Tropical Fish settup
Discussion
Right then, I know there are better places on the interweb to ask this, but, I'm not a member so thought I'd give it a shot.
I'm looking to set up a small tropical fich tank, 2 foot, by 1, by 1, so nothing massive.
Can anyone recomend good places to by filters and like, recomend any makes.
What do I need, a filter (biological?), heater, gravel, plants, fish etc.
Cheers,
Cramman
I'm looking to set up a small tropical fich tank, 2 foot, by 1, by 1, so nothing massive.
Can anyone recomend good places to by filters and like, recomend any makes.
What do I need, a filter (biological?), heater, gravel, plants, fish etc.
Cheers,
Cramman
several recommendations for info in the other thread!
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0... keeping
You'll find others in the search etc
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0... keeping
You'll find others in the search etc
I'd suggest you go a read up, there is plenty of stuff on the web.
In addition to what you have listed, you'll need pH, ammonia and nitrate testing kits and a thermometer.
You will need to cycle the tank before you put the fish in and don't put them all in at once.
Read up on how many fish the tank can support etc.
You may want to look at a kit with the tank etc for one price, this can sometimes be cheaper.
Don't buy second hand as there may be problems with the equipment passed on from the previous owner. (i.e. you end up with lots of dead fish!)
When you do buy fish, get ones that can live together and not eat each other or permanently fighting.
In addition to what you have listed, you'll need pH, ammonia and nitrate testing kits and a thermometer.
You will need to cycle the tank before you put the fish in and don't put them all in at once.
Read up on how many fish the tank can support etc.
You may want to look at a kit with the tank etc for one price, this can sometimes be cheaper.
Don't buy second hand as there may be problems with the equipment passed on from the previous owner. (i.e. you end up with lots of dead fish!)
When you do buy fish, get ones that can live together and not eat each other or permanently fighting.
I'd get down to your local shop and ask their advice, I've found the people I've spoken to to be very helpful.
I bought my tank on eBay for about £50. It's 60 litres, rectangular and came with the filter, plants, heater, gravel, lights, in fact everything I needed to get started except the fish.
I bought my tank on eBay for about £50. It's 60 litres, rectangular and came with the filter, plants, heater, gravel, lights, in fact everything I needed to get started except the fish.
Thanks for the replies.
I know it's a small tank, but, that's all I can fit without getting rid of the PS3 and V+ which sn't going to happen.
Also, I can't change where I can have it as anywhere other than where I have it now will be pointless as it won't be seen or just get in the way.
As for what I want, just a small community type arrangement. I'm thinking some tetras for the there smallness and then a couple of the those siemese fighting fish, I'd guessing not to blokes as they'll just kick each other to s
t.
Oh, and a couple of shrimp thyp things to wander around.
I know it's a small tank, but, that's all I can fit without getting rid of the PS3 and V+ which sn't going to happen.
Also, I can't change where I can have it as anywhere other than where I have it now will be pointless as it won't be seen or just get in the way.
As for what I want, just a small community type arrangement. I'm thinking some tetras for the there smallness and then a couple of the those siemese fighting fish, I'd guessing not to blokes as they'll just kick each other to s
t.Oh, and a couple of shrimp thyp things to wander around.
A tank that small you'd be fine with an Interpet internal filter and a small enclosed glass heater.
Get the water in and get your treatments in to neutralise the ammonia etc. Get some bacteria in to start the colonisation of your filter.
You can buy bacteria and water treatments from a good pet shop. A good shop will also test your water free of charge and advise you on what to do if the balance is out.
Then after a week get 4 or 5 hardy, easy fish like zebra danios in for a few weeks, to kick-start the biological cycle. Be prepared that one or two might pop off. Some people say you should get your water perfect before adding fish, but fish are needed to get the cycle and balance going, so I think it's better to get fish in as soon as the water is reasonable and let them do the work. Fish like danios are cheap as chips, so if one kicks the bucket it's not serious, just get the body out as soon as.
