Hello community!

[Gandron]

Hi all,

I’ve been wanting an aquarium since I was a little boy and now finally, on my 39th birthday, I have one! Would love to get a marine tank eventually but enjoying my tropical tank so far! Got a few more fish to add over the next couple of weeks. Excited to get going but heard lots of horror stories about fish dying so feeling a bit tense as well!

 

[AilyNC]

Happy birthday! I'd a tank when I was about 14. Don't know how those fish survived for as long as they did. My mother gave away the tank and I was gutted. Always wanted another but renting wasn't suited. Finally got a tank in June/July and I'm 38!

Looks like a good sized tank! Did you cycle it first? I didn't know about cycling and found this thread because my fish were dying. Made a quick turn around though. I find the API Master Kit good for testing water and if my Ammonia or Nitrite were above 0, and/or my Nitrate was over 20 - I'd do a 75% water change.

The fish are much happier for the better water quality. No more deaths (fingers crossed). The plants I added made a big difference too.

Anyway, that's enough waffle out of me. Welcome

 

[Circus]

I hope you had a happy birthday, and welcome to the Forum. Hopefully your aquarium will be all you wanted, and then some.

 

[Gandron]

Happy birthday! I'd a tank when I was about 14. Don't know how those fish survived for as long as they did. My mother gave away the tank and I was gutted. Always wanted another but renting wasn't suited. Finally got a tank in June/July and I'm 38!

Looks like a good sized tank! Did you cycle it first? I didn't know about cycling and found this thread because my fish were dying. Made a quick turn around though. I find the API Master Kit good for testing water and if my Ammonia or Nitrite were above 0, and/or my Nitrate was over 20 - I'd do a 75% water change.

The fish are much happier for the better water quality. No more deaths (fingers crossed). The plants I added made a big difference too.

Anyway, that's enough waffle out of me. Welcome

Hi,

Yeah, luckily the local shop were really helpful so I cycled for a week and then took in a sample which they tested. It’s a 64 litre so a good sized beginners tank I think. Now have four fish and adding a few more this week. The four fish I have haven’t eaten yet - put in on Saturday afternoon. I have tried a small pinch of flakes twice but nothing yet (unless they’re eating it from bottom). Just a bit concerned as I’ve read that uneaten food can cause major problems.
Thanks for the recommendation on testing kit - I’ll grab one to keep an eye on the conditions.

 

[Gandron]

I hope you had a happy birthday, and welcome to the Forum. Hopefully your aquarium will be all you wanted, and then some.

Thank you! I hope so too!!

 

[Circus]

Hi,

Yeah, luckily the local shop were really helpful so I cycled for a week and then took in a sample which they tested. It’s a 64 litre so a good sized beginners tank I think. Now have four fish and adding a few more this week. The four fish I have haven’t eaten yet - put in on Saturday afternoon. I have tried a small pinch of flakes twice but nothing yet (unless they’re eating it from bottom). Just a bit concerned as I’ve read that uneaten food can cause major problems.
Thanks for the recommendation on testing kit - I’ll grab one to keep an eye on the conditions.

If they are really picky you might have to try a bit of live or frozen food.

 

[AilyNC]

Hi,

Yeah, luckily the local shop were really helpful so I cycled for a week and then took in a sample which they tested. It’s a 64 litre so a good sized beginners tank I think. Now have four fish and adding a few more this week. The four fish I have haven’t eaten yet - put in on Saturday afternoon. I have tried a small pinch of flakes twice but nothing yet (unless they’re eating it from bottom). Just a bit concerned as I’ve read that uneaten food can cause major problems.
Thanks for the recommendation on testing kit - I’ll grab one to keep an eye on the conditions.

I did the same - one week no fish, tested water with the shop, added 3-5 fish each week then they started dying. You'll save so much stress and fish if you can get an API test kit and start testing ammonia, nitrite & nitrate now. And when the numbers are off doing 75% water change.

 

[AilyNC]

Hope it goes well

Edited unfortunate typo

 

[Gandron]

I did the same - one week no fish, tested water with the shop, added 3-5 fish each week then they started dying. You'll save so much stress and fish if you can get an API test kit and start testing ammonia, nitrite & nitrate now. And when the numbers are off doing 75% water change.

Nipping in shop on Tuesday so will pick up a kit then - really keen to avoid death!!!!

 

[Gandron]

If they are really picky you might have to try a bit of live or frozen food.

Thanks - I actually don’t know what they were fed in store so will find out. Will also look at some of the live or frozen

 

[AilyNC]

You're super early in the process so I think with regular testing and water changes you'll be fine. Wayyyyy more experienced people here to help. And with info about your tank size and water pH and hardness you can get great advice about additional fish to add.

 

[vanalisa]

Welcome!
You've come to the right place.
Lots of knowledgeable aquarists on this forum.

 

[Essjay]

Since you didn't do a fishless cycle the really important thing now is to get your own test kit and test for ammonia and nitrite every day. If either of them show above zero, do a water change big enough to get the readings down to zero.
If the tests show levels above zero, hold off buying more fish until they stay at zero as getting more fish too soon will only make things worse.

Can I suggest you read the first part of this which explains why you need to test - but ignore the second part, that's for cycling before fish are put in the tank.

Cycling Your New Fresh Water Tank: Read This First!

Cycling Your First Fresh Water Tank What is Cycling and Why is it Important? Fish waste, and especially fish breathing, plus uneaten food and other organic matter breaking down in a tank all produce Ammonia. This can quickly become toxic to fish if it is allowed to build up to any measurable...

www.fishforums.net

 

[Gandron]

Since you didn't do a fishless cycle the really important thing now is to get your own test kit and test for ammonia and nitrite every day. If either of them show above zero, do a water change big enough to get the readings down to zero.
If the tests show levels above zero, hold off buying more fish until they stay at zero as getting more fish too soon will only make things worse.

Can I suggest you read the first part of this which explains why you need to test - but ignore the second part, that's for cycling before fish are put in the tank.

Cycling Your New Fresh Water Tank: Read This First!

Cycling Your First Fresh Water Tank What is Cycling and Why is it Important? Fish waste, and especially fish breathing, plus uneaten food and other organic matter breaking down in a tank all produce Ammonia. This can quickly become toxic to fish if it is allowed to build up to any measurable...

www.fishforums.net

Thank you - I’ll have a look.

 

[FishGuest5123]

I was going to suggest you read the same article that essjay provided. It will help you understand the Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle. It normally takes about 6 weeks to cycle a tank. Glad to have you here. .