Thinking Of Starting Up Tank

[DemureGirl]

Hello

I joined this forum recently and after looking around a bit I have started to think of strating up a tropical tank. My experience of keeping fish is very limited. I had only goldfish as a child.

I went to a local pet store today to have a look at the tanks and fish available there. It wanted to buy a book on keeping fish, but, apart from being extremely well stocked in everything else, there were no books on keeping tropical fish.

One of my my main questions is about cleaning. The cold water tank I had as a child was small and had to be emptied and cleaned weekly, else you couldn't see in. The size of the tropical tanks in the store were so much bigger than the little one I had. Do they need to be cleaned so thoroughly ever week? And if so, what is the best way to clean them?

And what fish would you recomend to a newbie fish owner?

Thank you for your time

 

[electropunk06]

Hi and welcome.
Weekly maintenance on the tank is usually a small water change 10-25% depending on stocking, and a gravel vac and give the glass a quick wipe to get the algae off. then every month the filter needs cleaning and thats about it.
The fish you should get first depends on how you want to cycle your filter. fish-in or fishless.
When you tank is cycled bronze corys are hardy and so a zebra danios. Livebearers are also good biginer fish but if you going to have a few then they will start too breed so you will need somewhere for the fry to go. Gouramis are always nice and some are hardy. It depends on your tank size and what fish you like.
Hope this helps,
Lloyd

 

[DemureGirl]

Hi and welcome.
Weekly maintenance on the tank is usually a small water change 10-25% depending on stocking, and a gravel vac and give the glass a quick wipe to get the algae off. then every month the filter needs cleaning and thats about it.
The fish you should get first depends on how you want to cycle your filter. fish-in or fishless.
When you tank is cycled bronze corys are hardy and so a zebra danios. Livebearers are also good biginer fish but if you going to have a few then they will start too breed so you will need somewhere for the fry to go. Gouramis are always nice and some are hardy. It depends on your tank size and what fish you like.
Hope this helps,
Lloyd

Thank you Lloud, that is a great help. It is very helpful to know that it won't require such an extensive cleaning after a week!
What is the difference between the fish-in and fishless cycles? Apart from the obvious, of course!

I am going to try another pet store to see if they have any books in. There is a Pets at Home that is usually pretty good.

Thanks again!

 

[electropunk06]

Hi these link explain it well
Cycling
fishless
Fish in

I know itt seems quite tricky to get your head round at first (well it did for me ) It is very useful to understand the nitrogen cycle.
There are mixed reports about p@h some say worst shop ever and some say not so bad, but if your not buying fish any should be fine. Also many LFS will just want to make a sale so will not advise very well.
Lloyd

 

[DemureGirl]

Ahh! Thanks for the links, they are briliant. I'll enjoy trying to get to grips with it!

I don't think I will be buying any fish from pets at home. There is a brilliant aquarium store near me that sells brilliant equiptment and fish (I have to laugh at the triangle fish they have there!) so I will probably shop there.