HELP PLEASE!.. I have a 4ft fish tank about 230ltrs. I need to know what stuff i need for my fish tank.?

Question

I have the 4ft x 2ft x 1ft fish tank a few ornaments and stand and i need to know what sort of filters and other stuff that's needed. I want a salt water fish tank but i heard fresh water's cheaper and easier to maintain. May i please have the pros and cons of each and any other extra info is much appreciated. Thank You

Answer 1

I have several of each type, and once you've got it set up, the only real difference is the stocking level, and needing to add salt to the water. Saltwater fish are generally more aggressive and territorial (although there are some peaceful species you can keep in schools), plus they need very good water quality, so you can't keep as many fish in the tank - think "cichlid" personality if that helps). And you need to mix up the saltwater (outside the tank) to the correct concentration for water changes.

And there's the price of the fish and extra equipment needed for saltwater, so the cost is a little more than for freshwater. You should get a hydrometer (used to mix the saltwater to the correct concentration) and salt, a protein skimmer is also strongly suggested, but not absolutely required if you're planning to keep invertebrates - corals, shrimp, etc.). You may run into extra cost in lighting as well if you plant to keep ant photosynthetic corals, anemones, or clams.

Most of the equipment you'll need are the same as you'd need for freshwater - a good filter, heater, thermometer, water test kits (for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH), and cleaning equipment. As far as types of filters, a wet/dry (or trickle) filter is considered the best for filtration, followed by a canister, biowheel, and hang-on-tank. Some people use undergravel filters as additional filtration, but if you would use one, I recommend using it with a powerhead set to reverse flow - this keep gunk from building up under the filter plate so you don't have to tear the tank apart to clean - the water forces all the debris up through the substrate so your filter can remove it.

A good place to begin is with a good reference book. I recommend either The New Marine Aquarium by Michael S. Paletta. Microcosm Ltd. ISBN 1-890087-52-1 or The Conscientious Marine Aquarist – Robert M. Fenner. Microcosm Ltd. ISBN 1-890087-02-5. These will give you options for how you might want to go about equiping your tank so you get a functioning system that won't break the bank.

A good website to start at is this one - http://www.apapets.com/MarineEcosystem/whatto.htm - it give a lot of practical things to consider when planning your first tank. These also give some good advice on equipment, fish selection, maintenance, etc.: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ , http://www.fishlore.com/SaltwaterBeginners.htm , http://www.peteducation.com/index.cfm?cls=16

Possibly the difference in opinon regarding the difficulty in going marine is the amount of research and preparation you do before you set up the tank - I spent two years reading materials befor taking the plunge, and while I won't say I've never had a problem, I can say I had a good background in what to expect and some good resources to solve the problems as they came up.

Good luck with the new tank!

Answer 2

Freshwater will be simpler and cheaper to start up than saltwater. For a freshwater tank you need a filter (canister or power), heater (for anything but goldfish), substrate (gravel) and your decorations. Saltwater tanks need a protein skimmer, powerheads, expensive substrate (crushed coral or argonite sand) and the fish are more expensive in general. If you decide to have coral you need fancy lighting that can cost hundreds of dollars (or more). Some fish require live rock which is also quite costly.

I'd recommend the freshwater if this is your first tank. You have a great size tank to work with, research what fish you want and come up with a stocking plan. Once you know more about fishkeeping and have kept a tank for a couple of years you can move onto saltwater.

Answer 3

The last thing you want to put in the tank is fish.
I assume (dangerous, I know) that you intend to keep fresh-water fish. Put your tank on its stand, and put (washed) gravel in the bottom. If you are going to use an undergravel
filter, of course put it in first. l prefer over-the-back filters, but that is only my opinion, Others prefer the under=gravel type.
Fill the tank with fresh water The better the water, the better for the fish. Be especially careful of water that came from copper plumbing,
Put in plants and rocks and what ornaments you like. Beginnners should probably eschew real plants until the eco-system is established.
Put in heaters. Be sure you have enough heaters to maintain the tank at about 76 degrees for ;most fresh-water tropicfal
fish.
Put in an air device. Undergravel filters will have their own
bubblers, otherwise you;ll need some air stones. Fish must have water with a lot of air. Buy a very good air pump.
Decide what type of filtration you want to use.
Buy the very best you can afford. Talk to a KNOWLEDABLE
sales person,. Don't rely on the word of a part-timer at the
local discount store.
Set up the aquarium with filters, air bubblers, heaters, gravel, decorations, the lid and ;the lilghts.
VERY IMPORTANT water from public utilities probably
contains chlorine. This is dangerous to fish: putting fish into
untreated wates is like dropping them into acid. Always use
a commlercial chlorine remover before adding fish to the water.
Let the tank set up for a few days with every thing running.
Use the time to get a good fish book from the fish store.Identify the kinds of fish you would like to keep.

