Beginner Fishkeeper

[onlinebug]

Hi!

I'll tell you my story first I have had a keen interest in fish from a young age and have always liked the way they do everything ! I started fishing for carp etc at 6 and have continued to do so. I now have only kept goldfish for the last few months, and thought I should take it to the next step so I went down the LFS and bought myself a 72 litre / 16 gallon tank to start myself off. I am intrested in Pelcos but I have read they need large tanks to live in, I am also intrested in dwarf cichlids.

I was wondering if anyone could suggest to a beginner what fish to keep ?




1. When I wash all of the stuff off of my gravel vac do I rinse/wash it in normal tap water or must this also be done in de-chlorinated tap water?
2. Must the lights be always left on during the day and turned off of a night to tell the fish its morning and night?
3. How long do I have to cycle for?
4. Do I need an airpump or will the filter oxygenate the water?
5. What is the best method for cycling for a beginner?
6. How long do I leave the chlorinated tap water to sit after I have put the drops in?
7. Are backgrounds necessary?

Lots of questions i know but please try to awnser them

I might have more so stick around haha..

Thanks Lew.

 

[evilchild]

de-chlorinated tap water is a must, this takes out all the nastys on the water. as for the light i leave mine on all day and turn off at night. your cycle will takes as long as it takes, got to be paitent you will need to test the water every day and wait for the annina and nitrate to drop. an air pump is always a good idea. the best way to cycle your tank is a fishless cycle. cycle.

i just pour the de-chlorinate in to the water and mix it up well, rember to have the water around about the same temp as the tank when you do water changes, too.

back ground are not necessary, but can some times help fish to 'relax'

hope that helped some. i'm sure if i missed any thing some one will put me right.

good luck

 

[backtotropical]

Hi Lew and to the forum.

1. When I wash all of the stuff off of my gravel vac do I rinse/wash it in normal tap water or must this also be done in de-chlorinated tap water?

If you mean washing the gravel before putting it into the tank, for the initial setup, tap water is fine.

2. Must the lights be always left on during the day and turned off of a night to tell the fish its morning and night?

Not necessarily, but it is best practice. It will allow the fish to have a sense of when to eat and when to sleep and it will enhance your viewing pleasure. Light also encourages some fish to grow and will help to keep them in good health. The best way to achieve it is to buy a timer plug which will switch tthe lights on and off for you each day. Aim for 10 - 12 hours of light per day.

3. How long do I have to cycle for?

If you do a fishless cycle, between 2 and 8 weeks. Generally 3-4 weeks is average, but everyone is different.

If you do an instant cycle with mature filter media, you don't have to wait at all. This all depends upon you being able to obtain mature media though.

If you cycle using fish, anything from 6 weeks upwards depending on lots of factors. You are more likely to kill fish using this method. I strongly recommend a fishless cycle or an instant cycle with mature media.

4. Do I need an airpump or will the filter oxygenate the water?

Contrary to popular belief, bubbles rising through the water actually does very little towards oxygenating the water. 99% of oxygenation occurs at the water surface, where the water releases carbon dioxide and takes in oxygen. This is referred to as the 'gaseous exchange'. Therefore, the best way to oxygenate your water is to have surface movement. This allows more of the water to the top of the tank as the water is constantly turning over, resulting in more oxygen in the water. In short, you don't need an air pump. Just make sure you point the filter outflow towards the surface of the water to create as much surface movement as possible.

5. What is the best method for cycling for a beginner?

As i said above, i would strongly recommend a fishless cycle. You can read all about fishless cycling in the link in my signature below.

6. How long do I leave the chlorinated tap water to sit after I have put the drops in?

The dechlorinator works almost instantly. I always add the dechlorinator to my bucket first, then the water. This ensures the dechlorinator is thoroughly mixed in. Alternatively, add dechlorinator to your bucket of water and stir well. You can then add the water to your tank straight away.

7. Are backgrounds necessary?

No. Some may argue that backgrounds can help to make the fish feel secure, but there are many many successful tanks without a background. It's really down to personal choice.

Hope this helps you.

BTT

 

[onlinebug]

back ground are not necessary, but can some times help fish to 'relax'

hope that helped some. i'm sure if i missed any thing some one will put me right.

good luck

Thanks man for the help

Hi Lew and to the forum.

1. When I wash all of the stuff off of my gravel vac do I rinse/wash it in normal tap water or must this also be done in de-chlorinated tap water?

If you mean washing the gravel before putting it into the tank, for the initial setup, tap water is fine.

No I mean the gravel vac (http/www.swelluk.com/img/shop/original/underworld-power-hang-on-vac.jpg) what kind of water to I wash this in after I have finished using it, as I don't want it getting clogged up or mucky.


Now the next question, what kind of fish are suitable for a beginner in this tank?

 

[purplekaz]

Welcome

http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...or-A-10-Gallon/
has some good ideas, though you could make your shoals a bit larger due to your tank having more space.

Also have a browse through: http/www.fishforums.net/category/36/Fish-Species-Index/
It's usually stated if that type of fish is suitable for beginners.

There really is a lot of choice, so have fun doing your research!

It's a good idea to get a mixture of different fish to occupy the different areas of your tank, so they don't all swim in one area and leave you with a lot of empty water to look at!
Cories are great for the bottom, I personally like the look of honey gouramis for the top, and tetras provide interest around the middle of the tank.

But it's down to personal choice, so browse the forum links or your LFS and bring a list of the ones you like back here for advice

 

[onlinebug]

Welcome

[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...or-A-10-Gallon/"]http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...or-A-10-Gallon/[/URL]
has some good ideas, though you could make your shoals a bit larger due to your tank having more space.

