallons per hour that you need. Like I said, 3 times the capacity is a good starting point. Some say double, some say 5 times. I say 3.
  
  
• CO2 and Oxygen are absolutely polar opposites. A diffusor for a CO2 line is not an aerator. Your fish will suffocate if you use the CO2 like an aerator. Again, you need to read that book. However, if you're really at this level, I would suggest you hold off for a while and make the tank without CO2. Later on, when you get more of a handle on things, then move up to CO2. Overdosing the tank with the stuff will kill everything in there, and you don't need that when you're beginning.
  
  
• In terms of getting the cycle started, most people say that you have to add some biological load to get the cycle started. Traditionally, this has been adding a platy or two to the tank right after start. This is because platy's are considered "JAW"-- just add water. They will acclimate to incredible differences in water quality. However, recently, people have started seeing this as cruel and have opted to just add a little fish food into the tank, though this takes substantially longer to get the tank cycled. Again, just read that book and it'll answer all your questions.
  
  Hope that helps.

I'm so sorry for your loss :( There are things that you can do to help protect your other fish from getting sick, but I hope you still recognize that you've already been taking extremely good care of your fish -- your little oranda was lucky that you were the one to take him home.

Goldfish are "unnatural" fish that are bred to maintain traits from their egg-shaped bodies to their fancy fins -- even their color is the product of specific breeding. This makes it so that sometimes, their breeding can compromise their health (like what may have happened with your oranda with his puffy wen). To be on the safe side, you might want to try to source your fancies from a respectable breeder (or even just shop around for the best pet store in your area). Goldfish can also be extremely difficult to take care of, mainly because so much about their care is still wrapped in unhealthy traditions and real experts are so few and far between. (I first got my comet from a pet shop that sold me a bowl, no water conditioner and told me he'd only live a month or two.)

This book from the creator of the Goldfish Connection is really helpful. Again, sorry for your loss.

Edit : BlueSanctum had the great idea of doing a garlic treatment for your sick fish, and thinking about it, maybe you should now look into feeding your other Oranda some garlic and/or doing some kind of garlic treatment ? Just in case your first oranda had a parasite or something which may spread to your second fish. In addition to the Koko's site, Goldfish Emergency has a good article on it.

Save your money for a bit and try something like this

http://www.japan-aquaponics.com/micro-aquaponics-plans.html


It will give both your wife and you a chance to learn how AP really works AND because of how small it is, you'll learn about a lot of problems faster ( balancing fish to plant density, fighting PH, etc ).

If you have a sunny spot, that micro system will cost MAXIMUM $150-180. If you don't have a sunny spot, lighting varies but I would recommend some variety of fluorescent ( or compact fluorescent ) fixture ( $100-120 ). If you google for aquaponic starter kits, they start sometimes @ $3000 and thats for a small one with a lot of things missing still ( media, chemicals, fish, plumbing, etc ).

edit:
Also, a very good overview of Aquaponics is this book by Sylvia Bernstein - http://smile.amazon.com/Aquaponic-Gardening-Step---Step-Vegetables/dp/086571701X/ref=asap_B005RENDS0_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413895720&sr=1-1

It's a good foundation that goes over major parts of AP ( fish, plants, water testing, media, etc ). Two things I disagree with:

• A lot of people recommend against using feeder goldfish. I love them because they're insanely cheap, extremely hardy, and they pack on weight fairly decently so you get some validation that they're developing well. Downside is that if they do survive, they can live for 10 years and they can get a little big
  
  
• A lot of people suggest starting with a 250 gallon system. That's a lot of money, even if you build almost everything yourself, to invest in something you don't really know anything about. Dr. Wilson Lennard somewhat sums things up in answering "What's the biggest threat to building an “Aquaponics Industry” as you see it?" - http://www.ecofilms.com.au/dr-wilson-lennard-on-the-future-of-aquaponics/
  
  
  Three things a home or small farm AP system can provide for you: 3 (maybe 4) seasons of plant growth ( coldweatheraquaponics.com has some great idea's for surviving Zone 4 winters ), fish dinners every few months ( if you stagger your population out ), and once you get to a certain size a system to produce fertilizer for conventional farming ( or for wicking beds ).
  

If you're interested in home jelly-keeping, this is the book to read. Excellent information from an expert, who worked in the jellies exhibits at MBA. I loved caring for my "jelly-babies" when I worked there - they are very gentle and easy animals to work with (provided you have thick skin)! But if you're serious about it, for the love of god do not bother with the "Jellyfish Art" people - their tanks are shit and the company is so sketch. PB'n'Jellies is a much better option, run by a very good aquarist. Good luck!

/r/plantedtank would likely be the best place for this question because freshwater is a very different experience to saltwater. Since I come from a planted freshwater background, I would say that it probably wouldn't do well.

Certainly there are some freshwater creatures that would work in a refugium, but many of them are insect larva that would eventually become something that you probably wouldn't want flying around your house. See damselflies, mosquitos, dragonflies, various beetles, etc.

You might be able to keep a small population of something like freshwater copepods, but they need green water which any filtration at all would destroy.

California blackworms might be a possibility, but I would still prefer to culture them outside the tank to make it easy to get rid of waste water. They don't necessarily need a refugium as they'll happily dig into the substrate at the bottom of the tank and live there until a fish plucks them out and eats them. I drop a small handful in my planted tank every few weeks or so to replenish their numbers.

The biggest advantage that freshwater aquarists have is an amazing variety of beautiful plants to use to reduce nitrates, phosphates and pollutants. A well planted tank will also grow all kinds of things like planaria and snails which can help keep some fish fed and round out the diets of others.

