Hi Everyone, I have just purchased a 2nd hand Juwel 180. Iāve always wanted a tank however Iām finding everything so confusing. Iām currently giving everything a good scrub as the internal ornaments are filthy. Theyāve had them stored in the back garden in a bucket ?. Iām cleaning them with Milton sterilising fluid. How long do I need to run the tank before I put fish in there? What do the water parameters need to be at? Temperature? Any advice on what kind of fish could be added. Iād really like a bright interesting tank. I would love a betta in there for definite as they are stunning. So anything that would get along with a male betta. If that leaves me limited then what else could I add? Thank you in advance for any advice
New to fish! Blonde needing help!
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PlasticGalaxy
Fish Gatherer
Two weeks to a month is a safe bet, but some will cycle their tanks for much longer. It really just depends on how long it takes to get your parameters under control and to make sure everything is running smoothly.
Nitrite and ammonia should both be at 0.00ppm by the time you're ready to put your fish in, but it'll fluctuate from time to time and will take a good few water changes once you've added fish before you can get the parameters to a good level.
It really depends on which fish you get. If you're getting tropical fish like tetras, corydoras, guppies, e.c.t, the tank should be at a comfortable 25-26c. You can find heaters pretty easily that are pre-set to the right temperature and are usually pretty reliable. If you have cold water fish like goldfish you don't really need a heater.
The choice is yours. However, if you're looking to get a betta be aware that you can only have one male in a tank because, if you have multiple, they will fight and will often do so until the loser is dead. Not to mention, bettas can be aggressive towards other fish so it's always good to do thorough research on the fish you're looking to get to see if they're suitable to be with a betta.
Since you're looking for a bright and interesting tank, I would personally recommend dwarf shirmp/cherry shrimp as they can come in a wide variety of colours such as red, yellow and blue. Neon tetras are a staple of tropical tanks, but @CassCats has noted in their Unpopular Opinions thread that neon tetras can be "mean little turds" and can be aggressive towards one another.
Rummy nose tetras are also lovely, and they bring a beautiful burst of red to your tank. Tetras are schooling fish, which means they need to be in groups with one another. The recommended minimum amount of tetras is around 8, but you can go higher. You should generally stick to around two (three at most) types of tetra if you intend on getting multiple kinds of tetras.
Guppies and endlers can come in beautiful arrays of colour, but live in different water conditions to tetras typically so it's up to you whether you intend on taking this gamble or not. Personally I keep tetras and guppies together and have had no issues. Both the guppies and tetras are quite happy. However, be careful with guppies:
A tank of males can lead to aggression, but a tank of males AND females can lead to breeding. And then lots and lots of fry. I mean lots.
Hope this helps, keep us updated. Would love to see your new tank!
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Thanks for the advice guys. Lots to think about then. I have the full set up, the 2nd hand tank I bought is only 6 months old so itās in excellent condition. Thankfully. I need to purchase some substrate/sand or gravel. Which should I go for and how much will I need for a juwel 180 tank? Best places to buy?
Cycling Your New Fresh Water Tank: Read This First!
Hi! Read the above first and get your tank cycled before adding any fish.
Hi! Read the above first and get your tank cycled before adding any fish.
I definitely wouldnāt recommend a sorority for a beginner.
Depends on if you would like to live plants or not. Iām seeing 25 kg for a 180L tank.
Oh dear after reading all that I can see me cycling the tank for 3 months before I get it right ?Cycling Your New Fresh Water Tank: Read This First!
Hi! Read the above first and get your tank cycled before adding any fish.
I have some fake plants to start with. I would like live plants at some point as I know they are great for the water/fish. However Iāve seen you need to have specific lighting etc. I need to read up on my tank to see if the lights that come with the juwel180 are sufficient. Iāve just killed an orchid ? so I worry Iāll struggle to keep them alive
PlasticGalaxy
Fish Gatherer
Some plants thrive in pretty plain conditions! For example, I've got elodea densa/water weed and it's growing wonderfully in both of my tanks with just 10 hours of light. I've got some other plants, too, which are bursting with gorgeous new leaves and new sprouts! Trust me, live plants do wonders for tanks. It brings life to them, and part of the fun is maintaining them and trimming them every once in a while!
And... I don't blame you. Orchids are difficult!
ClownLurch
Fish Gatherer
Before buying anything:
A/ Find out your water PH and hardness from your providers website.
B/ Read up on cycling your tank. Especially silent cycling as itās the easiest method imho especially as you indicate youād like real plants in your tank.