Also have a browse through: [URL="http/www.fishforums.net/category/36/Fish-Species-Index/"]http/www.fishforums.net/category/36/Fish-Species-Index/[/URL]
It's usually stated if that type of fish is suitable for beginners.

There really is a lot of choice, so have fun doing your research!

It's a good idea to get a mixture of different fish to occupy the different areas of your tank, so they don't all swim in one area and leave you with a lot of empty water to look at!
Cories are great for the bottom, I personally like the look of honey gouramis for the top, and tetras provide interest around the middle of the tank.

But it's down to personal choice, so browse the forum links or your LFS and bring a list of the ones you like back here for advice

Thanks, i'm off to my LFS very very soon to check out the stock they have there Hopefully everything is signposted well lol.

 

[emmag21]

ooo do you mean how do you wash the actual gravel cleaner?

What fish you have depends on your taste, i always like guppies(but beware they breed easily), tetras, corydoras, mollies and rasboras which are smallish community fish.

Emma
xox

 

[onlinebug]

ooo do you mean how do you wash the actual gravel cleaner?

What fish you have depends on your taste, i always like guppies(but beware they breed easily), tetras, corydoras, mollies and rasboras which are smallish community fish.

Emma
xox

Yeah How do I actually clean the gravel cleaner alone lol.. Somone understands my riddles.

 

[emmag21]

Cant say its ever been very dirty as the water coming through it when its in use drags all the bits into the bucket anyway but use dechlorinated water to be on the safe side .

Emma
xox

 

[rabbut]

Most of the questions are already answered above, but I'll add my two sence here;

It is fine to wash the gravel vack under the tap after use, as the ammount of chlorine on the thing will be neglegable, even if you stuck it strait into your tap. All disinfectants will evaporate off it while in storage also. When adding water is realy the only time dechlorinator is required. For rinsing equipment (excluding the biological media) under the tap is fine. Biological media munt NEVER come into contact with tap water. Old tank water should be used for cleaning this type of media.

HTH
Rabbut

 

[emmag21]

I was going to say under the tap as by the time you come to use it again the water will have dried off anyway but wasnt 100% sure-im out of practise lol, its been a while!

Emma
xox

 

[onlinebug]

Thanks for the fab replys ! This forum is amazing its a shame I didn't find it sooner!

After my aquarium comes in from the LFS I will pick it up and look at the stock there, should be by thursday and then I will see what they have got.

What I want to purchase is,

2 Bronze Corydoras
3/4 White Cloud Mountains
4 Tetras of some type

For these, I will introduce the 3/4 White Cloud Mountains into the tank once my cycling finishes completly. Then I will introduce 2 Bronze Cory's a week later to make sure the WCM's settle in ok, and last I will introduce the 4 tetras and I hope that they will all get on with each other. I was wondering what the breeding patterns are like for these species as I don't want fry everywhere in the tank as I cant afford to start breeding tank. Also please comment on this combo

If I don't want the fry in my tank could I put them in a small bag and tank them to my LFS so they can store them, or do I have to euthanize them myself as I thought that would be one of the last resorts?

 

[rabbut]

Thanks for the fab replys ! This forum is amazing its a shame I didn't find it sooner!

After my aquarium comes in from the LFS I will pick it up and look at the stock there, should be by thursday and then I will see what they have got.

What I want to purchase is,

2 Bronze Corydoras
3/4 White Cloud Mountains
4 Tetras of some type

For these, I will introduce the 3/4 White Cloud Mountains into the tank once my cycling finishes completly. Then I will introduce 2 Bronze Cory's a week later to make sure the WCM's settle in ok, and last I will introduce the 4 tetras and I hope that they will all get on with each other. I was wondering what the breeding patterns are like for these species as I don't want fry everywhere in the tank as I cant afford to start breeding tank. Also please comment on this combo

If I don't want the fry in my tank could I put them in a small bag and tank them to my LFS so they can store them, or do I have to euthanize them myself as I thought that would be one of the last resorts?

If your fishless cycling, you should be able to fully stock as soon as the cycle completes. I would however leave to corrys for a few weeks, as they can ba a little flimsy. I can't see any issues with the ones you have listed, but remember that some tetras can be quite nippy.

Those fish are all relatiely easy to breed (with the exception of some tetras) but they are all egg layers. This means that most of the baby fish will be eated long before they get to a large size. Eventualy you may have a group large enough to take a few back to the LFS.

HTH
Rabbut

 

[onlinebug]

If your fishless cycling, you should be able to fully stock as soon as the cycle completes. I would however leave to corrys for a few weeks, as they can ba a little flimsy. I can't see any issues with the ones you have listed, but remember that some tetras can be quite nippy.

Those fish are all relatiely easy to breed (with the exception of some tetras) but they are all egg layers. This means that most of the baby fish will be eated long before they get to a large size. Eventualy you may have a group large enough to take a few back to the LFS.

HTH
Rabbut

Thanks for the advice

I was thinking about planting in my tank after hearing that it reduces algae significantly, I have a few questions.

1. Do I NEED to have the lights set on a timer all day?
2. Do I need to buy special bulbs?
3. Can the plants be planted in gravel?
4. If I use gravel how many kilo's should I use?
5. Are rocks good to have in an aquarium as hiding holes?
6. I read that corys like to hide, what should i do to encourage this?
7. Is there anything else I should know?

Also, anyone think that I could have larger shoals like 5 of each or 3 corys and 5 wcms and 5 tertas?

Thanks Lew.

 

[onlinebug]

Also, has anyone got any ideas about taking rocks from outside, washing thoroughly and using them as I have some beautiful rocks from my garden and nearby forests.