Hello! My name is Rachel and i have never had a tank before. The most experience with fish I have is a betta in a bowl. This was going to be the plan for my son who is 5. But he said no mommy i want a big tank so I got the tank which is a 20 gallon high set up a filter and heater and airpump. Have several fake plants of varying height and gravel at the bottom. I also got a hood with a florescent light. I put dechlorinator in it and started to research what to do next and I am overwhelmed. I read so much stuff and so much of it contradicted each other and I dont even know where to start now. So basically my tank is empty and my head is buzzing. Can anyone help me get started? What do I do first?!?!?!
First things first.
- Thread starter rae12203
- Start date
The first thing you need to do is sit down with a cup of tea/coffee and read this http://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/ It explains what cycling is, why it's important, and how to do it.
Once you have got your head around the fact that you need to grow some bacteria before you can get fish, you can make a start. If you let us know which country you are in, one of the members will know the best place to buy a bottle of ammonia.
In the meantime, you'll also need to buy a test kit; liquid reagent ones with test tubes are the best kind to get. You need testers for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, and a master set containing all those works out cheapest.
Have a look at your water company's website to see if you can find the hardness of your tap water. We need the number and the unit (there are about half a dozen different units they could use). If they also give alkalinity, make a note of that too.
If there is anything about the article on cycling you don't understand, just ask
Once you have got your head around the fact that you need to grow some bacteria before you can get fish, you can make a start. If you let us know which country you are in, one of the members will know the best place to buy a bottle of ammonia.
In the meantime, you'll also need to buy a test kit; liquid reagent ones with test tubes are the best kind to get. You need testers for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, and a master set containing all those works out cheapest.
Have a look at your water company's website to see if you can find the hardness of your tap water. We need the number and the unit (there are about half a dozen different units they could use). If they also give alkalinity, make a note of that too.
If there is anything about the article on cycling you don't understand, just ask
essjay,
Thank you so much. I've been reading on cycling for a week or 2 and it was super confusing. This step by step made it much simpler! Im in N. Florida in the United states. I can get ammonia just about anywhere.I was planning on picking up the API Master test kit. Is that a good one? Unfortunately Ill have to test my water as I have zero idea about my water company. I live in a township inside of a city which is weird enough but our water doesn't come from the city. Now that cycling makes sense the hardest thing is probably going to be getting my 5 year old to patient while doing it
Thank you so much. I've been reading on cycling for a week or 2 and it was super confusing. This step by step made it much simpler! Im in N. Florida in the United states. I can get ammonia just about anywhere.I was planning on picking up the API Master test kit. Is that a good one? Unfortunately Ill have to test my water as I have zero idea about my water company. I live in a township inside of a city which is weird enough but our water doesn't come from the city. Now that cycling makes sense the hardest thing is probably going to be getting my 5 year old to patient while doing it
thrujenseyes
Fish Herder
Hello and welcome!
Kudos to you for coming here to get help and do it right.
You're teaching your son right!!
Something that I did that may be helpful (and fun for you and your son to do together)
is make a huge wall chart so you can record all of your steps and progress.
This is something you can do together and it can be a learning experience with a super fun outcome...
fish at the end!
I did it because it was super confusing to me and I wanted it all mapped out in front of me and everyone here helped me so much! (btw I'm in my 40's....not 5. haha)
Kudos to you for coming here to get help and do it right.
You're teaching your son right!!
Something that I did that may be helpful (and fun for you and your son to do together)
is make a huge wall chart so you can record all of your steps and progress.
This is something you can do together and it can be a learning experience with a super fun outcome...
fish at the end!
I did it because it was super confusing to me and I wanted it all mapped out in front of me and everyone here helped me so much! (btw I'm in my 40's....not 5. haha)
The ammonia needs to be a solution of just ammonium hydroxide in water - no soap, detergent or perfume. I know a lot of Americans use ammonia from Ace Hardware if you have one near you. Failing that, try Amazon or Ebay.
In the 'how to tips' at the top of the page, there is a calculator and the last item in that is a calculator to work out how much ammonia you need to add. A syringe can be useful for measuring accurately. I get my syringes from a pharmacy (drug store?) but I always ask for babies' medicine dosing syringes as asking for just a syringe could result in some personal questions
If you could find where your water comes from it would help. Do you pay someone to provide your water - if you do, their contact details should be on a bill. If there is no website, phone them.
As a rough guide, do your shower head and kettle fur up? That is a sign of hard water.
The API test kit is the one I use. Test both your tap water as well as tank water, the tap water will give you a baseline to work from. With pH, test some freshly run tap water and also a glass of water that's been allowed to stand overnight. You'll probably find they are different.
With the nitrate tester, bottle #2 says to shake it before adding to the test tube, then shake the test tube. This shaking is necessary because one of the reagents settles on the bottom so it needs to be mixed back in. With a new bottle, or one that hasn't been used for a while, tap it on the worktop a few times first to break up any large lumps.
In the 'how to tips' at the top of the page, there is a calculator and the last item in that is a calculator to work out how much ammonia you need to add. A syringe can be useful for measuring accurately. I get my syringes from a pharmacy (drug store?) but I always ask for babies' medicine dosing syringes as asking for just a syringe could result in some personal questions
If you could find where your water comes from it would help. Do you pay someone to provide your water - if you do, their contact details should be on a bill. If there is no website, phone them.
As a rough guide, do your shower head and kettle fur up? That is a sign of hard water.
The API test kit is the one I use. Test both your tap water as well as tank water, the tap water will give you a baseline to work from. With pH, test some freshly run tap water and also a glass of water that's been allowed to stand overnight. You'll probably find they are different.
With the nitrate tester, bottle #2 says to shake it before adding to the test tube, then shake the test tube. This shaking is necessary because one of the reagents settles on the bottom so it needs to be mixed back in. With a new bottle, or one that hasn't been used for a while, tap it on the worktop a few times first to break up any large lumps.
pizza man 554
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another way to raise ammonia is to stock the tank with comets
Cycling with fish is frowned upon on the forum. And what would you do with these comet goldfish once the tank has cycled?
Were gonna be patient and do a fishless cycle. Itll be a good lesson for my son to learn about death through his fish but i dont want it to be right after he gets them. Plus he has no interest in goldfish and my tank is too small
Well done
It will also teach him that we can't have everything the moment we want it; some things we have to wait for. And it will teach him to take the lives of animals seriously, and to find out what they need before he gets them be it fish now or a dog in the future
It will also teach him that we can't have everything the moment we want it; some things we have to wait for. And it will teach him to take the lives of animals seriously, and to find out what they need before he gets them be it fish now or a dog in the future
thrujenseyes
Fish Herder
aw, that's super cute. oh and good luck with the hurricane!That little empty fish tank is his whole world he wants to do it right
he was so cute. Were right in line of the hurricane and the only thing hes worried about is his tank
thrujenseyes
Fish Herder
Well I'm glad you're getting prepared and I sure hope you get by with no damage!
I'm in NJ and she's caused our last few days to be dark and filled with thunder storms but we woke today to cooler temps and beautiful sunny skies! Maybe its a sign of good things to come!
I'll be hoping you see weather like this asap!
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