please review & comment my steps

[gagaliya]

Hello expert! i have done a lot of research online about my first fish tank, and think am now ready to actually start buying. Please review my steps below and comment on any errors or concerns you see, thanks!

1) Equipments to buy:
a) Eclipse System Six Aquarium
b) Bottle of Bio-Safe
c) Bag of Bio-SPIRA
d) Bottle of Bio-Coat
e) Bottle of Bio-Blend
f) The Bismack
g) A couple fake plants

2) Fish
a) One Blue Lobster for tank cleaning / eating algae(?)
b) One Male Betta

3) Setup tank + gravel + decor
4) Add tap water
5) Add Bio-Safe
6) Wait 24 hours
7) Add Bio-Spira and Bio-Coat
8) Wait 1 hour
9) Add lobster and betta
10) Done?!

Maintainence
1) Change 25% water every 6 weeks by first have a bucket of new tap water and steps 5) 6) 7) 8). Then remove 25% water from tank, and add in the new water.
2) Feed the fish of course.

My questions:
1) My biggest concern is the blue lobster, will it survive? will it fight with the betta? Is a 6 gallon tank too small for the lobster? I really want this lobster but dont want it to die.

2) Temperature, how exactly do i control the tempature between summer/winter/ac/heat etc? From my understanding, the built in light in the tank is sufficient? for a 6 gallon tank.

3) Testing for ph, do i need to do that with just 1 betta and 1 lobster? If so how? put the ph stripe in the water once a while?

4) From my understanding the lobster is the tank cleaner and will eat algae? but where do the algae come from since i am using all fake plants?

5) Is there an automatic fish feeder that will fit inside the eclipse 6 tank?

6) any other problems you see with my setup?

thank you so much for your help! all comments welcome.

gaga

 

[Holly9937]

As for equipment, the bio coat is not necessary. All you need is a conditioner that removes chlorine/chloramine. I would actually recommend prime over the biosafe. It treats alot of water for cheap compared to alot of other conditioners.

A 6 gallon tank is too small for the lobster. Double check the link you posted for it, minimum 20g. I would also not house it with fish that I did not want it to eat. I don't know that I would believe it is that docile!!

Since it is such a small tank, the waste will build up pretty quickly. You will want to change about 25% once a week at least.

The light is probably not sufficient to hold a STABLE temp. which is important. You will most likely need a small heater

The liquid test kits are much more reliable than the strips. You will want kits for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph. You can get a pretty cheap master test kit by aquarium pharmaceuticals from www.bigalsonline.com

Algae grows for lots of reasons, too much light, too many nutrients/food in the tank,etc. I don't think the lobster is really known for its algae eating.

Why do you want an automatic feeder? Unless you will be gone for weeks, you don't really need one, they usually overfeed and can cause you water quality problems.

I would either get a larger tank, or only get the betta. I would also be ok with the possibility of the lobster eating any fish you add (if you go with the larger tank) b/c it is a possibility.

 

[Jerm]

That lobster should have at least a 20 gallon tank, but i would not go with less than a 30 or maybe even a 55. Lobsters are very likely to eat your fishes, especially a betta, because bettas are slow.

 

[Roan Art]

Lobster definitely must have a 20g or more tank.

I'm a HUGE supporter of the Procambarus sp. lobster (crayfish), but I advise you to NOT put a betta in with that or any other lobster.

Why? Because bettas are nosey as all get out and they don't turn very fast. Once they get going they can be pretty speedy, but not for fast turns. Your betta will definitely get into that lobsters face at least once and once is all it takes. He won't be able to get out of the way of a claw in time -- whether it's just a warning or no. That could result in a fatality or in the very least, shredded beta fins. You don't want that.

As an aside, I have that very same lobster and got it from LiveAquaria. He's in a 20g (to be upgraded to a 36g) with 3 silver dollars, 2 tiger barbs, a candy striped pleco and a mystery snail. Great lobster!


Huh. Hey, PumaWard! A record! This is the only time I've ever advised against this type of lobster

Roan

 

[rebecca2]

I agree, lobster bad, water changes not enough.

I'm wondering where you got the idea for a 25% water change every 6 weeks. Was that from a site or LFS? I change 50% every week in my 33 gallon (surely more than necessary but I like to do plant maintenance with the water level low) and in the 10 gallon tanks, and ALL the water in my small betta tank every week.

In fact I'm a water change freak.

-It often improves health problems without the need for medications (fin rot, for example, tends to turn up with poor water quality.)
-It keeps the water chemistry in your aquarium more stable because nothing has a long time to build up or be depleted.
-Gives you more opportunities to vacuum gravel.
-If you are using your household water supply, your tank water will stay very similar, so the more you change water, the more water you can change.
-The fish always seem more lively and colourful after changes.

The only time I would worry about water changes shocking a system is if you don't do enough of them.

 

[gagaliya]

thanks guys, guess i wont be getting the lobster (or maybe! i will just get the lobster and no fishes...)

I'm wondering where you got the idea for a 25% water change every 6 weeks. Was that from a site or LFS?

This is what the customer support said:

"You may want to consider the Eclipse System 12, Nano Cube, or AquaPod for easy to setup and manage smaller aquariums. Due to their completely enclosed design, these tanks require less topping off than most others. However, you may still want to perform water changes on these monthly to assure a healthy environment for the fish you keep in them. Of these, the Eclipse System is designed to be best with freshwater tanks, while the Nano Cube and AquaPod are better for saltwater reef tanks."

provided it's a little different (12 gallon and 4 tetra) vs (6 gallon and 1 betta). Is the frequency of water change more to do with the fact i want a betta? if i go with the smaller tetra, do i still need to change the water every week? How about if i just put a single blue lobster in the tank? how often do i have to change water.

 

[Roan Art]

. . .provided it's a little different (12 gallon and 4 tetra) vs (6 gallon and 1 betta). Is the frequency of water change more to do with the fact i want a betta? if i go with the smaller tetra, do i still need to change the water every week? How about if i just put a single blue lobster in the tank? how often do i have to change water.

Customer support needs a spanking and a huge clue.

Doesn't matter what you put in the tank, no one here will advocate anything less than a 25% per week water change. Many do 50% a week.

I do 50%, every week, on all my tanks. I have an Eclipse System 6 and it gets 50% every week like everything else.

Roan

 

[chefkeith]

I have an eclipse 6 tank. I use it for a snail tank and quarantine tank for small weak/injured fish. IMO, it's not a good tank for most fish to thrive. (maybe a good Betta tank though) It's just too small.
A heater is not needed if the room temp is kept above 72F degrees. The filter will heat the water about 5F degrees above the room temp.

 

[Roan Art]

I have an eclipse 6 tank. I use it for a snail tank and quarantine tank for small weak/injured fish. IMO, it's not a good tank for most fish to thrive. (maybe a good Betta tank though) It's just too small.

It's a great betta tank

A heater is not needed if the room temp is kept above 72F degrees. The filter will heat the water about 5F degrees above the room temp.

My heater keeps my tank where I set it -- 80 degrees.

If there's a betta in there, usually 5 degrees above room temp is not only fine, but something you want.

Roan