I'm So Confused....

[Strawbeary]

I'm very new to the hobby of keeping fish (just two weeks) and I have tried to do as much reading and asking questions at the pet store but I'm so confused! I want to have a smallish tank around 10 to 15 gallons but I don't know if the local pet store smells fresh meat and a huge sale with what they want to sell me or if I will be getting a good deal and the right tank and equipment.

I want to keep some platy's and other fish that they will get along with, nothing hard to keep alive and easy for a novice.

The setup would include: That I would put together...

The basic 10 gallon tank.
Undergravel Filter.
An air pump with airstone, Air-Tech
Heater
Lid with light
net
thermometer

and said I should get a Millennium 1000 hang on the back filter plus the chemicals, bacteria and decorations/rocks.

Is this a good set up or would a in the box system you can get at Petsmart with a over the back filter, heater and such but with out the undergravel filter be ok? I live in a really small town with only one pet store and really about 100 miles away from the next largest town where I could find a pet store, the owner was kind of a jerk when I was asking questions because I was not an 'expert' and basically said if I didn't buy from him that he would not help me in the future if I had problems ! He went on to tell me that if I didn't get everything he said I would be murdering my fish and that educating myself about the hobby on the internet was dumb as nobody here has a clue. Well I think that is a lode of trash as I have been poking around here for the past two weeks and think this is an awesome resource with a lot of knowledgeable people. I fully admit I'm quite clueless but I would rather ask all of the nice fish people here questions than the local Fish Dictator. So I just want to make sure that the above combination is good as I have read contradictory things about just having a over the back filter or just a undergravel system or the combination of the two.

I really can't wait to get a system going.

Thank you for any opinions.

 

[WILDER]

Wouldn't bother with the under gravel filter not worth the trouble and you end up ripping the awful things out.I would recommend a fishless cycle.I would just have over the back filter.He sounds like a lovely sales person lol.Welcome to fish keeping and the board.Get you some info from the beginners part.You will need a gravel vac adding to the list.A Net.Declorinator.Master kit liquid in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate, and ph.Food flakes and frozen.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showforum=58

 

[drewry]

I'm very new to the hobby of keeping fish (just two weeks) and I have tried to do as much reading and asking questions at the pet store but I'm so confused! I want to have a smallish tank around 10 to 15 gallons but I don't know if the local pet store smells fresh meat and a huge sale with what they want to sell me or if I will be getting a good deal and the right tank and equipment.

I want to keep some platy's and other fish that they will get along with, nothing hard to keep alive and easy for a novice.

The setup would include: That I would put together...

The basic 10 gallon tank.
Undergravel Filter.
An air pump with airstone, Air-Tech
Heater
Lid with light
net
thermometer

and said I should get a Millennium 1000 hang on the back filter plus the chemicals, bacteria and decorations/rocks.

Is this a good set up or would a in the box system you can get at Petsmart with a over the back filter, heater and such but with out the undergravel filter be ok? I live in a really small town with only one pet store and really about 100 miles away from the next largest town where I could find a pet store, the owner was kind of a jerk when I was asking questions because I was not an 'expert' and basically said if I didn't buy from him that he would not help me in the future if I had problems ! He went on to tell me that if I didn't get everything he said I would be murdering my fish and that educating myself about the hobby on the internet was dumb as nobody here has a clue. Well I think that is a lode of trash as I have been poking around here for the past two weeks and think this is an awesome resource with a lot of knowledgeable people. I fully admit I'm quite clueless but I would rather ask all of the nice fish people here questions than the local Fish Dictator. So I just want to make sure that the above combination is good as I have read contradictory things about just having a over the back filter or just a undergravel system or the combination of the two.

I really can't wait to get a system going.

Thank you for any opinions.

i laughed my head of when i read your post
why would ure local pet store smell fresh meat lol

 

[Chrispixx]

I live in a really small town with only one pet store and really about 100 miles away from the next largest town where I could find a pet store, the owner was kind of a jerk when I was asking questions because I was not an 'expert' and basically said if I didn't buy from him that he would not help me in the future if I had problems !

He went on to tell me that if I didn't get everything he said I would be murdering my fish and that educating myself about the hobby on the internet was dumb as nobody here has a clue.

Man I would love to have a chat with this guy...


I would not go with the undergravel filter as wilder suggested, they are more trouble than they are worth, they collect crud underneath the plates causing poor water quality and fish death.

A HOB (hang on back) filter is the better option. I have seen the boxed combo setups at petsmart and they are a good deal and come with just about everything you need. I'm not sure if they come with a gravel vac so you would need that.

You mention you want a ten gallon, but if money or space is not an issue go with a 20 or a 29gal. it may be a better option in the long run as mostly everyone who starts this hobby eventually upgrades to a bigger tank, or ends up having multiple tanks eventually. And a 20 or 29 Gal. is much more impessive than a 10 Gal.

Definitely browse around here and learn as much as you can, and go with the fishless cycling method. Research the fish you want before you buy them. Get the fish name before you buy it and look it up on google or yahoo to see it's care needs, how big it gets etc.

 

[Strawbeary]

Thanks for the info. I also called my brother-in-law who I completely forgot is a major fish expert (I swear my mind goes to mush every time the new semester starts at school). He has had freshwater and saltwater tanks for years. I was just given a hand me down tank of his, it is a 30 gallon Plexiglas hexagon tank with a stand (and I know NOT to use soap to clean it ). The stand is a bit beat up looking but nothing a nice table cloth will not hide. Anyway he is going to come over tomorrow and hook me up with with some info and is going to go to the store with me so the Fish Dictator won't pull anything on me...

He also mentioned getting a gravel vac and a test kit to keep on top of the water purity and keep the right chemical mix. He also groaned when I told him about the undergravel filter, he also said it was a waste of time.

Thanks for the replys =).

Once I get it all set up I will post a pic .

Thanks!