Our first fish tank

[Meesha]

Hi allI just bought our first fish tank an aqua start 320 and got the tank all prepared over 2-3 days by treating the water with tape safe, getting the filter working etc and yesterday we went and got our fish- we got a sucking loach, two oranda and a black moor. I followed all the instructions, placing the bags in slowly, etc and waiting an hour before the light was switched on etc and they seem perfectly happy and have had some food last night and this morning but I noticed that the water is quite cloudy now is this normal?
Thanks in advance

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Welcome to AA!
What size tank? Fancy goldfish need 20g/80L for the first fish and 10g/40L for each fish after that. Very messy, but cute, fish.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...-to-Starting-a-Freshwater-Aquarium/Page1.html

 

[Meesha]

Welcome to AA!
What size tank? Fancy goldfish need 20g/80L for the first fish and 10g/40L for each fish after that. Very messy, but cute, fish.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/articles/articles/131/1/Guide-to-Starting-a-Freshwater-Aquarium/Page1.html

Hi there the tank is an aqua start 320 and it holds 30 litres - the girl in Pets at home told us they needed 10 litres each and so this would be the maximum we could have. We we actually surprised as we didn't understand that they need so much water each. I realise that we must be a maximum capacity and so perhaps I will need to clean and change the water more often. I just don't want to get it wrong but obviously I can't take them back now and I did follow their regulations for selling. They seem to be happily swimming about and eating and pooping plenty!

 

[fort384]

Welcome to AA!! We are glad to have you!​

 

[jlk]

Hi & welcome!! Please read the blue highlighted link in Mumma's signature- it explains cycling & contains links for fish-in cycling. You will need a good test kit such as the API freshwater master test kit & you will need to do water changes daily to keep toxin levels under control because your tank is not cycled. You are also going to need to upgrade this tank as soon as possible- 30l is only @7gallons- the three fancies need atleast a 40g tank with no other fish. I am sorry to have to tell you this but this tank is too small for even a single fancy. Please do not hesitate to ask any questions!

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?!

 

[Meesha]

Hi & welcome!! Please read the blue highlighted link in Mumma's signature- it explains cycling & contains links for fish-in cycling. You will need a good test kit such as the API freshwater master test kit & you will need to do water changes daily to keep toxin levels under control because your tank is not cycled. You are also going to need to upgrade this tank as soon as possible- 30l is only @7gallons- the three fancies need atleast a 40g tank with no other fish. I am sorry to have to tell you this but this tank is too small for even a single fancy. Please do not hesitate to ask any questions!

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?!

Thanks for the advice- it is really annoying that what I have got it already too small! I am not in a position to upgrade to a larger tank already so I am a bit annoyed that the pet shop gave me the wrong advice! I really hope my fish will be ok! I will get the test kit you suggest and also do the daily water changes. I've a lot to learn!

 

[Josawat]

Meesha tips

Hi allI just bought our first fish tank an aqua start 320 and got the tank all prepared over 2-3 days by treating the water with tape safe, getting the filter working etc and yesterday we went and got our fish- we got a sucking loach, two oranda and a black moor. I followed all the instructions, placing the bags in slowly, etc and waiting an hour before the light was switched on etc and they seem perfectly happy and have had some food last night and this morning but I noticed that the water is quite cloudy now is this normal?
Thanks in advance

Hi Meesha,
Knowing how exciting it is to start up a new tank, I remember how hard it is towait a while before adding fish. Howeer, the tanks I have set up have always needed quite a bit of time to "cycle." I read that you added a water trreatment to yours, and no doubt that helped a bit, but depending on the amount of water you have, it could take a week or two to settle down. In my experience the cloudiness does go away, and if your filter system is matched to your tank size, it won't take long for the positive bacteria to start doing their thing in the filter chamber/s. If you've already added fish, so be it. Next time take the more patient route and wait until the tank settles down (the cloudiness will clear, your nitrates nd nitrites will level out, and fish can be added).
At least that's been my experience. Hope this helps.