This is pretty much the bible of a 'natural' freshwater aquarium keeper. http://www.amazon.com/Ecology-Planted-Aquarium-Diana-Walstad/dp/0967377366

When I first started my hobby, I picked up a copy of Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies. I found it to be MUCH more useful than The New Marine Aquarium. (If you're just getting into the hobby). I've always enjoyed The Pocket Expert Guide to Marine Fishes and the Marine Invertebrates as well. With the pocket experts, I find their information to be different from other sources that I use to research a fish before I make a decision to buy or not. A book that I can't seem to finish but always find myself skimming through is the Plankton Culture Manual. It can be a difficult read at times (for me anyways) but it's very helpful when you want to culture something.

I'm really looking for a book to help identify hitchhikers, but I can't seem to find one. Hopefully this thread turns a leaf. I've picked up the Reef Creature Identification books in hopes they would be what I was looking for, but they weren't.

The Nano-Reef Handbook Was a fun read as well. Gives you many ideas for the nano aquarium.

Last but not least, Algae: A problem Solver Guide has really helped when it came to figuring out how to battle algae or which algae would be awesome to have in a tank for decorative purposes.

I have 2 ten gallons. If I had the room, I would go bigger. The bigger tank gives you greater dilution. And a lot of the little nano fish are easily affected by changes. I'd love a 20 long.

But, yes, a 10 gallon is fine. Suggest that if you want a neo shrimp colony you'd better have a ton of plant cover like carpet unless youhave only Otocinlus (which really need more space than a 10). If it fits in the fishes mouth they will/can eat it and shrimplet newborns are the size of a dash mark.

I LOVE the dwarf cories, i have habrosus. pygmaus are more mid-water swimmers.

BEST thing? Get Rachel O'Leary's book 101 Nano Fish on Amazon. It is a bible for nano fish. Worth every penny! https://www.amazon.com/Best-Freshwater-Nano-Species-Invertebrates/dp/0982026250/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525672581&sr=8-1&keywords=rachel+o%27leary
I've got 10 nano tanks and they are all ten gal and under, but I WISH I had a 20 long, so if you have the room go with a bigger tank and smaller fish :)

Lights are super important, get good lights. I got new eco tech radians a year ago and my coral growth and color went through the roof. You will also need a fish or two in there. Water flow is also a big consideration with coral, some like almost no current some like getting blasted with a pump all day. A in tank pump that creates some wave action will help the corals rid waste and stay healthy.

Check out this book:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1890087475/ref=mp_s_a_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494196618&sr=8-1-spell&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=coral+husbantry

Most important part of keeping coral is keeping all your water parameters super stable. One of my reactors sprung a tiny leak and my salinity dropped to about 19, I lost two really awesome corals.

It's also important to know who can live by whom. Corals use chemical warfare to claim territory.

Learn Latin:)

Finally be prepared to lose some very cool and expensive coral. They are so fragile I'm always amazed they survive in our polluted oceans. In the beginning get cheap easy coral, as your tank matures you have a better chance at keeping the more finicky expensive ones.

edit: Last one, a good ro system or access to water from a good ro is a must. Disolved metals can kill coral pretty fast. Check out some of the smaller bio cube reef tanks, they might be a better fit for not much more cash. I love my tank but god are they expensive.

I would recommend against such a small saltwater tank for a beginner. Saltwater can be quite easy, but not in such a small tank.

Read this information on fishless cycling to get the tank ready. My recommendation would be to get small colorful fish, like those found in this book

If you really want to do saltwater, it is worthwhile to return the 10 gallon kit and pick up a 40 gallon or larger tank. That would allow you to keep a clownfish pair, and a couple of chromis or firefish - all of which are very colorful and easy to care for.

The blog is mine. I'm not quite sure I understand your points, so please respond. :)

>Frequent cycling water isn't just for the plants, but to filter fish waste solids and chemicals to help keep the fish healthy.

>Why make a single filtering job with one electrical item into a two-filter job with multiple electrical points?

The filter will be running constantly to filter the waste, build biofiltration, and keep the fish healthy. I'm spending less on grow media, so the cost of the filter is almost covered by savings on excess grow media (net cost is $20 if I only buy 25 gallons of media instead of 50). The electricity consumption may be slightly higher, but I think the pro's of being able to move the plants, spend less on media, and have a more stable biofilter will negate the additional cost of electricity to run the filter. The hydroponic guy suggested that using a grow bed will not be as effective as using a filter for the bioload. He suggested that as the growbed fills with water and then drains, any part of the grow bed that dries will not have bacteria, only the moist parts.

The point of NOT using a completely filled grow bed is to allow me to move the plants around, facilitate cleaning the grow bed, and cut down on how much grow media I need. The timer won't use the same amount of electricity as a constantly running pump.

The filter is necessary because the water isn't running directly onto the grow media. Using the grow media as a filter still requires cleaning out the grow bed and the sediment at least once a year. This will be much easier with this design.

I'm new to aquaponics, so I'm learning. I've read Sylvia Bernstein's book on Aquaponic Gardening from front to back, so I know all the suggestions and rules of thumb. I'm suggesting a better way to do things based on advice from a hydroponics expert with a little aquaponics knowledge.

I can still return the filter if need be, but please do respond so I can figure out what design I want to go with. I'm not suggesting that I know more than you, but this is what I know. That's why the header of my blog says "sharing my learning experiences with aquaponics." I come to this community for knowledge, and to share my experiences.

