Back To Fish Keeping After 20 Year Vacation

[Newbiesoulman]

hi to everyone on here , just introducing myself as a old, but new beginner, lol , my name is Eddy and I live in Widnes , Cheshire
 
I tried to keep fish 20 years ago but I gave it up, as everything fish wise was not working that good at that time , ie tank management , to be honest looking back I didn't have a clue what you do about keeping fish , but with these forums, the internet and people in the lfs , also with me having more time and the kids have now left home ,I have decide to get back into keeping tropical fish.
 
In march this year my lad bought me a fluval edge tank , as a thanks for gutting his house and renovating it from top to bottom ( 2 years it took to finish ) it was a wreck as the owners trashed it before it was repossessed , so as it is at the moment its a new beginning for me,
 
I will post my hi and lows I have had since being back into the fold, later as I have to go to the bank before it shuts
,
 
All the best Eddy
 
 
 

 

[the_lock_man]

to the forum, Eddy.

 

[Newbiesoulman]

thanks mate . a pleasure to join on here , thanks Eddy

 

[TallTree01]

Welcome to tff mate. Welcome back to the world of fishes.

 

[meandmykribs]

  Eddy, from round my neck of the woods

 

[Newbiesoulman]

hi to you all thanks for the welcome ,
 
it started for me 20 years or so ago , I decide to get a fish tank and some fish , to get good advice in them days was quite hard to be honest  , the books were far to hard to under stand , the lfs just wanted you to buy any type of fish  no matter what it was , so I ended up with the wrong fish together , clown loaches , plecs , tiger barbs , Siamese fighters , plus others , no one told me you could only keep certain types together , so it was a nightmare  at the time , books were hard to find that told you to not to mix this with that an so on , any way I gave the tank to the brother in law , gave it up never to go back to keeping fish .
 
the tank I gave to the brother in law, I got it made ( just the glass ) and I made the top and base myself ( im ok on the woodwork side of things )
 
After my son gave the fluval edge tank , I was straight on the internet and found this forum , I also read up on starting a new tank to make sure I started off on the right foot. I decided to go with the fishless cycle start ( not heard of years ago ) , so I run it for 6 weeks also on a timer for the light , after six weeks I took a sample to the lfs , I told the lad it has been running for six weeks , he tested the water and said it was ok , but I only needed to wait one week ? before putting fish in the tank , so it looks like some things aint changed over the years , any way I bought some fish for the tank
 
1 x male sail fin  mollie
 
4 x female mollies
 
after 2 weeks one of the mollies had some babies ( only three survived ) I had just bought 2 guppies before the babies turned up
 
it was then I realised I needed a bigger tank
 
 
the brother in law gave me my old tank back ( it was in the garage all the time not used )
 
I had to order a new tank as it was cracked, but the top and base were ok , I threw out all the old stuff , under bed filter power heads and lights and air pumps , and i bought all new stuff,
 
I bought an versamax 3 hang on filter , I had to modify the tank for it to fit , got some led strip lights , a heater , I set it all up and filled the tank and I started the 6 week cycle , great stuff
 
after 2 weeks the filter on the fluval edge tank stared slowing down , and then packed up total ( it would run but not pump ) also it was Friday afternoon, not a chance of getting a new one for days maybe a week , so I made the decision to transfer the fish to the
bigger tank even though it was only two weeks in to the cycle , luckily none of the fish has died in fact the guppies and mollies have had more babies , the big tank has been running for 6 weeks now ,
 
the size of the tank is   40` wide x  18 high x 15 deep,  the fish that's in it is
 
 
2 x sail fin male mollies - about 2"
 
2 x female mollies - about 2"
 
2 x female chocolate mollies about 1 1/2"
 
3 x female chocolate mollies - 3/4" ( the three survivors ) not sure on the sex yet
 
1 x male guppie - about 1"
 
1 x female guppie - about 1 1/2"
 
1 x female platy - about 1 1/4"
 
1 x male hi fin Platy - about 1"
 
plus ten fry .
 
1 x bronze cory ( not sure if he is in the right environment ) but he seems to be doing great.
 
 
what would be the safe amount to put in with out over stocking ?
 
 what other fish would be safe to put with the fish in there now,
 
I got  a test kit and tested the water are these readings safe for whats in there.
 
ph - 7.6
 
ammonia - 0 ppm
 
nitrite - 0 ppm
 
nitrate - in between  0 ppm and 5.0ppm
 
any advice please if anything needs to be done , also I will be taking some of these fry to the lfs when they are bigger,
 
thanks and all the best Eddy

 

[TallTree01]

Are those dimensions inches or Cm?

 

[Newbiesoulman]

hi , they are in inches,

 

[TallTree01]

I think you should get more female guppies and platies. Also get some mroe cories.
You have a lot of livebearers so be prepared for lots of babies.

 

[GetItSahn]

I think you should get more female guppies and platies. Also get some mroe cories.
You have a lot of livebearers so be prepared for lots of babies.

completely agree. at least two females per male.
Watching my corys is one of my favorite things about my tank, if you could get 5 more it would be great!