 

[Meesha]

Hi Meesha,
Knowing how exciting it is to start up a new tank, I remember how hard it is towait a while before adding fish. Howeer, the tanks I have set up have always needed quite a bit of time to "cycle." I read that you added a water trreatment to yours, and no doubt that helped a bit, but depending on the amount of water you have, it could take a week or two to settle down. In my experience the cloudiness does go away, and if your filter system is matched to your tank size, it won't take long for the positive bacteria to start doing their thing in the filter chamber/s. If you've already added fish, so be it. Next time take the more patient route and wait until the tank settles down (the cloudiness will clear, your nitrates nd nitrites will level out, and fish can be added).
At least that's been my experience. Hope this helps.

Thanks for that - I did actually buy the tank and read up on how long to wait and also asked in the store and they said 24 hours but I actually had it running and waited for 4 days. Unfortunately like everything you learn from experience. Still I hope my wee fish will be ok- they seem to be. I am unsure whether I should attempt to clean every day or leave it and see if it does settle a bit?

 

[jlk]

On this small of a tank with this many fish, you really should do water changes daily or even twice daily. Letting a tank run for 24hrs or a couple of days will not cycle it. A fish less cycle requires that an ammonia source be added daily to feed & grow the bacteria needed to convert the ammonia being produced by your fish. Please read the links posted so you can understand what is happening in your tank & how to address it to keep your fish healthy. Lots of water changes with temperature matched, properly conditioned water will be necessary. If you don't understand anything, just ask!

 

[Meesha]

On this small of a tank with this many fish, you really should do water changes daily or even twice daily. Letting a tank run for 24hrs or a couple of days will not cycle it. A fish less cycle requires that an ammonia source be added daily to feed & grow the bacteria needed to convert the ammonia being produced by your fish. Please read the links posted so you can understand what is happening in your tank & how to address it to keep your fish healthy. Lots of water changes with temperature matched, properly conditioned water will be necessary. If you don't understand anything, just ask!

Thanks I'll do a change or two tomorrow.

 

[Meesha]

Thanks I'll do a change or two tomorrow.

One of my fish died last night and now I am worried for the rest. I am going to get a testing kit to see if I can work out what I need to do. I really hope the others are ok.

 

[Meesha]

Thanks I'll do a change or two tomorrow.

Ok had the water tested and all is fine but I was told that I shouldn't have been sold a loach until the tank had been running for at least 4 weeks and that the loach was a bad recommendation due to the size they can get to. They think it might have been transporting it the killed it. I've done a 20% change and liftd my filter up a bit to create more water agitation - does it matter if the tube with the holes faces downwards or across the water?

 

[redsea]

Welcome to AA!

 

[Meesha]

Welcome to AA!

Thank you - my fish seem happy now

 

[maestromad]

Welcome! You will find lots of helpful people on here. Sadly the staff at pets at home really don't have a clue - they are there to sell things only. And I bet if they told you you would need a £100 tank you wouldn't have bought one!
Good luck and glad all seem to be doing ok so far

 

[LyndaB]

I am a bit annoyed that the pet shop gave me the wrong advice!

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

It's pretty sad that you can't trust the lfs to give you correct information, but we've pretty much all been lead astray by less than knowledgeable staff.

 

[Meesha]

Welcome! You will find lots of helpful people on here. Sadly the staff at pets at home really don't have a clue - they are there to sell things only.
Good luck and glad all seem to be doing ok so far

The one I bought wasn't exactly cheap. They did have ones that were really nasty. Some of them do seem to know what they are talking about and others dont, like everything I suppose. This forum is really helpful though and each day my tank looks cleaner and the fish seem happy, the happier I am!

 

[Meesha]

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

It's pretty sad that you can't trust the lfs to give you correct information, but we've pretty much all been lead astray by less than knowledgeable staff.

Yeah lots of different advice!

 

[maestromad]

If you have a maidenhead aquatic near you they are quite good - where are you from?

 

[severum mama]

Enough. This thread has been cleaned up.

Any more thread hijacking, arguing, belligerence, or off topic posting and it will be closed.

WELCOME to AA Meesha. Best of luck with your new setup.