Test kits aren't a bad idea; but yeah. I can see how that might come across as preachy.

I wouldn't recommend CO2. CO2 is kind of fiddly; there's all kinds of fish-killing potential with a pressurized CO2 setup. If she's not up to using test kits then CO2 is probably not a good idea.

Have you considered books? I guess most people go online these days; but a book can actually be really nice to have. This one is neat; it's got colour photos and (really) short caresheets for most fish (and plants). This one is awesome if you want to learn how planted tanks work. These ones will make you feel completely inadequate about your fish tank (but are good inspiration for aspiring aquascapers).

There really is only one book that is considered the bible of the craft, as far as I can tell: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0967377366 There's more than likely a copy of the book in your local library. In reality though, it's a wonderful read and something I like to go back to every few months as a refresher.

Otherwise, plenty of guides online that refer to these tank setups as 'dirt tanks'. http://www.plantedtank.net/ is an excellent resource. There's a million ways to set it up, but the idea is to get organic soil, free of any additives. The soil is then 'mineralized' (see one, two) put into the tank about 1-2" in depth. Lots of plants. Floating plants are important to outcompete algae too. Capped with gravel. The tank cycles incredibly fast because of the bacteria in the soil. I still waited a week before introducing fish, but that was about it. I don't have a recent pic of my tank, but you can get a feel for it with this video I recently took: http://youtu.be/CyeI08q8m2c

You can try this type of setup on a small scale to see how you like it. But it's really low maintenance and I haven't had the need to vacuum the gravel or do anything other than trim plants in the last year. No algal blooms, no disease. Plants love the soil substrate. Fish love the plants. It's a tiny healthy ecosystem.

I think the first thing you should do is read about how the fish, invertebrates, crustaceans, etc are obtained. Learn about the different ways that they are harvested or captive bred and raised. You want to create a small part of the ocean, not destroy it.
Cyanide fishing for example is horrible for the ocean and you should learn the warning signs of a fish caught with that method so you can avoid it.

I know they are 'just fish' (or whatever else you have in your tank) but you really need to create the best environment possible for them- their life depends entirely on you. Do a lot of research before making a purchase; don't just buy something because you like the way it looks. Too many people buy fish because they're pretty, then the fish ends up suffering and dying because they didn't know how to properly take care of it.

Look into the price of not only the initial set up but maintenance of the tank. Since they are living creatures you can't just quit in the middle of it if you decide you won't have enough money.

This is a very good book to start learning.

I kept a 29-gallon saltwater tank for several years; it was large enough to work.

The key with saltwater tanks is good bio; I invested in a big wet-dry filter (kinda similar to this but not quite as large) and plenty of good lighting.

Saltwater tanks are very cool, but they definitely require a lot more work than freshwater. Be prepared for significant time investment testing Ph, nitrates, etc. Also, buy a good book, such as Moe.

If you want to learn about aquaponics this is a great book (sorry about the link, I'm on my mobile):

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/086571701X/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?pc_redir=T1

Some other good resources:

/r/aquaponics

Backyardaquapoics.com

The "soil" used in aquaponics is just a medium. Hydroton(corn), gravel, or some other type of medium is used for the roots to grow into.

Aquaponics could work for marijuana but there's a significant start up period and learning curve (you're literally making a little ecosystem with plants, fish, worms, and most importantly bacteria). But once you cycle a system and get it to be stable then maintenance is relatively easy. My system isn't old enough but I've read more experienced people say it takes about 6 months for a system to be fully mature. You can probably supplement earlier on but it's better to start with plants that have lower nutrient necessities, I'd think.

If you want to save money, Chihiros A-Series + the metal stand will work well. Otherwise, Finnex lights such as the 24/7+ are often recommended in this subreddit.

This article explains the basics of light in the planted aquarium well enough so that you can make your own judgement. If you have trouble understanding something, feel free to ask.

And just to complete your shopping tour, The Ecology Of The Planted Aquarium by Diana Walstad explain the biological processes inside an aquarium an great detail and is very useful for an in-depth understanding.

I have found with aquaponics that it is all about experimentation still. It's a new growing method in wide use so it's still not very widely written about. I would steer you away from a float bed and say if you are going to do that to use a board and a modified ebb and flow as foam is expensive and limits gas exchange in the water (needed for life). Just do the same as a float bed but use plywood you put on top of your tray with holes for your baskets. Use a high water bell syphon. I have found for growth media just use hydroton for everything in various sizes. I haven't gone wrong and have had success with everything from leafy greens to cucumbers and tomatoes.

If you are starting from seed I would suggest starting with rockwool (grodan). It makes life so much easier and no mess to clean off the roots before you put into your system. you just pluck up your growing seedling after the roots erupt and drop it straight into the hydroton.
Anyhow, Enjoy

Edit: Forgot also there is this... a MUST read HERE

Do yourself a favor and get this book. It will tell you everything about how aquaponics works to include EVERYTHING scientific behind it. This was the first book I purchased and I read it front to back twice before I even thought about starting a system. Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/086571701X?cache=ef0e54c7d28c493923004a32aae3b4a2#ref=mp_s_a_1_1&qid=1393886769&sr=8-1

YouTube is great, however, a lot of YouTube videos are just showing systems, not the guts or science. Again, if you want to know the science behind it, find "Bright Agrotech" on YouTube. The guy deals with large aquaponics daily and dumbs it down for the novice.

Lastly, if you can't find what you're looking, ask here! We're here to help just as others have helped us in the past. But read that book seriously! It will answer 98% of your questions.

