Hello to all

[forlyn]

I love this site! When I first had a fish tank many many years ago the internet was still new and this wasn't available. I had a 100 gal fish tank with 3 oscars and a clown knife fish and a arawana. I unfortuanatly had to move and I had to put my tank in storage. Well over the years and countless moves later my fish tank was destroyed by careless movers. Now that I have 3 kids wanted to start up a new project and am trying to instill my love of fish onto them. I have been handed down a 12 gallon fish tank and just set it up last night! Having a little trouble understanding about all this nitrate and substrate stuff as I never did anything to my old tank other than feed the fish. Well looking forward to learning new stuff.

[WhiteDevil]

Forlyn, nothing has changed run it like you did with your 100g. The internet just brought rules to the hobby, most of which have been proven wrong with old keeping methods.

Just feed em and keep it clean youll be fine.

[forlyn]

Thanks ! Here's to a happy and heathy fish tank. One question any idea where I could get some nice decorations rocks ect. I went to pet co and pet smart but there not to bid on natural rocks and stuff more into the fake decorations. Any ideas? i really would rather to go to a store but any ideas are helpful. Plus what do you think a 12 gal tank I have 1 goldfish that my son won 4 years ago. Could I possibly get more fish or should I stick with the one. Thanks again

[WhiteDevil]

Get a bottle of Ph Down from the pet store, and go for a hike with the kids, bring their backpacks and yours. I do this with my kids, helps get them out and into the real world of nature. My 3yo can identify different animal tracks after a summer of rock,leaf and wood hunting for the aquariums we have.


Stick with that goldie till it croaks then get some tropicals, I am assuming you are gonna set up a bigger one in the future,right?

I went from a 90g to a 28g after a 12 year absence from fish keeping since then Ive gotten 15 tanks, have the 3 in my sig up and running now, its addictive and there are plenty of us here with MTS(Multiple tank syndrome) to encourage you I mean support you.

Once youve collected, dont boil the rocks or bake them, they can take out your kitchen and then some.

I collect dead wood and turn it into DW with the help of a 8 dollar pool from toys r us my kids outgrew. I use hardwoods and antlers for my decor in my 52.

[melosu58]

Welcome aboard.

[forlyn]

Really I never thought of that! My kids would get a big kick out of getting our own and save on my pocketbook. So no new fish untill he died my son will be disapointed but I'll get him jazzed on collecting rocks instead. We planned to but a new fish poss this sat. I would LOVE A tropical fish tank but not sure if i'm ready for the challange yet or have the room. I want ot go big if I do it. I want another 100 eventually.

So as far as the rocks go just collect them from a nearby stream and put them in or with the wood the same? I didn't get the part with the dw. Thanks for your help - again

[WhiteDevil]

they make ALOT of tall tanks now too, small footprint big water.

if you do get rocks and want to glue them together, only use GE-1 silicone, walmart has it for like 3.44 a tube. and its the big tube for the caulk guns.


I collect mine from the woods, no ferts, no bugs for the most part, no real bacteria, and the wood I jsut look for hardwoods like oak and walnut ect and soak them for a long time in the kids old pool till they sink, then scrub with a wire brush, pour boiling water over it and let it sit in steaming water, let air dry then put in the tank. just keep the pool well covered or any bucket or whatnot cause of the skeeters.

[mfdrookie516]

Originally Posted by WhiteDevil

just keep the pool well covered or any bucket or whatnot cause of the skeeters.

i thought i was the only person who called em skeeters... i get made fun of for that

[forlyn]

Thanks! I was wondering what is a DW? How long do you soak the wook for approx a couple of weeks , longer? Maybe i'll go for the rocks instead since those just go right in. Do you have to glue the rocks togeather? As long as they don't fall over (if we get lucky and I want to carry something that heavy) I should be good. Thanks again for all your help

[dkpate]

DW= driftwood.
I don't have my rocks glued, but I don't have them stacked high either!

[forlyn]

Do you have to boil the rocks? or do you just get them from streams and put them in the tank ? Any idea how long to soak the DW? Thanks for your help

[forlyn]

Sorry I still dont get the driftwood thing. Doesnt driftwood come from the ocean? Can you still put it into a freshwater tank?

[dkpate]

Ummm, I don't think I would use ocean driftwood in a freshwater tank. As far as I know, it will contain salt for a long time. You can get driftwood from lakes and sometimes rivers too. I don't know how long to soak it for, and I am too lazy to do it myself lol. I don't have driftwood in my tanks yet. The next thing I am putting in is deer antlers! WHOO HOO!
I got my rocks from a creek close to my house, and I boiled them like an idiot. I didn't even think about them exploding if they had a possible crack lol! I think you soak them in a bleach solution in a bucket for a few days. If you want, you can get some, and pour some vinegar on them. If it bubbles, don't put it in your tank. I stuck with shale/slate and granite. If the rock crumbles, I would not put that in either.
Good luck!

[jim692]

Welcome!
Try this link for abbreviations.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums..._acronyms_list

[forlyn]

thanks for all your advice. Gonna try to start looking this weekend

[Bige]

You dont have to glue rocks unless there is something that will move them. Like big fish or crabs or shrimp. You can usually tell if they are going to fall. once settled they stay put. Some "drift wood" never sinks. You might have to screw it to some tile or rock.

[WhiteDevil]

I have one piece of ocean DW in my guppy tank, havnt had any odd readings but have had an explosion of guppy fry since it was introduced to the tank.

Some DW doesnt sink, most hardwoods will if not all.

Never boil or bake rocks.