I have a 46 gallon tank that i am starting off with as a beginner and I need to know what all I need! I want to use a tropical atmosphere and in order to do so, I really need to know what equipment I will need in order to maintain an exquisite tank...
2007-03-18 13:44:46 · 5 answers · asked by ? 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
It's great that you are asking questions BEFORE you put fish in a tank! So many make that mistake. Far more important that what equipment to buy is basic knowledge. As in so many other things, with aquarium keeping knowledge is power. Please make your very next purchase a good aquarium book. It will be the best money you can possibly ever spend in the hobby. Websites can offer excellent information, but along with that others can offer very poor information. With the background information from your book, you will be able to tell good ones from bad and make full use of the information presented on the web.
A good book will answer all the questions you have now as well as many you haven't even thought of yet. It will also create new questions in your mind, but those you will then be able to find the answers for with confidence.
MM
2007-03-18 14:50:14 · answer #1 · answered by magicman116 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In addition to the tank, you need:
a filter
a heater
a hood with a light
water conditioner (Tetra Aquasafe, or SeaChem Prime are good ones. They take the chlorine out of your water to make it safe for fish)
A master test kit (you should get one that tests for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates, at the minimum)
A gravel vac and 5 gallon buckets for water changes (you should do 50% water changes each week to maintain water quality).
That's it! You can decorate your tank however you want--fake plants, real ones, sand or gravel on the bottom...lots of possibilities.
Make sure to cycle your tank before you add fish (look up nitrogen cycle on google for more info. Some people recommend fishless cycle, and some recommend cycling with a few hardy fish. You can also get a product called Bio-Spira to speed this process along. Once your cycle is finished, your tank should have readings of ammonia-0, nitrItes-0, nitrAtes-less than 20.)
Be sure to research any fish you want BEFORE you buy it to be sure it is suitable for your tank. Don't let anyone tell you "You'll be fine as long as you have one inch of fish per gallon. There is a lot more to stocking than that--you need to meet all of the special needs of each individual species you buy. Research is the key!
Good luck!
2007-03-18 20:58:10 · answer #2 · answered by Liz 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't know to much but here some suggestions:
change the filter weekly
Have a chemical tester to check for diseases.
Have some fish that are tank cleaners
Make sure the fish you get work well together
monitor the water temperature.
Make sure the filters cant suck any of your fish into it ( trust me it can happen)
When you clean the tank clean any decorations you have.
Make sure the food you give your fish suits them well.
Don't over crowd your tank.
I would recommend starting with a fresh water tank, salt water is harder to maintain.
have fun.
2007-03-18 20:53:56 · answer #3 · answered by Mila 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋
http://www.petplace.com/fish/setting-up-your-freshwater-aquarium/page1.aspx
Covers all the basics. As a beginner, make sure you start out with small schooling fish before you try any species that require more in-depth care. Neons and zebras are a good place to start. Good luck!
2007-03-18 20:50:18 · answer #4 · answered by dolce 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
http://www.elmersaquarium.com/h701elmers_freshwater_handbook.htm
http://www.hagen.com/usa/aquatic/basic/index.cfm
Some good basic info to get started with...
2007-03-18 20:57:14 · answer #5 · answered by something_fishy 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