Good luck!

Well, what do you want to do?

If I wanted a cheap tank today, I'd go with a Walstad Method tank.

Lower light + lower maintenance = lower cost

Unfortunately, you won't be able to stock fish as heavily (or as exotically) as you might with a more conventional setup, or leave the light on as long, but it can still look very pretty. But those are generally the tradeoffs you have with less money. this is a pretty pricey hobby, overall. Good luck. :)

Gunna second the suggestion to look up the Walstad method.

The short version: it's a method of using potting soil topped with gravel, you overstuff the tank with plants and set it up with a light. I don't have a filter on mine, though I did plug one in for the first day or two of my tank to clear up the dirt and stuff floating after I set it up, it helped a lot, but I havent had one since then.

It's based on a book, it's a boring read but pretty informative on the whole theory: https://www.amazon.com/Ecology-Planted-Aquarium-Practical-Scientific-ebook/dp/B00DB94K5I

​

This playlist is what inspired me to try it myself, and then I got the book to have on hand, a good watch: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2155euLw9DN6EU2zBTlDj8-q572aZv7w

​

I would take a deep breath and do some research. This book helped me figure out how to keep a freshwater aquarium with less maintenance and more science.

• I think you might actually slow down on the water changes. I would hand strip as much algae as you can as often as you can. Every time you get algae out you are effectively removing nutrients from the tank. There might be something in your tap the algae like.
  
  
• Remove any plant parts that are yellowing and not actively growing, as they die they leak nutrients.
  
  
• Change the light and get something in a higher kelvin range. The plant growth ones at Petco or whatever are garbage. They are just based on anecdotes and marketing, more blue is better. Plus a rapid shift like that might slow down the algae. Those yellow plant lights just make plants look greener. Personally I have had great success with 6500K bulbs. The above book has a chapter about CO2 and nutrient uptake with different K bulbs, the higher K bulbs were better for plant growth.
  
  
• The goal here is to help the plants out compete the algae, the algae will always be ready to exploit extra nutrients. Let the algae grow and prune it like crazy, stop feeding the tank at all for now. The fish will find food. Keep the nutrients at the roots, not in the water.
  
  
• Think of this as more like a reef tank than a plant tank, you want to limit the nutrients that the algae like and let the plants use their evolved root system to acquire nutrients from the substrate.
  
  
• What kind of substrate are you using? A $10 bag of potting soil will go a long way to controlling nutrients. Just make sure it doesn't have chemical fertilizers that will dissolve into the water or chicken manure, because thats fuckin gross. They usually have the ingredients listed on the bag.
  
  
• If you are ready to get out the hobby, try those steps first. It will take a little time and some work but it should get you there. Limit your expenditures, start with a higher kelvin bulb and potting soil.

There is a ton of information on this subreddit! Takes a little bit of digging with the search function, but it's out there.

There is more information than you can imagine for free out on the internet. I believe that if you're paying money to learn about aquaponics, then you're getting ripped off. The exception to this is perhaps a book or two, such as this one.

This site has the basics covered.

This forum has an incredible amount of knowledge, run by people from all around the world who have years and years of experience running aquaponic systems.

Good luck in your hunt!

I only started with my jar a few months ago, but here's what I've learnt. I knew going in that a jarrarium would be a bit of a challenge in some ways, but now I understand what makes it so. With such a tiny amount of water in the jar, any small change can lead to big changes in water chemistry. Most aquarium chemicals (should you need to use them) are made to dose larger tanks, and as such you basically have to measure out drops with an eyedropper / syringe to use them in a jar. You have to think a lot about your inputs into the jar in terms of light, temperature, nutrients, etc. because introducing something in excess might cause algae blooms, plant or fauna distress, etc. And it's very easy to do things in excess because, again, it's such a tiny jar.

That said, my jar seems to be going okay so far and I've learnt a lot about the chemical / biological processes in an aquarium that I think I might have missed if I was trying to set up a larger tank. Diana Walstad's book helped a lot too - the whole book, not just the PDF linked in this sidebar. If you are slightly obsesssive like me, don't mind having a jar that might have a bunch of weird things growing in it, and are happy to take things very slowly, a jarrarium is fun!

https://www.amazon.com/New-Marine-Aquarium-Michael-Paletta/dp/1890087521/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452143680&sr=8-1&keywords=the+new+marine+aquarium I think this is probably the best book, even after having multiple other books and 10+ years of saltwater aquariums I still find myself going back to it for minor refreshes.

Bigger the aquarium the smaller fluctautions so despite thinking smaller will be easier, thats actually wrong. When it comes to filtration Live Rock (I think rule is a # per gallon) also live rock. I wanna say on lighting you want 2-3 watt per gallon. I suggest you start off with some hardy fish (Nemo) and do a FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock) then when you feel more comfortable add some of the easier corals (Mushrooms, Some Zooanthoids, Leathers, Zenia)

goto www.reefcentral.com and research FOWLR also get multiple opinions

Used for less than $5. It's a pretty great starter guide.

There are numerous ways to approach saltwater and each way has its ups and downs. I think you would benefit from reading up in the subject and deciding if you wanted to make the jump. It's not much harder than fresh if you are already familiar with the basics, it can be much more expensive and time consuming.

I read Aquaponic Gardening by Sylvia Bernstein (https://www.amazon.com/Aquaponic-Gardening-Step-Step-Vegetables/dp/086571701X) before starting a small hobby system. It's not geared towards the science or business side but I thought it was good. It does have info on sizing, building, choosing fish, cycling and maintaining a system. You can find all that and more in the links people shared but the book is a good coherent baseline to start a small system.

