This "Fry" Needs Help

I plan on getting this in the future

12 Neon Tetras
6 Emperor Tetras
2 Diamond Tetras
2 Gold Tetras
6 Corydoras (2 Green Gold, Bronze, 2 Bandit/Panda)
12 Yamato (Amano) Shrimp, Ghost (Glass) Shrimp, or ½ Dzn. Ea.

I Calculated that the best tank would be a 45 gallon (Long) 48 1/4 x12 3/4 x19 Aquarium.

*Note - All chemicals, additives, and anything in the for the aquarium should all be non-toxic to the fish, crustaceans, and plant life.*

*Please when answering my questions please post the number of the question your answering. It would make it easier on my part.*

1.) What are the “chemical” preparations needed to be done to the water before I purchase any aquatic creatures?

2.)What do I need to do in order to start the Nitrogen Cycle in the aquarium when I get set?

3.) When you put down a substrate can you put gravel or sand on top of it and what would be the best inexpensive substrate?

4.) Can the following plants used for my aquatic life selection?

Java Fern (Narrow Leaf) [Microsorium Pteropus]
Wisteria [Hygrophila Difformis]
Java Moss [Vescularia Dubyana]
Dwarf Baby Tears [ Hemianthus Callitrichoides]
Anacharis [Egeria Densa]
Dwarf Hairgrass [Eleocharis Acicularis]
Dwarf Hygro [Hygrophila Polysperma]

5.) What are some other plants good for my aquatic life selection?

6.) What is the best inexpensive equipment I can buy that is required for a Tropical Freshwater Tank?

Heater?
Filter: Bottom Filter or hanging Filter, Bio, Chemical, or Mechanical?
Thermometer?
Lighting?
Anything else?

7.) What are the best inexpensive items I can buy for cleaning and care of the tank?

*As for siphons I'd like one that will prevent me from sucking up any aquatic life yet will clean the tank and do water changes if you know of a brand please list it*

8.) What chemicals or additives (besides good substrate and lighting) are required in order to maintain healthy plants?

9.) What are some tools required to maintain aquatic Plants?

10.) As for the water hardness in regards to the Neon Tetras, Emperor Tetras, Ghost Shrimp, and Algae Eating (Amano/Yamato)

11.) Shrimp Do I go with the dGH (degrees of general hardness) measurment or with a different measurement for water hardness?

12.) Having studied the water conditions, would the pH level of 6.5 be acceptable for all of my future aquatic life? Is 77* F an acceptable temperature for my aquarium?

13.) Also studying the dGH levels, I feel the dGH level should be at least 6 or 7 or what would be the best dGH level for my "community"?

14. ) Is there a chemical treatment that is non-toxic to the "community" that will stablize the water hardness?

Thank you to anyone who can help this "fry" grow in the world of aquariums.

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Comment by Jason DuBois on April 19, 2012 at 9:57am: Go to the library.

Comment by Tony Snyder on April 19, 2012 at 4:00pm: I have been to the library. But, I didn't much info from the books. I need help from experienced people who have done this for awhile.

Comment by Jerome AKA PhDflops on April 19, 2012 at 8:15pm: 1)Honestly you only need a dechlorinater to make water suitable for fishes, use prime, it only requires 2 drops per gallon, very efficient.

2)You need poop or fish food that will decay into ammonia, it has phosphates but I wouldn't care as long as it starts the Nitrogen Cycle

3)You should get soil (with no fertilizer) since you're getting plants. An aquarists rule is 1 pound of gravel per gallon but a planted aquarium needs 1 inch of soil and 1 1/2 of gravel to cap off

I would get blackish gravel because it makes the plants and fishes POP

4 & 5)Java Moss gives great hiding spots and grabs anything it can grab, I'd also get Anubias

Get driftwood! It will yellow your tank but it adds dimensions bro

6) Most fish require heaters

Filtration is big during the Nitrogen Cycle, 45 Gal right? Get a canister they'll do great

if not get a HOB Filter, The Fluval C Series is the best in my opinion, its literally a Canister in a HOB.

7)If you want a siphon to not catch any fishes. Than I would clog the out put with a sponge, but that would decrease the flow. Other than that Water Changes are bigger than Filtration, when you put food and plants in, something has to come out. And how would you do water changes on a 45 without a siphon? A huge bucket? Oh and get a test kit, during the nitrogen cycle it helps, but since im done with the nitrogen cycle i havent used one ever since like 2 months.

8) Get a dirted aquarium! The creator of this site Dustin is a PRO in plants. Dirted aquariums are hard to start but all you need is patience. Dirted plants provide enough nutrients for a year, but if you want supplements than its liquid flourish. There are other Flourish bottles like flourish excel that boosts co2 and photosynthesis. But the plants already get the nutrients from the dirt the only thing you're doing is putting nature on steroids.

9)You just need fishing line, but thats only if you want to tie plants to things, other than that you can get dirty with plants using hands.

10) Never had tetras but for shrimp, do you really want shrimp on a new tank? Let it establish (in like 4 months, thats pretty fast in fish time) so the algae can grow for them to eat.

11) If you still want shrimp get algae wafers with it, my hardness is city water hard but I have crystal red shrimps in my tank

12)You call the shots for you're aquarium! You choose the temp and hardness! You should only look at our tips as considerations!

13)Call the shots. I don't pay attention to my hardness.

14) I dunno