I have to say how impressed I am by the amount of effort given in trying to explain the process of setting up a tank to someone, although willing, is completely unprepared for the amount of effort needed to set a tank up and then to keep it maintained.
We are still trying to combat the idea that all you need to do is to put water in a tank, add some gravel, plants, fish and Robert is your parent's brother!
It is very difficult instructing someone, when everything can be taken literally and there is a whole heap of anxiety attached.
In my basic training, we did an exercise where we had to instruct a colleague on how to fry an egg. The rules said that the colleague had to do EXACTLY what they were told. So...
Place the frying pan on the ring...place the pan the right way up on the ring...place the pan so that the bottom of the pan is on the ring.
Turn on the ring, using the dial on the cooker.
Add a little oil to the inside of the pan...carefully add two tablespoons of oil to the inside of the pan.
Break the egg into the pan...
Wham! In went an egg, broken, shell and all...etc..
The written/typed word is okay, but as we learn, it has limitations and that's always assuming a standard of literacy exits. (Fortunately, it clearly does in this case).
This is why the old 'Monkey see, monkey do' method usually works better. Perhaps a useful video exists, (or could be made to exist
)? Better still, if the original poster could actually visit someone who knows what they're doing?
Back to
Marklcfc, you've got a job of work on your hands and respect to you for your efforts so far. You'll know your kid and I'll ask you...how much capacity does he have to understand the needs of the fish and can he accept that, in The Real, things don't happen just as he'd want them to? There's a huge learning opportunity with setting up a tank, (or a rabbit hutch, or a guinea pig pen, etc.) and you need to be able to limit the risks, which is why the fishy experts in here are advocating a larger tank. With such, you have much more room for manoeuvre. As with setting up any new hobby, there's usually quite a bit of initial expense incurred but, once established, costs can be minimal. Your lad wants platys, but with the set-up you're describing, he might as well be wanting a marine clownfish, with a mako shark companion! Has he been to a decent fish shop and seen what's available? Does he know what he can and cannot have, etc.? If he doesn't and he just wants it and wants it now, then fishkeeping ain't for him and you're setting yourself up for a whole world of hurt. At best, you'll be making a burden for yourself.
(I once set up a beautiful community tank, that was of great benefit to all that saw it. Then someone decided to wash the stones in proper soapy water, putting them all back without rinsing, resulting in a dead tank and much trauma).
To see what is usually involved, check out the Fish Forums: Journals and Builds section. There are some very detailed tank set-ups described, from start to finish, complete with some very honest descriptions of mistakes and assorted cock-ups. Why make your own mistakes when you can learn from those of others?
(Although I always suggest that a cock-up is simply yet another learning opportunity
)
Good luck.