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pint

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Jul 20, 2011
Messages
8
Location
Scotland
Hi Im pint,

I am thinking of starting up a Tropical aquarium, I have two small chirdren in the house so have decided to start by getting a 17litre coldwater tank before I spend on a large tropical.

I set up the starter kit and followed all instructions given by the staff. Set up tank and filter left it for 1 week to break up tap water chemicals and get bactirial lvls up and added 1 fancy goldfish.....that died within 24hrs.

It is now set up with water conditioner and leaving it for 3 days before adding bacteria and fish.

Plz let me know if I am doing it wrong as this is the advice given by the 'staff' in pets at home.

thanks

Pint
 
Welcome to A.A. We've all made the mistake of listening to the petstore people who wrongly mislead us.
One: you need to cycle the tank first (hopefully someone will give you the link because I can't get it on my iPod)
Two: you can't put a fancy goldfish in a 17 liter, which I think is about 10gallon us, and they need at least 20 gallons.
 
Thanks Aquakai,

went searching for some info and found all the advice i had been given was bull and also have found as you stated that the tank is ok when the fancy (oranda) fish are young but not when grown so am changing to something smaller.

Any suggestions of small fish to get? Minnows have been suggested but what type? I do like some colour but as long as the fish are happy in a small tank.

My thoughts on the Tropical side maybe changing to Marine. I am thinking of a 95litre tank and planning the tank (plants and hidey holes etc) is underway. Any suggestion or tips about Tropical v Marine?
This obviously wont happen til i understand the ins and outs and will do a proper fishless cycle first.

thanks

Pint
 
Welcome to the site!

I'm glad you decided to do a fishless cycle (your future fish will be even happier) :)
Check out the guide and FAQ in my signature to get you started.

Good luck!
 
pint said:
Thanks Aquakai,

went searching for some info and found all the advice i had been given was bull and also have found as you stated that the tank is ok when the fancy (oranda) fish are young but not when grown so am changing to something smaller.

Any suggestions of small fish to get? Minnows have been suggested but what type? I do like some colour but as long as the fish are happy in a small tank.

My thoughts on the Tropical side maybe changing to Marine. I am thinking of a 95litre tank and planning the tank (plants and hidey holes etc) is underway. Any suggestion or tips about Tropical v Marine?
This obviously wont happen til i understand the ins and outs and will do a proper fishless cycle first.

thanks

Pint

I would do a freshwater because marines are hard and if you're doing that in the 17 liter then that's a LOT of upkeep. If you did freshwater you could do killifish, guppies, Endler's livebearers, and a number of other fish! If you did do a marine one you could only do a goby and some shrimp...
 
thanks all,

@ AquaKai. The Marine would be in a 95litre tank or maybe a 125litre tank havnt decided this yet. If it is much more difficult then I would go tropical.

@ eco23 thanks I will study.

thanks

pint
 
Ok, so the pet shop did it again! Told me that platies can be kept in cold and heated tanks......Yes but mine arnt really happy in the cold water tank.(they sold me two).

I have now purchased a 36"x12"x18" tank to go tropical which makes it about a 100lt tank ish. I want to put the platies in as soon as the tank can be ready and do the cycle with them in.
My filter is a fluval U4 and have a 200watt heater. I have a few ornaments and rocks(I heard the more hiding places will result in fish feeling safer and not hid as much) but no plants(I have still to decide on the best ones as only one bulb for lighting, suggestions of plants would be helpful thanks).

Any suggestions of what I should and shouldnt do would be helpful.

thanks
Andy
 
If you insist on putting fish in the tank right away, please pick up some Tetra Safe Start. It's the only "bacteria in a bottle" that I've heard works. But even then, you must follow instructions to the "t". Cycling with fish puts unnecessary stress on them as they are essentially living in a toxic environment.
 
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Hi, My tank is now up and running, its is 36x18x12" with a fluval U4 filter and a 200W heater.

The platies that were in the small coldwater tank are now looking really happy in thier new home and now have some friends to play with.

Stock list.

2 platies, 2 Dwarf Gourami, 2 metalic blue Guppies and a small Plecto. I wish to have six neon/cardinal tetras as well to complete the list.

The small coldwater tank has 2 minnows
 
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