Jewel Trigon 180

[JohnBull]

Hi,

Complete beginner to keeping fish here so go easy !

Just bought a Jewel 190 trigon for the kids. Dont have a clue how to set it up properly,apart from what i have read so far about 'setting up' a basic tank. We have no fish yet, and the tank is sitting here empty. I keep reading about people removing the filter on Jewel tanks ? Is this because they are upgrading a tank, or is the regular filter on the model we have just purchased so bad ?? We intend to keep just a few community fish in it to start with so to speak, but any help or advise would be great, espeacially how to set it up properly, right from the begining.

Soz to be a pain, but we all gotta learn.


John.

 

[matt_storey]

When you say the tank is empty, is it just empty of fish or totally empty?

As for starting up you may want to read the sticky on cycling your tank as you'll need to do this before adding any fish. You may also want to buy a liquid test kit (Many users on here recommend API). As for the filter, the only reason people remove them is to make more room in the tank and run an external filter, I personally have put mine back in again after buying a 3d background and not being able to attach a filter + heater to it. Heres a picture

Ignore the black box on the right, its just another internal filter ive got set up while im waiting for my filter pump to arrive


I'm sure you'll get a better answer than this but its just a quick rough idea on what you need to do

 

[StandbySetting]

If you're in the UK I'd recommend Salifert test kits over API, they're more reliable and accurate, and they're similarly priced.

 

[JohnBull]

When you say the tank is empty, is it just empty of fish or totally empty?

As for starting up you may want to read the sticky on cycling your tank as you'll need to do this before adding any fish. You may also want to buy a liquid test kit (Many users on here recommend API). As for the filter, the only reason people remove them is to make more room in the tank and run an external filter, I personally have put mine back in again after buying a 3d background and not being able to attach a filter + heater to it. Heres a picture

Ignore the black box on the right, its just another internal filter ive got set up while im waiting for my filter pump to arrive


I'm sure you'll get a better answer than this but its just a quick rough idea on what you need to do

Hi,

Thanks for replying.

The tank is totally empty,what is this sticky thing btw and where do you get those 3 D backgrounds from ?


John

 

[matt_storey]

heres some info on cycling - http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/175355-arrrggghhhh-whats-cycling-new-tank-and-ive-already-got-fish/

i got my backgrounds from amazon

 

[scvrs]

Stickies are just topics that have been "stuck" permanantly at the start of each forum section. The best advice I can give to ANYONE just starting out is GO SLOW! Take your time to get the water right and the tank set up correctly. Think about what sort of substrate (gravel or sand usually) you want to put into the tank first. If you are planting the tank with live plants then you might want to consider some specific plant substrate (i used JBL Aquabasis Plus with kiln dried sand from B&Q on top) 5kg of aquabasis and 25kg of sand should do. Then get the hose out and start filling once you have "scaped" the aquarium how you want it. Don't forget to add some tap water conditioner to the water. Then set up and run the filter. At this point you need to "cycle" the tank. You are encouraged to do this with household ammonia, but you can do it with some hardy fish in it. This is to get the filter bacteria established before stocking with fish. There is a lot of information on cycling your tank and I strongly recommend you read up on this as failure to cycle the tank properly can be costly as you will lose the fish and your money! Otherwise get stuck in. Always feel free to ask here as there are a lot of people willing to help you out for free. Have you any idea on what fish you might want to put in it yet?

 

[JohnBull]

Hello again,

So much to take in here,never realised how much there was to keeping tropical fish, but I'm exited at the prospects of creating a decent tank for the kids,plus they will learn how to do it for themselves, and hopefully learn from my mistakes! Anyways,the tank will be filled and started up today. I have read up on 'cycling', and more or less get the basic idea. Not sure about this 'armonia' thing, but am I right in saying that once the tank is up and running with the filter and heater all doing the bizz for around 7 days I then need to get the tank water ' examined' by somebody ?? BTW,do I have a choice of gravel or sand for tropical community fish,we have got both,if so,what are the good and bad points (if any), of either ? We intend to start up with something like Swordtails or Mollies,moving on to Danois and something like Rasboras type fish,how does that sound ?


John.

 

[adgieman]

you could take your water to a LFS (local fish shop) and get it tested , but they generally just say yeah its ok. So general advise you will get is purchase a liquid test kit like from API, and test the water for yourself. I have both test strips and the Liquid api test kit, the liquid it more accurate but for general ph and quick tests the strips are at best "ok"

just make sure your first fish are quite hardy ones that could tolerate changes in the water quality / chemistry. I have a pair of Mollys from just after my fishless cycle when i first started with tropicals and they have survived everything oh and so has my lovely platy

 

[StandbySetting]

If you're in the UK go for Salifert test kits, they're the same price as the API kits, but a lot more accurate and reliable.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Hi In the last 6 months i have had a crash course in the hobby and have spent alot £££ taking short cuts here my experince and advise as a fish keeper and a dad setting the bloody tank lol

1. Buy the test kit before you do anything, Buy the Salifert test kits NOT the API, i have 3 API kits and there all going in the BIN.
2. Dont let the kids put pressure on you start adding fish, expect approx 30 days + before fish's go in
3. The ammonia in the uk can be purchased from boots and homebase and IS the fastest way.
4. Put you location up if there is a fish keeper near you and you get some of their sponge it will speed up your tanks start.
5. In general your LFS will tell you anything to make a sale, if in doubt post here we have no aganda exept to help
6. Go sand in the bottom and use Argos play sand, wash it very very well and it will fine 100%. so much more simple to clean then gravel

 

[dalethewhale]

heres some info on cycling - http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/175355-arrrggghhhh-whats-cycling-new-tank-and-ive-already-got-fish/

i got my backgrounds from amazon

Are your backgrounds just reptile backgrounds or specifically for aquariums?

 

[JohnBull]

Matt,

Interesting to see you have large bubbles exploding on the surface of your Jewel tank via a bubble stone or whatever. Is it safe to have so many surface bubbles popping when the lights above are so close to the surface water like they are in a Jewel Trigon tank ? Correct if I am wrong here,but wont any small amount of water on a hot light bulb strip be classed as being rather dangerous, or am I missing something ?


John.

 

[matt_storey]

well from my experience no, no its not. the lights have a rubber seal that is there to prevent water making contact with the connectors.

As for the temperature of the water, its hardly ice cold water is it?

I am sure a company like Juwel have thought these things through

and dale, the ones i bought were made by Juwel so designed for my tank . I have heard of people using vivarium backgrounds in their tanks though

 

[BigbruiserAl]

lights will be fine, condesation will forum and stain the lamps anyway over time so a splash of tank water will wash them lol

 

[JohnBull]

Thanks.

Someone else said it would be OK. It was just seeing it for the first time that spooked me a little that all. Have re-positioned the air plume now so the bubbles more or less keep away from said lights,just n case !






John.