Brand new to tropical fish and a complete novice

[KellyTropical]

Hello, I have purchased my first tank, only 80 litres but very pretty I think. I purchased the tank and ancillaries recently and have only added plants currently without a substrate (not completely au fiat with the substrate workings but know it supports advanced plants), the plants have been removed from the rockwool and simply planted into the gravel.

I am waiting for the tank to become acclimatised and have used the conditioning agent instructed (AquaCare Biological Supplement, Day 1 - 1 capful to 10L of water, Day 2 - 1/2 cupful to 10L and Day 3 - 1/2 cupful to 10L).

I have been told that I have to wait a week to introduce 4 hardy fish then it can be as long as 3 months before I can introduce the more interesting pretty fish (currently I have ambition to purchase a pair of Dwarf Cockatoo Cichlids).

I have basically joined this site for your expert advice or opinions I order to look at how to move forward from where I am currently (an empty tank with only plants).

So any advice on timescales, type of fish, type of food i.e. I have been advised that I can only have 1 cm per 2 litres of water, this means only 40 cm of fish, this means a golden nugget pleco will take up half my tank!

Help everyone!

 

[KellyTropical]

Not sure how to add the photo of my tank so far, so might be nice to get that information?

 

[Delapool]

Hello, I have purchased my first tank, only 80 litres but very pretty I think. I purchased the tank and ancillaries recently and have only added plants currently without a substrate (not completely au fiat with the substrate workings but know it supports advanced plants), the plants have been removed from the rockwool and simply planted into the gravel.



I am waiting for the tank to become acclimatised and have used the conditioning agent instructed (AquaCare Biological Supplement, Day 1 - 1 capful to 10L of water, Day 2 - 1/2 cupful to 10L and Day 3 - 1/2 cupful to 10L).



I have been told that I have to wait a week to introduce 4 hardy fish then it can be as long as 3 months before I can introduce the more interesting pretty fish (currently I have ambition to purchase a pair of Dwarf Cockatoo Cichlids).



I have basically joined this site for your expert advice or opinions I order to look at how to move forward from where I am currently (an empty tank with only plants).



So any advice on timescales, type of fish, type of food i.e. I have been advised that I can only have 1 cm per 2 litres of water, this means only 40 cm of fish, this means a golden nugget pleco will take up half my tank!



Help everyone!

Hi welcome to AA.

Will post some info on getting started tonight or someone else may chime in. The website below gives a good start on stocking guidelines. It should go to a website where you can enter fish types, filters and tank size.

http://www.aqadvisor.com

On the iPhone there is a little album under a post being typed. I generally add pics this way.

Your tank is not cycled at the moment which means there is no capacity to cope with ammonia waste from fish which good bacteria convert to nitrite then nitrate (tank nitrogen cycle). I'd suggest getting something like API freshwater master test kit which does ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph.

The method suggested above by shop is referred to as fish-in cycling. The fish provide the ammonia.

The other method is fishless cycling where you need to introduce a chemical source of ammonia.

Fishless cycling is the safest way however many people do fish-in cycling quite well. Will post info on all this tonight. The main thing you don't want when fish-in cycling is a sick fish from the shop. The info will have pros/cons on each which are fair to each method.

Was this the product your using below? Also what are you using to dechlorinate / condition your tap water?

http://fishkeeper.co.uk/product/aquacare-biological-supplement-120ml

 

[Delapool]

Some info to get started

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...ou-get-started-with-your-aquarium-154837.html

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/fish-in-cycling-step-over-into-the-dark-side-176446.html

 

[KellyTropical]

Thank you, really useful gen.

 

[KellyTropical]

Yes, the link you posted is what I am using,


http://fishkeeper.co.uk/product/aquacare-biological-supplement-120ml


To die chlorinate I am using the very same manufacturers conditioning agent.

 

[Delapool]

Does it say it will detoxify ammonia?