Change 10-20% of your water every 2 weeks, remembering to add treatments in proportion to how much water is coming in.
Give it a few weeks and then you can add more fish once you see that the danios are ok. Rule of thumb is an inch of fish per inch of tank width, but remember that fish grow, so you need to measure on their fully grown size.
Get the water in and get your treatments in to neutralise the ammonia etc. Get some bacteria in to start the colonisation of your filter.
You can buy bacteria and water treatments from a good pet shop. A good shop will also test your water free of charge and advise you on what to do if the balance is out.
Then after a week get 4 or 5 hardy, easy fish like zebra danios in for a few weeks, to kick-start the biological cycle. Be prepared that one or two might pop off. Some people say you should get your water perfect before adding fish, but fish are needed to get the cycle and balance going, so I think it's better to get fish in as soon as the water is reasonable and let them do the work. Fish like danios are cheap as chips, so if one kicks the bucket it's not serious, just get the body out as soon as.
Change 10-20% of your water every 2 weeks, remembering to add treatments in proportion to how much water is coming in.
Give it a few weeks and then you can add more fish once you see that the danios are ok. Rule of thumb is an inch of fish per inch of tank width, but remember that fish grow, so you need to measure on their fully grown size.
Slow down a second.
You need to cycle the tank first. This is essential - you'll end up with stressed and/or dead fish first.
Theres three basic methods - fish in, fishless and mature media transfer. Of the 3, the last 2 are the only guaranteed safe options. With the first you have to pop a few hardy fish in, hope for the best and do lots of water changes.
Have you bought a testing kit yet? You want a liquid drop based kit which tests for Ammonia, Nitrites and nitrates and pH - API do a very good one, and its an essential bit of kit.
If you're going for a 60L size tank your stocking is going to be restricted - its too small for anything especially interesting, but you could get a few nice fish in there provided you take your time. I'd look at half a dozen panda corys, a honey gourami, 8 ember tetra's and maybe something else.
Check out this forum - I'm a member, and its a VERY good place to get advice, so long as you wait for a couple of opinions (like PH, there are people on there who talk tripe very convincingly.)
http://www.fishforums.net/
For more info on cycling - essential reading if you're new to the hobby imo :
http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=1753...
Please trust me on the above. It means a bit more work on your part, but you'll end up with a happier healthier tank of fish.
Oh, and one more thing - whoever said that buying second hand is a bad idea I strongly disagree with. I've got 4 active tanks right now (reduced from 8 due to a house move) and own enough gear to stock twice that number. All of which was bought second hand - you just need to know the basic things to look out for.
You need to cycle the tank first. This is essential - you'll end up with stressed and/or dead fish first.
Theres three basic methods - fish in, fishless and mature media transfer. Of the 3, the last 2 are the only guaranteed safe options. With the first you have to pop a few hardy fish in, hope for the best and do lots of water changes.
Have you bought a testing kit yet? You want a liquid drop based kit which tests for Ammonia, Nitrites and nitrates and pH - API do a very good one, and its an essential bit of kit.
If you're going for a 60L size tank your stocking is going to be restricted - its too small for anything especially interesting, but you could get a few nice fish in there provided you take your time. I'd look at half a dozen panda corys, a honey gourami, 8 ember tetra's and maybe something else.
Check out this forum - I'm a member, and its a VERY good place to get advice, so long as you wait for a couple of opinions (like PH, there are people on there who talk tripe very convincingly.)
http://www.fishforums.net/
For more info on cycling - essential reading if you're new to the hobby imo :
http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=1753...
Please trust me on the above. It means a bit more work on your part, but you'll end up with a happier healthier tank of fish.
Oh, and one more thing - whoever said that buying second hand is a bad idea I strongly disagree with. I've got 4 active tanks right now (reduced from 8 due to a house move) and own enough gear to stock twice that number. All of which was bought second hand - you just need to know the basic things to look out for.
Cheers.
With regard to cycling, I know this has to be done. Just printed something on it and will print the link you posted. Cheers.
