New Site, New Tank, Need Help

[blueboy1]

hi, i have only just been able to make a topic so here it is, i have a few questions that i am in need of help with, thanks in advance for any comments. So, i received a 200 litre tank and stand from a friend that is 1 metre long x40 cm wide x50 cm tall it is made by juwel with a black stand and i dont know what type of tank it is so if a light goes i wont know if its t4 t5 ect so any ideas? Also i have added the needed chemicals an have had tank running fishless cycle, ive gone for fake plants (sorry if you hate me ) and i will take a sample to my fish store before ading fish but i really dont know what fish i want or how many i can add. I am only 16 and im in school often hence fake plants but i do enjoy caring for the tank so i will look after it well, but by all means i am no pro and onl remember picking fish as a little boy for my dads tank which is why i wante my own. Stopping blabbering my questions are;
how many fish can i add?
sizes of fish?
can i have a betta with an angelfish if it is calm?
it will be in my bedroom so i will want a colourful variety of fish if anyone has any ideas. Thanks for comments in advance and im sure there will be other questions i will ask.

 

[Jeremy180]

If I were you, I would definitely invest in a test kit of some sort, because without daily tests you have no real way of knowing if your tank is cycled (aside from tossing a fish in and seeing if it lives, but I would imagine you don't want to go that route.)
 
Let's see, 200 litre is about 50 gallons, and 50 cm is about 20", so your tank is big enough for angels, although bettas are not suitable tankmates, IMO.
With angelfish I would definitely research whether any fish I'm considering would be fin-nippers, also any very "hyper" fish like zebra danios may stress them.
I've heard of both cories and swordtails suggested as good angelfish tankmates, although you should be aware that any baby swordtails will likely be eaten, and any adult Angelfish is capable of eating fish the size of a cardinal tetra or smaller, although a deep-bodied. fish the same length as a Cardinal could probably work.
 
P.S.
Questions are always welcome.

 

[Ninjouzata]

to the forum!
 
What chemicals did you add? Do you have a test kit?
 
As has been said, betta + angelfish is probably not the best idea. The betta would likely get beaten up.
You'll want fish that cannot fit in the angel's mouth.
 
Sorry no idea about the light, but think it'd be on the bulb or the uh fixture(?) what type it is/takes.
No one's going to hate you for fake plants

What matters is that you like them!

 

[blueboy1]

Ok well I prefer angelfish so if I ever get a betta fish I'll get a new set up, I have been looking to get a master test kit and I will towards the end of the week as I'm so busy with exams that I wanna let it cycle a little more, I'll just look at the lights to see if it says I never really thought it would be on there. I have the absolute basic Idea if what I would want it in my tank and it is a little like this:
- angelfish (can different species be mixed my dad did and it seemed fine?
- guppies or platys
- prawns
- tetras
- corydoras
That's really it I'm sure I would go into my lfs and see some I would have to have, if I get angelfish should they be put in at the end, I know a lot of people have had success with two angelfish but would it work? Thank you for comments!

 

[blueboy1]

Also, if i have my thermometer on the front right pane of glass and my heater on the back right pane of glass will i get misleading temperature readings compared to if i put the thermometer on the front left of my tank? 
p.s. there is roughly 40 cm between the tank and heater. Thanks again.

 

[Ch4rlie]

to the forum.
 
You have made a good start in asking advice before going any further. Always good to research beforehand. 

 
Anyway, your stocking list, you seem to want an Angelfish as your no.1 choice.
 
Ok, first off prawns (shrimps really is what we call them, prawns is what you would have as a starter in a restaurant 

)
Shrimps is not really compatible with Angelfish, as mentioned already, anything that can fit in the Angelfish's mouth is considered food!
 
Larger tetra should be fine with Angelfish, like Black Skirts or Buenos Aires or possibly Diamondhead or Cherry Barbs if you like these (NOT Tiger Barbs)
 
Platys or Guppies should be fine, although if these have fry, then Angelfish will eat those. Ratio of 1M to 2F or best with all males if you do not want fry.
 
Cories may be fine as long as theres places like caves and wood for the cories to hide in, its possible Angelfish may nip at the cories, if so then you may need to remove one or the other, it depends. Do make sure, if you do get cories, you get a group of them at least 5+.
 
As for your thermometer query, personally, I have 2 thermometers in my tanks, one on front glass on top corner and the other on side glass at bottom corner. You do not actually need to do this, one thermometer is fine on front glass at top, I have two as I am fussy and like to compare temps in different areas of tank to be sure. 

