Fish Noob Need Help With Tank

[zane13]

hey guys

i got a new tank today and am letting it settle for a week befor i get fish, now i was told today that marine set ups cost arround $1200 AUD so i opted for the tropical set up but what is the differance are they not both salt water fish?? pls help

 

[Jordo]

Tropical will probably mean fresh water with the heater

 

[anwhyte]

hey guys

i got a new tank today and am letting it settle for a week befor i get fish, now i was told today that marine set ups cost arround $1200 AUD so i opted for the tropical set up but what is the differance are they not both salt water fish?? pls help

tropical usually means freshwater, marine refers to saltwater, which is a fair bit more expensive than freshwater and a bit more complex to set up and keep running. You're best starting off with a FW set-up.

 

[zane13]

i thought that but why would there be salt as part of the kit?? not i have treated my tank and added the salt so i would say that the tank is set up for marine fish... now im worried that i'll put tropicle fish in and they'll go belly up, sould i just put some clown fish in and see how they go?

 

[anwhyte]

it's up to you, but do a lot of reading first, it takes time to set up a FW or marine tank properly. there are loads of websites, including this one with info on setting a tank up properly. looks like you do have a marine kit. Just don;t rush it!

 

[Jordo]

Just since im nosy, what did you receive in your kit? Are you sure the salt isn't like epsom salt or something?

 

[zane13]

ok i got the tank ect i also got "salt fighter size" and ACE "ammonia chlorine eliminator" on the back of the salt the dosage guidline for "FRESHWATER" is 1 tablespoon tp 20L.. but y do i need to add the salt for freswater tropical?

 

[waterdrop]

Don't know about anybody else but I have no idea what "salt fighter size" would mean, doesn't make any sense at all. The other comment however does make it sound like possibly one of typical containers of salt sold at the LFS (local fish shop) and pushed as an extra on freshwater beginners even though its not needed. The dechlorinator sounds normal.

The members may need to know your exact equipment and more detail about what actions you've taken since it was obtained - I don't think its clear yet whether you've been sold and are running equipment, some of which may only be appropriate for marine.

In either case, the idea that a tank can be filled with water by a beginner, let sit, and then fish put in within a week is totally wrong if the beginner has not first learned some of the core aspects of preparing water for fish. Please do not get fish yet.

If we determine you really do want to learn Freshwater Tropical fishkeeping then you've happened upon one of the best possible places to learn it. The members here are great. Lots of them should be able to comment and help you figure out what's what.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the forum Zane13.
The salt is a trick that some people try to use to help a bit with nitrites but it is almost useless for that. Other people take perfectly healthy freshwater fish and give them a bit of salt thinking it will reduce illness. That is yet another fallacy but if it is a popular myth where you are located, it is a cheap way for the manufacturer to meet the prejudices in their market and look like they care. I do have some aquarium salt on the shelf in case I get some kind of disease in my tank where salt will help but that is a rare occurrence. A cup of aquarium salt may well last me the next 20 years. As has already been said, we do indeed have plenty of help for a new fish tank owner here on TFF. One of the first places to visit would be the Beginners Resource Center. It has hints about lots of different aspects of fish keeping. Among those is information about fishless cycling and fish-in cycling. Before you buy any fish, you need to understand those threads so that you can cycle your own tank.