Starting an aquarium?

Question

im going to be building a freshwater exotic aquarium...im planning on setting it up tonight, and getting the fish tomorrow...what chemicals and things do i need to prepare it with? I have 2 filters, one for under water and the regular waterfall filter...any help at all would be appreciated. thanks!

Answer 1

Honestly, everyone is going to tell you to start off with small inexpensive fish and get test kits and all this stuff, but it is really a waste. Sure all that time and $100 worth of stuff may save the life of one or two of those $3 fish you pick out, but I don't see the point (with fresh water)

Set up the tank as soop as possible turn on the filters and heaters and everything and let them run with no fish you need to add a chlorine remover to the water since it is going to be getting fish so soon. Try to get the water temp to about 75F before you add any fish (unless you choose gold fish- don't mix goldfish w/ any other kinds of fish except goldfish) when you get your fish let them float in their baggies in the top of the tank water for about 10-15 minutes before you release them into the tank (this allows them to adjust to the temperature.

You can mess with all this cycling the tank gibberish if you want, but it is more work than it is worth on fresh water unless you are going for really expensive fish like discus. Or unless you are really serious about breeding or showing, but for the common hobbiest fresh water tank the cycling and testing won't matter much most common freshwater fish are hardy enough that they can live through the cycling process, and even if they don't buying new fish will be cheaper than cycling before the fish and testing.

Answer 2

Your tank won't be ready for fish just yet. You need to establish bacterial colonies. In the wild, and in established tanks, there are nitrifying bacteria that break down toxic ammonia from fish waste and excess food into less toxic nitrates. In a brand new tank, these bacteria don't exist, even if you just let the tank run for a while, so any fish in the tank will produce ammonia, which, not being broken down by bacteria, will kill or weaken the fish. So, it is vital to cycle your tank.
There are a few methods. Do you have access to an established tank? These bacteria live in the gravel and in the filter cartridge, so if you can get some from another tank, you can put the bacteria right into your tank (don't let the gravel or filter cartridge dry out). If you do this, in a day or two, your tank will beready for fish.
Another way is to get Bio-Spira. It is the actual live bacteria in a little pouch, and your tank will instantly be ready for fish.http://fishstoretn.com/bio_spira.html

Other methods, which include putting a source of ammonia in the tank and letting the bacteria build up on its own, or putting a fish in and letting the fish produce ammonia (which borders on animal cruelty, because the fish will suffer from the ammonia in the tank), take 2 to 6 weeks before your tank is ready. If you rush that, any fish you buy may die, so try one of the instant methods I mentioned above (bio-spira or gravel from another tank)

It is also a good idea to invest in a master testing kit (30$). You can test for nitrates, nitrites, pH, ammonia, kH, GH, etc etc and it's important to know.

You will need a water conditioner. You can find this at many petstore and it neutralized the chlorine, chloramine and heavy metals found in your tap water. You NEED this to make your water safe for fish.

What do you mean an under water filter? Is like an undergravel filter, the type with an air pump? If so, avoid using that one. In theory, it pulls uneaten food and poop into the gravel where it biodegrades. In reality, there is too much food and poop to biograde. It needs to be removed from the tank. The "water fall filter" commonly known as HOB (Hang off the Back) are great. Just make sure that you NEVER replace the filter cartridge unless it's falling apart. The good bacteria live in the filter, so if it gets gunky, just swish it around in a bucket of aquarium water.

You will also need to do weekly water changes of 30-40%, and vacuum the gravel. If you don't know what that is, ask the petstore for a Syphoning Tube.

Do you know whether you will need a heater? Most tropical community fish need heaters.

Have you given any thought to what fish you want? Please know that not all fish you see in the petstore can go into your tank. Some are very aggressive, some have different requirements (for example, some fish need very hard water; some fish need very soft), some fish will grow to be way too big for your tank... While your tank is cycling, go to the petstore with a pen and paper and write down the names of the fish you like and that are in your price range. Go home and research them. Ask questions if you want to know if they can go together and if they can fit in your tank.

So, research research research; petstores are not usually very reliable and give pretty crappy advice, so don't take anything they say to be the truth, unless you research it.

Good luck and have fun with your tank :)

Answer 3

Sounds like you've got the filtration taken of. It's been so long since I've dealt with freshwater I can't remember the exact pH but as long as you're not on rural water a good dechlorinator/ammonia remover will help.

