Photo: My 29 gallon aquarium

I just picked up this 29 gallon aquarium tonight off of craigslist. I'm going to let it filter for a few days then put in the ornaments. It also came with a air rock and a bubble wand but with no air pump.:dizzy: For some reason my family think your supposed to hook the airlines up to the filter but i guess they just don't understand. Don't worry i know there is gravel in there, I'm going to get guppies in a few days and before i get the axie I'm going to take the gravel out and get some sand Picture doesn't want to upload i will probably get it up in the morning.

You can buy a cheap air pump. Or just ditch the whole air set up if you want.
I'd get the gravel out now if the tank has no water in it. If the tank already has water in it then I'd get the gravel out now. Then I'd get the gravel out. And soon. Like now even.
After I got the gravel out (now) I'd put in the sand and an ammonia source to start the cycle. Do you have a test kit? This is a good time to get a baseline on your water parameters and you will need it for cycling the tank.
You can use a bit of food or a few live animals as an ammonia source to start the cycle. I use Freshwater Ghost/Grass Shrimp (Palaemonetes paludosus around here) because I get them 10-12 for a dollar and the ones that survive the cycling and then the Axolotl's appetite make great tank mates. Guppies or other feeders.... not so much. YMMV. Live plants are good as well. :happy:

It wouldn't let me edit the first post to add the picture so here it is. Thanks Mac for your advice I will take the gravel out as soon as i can. I am probably just not gonna bother messing with the airlines because I think my filter irritates the water enough. So i can use just regular old goldfish food to start the cycle? Im not sure when i will be able to go to the petstore but i will pick up some ghost shrimp and sand.

Yes. You can use a small amount of Goldfish food to start the cycling. almost anything organic that can begin to decompose seems to work pretty well... though plant matter doesn't seem to cause Ammonia to build up quite like decaying food or animal matter.


Edit: Were the tank and gravel dry when you got them? Cleaned or just drained and moved?

Mac Myers said:

Yes. You can use a small amount of Goldfish food to start the cycling. almost anything organic that can begin to decompose seems to work pretty well... though plant matter doesn't seem to cause Ammonia to build up quite like decaying food or animal matter.


Edit: Were the tank and gravel dry when you got them? Cleaned or just drained and moved?

Click to expand...

Yes, the tank and gravel were dry when i got them and the person i got them from cleaned them a few days before i picked it up.

Edit:Found it, here is the exact webpage.http://wardsci.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_IG0013576

Ignore the second part of my last post that was supposed to be in another thread. I fail so much.