Frinstance you may decide you love Corys and would like some (most do). They need sand not gravel as a substrate. If you were to start cycling your tank after rushing out to buy gravel your Corys thus wouldnāt live the best life possible. Plus Corys donāt do well in extremely hard water which if you live in SE England your almost certain to have. Oh itās a web of intrigue!
So find your water details out (hardness and PH) in numbers then post em up on this thread as theyre some of the main indicators of which fish itād be easiest for you to keep.
Oh and have fun.
A/ Find out your water PH and hardness from your providers website.
B/ Read up on cycling your tank. Especially silent cycling as itās the easiest method imho especially as you indicate youād like real plants in your tank.
Frinstance you may decide you love Corys and would like some (most do). They need sand not gravel as a substrate. If you were to start cycling your tank after rushing out to buy gravel your Corys thus wouldnāt live the best life possible. Plus Corys donāt do well in extremely hard water which if you live in SE England your almost certain to have. Oh itās a web of intrigue!
So find your water details out (hardness and PH) in numbers then post em up on this thread as theyre some of the main indicators of which fish itād be easiest for you to keep.
Oh and have fun.
Itās good not to rush it. If you know anyone with a tank, you can ask them to give you some filter media out of their tank. This will āseedā your tank and youāll have a cycled tank in less than a week, usually. You can also use Tetra Safe Start + to speed things along but this will still take several weeks.
What is Milton sterilising fluid?
You need to be careful using cleaning products on things that go in aquariums because they can leave a poisonous residue on the items that kills everything in the tank.
If you need to clean plastic items you can use bleach and wash the items off really well with water afterwards. Then soak in a bucket of water for 24 hours and add a triple dose of dechlorinator. Then rinse and leave out in the sun until they no longer smell of bleach.
You can also soak things in salt water to kill stuff on them. Just add enough salt so it no longer dissolves and leave it for 24 hours. Then rinse items off and they should be fine.
--------------------
You can either do a fishless cycle or a fish in cycle. A fishless cycle means you add a source of ammonia to the aquarium and let the filter bacteria develop over a 4-6 week period before adding fish. It is better for the fish if they go into a tank that has already got an established filter.
A fish in cycle is where you add a few fish and some live plants. The fish produce the ammonia and the filter bacteria develop while the fish are in the tank. Fish in cycles can harm the fish if the ammonia levels go above 0ppm, which they usually do. However, you can help keep ammonia levels down by feeding a couple of times a week and doing big regular water changes (sometimes every day). Once the tank has cycled you can feed every day and do a water change once a week.
A fish in cycle allows you to have some fish in the tank while the filters develop, compared to a fishless cycle where you have a tank set up bubbling away for about 4-6 weeks before anything goes in it.
You can help speed up the cycling process by adding liquid bacterial supplements, available from any pet shop. You add a double dose every day for a week and then pour the remaining contents into the tank. Try to add the supplement near the filter intake so the good bacteria end up in the filter where they belong.
If you post pictures of the filter we can tell you how to clean it.
dsch132
Fish Fanatic
If you're thinking of keeping a betta and you would like to have a diverse set of inhabitants, consider a corydoras catfish species. They're an active, peaceful shoaling fish that occupies the lowest part of the water column and are unlikely to attract any negative attention from the betta. They enjoy sand as a substrate and should be kept in a group of around six. Best of luck!
*Avoid the known fin nippers (most barbs, some specific tetras), especially large, rowdy fish that will stress your betta, and anything with bright colors and long fins, especially if it's also territorial.
*Avoid the known fin nippers (most barbs, some specific tetras), especially large, rowdy fish that will stress your betta, and anything with bright colors and long fins, especially if it's also territorial.
Oh Iām so confused lol!!!
milton sterilising fluid is baby sterilising fluid. I have literally used 1 cap in a big bucket of water, they have been thoroughly rinsed. I saw to wash in this on another site. I got that carried away last night I looked at the clock and it was 4:30am. I decide it was pointless going to bed. Going to give the tank a wipe out today. Just out of curiosity the filter has been in use by the previous owner. Does that mean there will already be good bacteria in there or do I need to change the filters?
havenāt a clue what fish to go for, or how many I can have. Sticking with the fake plants for bow until Iām a bit more confident in what Iām doing.
milton sterilising fluid is baby sterilising fluid. I have literally used 1 cap in a big bucket of water, they have been thoroughly rinsed. I saw to wash in this on another site. I got that carried away last night I looked at the clock and it was 4:30am. I decide it was pointless going to bed. Going to give the tank a wipe out today. Just out of curiosity the filter has been in use by the previous owner. Does that mean there will already be good bacteria in there or do I need to change the filters?
havenāt a clue what fish to go for, or how many I can have. Sticking with the fake plants for bow until Iām a bit more confident in what Iām doing.
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