Some tips:
1. Get some catfish for the bottom. Corydoras are perfect.
Avoid catfish with long whiskers. They are predators.
2, Try to find a good plecostomus. They are docile, and
well-armored. They will keep the alge growth down,
Some people think they're ugly, I think they lood greatg.
3. Don't put b ig fish in with little fish.
4. Don't put too many fish in the aquarium. Check the fish
book for guidelines.
5. Keep the tank covered. Fish (especially those who like
swim close to the surface) will become carpet inspectors.
6. Be very careful. You're dealing with water and electricity
in close proximity.
7. Commercial fish food is very healthy for the fish, but also
give them fresh food...brine shrimp, meal worms, and
even earth worms and grasshoppers for big fish.
8. Do it right, ;and you'll have a hobby for life. A well-kept
aquarium is a beautiful addition to any house,.Find out if
there is an aquarium club close to you. You'll enjoy the
company of these people: They will be friendly and glad to
help with any questions.

ENJOY YOUR FISH!

Answer 4

freshwater is DEFINITELY the best if you're a beginner (which it seems you are). You're tank it almost too small for a salt water and the chemicals will go bad pretty quickly. You have to test salt water a LOT which also costs a lot of money. Freshwater fish are eaier to maintain. Petsmart does FREE water tests for freshwater. There's usually a guarentee on freshwater fish (petsmart's guarentee is 14 days - most other places offer a 7 day guarentee), plus - there's so many breeds you can mix together. you can go with big fish or little fish. colorful or silver. goldfish or regular. whatever you want. if nothing else, it'll teach you maintence and you can decide if a saltwater tank is even worth the money and effort for future reference

Answer 5

It is a form of algea that is hard to kill without chemicals. You can purchase an algea-killing chemical anyplace that sells fish. They even have a type that is safe to use in a planted tank. Using bleach is NOT a good option. It may kill any fish you ever put in it because it is almost impossible to rinse out completely. So in the future, use the algea-killing chemical, it will not harm your fish, and you won't have to dismantle your tank, which also kills the good bacteria in your filter that is keeping your fish healthy. It is easier to control algea than to fight it, though. In an unplanted tank, shorten the amount of time your tank lights are on. In a planted tank, some fast-growing plants and some carbon dioxide are good controllers, because the fast growing plant uses all the nutrients, including the carbon dioxide, before the algea can get any, basically starving it away.

Answer 6

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RE:
HELP PLEASE!.. I have a 4ft fish tank about 230ltrs. I need to know what stuff i need for my fish tank.?
I have the 4ft x 2ft x 1ft fish tank a few ornaments and stand and i need to know what sort of filters and other stuff that's needed. I want a salt water fish tank but i heard fresh water's cheaper and easier to maintain. May i please have the pros and cons of each and any other extra info...

Answer 7

Fresh water aquariums require less work to maintain properly. You'll need some gravel, a filter, heater, aquarium thermometer, fish food, water conditioner/dechlorinator fluid, a water pH kit [and an ammonia/nitrite/nitrate test kit] and lots of patience. The single most important step in my opinion is to fully 'cycle' your new fish tank before adding show fish [patience is golden]. I strongly recommend a visit to a website like wetwebmedia.com or Google "tropical fish care" to research what keeps an aquarium as healthy as possible. Take it step by step and good luck, it's definitely worth the effort.

Answer 8

freash is easier but salt is prettier. your new so get fresh.

things needed(fresh):
tank

a good filter (dont skimp here) i have a fluval 305 its really god but expensive

air pump

natural color rock or sand(no purple blue yellow cause it stresses fish)

plants (fake are cleaner. i like the silk ones with the solid rubber bottoms cause they dont flot away)

natural lava rocks are good natural filters for the tank (was monthly) no coral because they dissolve slowly and put salt in the water. a few sea shells are good if they have been washed well. these add a little salt but it helps keep fish parasite free.

chemicals:
stress coat
cycle(good bacteria)
freash water rock salt(kills many diseases in the tank)

food:
tropical fish flake(almost all fish will eat this)

there is a variety of frozen goodies for fish.

many of mine eat smaller feeder fish.

algae pelts

fish:
start the tank with something hardy like garomis or cichlids. also you need a picostomus or a Japanese algae eater type.

make sure you have like type fish (ex no Oscars with mollys. keep aggersive with aggressive and docile w docile)


the set up:
set up you tank 2 weeks a head of time and feed it food and an algae pelet every day treat it with indicated chemicals as if fish were in it. this establishes the tank. set up forests and caves for fish to live in.

