Brand New Tank

[jess:)]

Hiya, I've just purchased a 48ltr fishbox tank.
I've so far put in heater,filter,gravel,water and decor (no fish yet)
I was wondering if there was a way i could test the water was ok for the fish(which i was thinking about getting next saturday), i know the temperatures right but im a wee bit worried about the water treatments (as this is my first fishtank, and i cant help but question the amounts i put in)
I'd also like some reccomendations about which fish to get and what fish get along well...

Thanks! Jess.

 

[Krill]

You sound really exited about your tank, it sounds great. I found the Beginners resource (which is in the pinned section) really useful... especially about the need to cycle your tank prior to buying any fish.

 

[KittyKat]

+1, please fish-less cycle your tank before adding any fish! It will save you a lot of trouble, time, money and potentially some fish lives in the long run!

Cycling is basically the process of growing good bacteria in your filter, bacteria which keep the water quality good for the fish. The best way to test water is to buy a liquid test kit (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, some people on here use API master test kits) and use that. It is very important to know the exact numbers from the test results.

As for fish, you should look at something like..
* 1 Betta splendens
* 6 mid-water schooling fish of one species, which grow only up to 3cm (for example, ember tetras, espei - not harlequin - rasboras, Boraras species)
* 6 dwarf or pygmy Corys

 

[Gilli]

As advised it would be kinder for your fish and a lot easier for your to do a fishless cycle. This means that you grow all the beneficial bacteria in your filter before you add the fish. What the bateria will do is break down the toxins in the water to make it safe for your fish - without this in place you will need to change vast quantities of water for weeks every day to remove the poisons or your fish will die.

Read up on how to do it on this site via the link ive posted for you below. You will need to buy yourself a water quality testing kit before you start

cycling a tank

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the forum Jess. If you have any specific questions, please post them. Most of us would be delighted to help you understand what you need to know. Your question about getting fish next Saturday requires an immediate answer. Do not get fish so soon after the tank is set up. It takes at least a month to cycle a tank so that it will be ready for fish. Please use Gilli's link, or my own link to fishless cycling, to get an understanding of what it takes to prepare a tank for the first fish. Anything less than a fully cycled filter means far too much maintenance in terms of water changes to keep any new fish alive.