Another newbie

[smof1]

Hi all. Just signed up and was asked to make a thread saying hello, so here I am.

I've had tanks a couple of times in the past. When I was a kid, which was sadly a bit of a fish killing machine, and for a few years in my 20s, which went much better but I still made plenty of mistakes. Had to get rid of it when I moved abroad for a while but have always wanted to have one again so am finally getting on it. Arranged to pick up a 200L / 50 US gal at the weekend. I'm also getting a 22L / 6 gal Fluval betta tank because it was a good deal. My plan for the small tank was just to have plants in there, maybe a couple of snails, but wondered if I could also use it as a quarantine tank.

Couple of initial questions: For UK folks, my nearest fish store is a Maidenhead Aquatics - are they ok for livestock or should I avoid and try to find somewhere else? And secondly, I've been using https://www.aquariumstockingcalculator.com/ to check the fish I'm thinking about, so if anyone has opinions on if it's a worthwhile tool or not that would be good to hear.

(to be clear, I'm not going to run out and buy fish this weekend, just planning ahead. I anticipate a couple of months before I actually get any fish.)

 

[MattW67 183]

Welcome to the forum!

Maidenhead are really the only chain store I would buy from. 99% of the time, the staff are knowledgeable and are also fishkeepers, in my experience. I've found my local stores do medicate the tank racks biweekly when deliveries happen. Not sure which part of the UK you are based in, but there are some very good independently run stores out there, so don't miss the opportunity to visit them if you get a chance.

As for stocking, I would choose fish that fit the water parameters of the water you plan to add to the tanks. Using tap water with a dechlorinator is the easiest, as you don't have to add any chemicals or additives. You can usually find this info on your water company's website (look at water hardness). Also, don't forget when setting up a tank to make sure it is cycled first, or it can end badly.

Do give this a read if you are unsure about cycling a tank

Cycle Your Tank! A Complete Guide For Beginners

Fishless cycling https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/ Silent or plant cycling https://www.fishforums.net/threads/planted-silent-cycling.470400/ Fish-in cycling...

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