First Tropical Set Up Advice?

[mac32]

Hello to everyone here, this is my first ever post on your fourm.

I've managed to pursuade my wife that having fish is a must and she has agreed to let me get a tropical tank set up. I'm limited on space and am looking at a Juwel rekord 700, after reading about tanks I think this is a good one but would like your experianced opinoin before I get one. Is it good or should I be looking at something else?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Go for as big a tank as you can fit in your house and that you can afford. As you research you will see more and more fish that you would like to have, and many times the fish available are schoolers and make the best display when grouped together in numbers, rather than singles. (That's what happened to me, and I'm getting a 56 US gallon tank!) Of course, my dad had a 20 US gallon for years and the fish did very well in there. Bigger isn't always better, but bigger does give you more time to catch problems with your water, and more space to add fish.



Have you read up on cycling? Either fishless or fish-in? I recommend you check out the Beginner's Resource Center and read as much as you possibly can on the subject of fishkeeping.

 

[Duz]

Juwel are a good starting place. I have a juwel tank (120liters) and after almost 4 years nothing has gone wrong with the tank itself. The filters are easy to get hold of and easy to clean/change. Overall it's a good tank. I was told when I got my tank, the bigger the tank the easier it is to look after e.g. if your heater broke it would take a lot longer for 200liters to drop by 10 degrees than it for a 50liter tank to drop by the same amount (if that makes sense ). Seeming as you haven't got much space a 70liter tank will be a very good place to start. Hope you enjoy setting it all up.

 

[mac32]

I'm reading up on cycling, all very confusing. I feel a fishless cycle would be safer for a newbie like me

 

[Duz]

If you go fish-in cycling, you would just need to get a hardy type of fish e.g. cherry barbs. I have had 2 of them survive since I set up the tank years ago, both ways are different but achieve the same results. Just go with which you will feel safest and most importantly the one which you understand/find easy.

 

[CrazyAirborne]

fishless is always safer, cuz there are no fish! the rekord 700 was the tank I was originally going to purchase untill I found the amazing deal I got on my Roma

 

[OldMan47]

Either method, fish-in or fishless, can be carried out with equal safety for the fish but to do so means a lot more work if you go fish-in.
My own favorite first tank, especially for an inexperienced fish keeper would be a 29 US gallon tank, about 110 litres. It is big enough to be sort of stable but small enough to not be a problem when it is time for a water change. A more common size in my home is the 55 gallon, 210 litre, tank. They are far more flexible in terms of fish but would present more of a challenge to someone cycling their first tank.