New fish tank?

Question

Ok im getting a new fish tank, My nephew (who is 15) has given me a list of things i need to buy, Has he missed anything, ? And anything i should change?

1 x 40 gafish tank
1 x canister Filter
1 x heater
1 x airpump
1 x airstone
1 x pack of air tube
2 x bag/gravel
Plants + deco of my choice,
1 x Freshwater master test kit
3 x nets
5 gal starter kit (to be used as a quaritine/hospital tank??)
1 x breeder net (incase of injuried fish)
Mixture of foods, worms,flake, etc

Anything else i should need?

1 net for hospital tank and 2 for the main tank,

The tank comes with a light, So i need to add

-A check vavlve?
- A thermometer

And a syphon.

Answer 1

Personally I would go to petsmart and buy a complete up of a 40 gallon tank , these sets usually include already the filter, the heater, and the hood with the lights, and if you buy them already in a set they are much cheaper as well

Instead of a breeder net, get yourself a 3way plastic breeder
And please do yourself and especially your fish a big favor and get real plants for your tank

I wouldn't buy the food before you actually get your first fish, which is going to take some time before you can do that because you need to cycle your new tank at first before you can actually add any fish in it

Here are some links on how to do that
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article14.html
http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_fishless.php
http://www.firsttankguide.net/


Something else you're going to need is :
a gravelsiphon to clean your tank
a thermometer
replace filters for your pump (you will need to exchange the filter once a month)
you said 2 bag of gravel, but remember that you're going to need 2 big bags of gravel not just the small ones :-)


Hope that helps
Good luck


EB

Answer 2

Honestly, my first suggestion would be to get at least a 20 gallon tank if you can afford it. A 10 gallon tank is very limiting in terms of what fish you can keep in it, and it's more difficult to maintain than a larger tank because the water quality can change faster. Most of the fish you see in pet stores are too big to keep in a 10 gallon tank if you buy them in the recommended numbers for proper school size. Don't ask me why, but many pet stores don't carry aquariums larger than 55 gallons, yet they sell fish that would require a larger aquarium than that. Almost every store I've seen carries oscars which need a minimum of 75 gallons. Anyway, if you have your heart set on a 10 gallon tank, pay attention to catx, especially her article about stocking a 10 gallon tank. She knows what she's talking about. Above all, don't even think about putting goldfish in a tank that small. Those "cute little goldfish" you see in stores will be a foot long as adults and need 20 gallons of water per fish.

Answer 3

Personally I would not get the airpump, airstone and tubing.
I would also get an external power filter instead of a canister filter. I prefer the Marineland Emporer line of filters and have had great success with them.

The master test kit is nice to have, but if you live near a good local fish store you can take water samples to them for testing and save yourself some money.

I would also go with 2 heaters instead of one. For a 40 gallon tank you'd go with 2 x 100watt submersible heaters, and place one in each back corner of the tank vertically.

You'll also need a thermometer of some sort. The stick on ones are ok, but not completely accurate and you are better off getting on that goes on the inside of the tank.

If you are new to fishkeeping I would consider getting a good starter book as well.

And as always make sure to research, research and research some more BEFORE you buy any fish. :-)

Answer 4

I'd say run at least 2 airstones in a 40 gallon tank. I'd go with a 10 gallon hospital tank. You are going to need water conditioner Amquel is good. You will need a syphon hose to clean the tank with. I'd go ahead and get extra refills for the filter. A thermometer too. A aquarium guide book as well as a species specific guide book and read them cover to cover before you put a drop of water into the tank.
Fastest way to cycle the tank is to get 5 to10 zebra danios and no other fish. Change water anytime ammonia or nitrite reads 1ppm. Ammonia will spike first, then nitrite, then when the cycle is just about done nitrates will show up. Don't clean your filter until ammonia and nitrite falls to zero and nitrate is present. Wash foam pads or ceramic bio-beads in tank water only. This is where the beneficial bacteria live. After the cycle you can add fishes slowly. Change water anytime nitrates get to 20ppm. Clean and refurbish filter every three weeks to a month. Welcome to the hobby!

Answer 5

This list is good. Your nephew has obviously done his research. However, you will also need airline holders to keep the airline in place. You also need to make sure you get at least 40 pounds of gravel. You can get the test kit if you want, but so long as you have a regular schedule of maintaining the aquarium and you keep the water well-conditioned, filtered, and aerated, you shouldn't need it. For food, I recommend a can of Tetramin Flakes and another of Tetramin Crisps, and for a treat go for some Omega One food. I prefer shrimp pellets, but they have a variety of freeze-dried foods as well like krill, bloodworms, and brine shrimp.

Answer 6

Personal choice for me is 2 heater/thermostats, reliability has improved but a back up for heating in a small tank is a necessity.

Thermometer. Lights.
Non reverse valve for the pump, if you get a power cut you don't want the water coming back down the tube into the pump, unless its placed higher than the tank.

AJ

Answer 7

You need chemicals to prepare your water for your fish, and I am sure you figured out that you will need the fish. You really don't need 3 nets, one will be sufficient. You will probably want a hood for your tank, along with a light (assuming it doesn't come with the tank. Good luck with the fish!

This site is a great help if your nephew doesn't know.http://www.firsttankguide.net/.

Nosoop4u

Answer 8

carbon for the canister filter....cycle(bacteria for the tank). Salt, (yes i know it fresh water)Prime(water conditioner).....also it would help if you know what type of fish you are putting in there.

A hose for syphoning for water changes and a gravel cleaner.

Also research your lighting that makes all the difference.

Answer 9

Your nephew is a clever boy and has thought of everything,but there is one minor item...a plastic syphon for cleaning scraps of the grit.

Answer 10

cycle
stresscoat
(you dont really need 3 nets)
aquarium salt