Stop. Please do some research before diving into this.

This is a step by step book. It will help.
https://www.amazon.com/New-Marine-Aquarium-Michael-Paletta/dp/1890087521/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=michael+paletta&qid=1569031273&s=gateway&sr=8-2

I also recommend Martin A. Moe’s Marine Aquarium handbook. https://www.amazon.com/Marine-Aquarium-Handbook-Beginner-Breeder/dp/0982026218

Doing some research will be a lot better than me telling you that you are going at it wrong.

I also recommend keeping fresh water for at least a year beforehand to get use to the little things like testing, feeding, and water changes.

I was planning on getting into the hobby for a few months before I finally did. I tried to do all the research I could, including reading online articles, browsing forums, and reading The Conscientious Marine Aquarist (which I highly recommend).

My first tank was a 75 gallon with a 20 gallon sump. I made the stand myself over the course of a week - I had to rent a circular saw to cut the wood haha. They say that bigger is better when it comes to water volume, which is true (generally) but I think I went a bit overboard. I think a 30 gallon tank, possibly a biocube, is the perfect beginner size. Large enough to be stable, spacious, and interesting, not too small to be challenging, and just the right physical size.

Of course, nothing will ever truly prepare you for keeping a saltwater tank. It's one of the most demanding, rewarding, frustrating, and fascinating hobbies out there. Here are some things that really surprised me as a first timer:

• People aren't kidding when they say it's expensive. I didn't keep great books but my first tank probably cost over $2000 in the long run. I just started a 2.6 gallon pico and even that little monster already has me $500 in the hole.
  
• You will accumulate mountains of aquarium-related supplies. Test kits, plastic bins, measuring devices, foods, supplements, pumps, thermometers, lights, timers, GFCIs, the list goes on. All this stuff needs room to store it, more than the tank and stand will allow, so plan for it. (All this stuff also costs money, $5 here, $20 there, another $100 there. See point #1.)
  
• Get some buckets for holding fresh and salty water, and plenty of towels for cleaning up. Then get twice that many buckets and towels. You'll need them.
  
• Mistakes will happen. You'll mess up, get in over your head, buy animals that you're not prepared to care for. Fish will jump out of the tank and turn into jerky, they'll sicken and die, or simply vanish. Corals will shrivel up or melt away. Often you'll have no clue why these things happen. Treat every casualty as a learning experience - try to figure out what went wrong so you can fix and prevent it. It's frustrating, but every experienced aquarist has paid their dues in dead animals, so don't feel too bad.
  
• Keeping a tank is a big responsibility. It will demand a lot of your time and there is very little room for slacking off. I'd say be prepared to spend around 15-30 minutes per day checking in on it and doing maintenance, with an extra hour or two on weekends, as a bare minimum.
  
  That all being said, reefkeeping is a blast. Once you get your legs under you, it's incredibly awesome to keep a slice of the ocean in your home. I've learned bits of everything from chemistry to biology to electrical engineering to carpentry and more. A well-kept tank is a joy I could spend hours looking at.
  
  Good luck!

I would suggest that you let them do whatever they want with those eggs, and keep doing what you are doing and hope that they lay eggs again.

In the mean time, before they have their second clutch, read the book by joyce wilkerson on clowns, and start building your feeding system and grow out system now, so you will have it all ready for that 2nd clutch of eggs.

It will take you a few clutches to get the process down, have enough food, dont kill the fry, etc and you get some viable fishes. dont get discouraged!

good luck!

Just curious, were you given a Walstad or did you make it, and if so, where are you getting your info? I only ask because using plants as the filter/oxygen supply is kinda the main point. I highly recommend grabbing a copy of Diane Walstad's book, cheaper PDF also available. It's 180 pages of wonderful content from lighting to water and soil chemistry and even chemical reactions between different plants (allelopathy). She gives you simple recommendations of how to start off, lighting, plant types, soil, etc, all the way to the detailed chemical reactions going on. All of your basic questions will be answered straight from the source.

If you are new, co2 can be one more factor to have to control and adjust. You can have a beautiful tank without it, it will just limit you on what plants you can grow.

If you don’t plan on rearranging, a walstad tank is probably the easiest to start with and get good results. Plenty of online resources to explain it, but Her book is fantastic: https://www.amazon.com/Ecology-Planted-Aquarium-Diana-Walstad/dp/0967377366

Read up on the Walstad Method

If your serious about it I recommend picking up her book as well.

The basics would be:

1. Buy some Miracle Grow Organic Potting Mix, or similar organic soil with no fertilizers added. Put down 1 inch base layer.
   
   
2. Get some aquarium gravel(preferably not sand, or large stones), and cap the soil with 1 inch of the gravel.
   
   
3. Heavily plant the tank with low light plants, and some floating plants as well to help prevent algae growth, however you may not have a problem depending on how much light it will actually get.
   
   
4. Enjoy having to do minimal water changes and no real need for a filter assuming you follow the method properly and have enough plants in the tank.

