Totally New To Keeping Fish

[coalpoolwalla]

hello everyone. im stu.

first of all, i went to the hollybush last weekend to take my niece to look at the nice fishies lol.
and what a coincidence my dad phoned me earlier while i was at work saying his mate is selling a fish tank if i know anyone who is interested,
tank, stand, heater , filter. 40 quid the lot.

so i said id have it and give it a go.

totallty new to it so ive not got a clue what to do to start of with.... what ive got to do to prep the tank ready for the fish.... what ive got to buy etc.

and also what fish will go together and easily available from hollybush garden and aquatics.


any help will be great
thanks in advance
stu.

 

[Geoff1991]

id read up the following topics before you do anything:

First, setting up an aquarium
[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=247729"]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=247729[/URL]

Then, the nitrogen cycle
[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=271928&hl="]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=271928&hl=[/URL]

Then, fishless cycling. I suggest the add and wait method.
[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861"]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861[/URL]

Then finally weekly maintenance.
[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=171045"]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=171045[/URL]

Its important to tell you not to buy any fish until youve done a fishless cycle (From experience, its not nice cycling with fish)

 

[coalpoolwalla]

yeah im definatly going to get the water right before i add the fish.
and thanks for the quick reply

 

[Geoff1991]

No worries, i got caught in a fish-in cycle and wanted to save you from the same hassle and grief of doing 50% water changes up to 3 times a day and having sick fish and other horrible stuff...

Just study the above topics very carefully and you should be on the right track from the start.

 

[Sarah5098]

Absolutely everything you need to know is posted in the beginners resource centre
It just on the new to the hobby page.
Read and research as much as you can, and dont just take one persons advice
Good Luck
Sarah

 

[coalpoolwalla]

thanks alot guys.... sooooo looking forward to tommorow when he drops it off.

what is the best testing kit to buy and will it test everythink?

 

[Geoff1991]

API Freshwater master test kit.

About 30 quid but well worth it. You can sometimes get the odd one off ebay for about 15 quid if youre lucky.

Edit: 200346979282

Ive bought one off that guy before, he is a slow poster from my experience (you could wait up to two weeks) But it will come eventually and you will have saved a decent amount of money.

Okay, maybe i wasnt fair there. It does say it takes 3-5 working days, so i wouldnt expect it right away. But if you check their feedback, a few people have said "good item, slow postage"

 

[JenCliBee]

Welcome to the forum

I think everythink has been covered lol, just wanted to say dont buy your fish from hollybush lol.... they have been dreadful lately , where abouts are you based?, try A&D aqautics if your near, there only 15 mins down the road from hollybush and there stock is far more healthy most of the time


Well anyways goodluck and nice to see you want to get everythink right before adding the fish, great attitude and makes it so much easier for us to help people like you

jen

 

[coalpoolwalla]

Welcome to the forum

I think everythink has been covered lol, just wanted to say dont buy your fish from hollybush lol.... they have been dreadful lately , where abouts are you based?, try A&D aqautics if your near, there only 15 mins down the road from hollybush and there stock is far more healthy most of the time


Well anyways goodluck and nice to see you want to get everythink right before adding the fish, great attitude and makes it so much easier for us to help people like you

jen

cheers jen... im in walsall btw. near walsall town centre.
i dont drive so its a fair bike ride lol
or a tenna in a taxi

and thanks alot geoff... will order me that tommorow when i get payed

 

[Geoff1991]

Yeah, just make sure you're not in a rush. Ive got one on order, paid on the 15th and now im waiting for it.

 

[coalpoolwalla]

Yeah, just make sure you're not in a rush. Ive got one on order, paid on the 15th and now im waiting for it.

nah im not in a rush... like i said ill make sure everythinks right befor i get the fish.... better to be safe than sorry.

good things come to those who wait

 

[JenCliBee]

Welcome to the forum

I think everythink has been covered lol, just wanted to say dont buy your fish from hollybush lol.... they have been dreadful lately , where abouts are you based?, try A&D aqautics if your near, there only 15 mins down the road from hollybush and there stock is far more healthy most of the time


Well anyways goodluck and nice to see you want to get everythink right before adding the fish, great attitude and makes it so much easier for us to help people like you

jen

cheers jen... im in walsall btw. near walsall town centre.
i dont drive so its a fair bike ride lol
or a tenna in a taxi

and thanks alot geoff... will order me that tommorow when i get payed

Ahhhh!!!!, a walslian lol my partners from there so know it ok ish lol, yeh A&D may be a little far then on the bike lol, but dont get me wrong hollybush are really good when there good but my god when they are bad they really do take the biscuit lol, anyways good luck m8.

 

[waterdrop]

Amazing you are here in this particular forum prior to even receiving your new used setup! You are among a tiny lucky fraction. Most only happen here after their fish are dying! You also sound to be planning to get the water right before getting fish (beware, this could take over 2 months! ... but is well worth it!)

You also have also already asked about -the- most helpful piece of equipment for beginning tank starters, the test kit and you got the right info there. What size is your 40 quid tank? As you can see re the test kit, this is not a cheap hobby necessarily, but you're off to about as cheap a start as possible. A next good step if you're patient is to learn about filters and review what media (stuff in filter) you've got or need to get as many people overlook that and jump straight to their fishless cycle.

Another early step to work on, once you've read the fishless cycling info and are properly convinced that is the right thing to do (it is! in my opinion) is to begin the search for the proper kind of ammonia. This can be quite difficult sometimes so its better to get going with it. Plenty of good ammonia info to be had via searches on TFF or via your thread here.

And of course the most important thing of all has already been mentioned in that you have lots of homework reading all the good stuff in the Beginners Resource Center and reading other beginners threads (this often makes things quite fun) and of course you shouldn't just accept what you read but should question it and learn with it here in your thread by asking questions. The members here are really fun and collectively have enormous amounts of miscellaneous info to share!

Welcome to TFF!
~~waterdrop~~

 

[coalpoolwalla]

the tank is 32 inches long so ive been told... not sure though untill i get it tommorow.

will measure it tomoroow and let you know.

and yeah jen good old walsall (NOT!!) i got a few mates who will take me to A+D for a cost. so may go over there sometime next week and have a look.