new to keeping fish

[adam122]

Hi im thinking about getting a tropical fish tank (juwel rekord 120) is this tank ok for a begnner? how long should i wait to add fish in to the tank?? wot esle wud i need as the tank comes with filter, heater and light? how many fish wud this tank be able to take??? what sort of fish would be the bbest to start with? and does anyone know of a got shop in south cambridge to get them??


thanx adam

 

[Sorrell]

If you read the pinned topics at the top of this section they should answer the majority of your questions

 

[BobK]

Check out the pinned thread on fishless cycling. I wish I knew about it when I first started out. Not something they tell you about at the lfs. They just want all of your money and they don't care about the fish.

 

[sylvia]

Yes, check the link in my sig. (it's one of the pinned topics BTW) it gives you an overview on pretty much everything you need to do or avoid

 

[daza]

Hi Adam,

Glad to see you reading/posting here before going to buy the tank. I did the same and was glad I did when I discovered the existence and importance of cycling etc!

As everyone else said, the pinned topics are the place to start.

The Rekord 120 should be fine for a beginner. I bought the Rekord 70, simply because it's all I have the space for, but I do wish I had space for at least another school. The Juwels are not the cheapest way to setup, but they are certainly the more convenient way, with the built in heater and filter and matching stands.

As for other stuff you would need:

Substrate (gravel/sand)
Thermometer
Dechlorinator
Water test kit (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, etc)
Optional live/fake plants, ornaments, caves etc (depending on the fish some plants/caves might be important)
Net
Possibly a magnet glass cleaner
Large bucket (for water changes)
Siphon
Range of food for the fish you choose (bloodworms, flakes, etc, etc)

That's all that springs to mind at the moment...since it hasn't been that long since I was making this list for my own tank.

Good luck

 

[sylvia]

Just wanted to add that you should get 2 buckets (trust me on that one - you might find you need it ) and also only by the fish food when you buy the fish as some foods (especialy flakes and freeze-dried) will slowly lose their nutricious value and it's best to get them as fresh as possible (though they may have been at the LFS for quite a while anyway...).
Also, if you can afford it I would invest in a quarantine tank (5 gallons is enough) with a small heater and a sponge filter. You don't need any decorations for this or substrate. You'll find this tank invaluable for when you buy a new fish to add to your established and cycled tank and to treat sick fish. If you don't have a quarantine tank you risk all your fish getting sick and dying if you add new fish and if they do get sick you'll have to treat in the main tank where the medication may undo your hard work and effort put into cycling the tank in the first place by killing off your biological filtration and then killing your fish as a result. Furthermore, you'll find that once you are adicted to fish-keeping you'll start looking to breed some of the fish and an extra tank with a sponge filter would be ideal for this too.

 

[WILDER]

Here is a link for you.http/www.gorge.org/fish/issues.shtml

 

[jflowers]

The bigger the tank the better when starting out (read through the posts, sorry if someone already said this) as bigger tanks are easier to keep stable in temp/water quality. A 120 litre is bigger than most peeps start with so go for it. If money and space are no problem go for the biggest you can afford. I started with the second tank in my sig and soon had to get the first.

Jon

 

[adam122]

Hi guys thanx for the help. in a book i got today (A practical gudie to setting up ur tropical aquarium) it say that i cud add a few hardey fish about a week later? is this ture? as ill be getting the tank for xams that wud be alrite as ill be busy for that week. wot is the best type of fish? to start of with i want a mixture of fish for the fainal product.

thanx adam

 

[Streetracer]

I wouldn't wait a week to add fish. 2 or 3 days might have been a good idea but I waited only a day before adding dechlorinator and 11 Zebra Danios on a 50 gallon tank.