X-post this to /r/PlantedTank, you'll find a bunch of people happy to show off their dirted tanks. The type of tank you are looking to set up is a Walstad method tank, and they can work incredibly well. If you are going to go this route, I strongly recommend picking up this book which will give you all the information you need to build and maintain the type of tank you are trying to create.

http://www.amazon.com/Aquaponic-Gardening-Step-By-Step-Vegetables-Together/dp/086571701X this book is an awesome introduction to every aspect you need to worry about. also check out Murray Hallam on youtube. he's the Aussie aquaponics guru. If you want to do it in new england there are several options. either do it inside with supplemental lighting or you can do it in a greenhouse. you just have to realise that growth of both the fish and the plants will slow down considerably in colder temps. and you must select fish and plants that will do well in the colder environment. most people do Tilapia because they are idiot proof and tasty. but they won't do well in cold water. trout would be a much better option and salad greens, especially spinach, taste better when they're grown in colder conditions.

Thank you for posting this, I just found a new subreddit to subscribe to.

And to the OP, when I said I'd seen a similar setup for water dragons, I meant juvies. An adult will need a much larger enclosure, with plenty of vertical space to climb. If you're interested, a really great book on the subject is Animals and Fishes in Aquaterrariums.

We have a beginner guide on our wiki for setting up proper tanks as well as guides on breeds for free.

personally I found a lot of the beginner books to be a bit too... idk, shallow? There wasn't much depth to the information. Then there are nicer books that are like text books... and cost about as much. I know a lot of people like this one and this one but I've never read either personally and I have a hard time recommending the mini one as it's talking about putting goldfish in 10gal tanks which just doesn't work (the smallest get to about the size of an adult hand. they wont fit in a 10gal...) but I've never read it so I'm not sure if there are some other great tidbits muddled in with bad info.

First and foremost you need to either find a really good store that will support you through it, a good book, and/or a good local reef club. If there are no local clubs, there is a wealth of information at Reef Central online, though those guys are kinda jerks to new people.

A great first S/W book: http://www.amazon.com/New-Marine-Aquarium-Step-Step/dp/1890087521

A more thorough, but a little dense to start with: http://www.amazon.com/Conscientious-Marine-Aquarist-Commonsense-Successful/dp/1890087025

The one thing they seem to leave out of marine biology is captive husbandry. I'm sure you get a little exposure to it, but it's not like doing it yourself.

I'd highly recommend you read this book before you commit to doing/buying anything. It is by no means inclusive but will give you a feel for how the whole system should or will work.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1890087521

Once you've read that, I'd recommend reading the following article from Reef Keeping ezine. This will save you time and money on junk or unnecessary supplements.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/

Edit: spelling.

The light is on a timer for around 14-16 hours per day which is pretty standard for growing plants efficiently. Total wattage is only 48 watts (plus 2.2 watts for the air pump) so doesn't use too much electricity per day. The real expensive thing in a system like this is the grow light, getting a fluorescent light with hood, ballast and bulbs can get really expensive but I worked out a deal with a supplier to get them relatively cheap.

To learn more about aquaponic technology I would suggest the gold standard book Aquaponic Gardening by Sylvia Bernstein. Lots of good info in there about the components of an aquaponic system and how they work.

Depends on what type of learner you are. Do your prefer hands on work (tacit) or reading from books (explicit)? If you prefer tacit try building a small system from scratch and find out what works and what doesn't. Experience is the best teacher in my opinion. If you prefer the other method start with http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/086571701X/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1373268569&sr=1-1&pi=SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA160 If you have problems along the way we are here to help! :)

Absolutely love these two pocket ID guides personally

https://www.amazon.com/PocketExpert-Guide-Marine-Fishes-Essential/dp/1890087386

https://www.amazon.com/PocketExpert-Guide-Marine-Invertebrates-Essential/dp/1890087661

Also you can subscribe them to Reef Hobbyist Magazine for free

http://www.reefhobbyistmagazine.com/

I bought this book and it has so much useful information that you will need to know. You could find all the info online, but when it is all in one place it makes it so much better. Best $20 I've spent so far.

If you're interested in some reading you should check your library for this book, it's a great read and actually where I think I read about the bamboo

You can run any size you like from a jar to a pond. Mine is a 20H. Bear in mind that you may need to reduce stocking levels somewhat below a "normal" tank to maintain equilibrium. A properly setup Walstad tank has 0/0/0 levels because the plants absorb the nitrogen as fast as the fish can make it.

She wrote a great book about it https://www.amazon.com/Ecology-Planted-Aquarium-Diana-Walstad/dp/0967377366

I have a few books, but I primarily use them as extra reading as opposed to using them as full fledged knowledge.

these are good to have as reference guides: http://www.amazon.com/PocketExpert-Guide-Marine-Fishes-Essential-/dp/1890087386/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420253578&sr=8-1&keywords=guide+to+marine+fish

as well as the invertebrate one.

I'm confused. How do you define "dirt?" I call it a dirt tank, because I used a topsoil made up of decomposed organic matter that is specifically sold to grow plants; it definitely contains suitable amounts of nutrients to allow plants to grow and thrive. Peat is the primary ingredient in this topsoil because as it decomposes it does not produce nitrates and phosphates as fast as a guano based topsoil will. The "dirt" is under the sand cap preventing it from mucking up the water and intentionally preventing high amounts of water circulation through the substrate. This allows anaerobic bacteria colonies to grow that will break down the solid fish waste and other pollutants not broken down by the bacteria living in the filter. The shrimp and MTSnails help support the process by burrowing through the top layers of the substrate. The way I understand it, in a dirt tank the anaerobic bacteria, deep in the substrate, are as important as the aerobic bacteria that live in the filter media.

The intent is to create, as closely as I can, a self sustaining biotope as described in "The Ecology of the Planted Aquarium" by Diana Walstad. Because I want more than 2 fish and a few shrimp and snails I use the filter and perform regular small water changes to reduce the overall bioload. This is why I consider my tank a "modified Walstad."

