Office Fish

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#1
I have 1 coworker who has a 20 gallon that she is willing to donate to the office moral booster. It had fish in it up until a few years ago. The pump went out during one of the hurricanes and the fish didn't make it :( Can i do a planted tank in a 20 gallon? How hard is it to cycle & then maintain a planted tank? It will be in a mostly temperature controlled office, there shouldn't be much (any?) direct sun shinning on it. Any easy to keep fish? I'm looking for:
1) Easy to maintain and keep looking nice
2) Can go over the weekend without feeding, or do well on those big tablety things
3) Pretty fish



I'm also planning on picking up a few 5 gallon tanks at the pet store to keep a few bettas.
 
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#2
My coworker with a 20 gallon just walked into my office, "my memory was flawed, it's actually a 10 gallon" But, I will have the tank today to take home, clean up, and get it going. I have another coworker who is donating some plants. I'm getting pretty excited.
 

amberdyan

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#3
Fun! I was recently gifted a 10 gallon and I'm trying to decide what to do with it. It has a filter, a heater and a cover, I just need to buy bulbs, plants, substrate and fish. Even though you have limited options stocking a 10 gallon, I'm having a really hard time deciding.
 

Julee

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#4
Is it a 20 long or a normal 20? You can definitely do a planted tank in there, and once I know which it is, I will recommend stock options. Stay away from those feeder tablets, they just kind of mess up the water instead of feeding fish - they'll be fine with a meal before you all leave Friday and another when you get back Monday.

Cycling is easier (and quicker) if you can add bacteria from a mature tank. I can give you some if you want. Get an "API Master Test Kit" and keep an eye on the parameters - once they're stable for about a week, you can begin to slowly add fish.
 
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#5
Is it a 20 long or a normal 20? You can definitely do a planted tank in there, and once I know which it is, I will recommend stock options. Stay away from those feeder tablets, they just kind of mess up the water instead of feeding fish - they'll be fine with a meal before you all leave Friday and another when you get back Monday.

Cycling is easier (and quicker) if you can add bacteria from a mature tank. I can give you some if you want. Get an "API Master Test Kit" and keep an eye on the parameters - once they're stable for about a week, you can begin to slowly add fish.
it's a 10 gallon, not a 20 :( Her turtle is in the 20 gallon. Oh well. I have to spend a little time cleaning off the mineral deposits left on the side, but hope to have it set up next week.
 
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#6
10 g are great for planted tanks as well. In some ways they are easier because they are smaller you can get away with a bit less light. My daughters we just used standard fluorescent screw in bulbs in the regular hood and while I would not grow the hard plants, it was MORE than enough for the low to medium light plants. Plants also help keep the tank more stable. Fish should be totally fine not eating over a weekend.
 

Julee

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#7
In a planted 10g I would do a small school of corydoras (4-6 pandas), a dwarf gourami as a centerpiece fish, and a school (6) of neon tetras or harlequin rasboras. Because the tank is planted, it can handle the slight overstocking. Just do a weekly water change of 25-30%.


Pet Supplies Plus is having a sale on certain tanks for a dollar a gallon right now, btw.
 
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#8
10 gallon is being taken to the office today. It came with a Whisper 20 filter and an air pump, so i an check those off my list of things to get. I'm hoping to get a chance to stop by the PetSmart down the road to get the substrate, some plants, a heater, a thermostat, and a water test kit. Then to try to explain to the numbskulls that I'm not just dumping a load of fish in and hoping for the best
 
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#10
I have a co-worker with an already cycled tank. I'm getting plants from her tomorrow (?), and I'm kind of hoping those will kick start the cycling process for me. I picked up a water testing kit thing, so I'll start testing the water tomorrow.
 

Julee

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#11
Ask her for some filter media or water from her tank as well, it will help kick start the cycle. :)
 
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#13
I have a co-worker with an already cycled tank. I'm getting plants from her tomorrow (?), and I'm kind of hoping those will kick start the cycling process for me. I picked up a water testing kit thing, so I'll start testing the water tomorrow.
It will, but you still have to add a source of ammonia to build the bacteria and cycle the tank. Adding plants will help a bit, filter media will really jump start it...but you do have to have an ammonia source still.
 
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#15
thanks Greenmagik. I have read a lot of about cycling a tank, but that was before I knew this co-worker already had a cycled tank, so yesterday was a mad dash to read how to cycle when using stuff from an already cycled tank. i obviously wasn't super successful.

Thoughts on trying to cycle at 2.5 gallon? Or am I better off just doing regular water changes? This tank will also be planted and I'm planning on having a single betta in it.
 
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#16
Upper level management came in today and told us that if we really like the tank and promise to keep it clean, he'd invest some money into getting a large tank. So that's fun.
 

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