Absolutely Confused

[lizjamie]

Hello,
My Boyfriend has just bought me a fish tank for Christmas! Although it seems to be one which could be for coldwater or tropical fish so I am completely confused as how to start up.

I have: A 58 litre tank, a rena filstar I1-I2 filter, gravel, food, loads of pHy/nitrate bottles.

I want to keep a black moor (as I have always liked the look of them) a shibumpkin and maybe a goldfish or 2.

I need to know:
1. How many fish can I keep in the tank without them being ill.
2. Do I need the filter for cold water ones, and do i need to replace bits of the filter all the time or does it just keep going?
3. What do I need to do to start up, the book that came with the tank seems to think you should set up and leave for 3 weeks, but then maybe that is just for tropical ones and some say 4 days!

Anyway I am vvvv confused so if someone could let me know so I dont kill them all that would be great.

 

[black angel]

As you want coldwater then for the size of tank you can realistically for its life only keep one fantail shaped fish or your blackmoor. These fish can get to anywhere between 8 - 12 inches given the room to grow but if you planned on upgrading within a year then you could get two fancy fish that are just babies. As a guide fancy goldies *twintailed* need around 10 gallons each and the faster single tailed like the shubunkin you mention need between 15 to 20 gallons for the first fish so they can grow and stay healthy.
Filtration is really important as they produce masses of waste and you will need one that filters 10 times every hour. So for a 58 litre uk tank you are looking at 5800 litres of filtration an hour.
The only part of the filter that will need replacing regularly is the white floss if it has any. If not then it should have sponge inserts which once you have cycled the tank will need to be rinsed and squeezed out in old tank water. Never run these under the tap. If the water is too dirty then you can use temperature matched dechlorinated fresh water.
If you look round the board, i would think in the beginner section you should find the ways on cycling the tank.
The cycle of a fishless tank takes around 6 weeks to do and you can help get it started by adding a few flakes of fish food to the filter inlet and that way it gets its ammonia. Test the water each day after a week for ammonia and then nitrites. Dont do water changes in this time. Once your ammonia, nitrites get back to 0 then you can add the fish you want.
Read the pinned topics around the board they will help you enormously while you get your tank to cycle.
Though they are termed coldwater, they like the temperature to be around 18c.

As your choice of fish is limited by the size of tank if you decide to go tropical then the principle is just the same only you have warmer water.
Hope that helped

 

[lizjamie]

Hey,
Thanks will try and give this cylcling lark a go after I have got back after Christmas then get some fish. Everyone seems to have a different opinion on things and I really wnat ot get things right.
Thnaks.

 

[xautomaticflowersx]

Here are some links that you might find interesting, if you've not come across them already.
About water chemistry...
http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/cycling.htm
http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/cycling2.htm