Oh, I test my water parameters religiously. I'd not want to let this run weeks without testing or water changes. It is still very immature for a Walstad style tank.

Aloha, and welcome! I would start with either Bernstein's book Aquaponic Gardening and/or Small-scale Aquaponic Food Production (free option). You will get a better start from either of these resources.

Sprackland wrote a book once, named Animals and Fishes in Aquaterrariums (TFH, 1995)... try and source it, if you can.

https://www.amazon.com/Animals-Fishes-Aquaterrariums-Robert-Sprackland/dp/0793801257

Firebelly toads might look cute, but they're really unsuited to a mixed species viv, they will bite/eat anything that moves near them. Dart frogs, small pipids (ADFs, small Pipa sp, Silurana), Kaola pulchra and small tree frogs are all much better with other species.

These are all great tips on how to get started... but the tips alone here arent enough to run a successful tank. This book is a relatively quick read and serves well as a reference for owning a tank. The important stuff is at the beginning, so you can read it and make purchases accordingly, then continue reading as your tank grows. It's not horribly difficult, and you can talk to your petstore owner about what animals are the most forgiving to newbie mistakes. Clownfish take some serious effort to kill, and so do many coral such as mushroom coral.

This book is like an aquaponic bible: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/086571701X/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Highly recommend it! It should have everything you need to know to get started.

Diana Walstad's Ecology of the planted tank covers a decent amount of this.

Freshwater chemistry is a broad term, since it encompasses many different fields, including wastewater treatment, aquaponics, fertilization, and other ecology. You most likely will have a hard time finding a "one ring to rule them all" approach to literature.

I feel like we did a good job of covering a lot of the meat in these topics in the Planted Tank part of our wiki, of which I am a major author on. Let me know if you have specific things you want to learn more about and I can link you some papers/further reading.

Get this book.

https://www.amazon.com/Conscientious-Marine-Aquarist-Microcosm-Professional/dp/1890087998/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466776945&sr=8-1&keywords=the+conscientious+marine+aquarium

Read it from Cover to Cover. It's best advice anyone gave me when I first started 6 months ago.

Ecology of the Planted Aquarium:... https://www.amazon.com/dp/0967377366?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Best most accurate thing I've ever read about aquarium keeping.

Agreed, take your time and do it right. Don't try to rush the setup.

Before I started my tank everyone I knew told me I had to read this book cover to cover. Well worth it. Most people consider it to be the reef keepers bible.

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This book was recommended by a friend when I first got started.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/086571701X/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_NQDAwbGSANCPC

akish24 is right. Corals need very stable conditions and things change fast in a small volume of water. You might like to start here: https://www.amazon.com/New-Marine-Aquarium-Michael-Paletta/dp/1890087521

Bernstein's book was my first one.

Some of the information/rules of thumb are a bit iffy, from what I'm told, but it's a good start, and you'll have edible plants.

Agreed, anyone who is interested in planted tanks should read Walstad's book at least once.

Sylvia Bernstein's Aquaponic Gardening is a lovely primer.

Another note: my sources are from personal experience, but I own and have read Walstad's book (which I highly recommend). I've had a 2.5g, 10g, 14g, 27g, and 75g Walstad tanks (but tweaked some of them a little by not using soil and dosing ferts -- easier to control, but same end result).

This is the most highly recommended resource on how to create and maintain an inexpensive, soil aquarium: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DB94K5I

Raising clowns is fairly involved, due in large part to culturing food for them such as rotifers. In addition to the small spare tank you already have, you'd need bottles or tanks for culturing phytoplankton, rotifers, and probably brine shrimp for when they get a bit larger. When I was breeding gold-stripe maroons many years ago, my go-to guide was Wilkerson's definitive text. It is worth having on the shelf for any clown enthusiast, even if you're not planning to breed.

Thanks, I just ordered her book. It has a recommendation from Robert Wetzel, which is huge: he's probably the most famous limnologist (lake scientist) ever. He wrote the textbook Limnology, which is regarded by everybody in the field as the definitive work on the topic. He has no competition.

Think about it--how much do humans have to mess with lakes and rivers to keep them running? Nature provides most of what's needed to keep a body of water self-sustaining.

The tricky part is the setup. You need lots of nutrients in the substrate, but also have lots of plants to absorb those nutrients before algae can take hold. You also need a relatively light fish load. It takes quite a few plants to support one oxygen-breathing creature.

This is easier with a larger tank, but also a shallow one so you can get lots of light to the bottom. However, even a sealed jar with a Ghost Shrimp can be self-sustaining. If well done from the start, the aquarium won't even need water changes (though it will need evaporation loss topped off).

The book on this is Diana Walstad's Ecology of the Planted Aquarium.

You are welcome! I learned it from this.

I am going to recommend you start doing some extra research before you take on this.

Bulk Reef Supply has a series of videos that are full of information on the hobby. I'd recommend watching as many of them ( if not all of them ) that you can. Also a book I was recommended that I've currently been reading through "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist"

The more you know going into this hobby, the better off you will be in the long run. You're attempting to create and maintain an ecosystem in your house / apartment / where ever this tank is located.

Starting new and diving right into trying to deal with a problematic tank might not be the best of ideas. As I don't currently have a tank setup yet take this opinion with a grain of salt, but I just can't see taking on a headache right out the gate.

I liked Aquaponic Gardening May have everything you want.

Natural Reef Aquariums is one of my favorite tomes.

