I Need Help With This...

[-libby-]

I have recently bought a new tank, its not very big but its all im allowed untill i can prove to look after this one...

It is a 60 litre tank and it has a heater filter and light with it...

In a box it had what i know to be a heater and i think may be a filter im not sure...On the box it said

" Juwel aquarium bioflow super 400 srt UK "

I have no idea what it is...there are no instructions on the box, or in it so i dont know if this thing is powerful enough for a 60 liter or i should buy another one...

I went down to the shop and i looked at some tester kits that i will need but i realised i have no-idea what is the best to buy and what i will need for my tank to set it up from scratch...

Thanks...

 

[Neesmo]

The bioflow should be whats called an internal filter. They are quite easy to clean and maintain for a beginner. If it came with a complete setup like you purchased, I would say it should be large enough for the tank. If you follow the link below you can read the instruction manual for the filter
http/www.juwel-aquarium.de/en/aktuelle_modelle303.htm?cat=1214

As far as tester kits you should buy the liquid test kits as they are the most accurate. Try to stay away from the test strip style kits.
API makes some really good kits and they even sell a "master kit" that should include everything you would need to cycle you new setup.
The most important ones being Ammonia, N02(nitrite), N03(nitrAte), and PH

You should read a sticky on cycling your tank to get it ready for fish.

Any more questions just ask

Kyle

 

[fishyfeet]

thats def a filter, but i think it may be too strong a current for you small tank, id hang on to it though and you could get a bigger tank later on.

The best advice i would give someone new to the hobby would be set your tank up dont worry about plants and rocks etc for the beginning, put in substrate and backing if youre having some, as these are difficult to do once the tanks up and running. So tank, substrate (gravel, or sand etc) quite a lot of choice and a pain to change so look at others tanks in the gallery and get a look of what you like the look of. Add water and get the filter running, adding some fish food to start of the bacteria cycle, the only test kit you need in the beginning are for, ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates.
Basically ammonia and nitrites are poisenous to fish, and bacteria that will grow in your filter media will convert these to nitrates.
So to start with you will have ammonia, and maybe nitrates from the tapwater, then ammonia and nitrites and nitrates, then nitrites and nitrates and finally just the nitrates, which you can lower by regular water changes. This all takes several weeks, so in the meantime you can get some rocks or wood, ornaments and plants and play around to how you want it to look. You can research the fish you want and see whats available in your area.

Other may tell you to add ammonia, this is instead of the fish food, but ive never done this, the rest is exactly the same. The fish food rots and makes ammonia, this feeds the bacteria etc etc. di

 

[-libby-]

ok thanks this helps a lot...

What type of fish would be okay to go into this tank and how many of each?

I know about basica care as when i was little my parents had 2 huge tanks one which had a catfish in a really big one and red tailed black sharks, clown loaches, corydoras and some other weird sharky type fish...

The other tank had a red betta in it along with Neon tetras, mollies, guppies, corydoras, snails, and other prettier fish...



How much fish food should i add...do i do this everyday? the heater that is with it can anyone find out how hot it can heat a 60 litre and what temp to put it at while cycling the tank...

What happens if i want live plant will this change the chemical levels?

 

[Neesmo]

Read these topics because you wont be adding fish for quite a while. Take your time and find the fish you want in your tank. Pay attention to how big their max size will be.
These topics will really help with your questions

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/

Kyle

 

[waterdrop]

Welcome to TFF libby - I just can't believe the luck some people have. You barely know the hobby and yet you've picked up a good sized tank for a beginner and you actually thought to ask somebody about whether the filter is right. Believe it or not this is better than 90% of the adults we see most of the time! The luck part is that you've stumbled on one of the best possible places there could be for learning the basics of the hobby in a really good way. Its light years better than when I was a kid, I'll say that.

How much patience have you got? If you can push yourself in the patience direction and take time with your questions and getting in different peoples answers, you will find you will really grow nicely in the hobby and its a really rewarding hobby!

Already some good advice up there. A good water test kit is absolutely one of the very first things I like to recommend for beginner learning. Once you get to be wise old fishkeeper you may not need it very often but as a beginner it teaches good lessons. Many of us do indeed like and use the API Freshwater Master Test Kit.

Your choice of a 60L tank instead of something smaller was a good choice. More water volume makes it easier to see the chemical changes happening in the tank and learn about them and do something about them. It gives you more time to react because it takes longer for changes to happen. Do you have any kind of light or hood yet? Fish do jump so its important to have a top. Lights are kind of interesting though so that would be one thing to talk about if you don't have one yet.

Filters are very core to the hobby, so the members will be really helping you if they analyze what you really have now and what might be a good filter or you. Hopefully someone will get this started. If the one you have is too strong, as suggested (I don't know myself) then we might consider the Fluval internals as many here like those for internal filters.

Try to find our Beginners Resource Center. Your first homework assignment (we're a long way from getting fish yet!) is to read the article written by my friend BTT called the Nitrogen Cycle. Then read RDD's article on Fishless Cycling! Let us know how that goes...

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Neesmo]

good advise. BTW both of those resources are in the link I posted above. Should be the 2nd and 3rd links down the list

Lots of time to do the reading.

Kyle