Absolute Beginner Needs Help

[Sacren]

Ok I have a 28" long by 16" high 15" depth glass tank. It has a crack in the side but I think it can easily be repaired with silicone(I have the 100% stuff I just built a vivarium)

The tank used to house corn snakes but the have moved into a better home and now I'm stuck with a big tank that won't fit in our attic and would only go to waste dumped.

So I'm thinking of making it into an aquarium for my daughter but I know nothing about fish. so i'm doing what I did when I first got my snakes and asking for help.

So with a tank this size what would I need to keep bright and cheerful fish in it (my daughter 15 months) and of course what fish would you advise keeping.

p.s the tank will be fully sterilized before I start on this
oh and we have soft water were we live if that helps any

I've been looking at fish and think mainly tetras an maybe an algea eater and 1 special fish

 

[James9114]

id try get a pic of the crack up, with snakes its fine but when you get it full of water it's a different story

 

[TropicalLad21]

Have a good look at the beginners guide - such a great help, has helped me so much & im still learning... can be found "here".

Also regarding fish... Male guppies are really nice fish... also neons.

Be sure not to buy fish yet though as you need to do a fishless cycle which you will find more info on in the link i've gave you.

Im sure alot of experienced fish-keepers will help you along the way.

Good luck.

 

[Sacren]

Just working out what we might get so we can get the proper set up. I'm assuming different fish need different water/temp maybe even plants. The crack is a thin line maybe about 3" slightly curve it should seal up fine and then we can water test it to make sure it and the original seals hold.

It's the initial set up things I'm confused about things like filters, cycling the water with ammonia what pH should it be at, does the water need temperature control if so what do you use. I've worked out the tank is 110l but i'm assuming I leave a bit at the top with no water and also do you need a lid? my current one is a wooden one(quickly made to keep the snakes where they belonged) I just like to discuss this with people who know because my initial snake set up wasn't really good(what I get for listening to a beginner family member) I know fish aren't as hardy and don't want to mess this up

 

[James9114]

if its more of a scratch ul be fine if it is a crack as you say id be filling it up outside haha good luck

 

[mike455555]

you can pick up a cheep heater £10-30 (generally its 1w per L as a rule of thumb.. ) most have a thermostatic control so you dont need to worry about them


filters are to house you bacteria,the most important thing in fish keeping is the bacteria with out it your fish will die

here's why

fish poo has ammonia in it. bacteria in your filter turn this in to nitrites and then to nitrates (2 different types of bacteria)all of theses substances are harmful to fish

ammonia in small amounts is deadly same with nitrites... but nitrates arint as harmful. (they are also plant food)

thats why you do a water change to get rid of the nitrates

when your cycle starts there should be a ammonia spike you will slowly see this decrease as the bacteria build up. but ammonia is harmful to your fish.. so you should do a water change every day (or something like that)

then nitrite eating bacteria come and there should be a fall in the amount of nitrite in the tank (still doing water changes)

when both ammonia and nitrites are at 0 ppm (parts per million) you can cut back on the water changes a little like do one every week

tap water contains chlorine/ chloride (to make it safe for us to drink) buy killing the bacteria in the water. now stick this into your tank.. and it will kill off the bacteria in there as well (which you don't want to do)

chlorine evaporates readily (over night)
chloride however does not. this is where the aqua safe (or similar product) comes in

some water cleaning places only put one of theses in some put both (my water only contains choline as iv not had a problem with my filter by leaving the water over night)

chlorine and chloride are made safe by the aqua safe


as for fish and PH, well that's down to you and what look you would want to make. betta are good fish (but you can only have 1 male)they all have there own personality as well . guppies/plattys are easy fish to keep as well

plants. i dont think the fish really have a preference (a place to hide is a place to hide) some fish eat plants though

 

[Sacren]

Yea even once I've repaired the crack I'll fill outside don't know how we'll the original seel is its only had small leaks from water dishes and the bedding soaked that up.

so the basic is set up the tank as I want it

pebbles
plants
filter

then do the "cycling" until it is safe would you have the heat thing set up during this so that the tank is as it will be when there is fish in it?

what kind of water filter would you advise?

 

[mike455555]

i dont know much about filters brands sorry... but if its a 110L tank you could probably get away with 100W heater

something like this
http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/INTERPET-DELTATHERM-100W-AQUARIUM-TANK-HEATER-STAT-/180653025223?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item2a0fc267c7

you want to heat the water while cycling... *it would speed it up*

most people switch from pebbles to gravel and then to sand... but its down to you.

you only need a heater if your keeping tropical fish... like neons plattys betta guppies. if you dont have it you will be doing a cold water set up. minnows,and gold fish. i think topical's look better

 

[Juggler75]

Sorry I posted in your other thread in hardware section before seeing this one

If I were you I'd replace the glass rather than attempt to repair with silicon as a) the panel will be on show and b) the crack could run when any extra pressure is applied such as the water going in. The beginners centre is a good place to find out info for cycling your tank, then my youngest (15 month) is facinated by the neons and betta fish in my oldest daughters tank. Hope this helps

When you say algae eater I'd be careful you get one that will stay small enough for the tank (not large plecs) and doesn't attack other fishies when it gets older (chinese sucking loach I think). I like ottos or pitbull plecs as they are full of character and stay small to be comfortable in smaller tanks (they will also like your soft water).

As said before filters are personal preference. Research the different types (External canister filters, Internal power filters, Sponge filters, Box Filters and HOB filters) and their pros and cons and choose one you feel most comfortable with.

Hope this helps

 

[mike455555]

+1 for oto's there lovely little fish =D