Hello

[oopsy]

just thought i would say hello. I have no tanks as yet but am looking into the hobby first.I know i definately want a tropical tank,maybe something like a 4ft.ive been looking around at fish shops to get ideas of what i want but there is so much choice.I need lots of help and ideas.advice is welcome.anyway hello everyone

 

[Colin_T]

Howdee & Welcome

when you are at the local fish shop (LFS) you should write down some of the fish that you like. Then you can bring the list back here, or go through some fish books at the local library, and we can advise whether or not the fish will get along together. And if you have any questions, feel free to ask

 

[oopsy]

thankyou.thats agood idea.im not sure whether to go community tropical like neons and the such or something bigger.also live plants i like but havent a clue how to keep them alive.ive got lots to find out about.i need to find a tank first i suppose and then look into the cycling process a bit more.

 

[Davo86]

 

[Colin_T]

Before you get a tank, find out what you want to keep because certain fish need a certain size tank. If you buy a tank that is too small, then you won't be able to keep those bigger species of fish.

Plants are easy to keep but do need light. If you get a tall tank (2ft or higher), then you should get metal halide lights. These get more light into the tank compared to fluorescent globes. If the tank is shallower, say 18inches high, then high output (HO) T5 fluorescent lights are a suitable option.

 

[oopsy]

i was told that length and width is often more important than height is that true?depending again on fish i suppose.

 

[Duck and Dive]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Colin_T]

i was told that length and width is often more important than height is that true?depending again on fish i suppose.

generally you want a tank that is long and wide so the fish have swimming room and there is a good surface area for gas (carbon dioxide & oxygen) exchange. However, with modern filtration equipment (air pumps, etc) there isn't really much need to worry about gas exchange.
Then it comes down to the fish you want. Most fish are fairly narrow in the body and don't need really tall tanks. But some fish like angels and discus get quite high in the body and do best in tanks that are at least 18inches high.
Most people have tanks that are 18-24inches high.

 

[oopsy]

thankyou.that all seems to make sense.wheres the best place to start?and realistically how long from getting the tank home to actually getting fish in the tank?i know the tank would need cycling and add substrate,decor etc before fish.is there any advantage to buying a new tank or is second hand just as good?

 

[Colin_T]

the best place to start is the library and petshop. Get some books out from the library and look at the fish in them. Check out the fish at your local petshop and make a list of what you want to keep. Once you know what fish you want, you can look for a tank that is suitable for them.

If you do a fishless cycle it will be about a month before you can add fish to the tank. If you do a fish in cycle, then you can add fish within a few days of obtaing the aquarium. However, a lot of fish don't do well in a tank that is cycling (developing the good filter bacteria) and most people end up losing a few of them during the process. It also requires a bit more work to do a fish in cycle as you will have to do partial water changes once a day or every couple of days. If you do a fishless cycle you only do a water change after the filters have developed.

A second hand tank is fine. The advantage of buying a new tank is it should come with a guarantee not to leak. Second hand tanks might be starting to leak a month after you get them, or might last 20years before the silicon comes away from the glass. The silicon is the glue that holds the glass together.
New tanks will also be clean and free of disease. And they won't require as much cleaning before you can use them. However, if you find a second hand tank that is still running with fish in, and has been maintained properly, you could simply drain it and move it to your house, then set it back up. One instant aquarium

Personally I prefer to buy new tanks & equipment, but I am just paranoid about bugs and germs

If you do get a second hand tank look at the silicon between the glass. It should be either clear or black in colour (there's two different colours of silicon used in fish tanks) without any bubbles in. There should be no white or cream patches in the silicon. And when you touch the silicon it should be firm but slightly flexible. That is to say you can push on it and it should move a tiny amount, but you should not leave an impression in the silicon. Also you should not be able to pull the silicon away from the glass.