fish tanks for dummies?

Question

so ive decided to get a tank, and i really want to make an informed choice. i like the idea of having a fresh water 100-120 gallon fresh water tank. all told id like to spend between 800 and 1000 dollars......any hints (on anything fish, filter, plant life etc...)or advice would be great!

Answer 1

READ READ READ!
http://www.hagen.com/pdf/aquatic/bag.pdf
http://www2.tetra.de/tet_internet_import/import_data/The%20fascination%20of%20aquariums_GB_2006_T062048.pdf
Here two good free books.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/002-3064791-6000837?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=aquarium&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go

Answer 2

Hello
For a tank that size I think the filtration would definately be priority!! Get a good cannister filter that will over-filtrate your tank!! This will save you alot of effort and heartache! For a 120 Gal tank minimum filtration should be 480 Gals an hour, I turn my water over 12 times and hour and I have a 160 Gallon tank, the filter was expensive but only and extra hundred dollars for what was recommened for my tank, I clean my tank every 6 months. Always look at ho much $$$ the next upgrade will be on a filter, if you can afford it buy it!
Have a look at second hand tanks also, they are already set up with what you need and you can pay roughly 50% off a brand new price for something no older than 3 years.
Hope this helps

Answer 3

My first and best advice to you is buy a book BEFORE you buy the tank or anything else. A decent aquarium book will cover items like size, placement, filtration, fish choices, plants etc in far more detail than any post here ever can. Until you cn get a book, here is a website with lots of good information on starting a new tank. There are links to several additional pages at the bottom of the first, so grab a coke or a cup of coffee and settle in for a bit of a read, but I promise it will be more than worth your time. A large tank is quite an investment, so learn before it cost you lot of fish!

http://www.firsttankguide.net/

Hope that helps and welcome to the hobby!

MM

Answer 4

the bigger the better! when starting out, get the biggest tank yuo can afford. you can go to a petsco or petsmart and get a kit (usually comes with heater, thermometer, filter, food, net, hood, lighting, water conditioner, etc)
the filters and heaters that come with the kits usually arent too great.
so for heater, go with visi-therm stealth and use the one with the kit for a backup, just in case.
filter. well it depends how much money you have to spend there. canister filters work best with bigger tanks because they can hold more media(site where beneficial bacteris grows). you could get 2 hang on back filters and a sponge filter. its really up to you.
theres sooo much you could do with a 100 gallon tank.
plants: carpet of dwarf hairgrass on a sand (pool filter sand) substrate
http://www.aquahobby.com/garden/e_Eleocharis_parvula.php
dwarf anubis in the foreground
http://www.aquahobby.com/garden/e_anubias.php
giant hygrophila in the back
http://www.aquahobby.com/garden/e_corymbosa.php

fish:
i think a bunch of schools would be AMAZING.
36 tetras.. 3 schools of 12 each
if you want a bottom dweller, make sure they wont eat the plants (some have teeth)
siamese algae eaters are amazing at what they do, they're like lawnmowers!
cory's are wonderful peaceful bottom dwellers
a centerpiece fish could be a couple gouramis or bettas.
(since there is plenty of room for them to hide, the aggression would be spread over the entire tank, therefore making it ok to have more than one betta in there)

or if you wanted one big guy you could go for an oscar. with oscars, its best to get eithe one, or a bunch of them. since you cand physically fit a bunch in a 100 gallon, one would be the way to go.
1 oscar
1 jack dempsey
1 jewel
dither fish, such as large tetras or giant danios.

good luck with this! its such a wonderful thing im sure youll love it!

Answer 5

i could carry on with the two guppies or tetras and with guppies i could carry on with purely men as they'll reproduce like loopy which will deliver approximately an overstocked tank. 5-6 guppies could be fantastic in a 10 gallon tank. Smaller tetras like ember tetras could be ok yet many different tetras (neon tetras, cardinal tetras) choose 20+ gallons. the two require a heater set to seventy 5-82F. in case you do not choose to purchase a heater white cloud minnows will do fantastic without one. For a 10 gallon tank 5-6 white cloud is completely stocked. Air pumps are elective yet you do choose a clear out. you will additionally could do learn on the nitrogen cycle. This takes 4-8 weeks and would ideally be executed till now getting fish. For this you ought to use the two fish food or organic bottled ammonia (no cleansing soap). grab a try equipment too so which you comprehend how the cycle is going. as quickly as finished cycling ammonia could be 0ppm, nitrite 0ppm and nitrate above 20 yet not over 40ppm. you may circulate with stay vegetation however you would be wanting particular lights. faux vegetation could be ok and don't require lights.

Answer 6

Wow! Good luck that is a big under taking. There is a great website called www.FishChannel.com, they have tons of information from the editors of Aquarium Fish International. There is also a forum where you can interact and ask questions to other fish enthusiasts. YOu should check it out before you get started.

Answer 7

The other posts are giving GREAT advice. My little tidbit (take it or leave it) is to smart smaller, so that you won't get overwhelmed. Try a 55-gallon. In my opinion, that is fairly large (but definately not as large as 100-120), and you can find a kit at Wal-mart for $130. :P

Answer 8

I agree compleatly with Aqua_Pro_2007

also dont be in a hury to set it up!! That is were every one gets in to a mess. Also think ahead on what fish you are going to want that way you know what kind of plants, logs, gravle, or sand you might need.....

Because you have to take in to an account the price of the fish!! Many are not cheap....

Answer 9

I agree with the one who wrote to get a book on it. I recommend "The simple guide to Freshwater AQUARIUMS by David E. Boruchowitz" I wish I had found this book before I had ever started! Instead I started out and then started buying books because I kept having problems. This book give just enough information...it isn't to vague and yet isn't so much that it discourages you.

Answer 10

http://www.craigslist.org

you don't need to spend 1000 to set up a fresh water.