Personally I looked up whatever I could, read some books, and then built my own system. After that it was just trial and error....and reddit posts of course :P

I got some good information from this book: https://www.amazon.com/Aquaponic-Gardening-Step-Step-Vegetables/dp/086571701X

I find this guide by our fellow redditor useful as a foundation. After that you can just google or youtube for anything more specific.

Sorry missed the part about wanting a natural habitat. In which case i recommed diana walstad's book or google walstad tanks.

Sorry to say, carbon isn't your answer. Here's a good article: https://m.liveaquaria.com/article/60/?aid=60

If you don't already have it, this book is the "bible" of planted aquariums and is worth purchasing. I've read it and can say no amount of internet research can substitute actually reading this book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0967377366/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_0ihFAb27M6F9Q

Ecology of the Planted Aquarium by Diana Walstad. It's a great low tech technique using real dirt in your aquarium.

I'm not sure how this sub feels about referral/affiliate links, but that one definitely has one. I see that there is mention of 'no url shorteners' in the sidebar rules. Here's the direct link

If you move the decimal over. This is about 1,000 in books...

(If I had to pick a few for 100 bucks: encyclopedia of country living, survival medicine, wilderness medicine, ball preservation, art of fermentation, a few mushroom and foraging books.)


Medical:

Where there is no doctor

Where there is no dentist

Emergency War Surgery

The survival medicine handbook

Auerbach’s Wilderness Medicine

Special Operations Medical Handbook

Food Production

Mini Farming

encyclopedia of country living

square foot gardening

Seed Saving

Storey’s Raising Rabbits

Meat Rabbits

Aquaponics Gardening: Step By Step

Storey’s Chicken Book

Storey Dairy Goat

Storey Meat Goat

Storey Ducks

Storey’s Bees

Beekeepers Bible

bio-integrated farm

soil and water engineering

Organic Mushroom Farming and Mycoremediation

Food Preservation and Cooking

Steve Rinella’s Large Game Processing

Steve Rinella’s Small Game

Ball Home Preservation

Charcuterie

Root Cellaring

Art of Natural Cheesemaking

Mastering Artesian Cheese Making

American Farmstead Cheesemaking

Joe Beef: Surviving Apocalypse

Wild Fermentation

Art of Fermentation

Nose to Tail

Artisan Sourdough

Designing Great Beers

The Joy of Home Distilling

Foraging

Southeast Foraging

Boletes

Mushrooms of Carolinas

Mushrooms of Southeastern United States

Mushrooms of the Gulf Coast


Tech

farm and workshop Welding

ultimate guide: plumbing

ultimate guide: wiring

ultimate guide: home repair

off grid solar

Woodworking

Timberframe Construction

Basic Lathework

How to Run A Lathe

Backyard Foundry

Sand Casting

Practical Casting

The Complete Metalsmith

Gears and Cutting Gears

Hardening Tempering and Heat Treatment

Machinery’s Handbook

How to Diagnose and Fix Everything Electronic

Electronics For Inventors

Basic Science


Chemistry

Organic Chem

Understanding Basic Chemistry Through Problem Solving

Ham Radio

AARL Antenna Book

General Class Manual

Tech Class Manual


MISC

Ray Mears Essential Bushcraft

Contact!

Nuclear War Survival Skills

The Knowledge: How to rebuild civilization in the aftermath of a cataclysm

Check out this book: Ecology of the Planted Aquarium

Read through it and you will know more than most people with an aquarium. Armed with this knowledge you could have a miniature underwater forest for a fraction of the cost and headache of most aquariums.

Why don't you do what I do when I start a new hobby?

1: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Conscientious-Marine-Aquarist-Professional/dp/1890087998

Possibly "Ecology of the Planted Aquarium" by Diana Walstad?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0967377366/

I bought this book for my saltwater aquarium. A lot of info in there.
http://www.amazon.com/PocketExpert-Guide-Marine-Fishes-Essential-To-Know/dp/1890087386

For a website: http://fishbase.org

Diana Walstad's Ecology of the Planted Aquarium.

This book could be of infinite use if you guys live on the coast.

I don't have any experience with the desktop jelly kits though, sorry.

Idiot stoners at Worms Way said to use it as a foliar spray and "you'll wake up and everything will be bright green." I woke up and everything was black and stayed that way. You should get the API Master Kit. I found it at the local pet store. Throw some worms in there. Red wigglers are available at most gas stations in proximity to a lake or river. They seem to make nutrients more available. Do you have the Aquaponic Gardening book? She says pH should be between 6.8 and 7.

Buy [this book] (http://www.amazon.com/Ecology-Planted-Aquarium-Diana-Walstad/dp/0967377366/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367726741&sr=8-1&keywords=ecology+of+the+planted+aquarium). Read it, then read it again. I have two Walstad style/ultra low tech tanks - they do cycle themselves to some degree, but you still have to do regular water changes. As my tanks have matured I've had to do less and less frequent changes - down to about 3 times a year on my 60 gal (227 liters) and every 3 months or so on my 20 (75 liters). Smaller tanks require more water changes, especially one as small as 30 l. If you're looking for a low maintenance tank you might be disappointed - though you won't be changing the water as often as you might with a more traditional setup, you still need to test the water on a regular basis (ph, nitrate/nitrite, ammonia, gh/kh, etc). It also takes several months for the tank to really establish itself! (plants to get comfortable, bacteria to level out, new growth to start).

edit: ramshorn snails will eat your plants. Snails will probably crop up in your aquarium no matter what, but if you're dead set on purchasing some I recommend Nerites.