I have just orderded a API test kit so have that on the way. Plan is to get some water in this weekend, need to read my info, but then I'd like to get a few fish in the weekend after. If the water is OK of course.
Thanks again.
With regard to cycling, I know this has to be done. Just printed something on it and will print the link you posted. Cheers.
I have just orderded a API test kit so have that on the way. Plan is to get some water in this weekend, need to read my info, but then I'd like to get a few fish in the weekend after. If the water is OK of course.
Thanks again.
cramman said:
Cheers.
With regard to cycling, I know this has to be done. Just printed something on it and will print the link you posted. Cheers.
I have just orderded a API test kit so have that on the way. Plan is to get some water in this weekend, need to read my info, but then I'd like to get a few fish in the weekend after. If the water is OK of course.
Thanks again.
From the link posted 2 above:With regard to cycling, I know this has to be done. Just printed something on it and will print the link you posted. Cheers.
I have just orderded a API test kit so have that on the way. Plan is to get some water in this weekend, need to read my info, but then I'd like to get a few fish in the weekend after. If the water is OK of course.
Thanks again.
"if it is at all possible you should return these fish to the store and then do a fishless cycle"
As I said previously, please read up on fishless cycling. It will mean some work on your part and no fish for 4-6 weeks, but will help your fish live both in the short and long term.
Edited by Stevenj214 on Tuesday 7th July 17:37
A fishless cycle will take 3-4 weeks, but is alot safer and means you're ready to fully stock right away (as long as the fish you're adding don't need a mature tank.)
The other option is to get someone to donate you some mature media - where do you live? The forums I linked do a mature media programme. Basically you pop some media straight from someone elses filter into your filter. Voila! Instantly cycled tank.
The other option is to get someone to donate you some mature media - where do you live? The forums I linked do a mature media programme. Basically you pop some media straight from someone elses filter into your filter. Voila! Instantly cycled tank.
Aye, I've read up a bit now, a week to cylcle the was a little ambitious.
I'm in the North East, Sunderland ish. I may see if I can get some filter stuff off my local aquarium shop, he seems quite helpful. Or, I may just do it myself, it'll help me get used to my water tests etc.
I gather I can still mess about with the tanks in this time, ie, adding plants, decorations etc?!?
Cheers.
I'm in the North East, Sunderland ish. I may see if I can get some filter stuff off my local aquarium shop, he seems quite helpful. Or, I may just do it myself, it'll help me get used to my water tests etc.
I gather I can still mess about with the tanks in this time, ie, adding plants, decorations etc?!?
Cheers.
GreenDog said:
I've just changed my filter at the weekend and am in South Shields regularly, I could have given you the old one to get your tank going if I'd known ! Ah well.
Aye, well - wasn't meant to be I guess. Thanks for the offer tho. Think I'll try the fella at Harton Aquatics, he may even sell me something. Worth a try.Edited by cramman on Wednesday 8th July 14:22
Just avoid the bottled insta-cycle magic juice - they're often sold as a way of instantly starting a cycle, and I've done alot of digging on them - they don't. The most they will do is speed up the cycle, and in most cases they don't even do that.
Have you tried looking on fishforums.net for the mature media donation programme?
http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=1506...
Don't know your part of the world well enough to know if anyone is near you, but its worth a try.
Have you tried looking on fishforums.net for the mature media donation programme?
http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=1506...
Don't know your part of the world well enough to know if anyone is near you, but its worth a try.
cramman said:
I've had a look. There is someone very local on that list. Just need to join to see how active they are. I'll have a look tonight I think. Meant to be working from home right now.
TYNE & WEAR/SOUTH SHIELDS Smurfy
is the fella, and I'm in Shields.
Name doesn't ring any bells with me, but theres alot of members who hide in obscure corners of those forums. If that doesn't work, stick a post up in the Wanted section of the classifieds. Never hurts to ask.TYNE & WEAR/SOUTH SHIELDS Smurfy
is the fella, and I'm in Shields.
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