What Should I Buy Next.

[DarkSoul]

Here is what i currently have for my setup and basically I'm just wondering what Purchases I should be looking at next before getting fish and plants in there.

Not listed is my python How could I spend the money on this and NOT buy one?

Aquarium
50 Gallon [36"L x 18"W x 18"H]

Hood & Lighting
Black Double Fluorescent Hood
Dual 21W Basic T-5 Tubes

Filtration
Eheim 2213 Classic Filter (Using Installation Set 1 & 2 for Eheim Professional II Filters)
Perfecto Perfect-A-Flo Undergravel Filter

Filter Media (From bottom to top)
Effimech
Coarse Blue Filter Pad
Effisubstrat
Fine Filter Pad
Carbon Pad

Aeriation
Tetra Whisper 100 Running air curtain
Both outputs T'd to feed one long air curtain
JetStream 3500 Running Undergravel Filter
One outlet per uptake tube.

Temperature Control
Aquarium Systems Visi-Therm Deluxe 200W
Pentair Aquatics Little Time And Temp Digital Thermometer

Gravel
50Lbs Estes Dark Blue Gravel.

Plants
None Yet

Fish
None Yet


So what should I be focusing my money on right now?

 

[dwarfgourami]

A good test kit! The liquid ones are the most reliable. Make sure it includes tests for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates, as this will be essential during the starting-up process.

And then I would read up on the cycling process, if you have not already done so (pinned topics).

 

[DarkSoul]

I am going to pickup these test kits when i get paid.

NutraFin Test Master Lab Kit

Red Sea Freshwater Chlorine Mini Test Kit


Also, for foods, What kind of food should i get to feed all my fish something general. I was thinking of buying either the TetraMin Pro Crisps or Wardley Total Tropical and then buying whatever special foods i may need for individual fish, like algae wafers, colour enhancing flakes etc...

But I'm worrying about the test kits now Sometime during the first week of april I will be able to get them

 

[riverman444]

From your post, it looks like you are running an external filter and an undergravel filter. Undergravel filters are not the best choice for planted tanks.....heavily planted, anyway.

I agree with a nice Test Kit. They are crucial, ecspecially in the beginning.

All in all, you have a nice setup. I look foward to pictures

 

[DarkSoul]

I have pics

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=133577



It wont be heavily planted, only a few plants to keep fish happy.

 

[fishfishfish]

or u could do cichlids and use no plants

 

[Bignose]

Buy some ammonia and fishless cycle, there are lots of posts and lots of webpages in google on fishless cycling.

 

[Bloo]

Those test kits sound a bit extreme at this point You really only need ammonia and nitrite. pH & nitrates are nice to have. And kH & gH are handy. Anything else can come with time if you really decide you need it. I can highly recommend API - as a master test kit or the individual ones.

 

[DarkSoul]

Well I figure if im going to buy a test kit, i might as well buy a kit that
A) Contains many test, as you never know what you will need later on down the road. As a cook i know the importance of "prepping" ahaead of time for what you MIGHT need later on.

B) Performs more tests than a single bottle of the same product.

C) Not important, but free samples of stuff is always nice dont you think

besides i think it would be a cheaper up-front cost for many tests, than the long run cost of buying individual tests.
I think it would also be good to have a baseline stat on my tap water since i know nothing about it really. This way i could record the hardness and ph and other such things of my tap water, then if later testing is needed, I know what i started with.
I get what your saying, but i dont mind shelling out the dough for a good quality kit that provides me with almost everything i will ever need.

And yes, i am going to fishless cycle, but my tank is just not ready for that yet. I want to have my test kit and nets and random smallish things before i think of adding fish.

 

[Bloo]

wow talk about being prepared. I think many newbies should take a leaf out of your book!
Talk about patience, preparation and precision

 

[DarkSoul]

I just know the importance of forethought.
I like to be prepared, and i can wait for the fish, because i dont want to rush getting fish in there, and have something go wrong because i didnt prepare, and then be left not able to do anything about it cause i dont have any money to buy the "soloution" (weather it be meds, or some equipment i overlooked etc)
Then my fish are suffering because i didnt think ahead

i'll be able to grab that kit probably first week of april.... but after i have the kit, what should i be looking at getting after that?? nets? better bulbs for my lights? Conditioner?

im almost ready for fish, save the cycling

 

[Bloo]

I would say in order of importance:

Dechlorinator - one that removes chlorine as well as chloramines and heavy metals. API Stress Coat is a good example.

A Siphon & bucket to do water changes (or a Python No Spill and Clean will eliminate the need for a bucket and make life alot easier).

A couple of nets.

A small hospital tank (but large enough to accommodate your largest fish) with spare small filter and heater.

Upgrade lighting on your main tank.

 

[DarkSoul]

Im getting a 15 gallon tank today, which i might use as a quarintine.

I already own a python plus a few buckets for whatever

Im going to buy a big ass container of big als conditioner.

So that covers that
but what should i upgrade my lighting to?