can we have a sticky for stocking advice?

[Guest]

you know how everyone is saying, what should i stock in my 10 gallon/ 55gallon.. etc. I was thinking, there are soooooooo many possibilities, maybe if someone made a sticky of a list of questions to help us help them.
EDIT: Ok.. so heres what it would be...

Want advice for stocking your tank? Answer these questions so we can help you get the best match!
1. Do you have any fish yet? Do you have any types of fish in mind, or is there something you really want?
2. How long has your tank been up? Is it cycled yet? How are you cycling it? What are the test results for pH, KH, Nitrate, Nitrite, and Ammonia?
3. If you haven't set your tank up, what is your tapwater pH after sitting for 24 hours?
4. What size is your tank? What kind of filtration, gravel, decorations do you have?
5. What type of aquarium do you want? Aggressive, semi-aggressive, community?
6. Do you what a bunch of small fish, a few large fish, or a little bit of both?

 

[greenmaji]

cookie cutter aquariums?
It would be easier to do that if people wanted to keep fish that live together in the same areas of in the wild..

 

[Guest]

8)

 

[Guest]

you know, like they have, "before posting about a sick fish read this"

just to give a guidline so memebers can help to the best of our ability!

 

[Fishyfanatic]

That would be a good idea to replace some of the stickies in the General Forum with something like that. Because the first questinos are ALWAYS, What kind of fish do you want to keep? Community? How bigs the tank?

 

[Guest]

exactly, any advisors think this is a good idea? LoL, in the end its up to you guys.

 

[krazymom]

Sounds smart to me.

 

[Blazeherd2306]

Thats a very good idea. Too many beginners make the mistake of buying incompatable fish, putting real big fish in a small tank, or adding too many fish for the size of their tank.

 

[QTOFFER]

My favorite beginner aquarium book (The Simple Guide to Fresh Water Aquariums
by David E. Boruchowitz) has just what you're looking for.

There is an entire chapter about suggested stocking schemes for 29 gal and 55 gal tanks.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...1/002-3708928-0695202?_encoding=UTF8&v=glance

 

[apotocki]

I agree with QTOFFER - Excellent book.....and some pretty good stocking schemes.

 

[Guest]

well, the book is probably really nice, but a lot of people just come on here to ask questions, and not everyone who wants to stock a 10 gallon tank is going to go buy a book... but i may buy it.. lol.

 

[greenmaji]

I think matching fish to your water chemistery is a good way to go..
PH and KH....just a thought..

 

[Guest]

Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 7:35 pm

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I think matching fish to your water chemistery is a good way to go..
PH and KH....just a thought..

YES. thats a good idea too, that could be added as another question, Do you have hard/soft water, whats the tapwater pH after sitting overnight.. etc.

 

[Guest]

Ok.. so heres what it would be...

Want advice for stocking your tank? Answer these questions so we can help you get the best match!
1. Do you have any fish yet? Do you have any types of fish in mind, or is there something you really want?
2. How long has your tank been up? Is it cycled yet? How are you cycling it? What are the test results for pH, KH, Nitrate, Nitrite, and Ammonia?
3. If you haven't set your tank up, what is your tapwater pH after sitting for 24 hours?
4. What size is your tank? What kind of filtration, gravel, decorations do you have?
5. What type of aquarium do you want? Aggressive, semi-aggressive, community?
6. Do you what a bunch of small fish, a few large fish, or a little bit of both?

 

[lyquidphyre]

You should add something about size:
Do you what a bunch of small fish, a few large fish, or a little bit of both?

 

[Guest]

good idea, i added that question in

 

[Jchillin]

I couldn't agree more Ashley. But the reality is, just like people start aquariums without reading any books on the subject (Jchillin...guilty), the chances are they wouldn't know about this forum and indeed where this sticky would be.

Indeed...some LFS provide a little pamphlet with some basic information that is also quite confusing to a beginner. Most, if not all of these pamphlets are really advertisments for a particular companies aquarium products. Problem is, most will use this and start their tank...too late.

Case in point...a while back, Menagerie posted a sticky in the sick/unhealhy fish forum. I've seen only a few members use this template for their first post on a sick fish.

Lastly, we should consider just a little more in regard stocking. ie: A beginner shouldn't start with medium to hard fish, plants and devices.

 

[Guest]

yeah, even though some might not use it, like Menageri's sick/unhealthy sticky, i still just thought it would be a nice guidline.

 

[jersysman]

It would be something nice to have because most of the posts that are like that, there are at least 2 or 3 posts that ask for the parameters. Then there are at least 2 or 3 posts that ask for parameters that weren't given. With a sticky, even if they don't read it, we could post the link to the thread and have them give the information that is required. I think we could save on some posts that way and get right to the point. Hope I made some sense here.

 

[greenmaji]

I think that the members that use the sticky in the unhealthy fish section is so helpful that it would be great if only a few people used it!!!
I think the same is true with this.. at least you could send them the link to the sticky!