Common Newbie Pitfalls

[Jchillin]

Does jchillin give out Kudos to newbies who get Plecos?

Get the fish, post a pic, get kudos. It's that simple.

[rich311k]

Originally Posted by Jchillin

Get the fish, post a pic, get kudos. It's that simple.

I believe he will even give them out to old timers. He is trying to assimilate us all.

[fishygurl]

i am a newbie, but I would say that you cant always trust petstore people. Some of them are fine but others, well ill just say that most people probably have a story about how faulty advice from [acronym:4b97c1b605="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:4b97c1b605] people led to a problem, sometimes a diaster. Get a second opinion, either here or from a friend or if you must from another pet store. (sorry, i am biased i will never trusted pet store again )

[aquanewbie72]

Here's my list of Newbie advice (coming from a newbie):

1. Don't be stingy- spring the extra $$$ for the AP Freshwater Master Test Kit. Strips suck.
2. "The Cycle" - ask about it, read about it, study it, understand it!
3. A [acronym:c84d0aca1c="Partial water change"]PWC[/acronym:c84d0aca1c] NEVER hurts.
4. Do not mess with the pH - if its stable, leave it alone.
5. Be intimately familiar with your tank set up, bioload/livestock inventory, and water parameters at all times - you will be asked to recite them if you post a question on this site.
6. Never be afraid to ask a dumb question. When it comes to your fishies, there isn't one.

[7Enigma]

I got one,

Practice with your gravel filter or python before using it on your tank. Fill up your sink in the bathroom and practice syphoning the water into your bathtub or toilet.

This will prevent you from spilling 2 gallons of tank water on your hardwood floor when the bulb of the gravel filter decides to come undone right as the syphon starts....This never happened to me, but I've heard its possible.

[Zagz]

Originally Posted by rich311k

I believe he will even give them out to old timers. He is trying to assimilate us all.

I have been assimilated :P . Don't bother trying to resist, it's futile, I've learned.

[OceanMaiden]

jchillin would getting a plecos help keep my tank clean and adversely help the ammonia stay down? Because if it does I may just have to aquire a bunch lol. THAT and a PYTHON. But there is no way I'm going to practice using it with my sink and the toilet. I'll use the sink and a giant rubbermaid container...in the kitchen. The most disgusting and high bacteria rate can be found in your bathroom. No matter how clean it is...they are still everywhere. So I will do my practicing in the kitchen, there is bacteria in there too, as it is everywhere, but not so many and not as digusting of types of bacteria. Blech....Its gross when you know so much about bacteria....Helpful...but gross. Until I get a python I have just a regular Walmart brand gravel vac. It works ok I guess. Kind of akward though. I'll just have to get use to it. My two lil fish are more important to me than any difficulties I may face in providing them the very best care.

[Yuri]

1) Don't ever EVER use Ammo Lock, espcially during a cycle! It will stall it weeks upon months!
2) Buckets aren't fun. Period. Buy a python.
3) Don't give up or let problems drag on forever. Clean it now, fix it now. When problems multiply things can get ugly real quick.

[mom2cct]

Confused is right... not quite frustrated yet but I hope I'll be getting some good help in here!

Originally Posted by BrianNY

Man, there's some good stuff in here already. Here's what I really think occurs:

The newbie picks up snippets of information. Even if the information is correct, he/she views the information as something which stands alone. For example, pH 6.5. Then they look for ways to reach pH 6.5. There is no way for the newbie to apply this information to their needs because they don't have the total picture. They ultimately become confused and frustrated as they begin to realize there is a cause and effect in everything they add to the tank.

If we could somehow get the newbie to understand that they are creating a completely enclosed ecosystem, which is perpetually changing, they would grasp the total picture much sooner.

[Laser]

I would say over crowding is something people new to the hobby do without meaning to. Always get the biggest tank you can afford and fit in the location you want to put it.