Over my 40 years of Tropical and Saltwater fish Keeping / Breeding / Selling, I have heard all the questions asked about new tank setups and keeping of fish. I have owned a pet store for many years in the past and have answered all. The following is my opinion and what has worked best for me, and would be my suggestions, not to say that this is the only method that works. There are also other very experienced people in this hobby, who suggest and recommend other methods, which work also (not to offend other people). I offer these suggestions to try to help others, keep them from getting discouraged, and promote further interest in the hobby.
1. Buy the largest (quality) tank that you can afford, and have room for. The larger the tank, the more forgiving it is.
2. Get the best filtration system you can find. You need a filtration system that will take care of the mechanical and biological requirements. The more gallons per hour the better, this way it will handle the over-load of fish, everyone seems to put in the tank.
3. Get a quality heater, Not the cheap ones.
4. Set the tank up where it is not in direct sunlight. The tank should also be placed where it can be displayed as a conversation piece and a piece of furniture.
5. Rinse gravel, hook up filtration and heater (do not plug in the heater yet). Fill the tank (after 20 min plug in the heater) and bring it up to temperature. Temperature would depend on the type of fish you plan to keep.
6. Next cycle the tank. I have used a product made by HAGEN for many years. This products name is Cycle. It is a liquid bacteria. All you do is pour 1/2 into your tank and the other half of the bottle right into your filter. This will energize your system with beneficial bacteria.
- Works together with other beneficial strains to eliminate harmful toxins
- The ideal mix of beneficial bacteria to make the aquarium water purer and the environment healthy.
7. Now to keep this bacteria alive, you have to feed it. Place a couple of feeder fish in the tank for a couple of weeks. The fish waste and uneaten food will feed the bacteria. Due your water change without disturbing the filter or the gravel bed.
8. Now you can slowly over a period of weeks, add more fish to your tank. If fish are added slowly over a period of time, the bacteria will grow in your filtration system to filter out the added load. Conduct your scheduled water changes.
9. If you are not keeping live plants or invertebrates, and want to reduce the risk of disease, think about keeping a low dose of copper in your tank. MARDEL sells a product called COPPERSAFE. It will not harm your biological filtration and will last in the tank for around 30 days. Along with the right amount of aquarium salt, should keep everyone healthy and happy.
As I stated above, this is my opinion of what works best for me. Other methods also work well. Just thought I would offer some suggestions for others that might be interested. Hope it helps.
1. Buy the largest (quality) tank that you can afford, and have room for. The larger the tank, the more forgiving it is.
2. Get the best filtration system you can find. You need a filtration system that will take care of the mechanical and biological requirements. The more gallons per hour the better, this way it will handle the over-load of fish, everyone seems to put in the tank.
3. Get a quality heater, Not the cheap ones.
4. Set the tank up where it is not in direct sunlight. The tank should also be placed where it can be displayed as a conversation piece and a piece of furniture.
5. Rinse gravel, hook up filtration and heater (do not plug in the heater yet). Fill the tank (after 20 min plug in the heater) and bring it up to temperature. Temperature would depend on the type of fish you plan to keep.
6. Next cycle the tank. I have used a product made by HAGEN for many years. This products name is Cycle. It is a liquid bacteria. All you do is pour 1/2 into your tank and the other half of the bottle right into your filter. This will energize your system with beneficial bacteria.
- Works together with other beneficial strains to eliminate harmful toxins
- The ideal mix of beneficial bacteria to make the aquarium water purer and the environment healthy.
7. Now to keep this bacteria alive, you have to feed it. Place a couple of feeder fish in the tank for a couple of weeks. The fish waste and uneaten food will feed the bacteria. Due your water change without disturbing the filter or the gravel bed.
8. Now you can slowly over a period of weeks, add more fish to your tank. If fish are added slowly over a period of time, the bacteria will grow in your filtration system to filter out the added load. Conduct your scheduled water changes.
9. If you are not keeping live plants or invertebrates, and want to reduce the risk of disease, think about keeping a low dose of copper in your tank. MARDEL sells a product called COPPERSAFE. It will not harm your biological filtration and will last in the tank for around 30 days. Along with the right amount of aquarium salt, should keep everyone healthy and happy.
As I stated above, this is my opinion of what works best for me. Other methods also work well. Just thought I would offer some suggestions for others that might be interested. Hope it helps.
, to cycle a tank. It is cruel and inhumane.