Acclimate the fish to the tank slowly, keep them in their bags without adding water to their bag or opening it for about 15 mins. After that, add 1 cup of water from the aquarium to their bag until the bag is full. Next, pour what of the water from the bag you can into the sink and add fish to tank.

General rule of thumb for freshwater is to only have one inch of fish per gallon of water. Starting out, much less than that, I'd say 1 inch to every 3-5 gallons. For the first few weeks you will be cycling the tank. Denitrifying bacteria will begin to multiply and adequately convert fish waste from Ammonia to nitrite and then to nitrate. Before adding more fish, be sure to take a water sample to your local fish store to have it tested for pH, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite. If the levels are fairly high, you will need to do a water change and possibly add ammonia and nitrate detoxifier to the water of the tank.

It takes time, don't get in a rush. At present I have a 150 gallon saltwater reef tank I built into a cabinet complete with corals and gorgeous fish. I sometimes have gotten ahead of myself with the addition of livestock and have woefully regretted it each time.

Answer 4

Along with the feeder fish idea, after those have lived for a week or two get a plicostumus (sp? not in spell check for some reason?) It is an algae eater. It can grow very big so be careful not to over feed your fish. Get community fish. Also some fish do better if they can swim in a small school. DON"T buy twenty gallons or less tank if you want very many fish 1 inch of fish per gallon? I think??? Angels are temperamental. And other fish like to nip at their fins. Your tank water must be set up for at minimum one day but preferably a week before adding ANY fish.

Answer 5

Be sure to start with feeder fish (small goldfish) before you put any other fish in the tank. The water needs to get all the right levels of microbes, pH and such or there's a very good chance your fish will die. As far as chemicals - ask at the pet store and they should be able to help with all that info.

I would also suggest buying a really good book on freshwater fish that has all the diseases and such that your fish can be prone, what the best type of fish are for you, your tank size and the other fish in the community.

Answer 6

well put the underwater filter in before the gravel LOL,
Rinse the gravel off before you put it in the tank,
Let the water sit for at least 24 hours before adding fish, that will get rid of the poisonous Chlorine etc in our tap water...
Don't get more than 3 golfish at first.... to cycle the tank.. this takes about a month
See if you can talk the guy dipping out your fish to give you some of their gravel in the bag of water. This gravel is already established and will have the god bacteria on it (a little trick) throw it in a pantyhose footy and toss it in your tank at home... that way the unmatching gravel wont mix.. this will cycle your tank a lot faster!!!
Dont change the water at all the first month... you will just be stalling the cycling process... this is why you get goldfish if they die or ammonia builds up high it's not a waste of money.

The tank will get cloudy and look like crap during the first month.. dont worry about it... just let it keep running it's cycle,...
everyone will tell you something differnt. I own 80 aquariums in my life. I know what I am talking about... LOL

After a months time you will be cycled.. or if your water turns chystal clear you can bet you are cycled already from the bacteria you got from pet shop.
Always buy a product called Stress Coat and put it in with new fish.
Always make lots of caves and private areas your fish can all have their own area. This will keep from unnecessary deaths and fighting.
NEVER EVER EVER EVER, remove more than one half of the water in the tank...
Never ever ever ever vacuum all of the gravel in the tank... If you must vacuum gravel do only one portion one time. than another another time.. otherwise you will pretty much just have to redcycle your take and all your fish will die...
Never let the tank get cold.. if a heater breaks down get your butt to the store asap and buy another... low temps mean disease and t's heartbreaking to watch them die..
The best fish to get are African Cyclids
they are cheap when they are babies.. they breed, they all like caves and are very very interesting always moving and pinning for each other... laying eggs and swimming around with babies in their mouths... plus... when they grow up and get big they start getting a little aggressive.. You can trade them in for a small fortune, and get all new fish and start all over.. Some full grown male african cyclids have more color than any saltwater fish and are worth well over 100 a piece...
get slate rocks and put em in there all over the place making lots f caves

Answer 7

Actually you need to wait at least 3 to 5 days before you get fish, after you fill your tank, you need to get a declorinator, a conditioner, and an amonia remover. Plus the filter needs to run in it for 3 days (at least) just to get all the carbon settled. Then you can add fish, but start with 3 or 4 at a time. Remember 1 sq inch of tank per inch of fish. Don't over crowd or you will have a big mess of dead fish really quick.

Answer 8

Check out the Just Starting Out forum at FishGeeks for all the help you need in setting up your new aquarium.

http://www.aquaria.info