Advice for a beginner

[TimJC]

Hi All,

I am thinking about getting some tropical fish and looking for some advice on the type of fish and how to really start. This is the starting aquarium I am looking at getting (minus the random family):

I'm wondering what type of fish would suit this size of a tank? Also roughly how many. As a beginner I want to start with something that is suitable and not too complicated. I'm also do not want to overcrowd the tank which would be harmful to the fish so any advice on numbers would be great. I would like a couple of different species.

Thank you

Tim

 

[Essjay]

The first thing we need to ask you is - how hard is your tap water? Look on your water company's website for hardness. If they give it, we need a number and the unit of measurement rather than some vague words. The unit is important as UK water companies often use units not used in fish keeping so we have to convert it.
The reason for asking is that some fish have evolved in soft water, some in hard water and some in between. We should keep fish that have evolved in water with similar hardness to our tap water. Soft water fish kept in hard water will suffer as will hard water fish kept in soft water.

Once we know how hard your water is, we can suggest fish which would be suitable.

As you are a beginner, you'll probably never have heard of cycling a tank - and if you've been to any fish shops yet, they won't have told you. This is what I mean by cycling https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/
If you wish to use a bacterial starter (and Tetra Safe Start is the best one) it is best used together with the method in that link.

If you do get that tank, before you do anything else, I suggest you remove the carbon cartridge from the filter and replace it with filter sponge, any make cut to the shape of the cartridge. Sponge is a much better filter medium than carbon cartridges, and you don't actually need carbon at all.


Finally, a warning. Don't believe anyhting a fish shop worker tells you. So many of them haven't a clue or don't care about anything except making a sale. Ask on here instead - we aren't trying to sell you anything

 

[TimJC]

Thank you, and will ask for advice here more than a pet store. I have been doing some reading and watching some Youtube video's of maintaining the tank so I have a general idea. I believe that I will need to leave the treated water in for a bit before adding any fish. However how long is quite different. I've heard anything from 24 hours to 2 weeks. I suppose it will be depending on the size of the tank.

Here is a screenshot of the water report

Thank you

Tim

 

[Essjay]

The figure you need is german deg 10.81. This is the same as dH. The other unit used in fish keeping is ppm, and your 10.81 dH converts to 193 ppm. Some fish profiles use one unit, some use the other so you need to know your hardness in both.
Your water company also gives your alkalinity - we call that KH. Yours is 141 ppm or 7.9 dH. KH doesn't affect fish directly but it is useful to know.

Preparing a tank takes longer than a few days. Using a bacterial starter will speed it up, but it will still take more than a few days. If you put fish in a tank before it has grown enough bacteria, you risk killing the fish, or at the very least weakening them so they don't live as long as they should.
Those people saying it only takes 24 hours to a couple of weeks will be doing fish-in cycles, something we don't really approve of nowadays. And it takes a lot of work on the part of the fish keeper to keep the fish safe.
But if you use Tetra Safe Start and add ammonia as per the method I gave you, you may find the cycle completes in a couple of weeks. Adding ammonia is important as the bacteria will not grow without any food.

Alternatively, you can plant the tank quite heavily, wait till you are sure the plants are growing then add fish a few at a time, testing for ammonia and nitrite every day to make sure the plants are removing it all.

 

[Byron]

I second what essjay posted. We really cannot stress it enough...always fully research any species before you acquire it. Thousands of fish die every month because this rule is not followed stringently. It is an understandable and very common conception that new aquarists have, that one just puts the fish in clean water and they thrive. But they don't; each species of freshwater fish has evolved to function in very specific environment which includes not only water parameters but the aquascaping materials, numbers of the species and other species. The tales of sick and dead fish on this forum bare evidence.

Your water at 10 dGH is moderately hard, and "middle" of the road in a sense, so you will have many options. However, the small tank size is going to really limit you. A 54 liter (15 gallons) means small-sized fish, and most of these will be shoaling fish meaning they must have a group. The tank dimensions are just as important, more so actually, than the volume, and looking this tank up it is 60X30X30 cm (24X12X12 inches).

If you read the cycling article essjay linked, you will see it takes anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks for an aquarium to cycle; it varies because each aquarium is a unique biological system, and this hobby deals with science throughout, from the fishes' requirements to live to the water chemistry and biological processes that will play out. If you have live plants, and here even just some nice floating plants (which are easiest to care for) will make a huge difference not only in water quality but providing shade as most of the fish we keep do not appreciate direct overhead light.

I do see one issue in your water though...nitrate is 26 ppm (ppm is same as mg/l). This is dangerous for fish, and especially small sized species which have a higher metabolic rate. We have members here who have dealt with this same issue and they can explain.

EDIT. Essjay posted while I was typing, but we are in sync (as always ).

 

[Retired Viking]

As @essjay stated you can use Tetra SafeStart Plus. I used it for my bother-in-laws tank. The small bottle can handle up to a 60 gallon tank. Both @essjay and @Byron are spot on. I do what is call a silent or planted cycle to cycle my tanks. Before I forget- Welcome to the forum

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

The tank its self looks like a good sturdy tank. Have you read up on how to properly cycle a tank? Take a look at this thread: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/

It is cool that the tank comes with a filter, LED hood, and a heater. That is rare in kits. You will still need to get substrate, décor, etc. so don't spend your whole budget on this kit.

 

[TimJC]

Thank you. I plan to get everything in stages. I feel it may take me some practice to get the water right so I’m in no rush to get the fish.

I will start probably next payday to get the tank and other main equipment and then following payday get the gravel and devour etc. Once I’ve practiced cycling and ensuring the water is right I will get the fish.

May take me a few months but I will get there.

Thank you

Tim