Fish tank - aquarium

[m7gsr]

Anyone have one? I've got my kids a tank a couple of weeks ago and going through the cycling stage of it. I didn't realise that so much is involved in keeping tropical fish.

 

[Carbon]

We have a couple. Been keeping fish since I was 5

 

[GG205rob]

I got one about 18 months ago. Very relaxing watching them. Like you say, quite alot involved though.

 

[Steveyb_evo3]

Yeah I have a tropical tank and yeah little more involved than ppl think

 

[m7gsr]

Nice deco. there Rob, looks v good.
I tend to watch the fish instead of the tv at times You end up having a little look and before you know it, staring away watching what they're upto. Think the cycling bit is the hardest. Need patience and good advice from someone who know's what they're on about. I got different advice from different people. Can't believe the assistants in the lfs (local fish store) aren't too clued up on fish and what's involved!!

 

[Carbon]

What do you need to know? Advice changes as the years go by (we were all keeping marine inverts with UG filters and fluorescent tubes when I started) but I try to keep reasonably current

 

[m7gsr]

What do you need to know? Advice changes as the years go by (we were all keeping marine inverts with UG filters and fluorescent tubes when I started) but I try to keep reasonably current

That must've been a long time ago then Lots of experience then. Must sometimes have done your head in trying to sort tank/cycle etc.?

I bought Tetra 6 in 1 test strips which are quite crap and not accurate. Have ordered a api master test kit (think that's what it's called) so can get proper readings.

Guy at lfs reckons can have 28 fish in the tank? Others reckon a lot less. They say a 1inch fish = 1 gallon of water, I'm sure this guy advised 1 fish to 1 litre!

So far got 4 neons left (was advised to get these as starter fish) wrong advice I guess as 2 died Got 4 baloon mollies and a red fin tetra. Been told on aa (aquarium advice forum) the mollies produce a lot of waste and tank is at full capacity So I might have to re home 2 of the mollies and go for some guppies. Wanted Beta but they'll attack the guppies because of their tails. Best to keep betta's seperate. They shoul be 1 samurai fighter or siamese fighter (male) with 3 females (lucky fish) lol

Got to wait till Wednesday and hopefully cycle should be more or less complete. Will be getting bottom feeder and a glass cleaner (fishes) then.

Just looking at the options we have. I reckon I'll end up with a bigger tank in the future

 

[Carbon]

How big is your tank? 1" per gallon is ok for salt water but a little under stocked for tropicals. What is the ph of your water? Neons prefer acidic water where as mollys prefer alkaline. Molly's aren't a bad starting point unless your water is really acidic.

 

[m7gsr]

Tank is 48 litres. Ph was 6.8 yesterday. Going to check again in the morning and do a water change

 

[B6lee]

Not much in the way of pics here

 

[ati@asworld]

Rob, love the tank I'm looking for 1 aswell

 

[m7gsr]

Rob, love the tank I'm looking for 1 aswell

I'd do a little homework on keeping fish before starting. I thought it would be a doddle, but boy was I wrong! All worth it though

 

[Carbon]

Tank is 48 litres. Ph was 6.8 yesterday. Going to check again in the morning and do a water change

Ph 6.8 is fine for neons. A little low for the mollies but they are pretty hardy so it shouldn't be an issue. How much water do you change as a percentage of total tank volume and how often? Do you test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? If so, what are the levels?

 

[m7gsr]

Ph 6.8 is fine for neons. A little low for the mollies but they are pretty hardy so it shouldn't be an issue. How much water do you change as a percentage of total tank volume and how often? Do you test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? If so, what are the levels?

Done a 50% change earlier, going to do a 30% in the morning and another 30% in the evening to get rid of the clouding and need to cut back on the food for them a bit(I've been feeding them too much been told)! On the 6 in 1 test strips all seems well. Got the water tested at lfs and they said all is well but ammonia slightly high, but the water changes should sort it.

Going to give the neons away and one of the male mollies and replace the neons for some hardy tetra's.

Think I'm going to have to get a bigger tank later (prob. a 120litre) but have to make most of the one we have at mo. because will loose out on it SO limited to a few fish for now

 

[m7gsr]

Not much in the way of pics here

My tank a little cloudy at mo. but once sorted will get some pics up.

Gets some pics up guys/girls

 

[Carbon]

Your cloudiness is almost certainly a bacterial bloom. It sounds like the tank isn't cycled properly yet so don't add any more fish till you get to zero ammonia and nitrite. When you add fish after that add no more than 50% of the total length of fish that you already have in the tank and you shouldn't get any more spikes.

 

[m7gsr]

Yep, the bacteria bloom comes and goes! Got a lot clearer last week and then back to quite cloudy again Hopefully not too long now before it's fully cycled

Should have my API master test kit tomorrow which should give me proper test results

 

[foxy lady x]

Not much in the way of pics here

What's up, you having problems reading in your old age pops ?!? :razz:


My dad used to have marine fish and that was a nightmare having to do the poxy water, and salt tests and make sure it was all balanced, but the fish kept eating the shrimps lol

 

[Steveyb_evo3]

theres mine

 

[m7gsr]

Water change can be a mission!