Cleaning:

25% water chance bi weekly

every other month take every thing out and wash it in warm water. 50% water change

hand wipe algae off glass with a clean paper towel(no chemicals)

refill and treat water

new fish:

float the bag for 5 to 10 mins and net him into tank. dont mix the water from bag into tank.

feed the other fish at this time

rearrange tank so every one has to get a new home.

that about it. enjoy and good luck

Answer 9

Salt water fish are fussier to keep, and you must have less fish per gallon. However, they are generally healthier in the long run for this. Starting supplies are very expensive. You'll need a salt meter (reads the amount of bouyancy in the water). You need extra good filters. And a high quality heater. There is very little room for error. A small mistake can wipe out your whole tank. And, the salt water fish from the oceans and seas are very, very costly. Most people start off with a few damsels to get the beneficial bacteria cycle going. Other supplies can also be applied from my suggestions on fresh water tank equipment.

Fresh water fish are usually tougher, provided you create the proper environment and water conditions appropriate to the breed you choose. You are also able to keep more fish per gallon, depending on the breed. Generally 1" of fish per gallon is healthy. Cost of these fish is usually affordable, from pretty cheap and to very expensive. But never more costly than salt water fish! I'd go with fish that favour swimming at different levels. One kind like to stay near the top, one in the middle, another on the bottom. Makes it interesting. And for esthetic reasons, just have three or four kinds of fish. The larger the group of the same breed, the bigger the impression and interest of your aquarium environment.

When I buy a filter for my aquariam, I always go one or two steps higher than is required to keep the tank well maintained. In other words, if you had a 20 gallon tank, I'd get a filter that cleans up to 40 gallons.

Whatever you decide, make sure you've got the right start. Get a chlorine and chloramine remover, stress coat, and beneficial bacteria (such as Cycle). Purchase or borrow a good book on keeping aquariums and fish. It will be invaluable to you. And, get good advice from the store you've decided to buy fish from. Don't forget a good net, stones, some live plants (fresh water tank), an algae cleaner (as well as algae remover solutions), have a few drugs on hand for sick fish, before it happens. And follow a preventative maintenance plan to avoid a sudden fall of your water quality, and infecting/suffocating the fish. Get yourself an ammonia/nitrite/nitrate dip sticks, they'll privide a good reading as to how your water is doing. Also get some PH dip sticks as well. You should add aquarium salt to your fresh water tank. A small amount actually keeps them healthy and prevents parasites and disease. The amount necessary should be written on the box. You need a good vacuum for the bottom of the tank.

Just go to a great store and get great advice. Be picky about where you choose to buy your fish. Make sure they are healthy - no missing pieces from their fins or tail, no bumps or specks that look like sale (ick parasite), and no red open wounds (bacterial infections).

Only start with a minimum of fish to your tank when it's freshly started. Add them about 3 to 7 days after you first set up. Each week you can slowly add some more, but, make sure you add more cycle (beneficial bacteria) which will keep the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels down. It takes a full two or three months to get a fully up and running and for the fish to settle in, without dying! Don't be tempted to rush the process.

And, finally, please make sure the floor under that tank is properly reinforced to hold all that weight. One gallon of water weighs about eight pounds. (Sorry, I've refused to get into the metric system.) Use a conversion chart!

Don't forget to buy good quality fish food. They even have frozen treats for them. Just remember, feed sparingly or you are going to end up with a foul tank from too much food being uneaten. A pinch that lasts for a couple of minutes in the morning, and the same at night. Fish will always appear hungry, don't let them fool you!

I really enjoyed having all my fish. Now, I'm just too tired to look after them, and have given up.

P.S. You want interesting fish, with nice colouring and great personalities, try out chiclids. However, these fish are not for the faint of heart. There are down right tough! Now that's excitement. They love hard water.

Answer 10

Saltwater, lights alone are over 400$, cuz im assuming you want coral.

Easily do freshwater, do 2 Aquaclear 500 filters, 2 150 watt heaters, and a air pump and airstone, For your tank, you should put 3 red bellied piranhas IMO