Hi, New Here

[blackrunner]

Evening.

I've been wanting a decent fish tank for about 5 years now, never gotten around to it, and its fast approaching a reasonably major birthday, as such i'm going to buy myself a decent tank and set up a nice habitat. I have even had a space set aside in my house for 4 years! so its not a quick decision.

I have never kept fish before, but i do have one massive advantage over a lot of people, as in i'm a scientist within the water industry and happen to know a lot about water, chemicals and chemical testing. I also have my own mobile water testing kit which is really good quality. So all the tests like dissolved oxygen, ammonia, pH hardness conductivity nitrate nitrite chlorine aluminium etc etc i can do very easily.

I want something that looks really nice as its going to be living in my front room, its a warm room but the location wont be in direct sunlight, so it seems a good location.

I've been lurking on here for a while trying to find what style i like and i've got to saw that the south african milawi style is absolutely amazing. Mind you I'd love a marine tank - maybe in the future when i have a bigger house.....

I've been looking at tanks in my local shop and they do some nice looking seabray ones that hold about 320 litres. would that be big enough for a nice setup, i dont really have the space for a bigger tank yet, the size is 120cm long 45cm deep and 60cm tall.

Your thoughts are much appreciated.

 

[KittyKat]

Welcome, sounds like you have everything planned out I'll give you a push in the direction of a planted South American biotope, but Malawi is also good

 

[SchottayB]

Welcome !

 

[leviethan]

hey, that sounds like a brilliant tank to set up fishie home in. is there any fish in particular you've had your eye on, discus are beautiful, then again so are silver dollars. you could have a species only tank like malawi's as kat suggested, what colours do you like? so much choice-

 

[blackrunner]

Thanks,

At the moment i dont have any real preference as to species, i'm currently focused on getting the right set up for the species in general. Then i'll check out the fish a lot more specifically, i want and spend some time cycling and getting the right water chemistry (the easy bit for me). I want to make it a nice home before i start to indroduce my new house mates into it, dont want it to be a traumatic experience for them..

I've gone through and looked at all the pics of the various species and i like them all!

 

[leviethan]

Thanks,

At the moment i dont have any real preference as to species, i'm currently focused on getting the right set up for the species in general. Then i'll check out the fish a lot more specifically, i want and spend some time cycling and getting the right water chemistry (the easy bit for me). I want to make it a nice home before i start to indroduce my new house mates into it, dont want it to be a traumatic experience for them..

I've gone through and looked at all the pics of the various species and i like them all!

ha, know that feeling, soo many pretty fish. but if you're dedicated, do a proper micro habitat, planted greens, bottom feeders, some oddballs. as close to a natural environment as you can.

 

[cupcakes]

Hi, i'm new too. Sounds like you're clued up a bit more than me though.

 

[fluttermoth]

ha, know that feeling, soo many pretty fish. but if you're dedicated, do a proper micro habitat, planted greens, bottom feeders, some oddballs. as close to a natural environment as you can.

There are no plants to speak of in Lake Malawi

@cupcakes; don't panic! It all seems terribly complicated at first glance, but it's really not that hard; in a few months time you'll be wondering what the fuss was about

 

[colleen0309]

Good morning and welcome!

 

[micko]

Hello and welcome to the forum.