Beginner Starting Up An Aquarium - Advice

[FireSupport]

I live in Arkansas, in the USA. Well, I think we've made up our minds, we're going to get an Aquarium. I've had fish before, back in college, and knew NOTHING about them / cycling / etc. Fortunately, for the fish, this website came to my attention, and I've put several hours into reading just about everything I can. I'm going to be patient and cycle the tank properly. We're going to get either a 20 or 30 Gallon tank. Eventually I imagine we'll primarily stock the tank with Neon Tetras (I love the blue and red).

I need some advice, though. What specific products do you recommend that I buy to start out with? Specifically types / models / name brands of filters to look for? From what I read, some type of sponge filter sounds most recommended. Also as far as test kits go, API FreshWater Master Test Kit seems to be the recommended one. Are there any recommended airerators that I would need or does the filter pretty much do that? Do different lights matter or just one that fits the tank?

These are probably some silly questions, but we went to PetsMart tonight and then turned around and walked out because I wanted to make sure that we do this right.

One more question: I figure I can probably talk a local pet shop out of some used gravel or something in order to help with the cycling process...the question is, what exactly should I talk them out of? The gravel? An old filter? And, once I get it, what should I do with it exactly in the cycling process? One post mentions putting it in a sock and put that in the aquarium?

Thanks for any advice.

Nathan

 

[erk628]

I live in Arkansas, in the USA. Well, I think we've made up our minds, we're going to get an Aquarium. I've had fish before, back in college, and knew NOTHING about them / cycling / etc. Fortunately, for the fish, this website came to my attention, and I've put several hours into reading just about everything I can. I'm going to be patient and cycle the tank properly. We're going to get either a 20 or 30 Gallon tank. Eventually I imagine we'll primarily stock the tank with Neon Tetras (I love the blue and red).

I need some advice, though. What specific products do you recommend that I buy to start out with? Specifically types / models / name brands of filters to look for? From what I read, some type of sponge filter sounds most recommended. Also as far as test kits go, API FreshWater Master Test Kit seems to be the recommended one. Are there any recommended airerators that I would need or does the filter pretty much do that? Do different lights matter or just one that fits the tank?

These are probably some silly questions, but we went to PetsMart tonight and then turned around and walked out because I wanted to make sure that we do this right.

One more question: I figure I can probably talk a local pet shop out of some used gravel or something in order to help with the cycling process...the question is, what exactly should I talk them out of? The gravel? An old filter? And, once I get it, what should I do with it exactly in the cycling process? One post mentions putting it in a sock and put that in the aquarium?

Thanks for any advice.

Nathan

With filters I like the Aqua clear serious very quiet and work very well. With the test kit I have Freshwater Master Test Kit. This checks PH, high range PH, ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite. This test kit is around $30.00 and has over 700 tests. With the lights it depends on if you want live plants or not. If you don't then the ones it comes with will be fine, if you do then you will wanna upgrade the lights, you can find more about this under the plated tanks section. With the filter graval thing most of the bacteria will be on the sponges so I would suggest getting a spong unless you can get both. If you can get both and the gravel looks the same as the gravel you have in your tank you can just put it as the top layer. or put it in a stocking up to you. With the Aqua clear series filters that I metioned above the have three stages(levels). The top level will be a mesh bag of bio-max that helps to take out ammonia and nitrite. next it will have carbon (which I wouldn't add) and then a spong. So if you choose this filter buy another spong to replace the carbon unless you can get a used once from PetSmart. So you would have two sponges on top of one anohter new one and one you got from petSmart and then the bio-max on top of that. Hope this helps!

 

[Griz]

Good advice above
I also swear by Aquaclears. I have some that are more than 10 years old and going strong. They are quietany give you a lot of versatility in choices of media. My advice is to get as big a tank as you can reasonably afford. You'll never regret it. The API FreshWater Master Test Kit is a good kit, it has everything you will need to start out with. Initially as your tank cycles and you get used to the pH and hardness of your water you'll want to test everything and often. Later you can just buy the individual kits as you need them. You said that you like neons, I'd look into Cardinal tetras if you can find them, they seem to be hardier IME and aren't suseptible to NTD. (Neon tetra disease) One of the first things you will need to decide is if you want live plants or not. Don't be intimidated by them. Most tanks will come with a flourescent fixture and will be adaquate for growing low-light plants with the proper bulb. (Check the pinned topics in the Planted Tank forum for easy low-light plants) From there you will need to decide on your substrate; gravel, sand, or one of the substrates designed specifically for plants like eco-complete (although you can certainly grow many plants without it) If you would like a good sized school of neons/cardinals you can't go wrong with a classic community tank. Lots of fish will coexest with neons and you will get no shortage of advice here. The best way to start out a tank would be to get some filter media from an established tank and put it into yours. You basically have a ready-cycled tank that way. You will find information here on "fishless cycling" but I haven't done it myself.

Oh, and to the forum!

edit: sp

 

[Tolak]

These are probably some silly questions, but we went to PetsMart tonight and then turned around and walked out because I wanted to make sure that we do this right.

These aren't silly questions, and the best thing you could have done was walk out of Petsmart & post here.

The previous two posts have covered most of what you need to know. You seem to have read about cycling, keeping a healthy aquarium involves keeping healthy bacteria to a big extent. AquaClear makes an excellent filter, don't skimp on the heater, it's false economy. Jager & VisaTherm heaters are a couple of good heaters, they might cost a couple of bucks more but are well worth it. Buying filters, heaters, decorations, or whatever you can online saves some money.

Check out http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=150631 to see if anyone near you is willing to donate some mature filter media. This will help speed up or eliminate cycling.

 

[FireSupport]

Thanks for the advice.

I picked up the newspaper this morning and there are tons of aquariums in it and they are tons cheaper. It looks like I can get a 50 gallon tank with just about everything (I may replace components) for the same price as a new 20 gallon tank and stand.

Any concerns with getting a used tank (assuming it's structurally sound)? My guess is that pathogens would be a concern. Any advice on cleaning the tank if I got a used one?

Nathan

 

[Tolak]

Boy is used equipment cheaper, I pick up nearly everything used. It would be a good idea if you could see the tank with water in it before you buy it. Ask them to fill it the night before if possible, any leaks will be apparent. As long as the stand isn't made of composition wood or pressed board it should work fine, composition wood deteriorates when it gets wet.

Cleaning depends on how dirty it really is. Plain white vinegar removes hard water stains, a mixture of 1 part bleach to 20 parts water is a good disinfectant. Rinse well after either, and don't use soap, the residue is really difficult to remove. After cleaning a tank with bleach solution & rinsing it's advisable to use triple the dechlorinator when filling. Bleach is nothing more than concentrated chlorine, dechlor neuteralizes it.