 
Just as long as your temp stays pretty steady at around 24C / 75F that should be fine for most tropicals, do research to be sure for your stocking choices.

 

[Ninjouzata]

You didn't answer what chemicals you added I'm not trying to be bothersome but I just want to check that you are properly cycling the tank with ammonia, and not just letting it sit there.
Plus you don't really know what's been going on in your tank if you don't have a test kit. Have you read this? http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421488-cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first/

 

[blueboy1]

i have added aquaclear to help clean water and some api stuff that make you be able t instantly add fish but i didnt thought it is risky, i have 5 in one test kit that most hate but i tried and these were results, i dont know how to convert these to other peoples version but this is what it says on bottle;
60- gh
80-kh
6.5-7 ph
0-nitrite
20-nitrate
i dont know about chlorine or ammonia but i am taking a sample of water to store for them before i buy kit.

 

[Ninjouzata]

Sounds like you havn't really begun cycling then. Really suggest you read that link I gave you, if you havn't already.
 
You'll need a proper liquid test kit, mainly for nitrite and ammonia, and some ammonia.
I THINK the brand everyone uses over there is Kleen off household ammonia?
 
Once you have those you'll want to use the calculator at the top of the site to determine how much ammonia to add to your tank. You may want a syringe (w/o a needle) or a pipette to help measure.
Then follow the instructions on that link.
 
It does take some time, but it really is worth it in the end. To speed up the process you can try to find someone in your area willing to give you a bit of their mature filter media, or use a bacteria starter that is known to work, as most don't.
The only ones I have heard of working is Dr. Tims One & Only, which I'm not sure how easy it is to get over there, and Tetra Safe Start, which have heard is hit and miss on it working.
 
Again, I'm sorry if I'm being bothersome at all. Just want to ensure you don't run into any issues.

 

[blueboy1]

you arent being bothersome, i will get a liquid test kit tomorrow and will ask for bacteria starter and some ammonia to begin cycle, your not being bothersome, i wouldnt have joined this site if i didnt expect help and advise which you are giving great advice hopefully i can being cycling tomorrow then once i have the needed bits and bobs, i have read the article you suggested and have added it to favourites. Thank you!

 

[Ch4rlie]

You might find it a little tricky to get ammonia from LFS, the only store I know that sells ammonia is Homebase, the hardware store, they sell Household Ammonia in the household cleaning section, that contains 9.5% Ammonia Hydroxide, usually ok to use, not all Homebase store has these though.
 
You can try online through eBay, KleenOff and Concentrated Aquarium Ammonia are both used for fish less cycles as well. I used the Concentrated stuff for my cycling, no problem at all. 
 
http/www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.XAquarium+ammonia&_nkw=Aquarium+ammonia&_sacat=0&_from=R40
 
When it comes to dosages, use the calculator on this forum, and ensure you put in your tank volume, change 5ppm to 3ppm dosage as well as the correct ammonia strength percentage, then will give you the dose for your tank in ml.

 

[blueboy1]

Ok thanks for advise and link!! Will buy some ASAP

 

[blueboy1]

Another question, i went to lfs today and had a water check, they had no api test kits so i have to wait until saturday when new stock arrives but they said that you dont HAVE to do a cycle and that you can use chemicals for just as good results, is this true, i do know a few friends and my dad who had there tank and in the space of a week had first fish in tank and they never once had problems like ammonia or nitrite poisoning?
They also said they might have filter media for sale when i go on saturday, if i bought this what does it actually do? Thanks

 

[Ch4rlie]

Yes, you DO have to cycle your tank, the only other way to get a cycled tank in a week is to get mature media or Dr Tim's One and Only Nitrifying Live Bacteria, then its possible to cycle a tank in a week if your are lucky.
 
The only other alternative is to do a fish in cycle, which is what I believe your friends and dad unwittingly did and just pure luck they did not lose their entire stocking unless did lots of water changes or had very hardy fish. This is NOT a recommended way of doing things.
 
Just carry on and try to get some bacteria from LFS, this would help you greatly, hopefully they will have some on Sat when you get a API Freshwater Master Test Kit.
 
Does your dad or friends still have fish tanks?
If they do, you could pinch some mature filter media from their tanks, just about a third of their media will help things (if you cannot get some from LFS).

 

[blueboy1]

my dad sold his a few years back i wish i carried on using that one but a couple of my friends has sold there tank my and the only other person i know who have a tank lives to far away from me (250 miles at least) but if i was to get some filter media, how do i get it into my filter and striving, do i just place it into tank? if i was to get some from someone elses tank what would i do like how would i extract it? Thanks