Newbie Requires Help :-(

[jstephens]

Hi,

i finally decided to buy my first tropical fish tank a week ago and have it all running well (i think!)

The tank measure 35 inchs wide by 15 inchs high. havent got a clue what the gallons are.

My 1st question is how many fish can i safely put in hear? say arround the 1-3 inch size fish.

the fish i've added to start are 3x neon tetras, 3x guppys and 1x male fighter fish in red. i asked the guy at the shop if these fish would all get on and he said no problem and they seem ok. is there any fish that get on well with these or vice versa - fish that wont!?

my main concern is the condition of the water. When i set the tank up(never done before!) i got all the gravel in a bowl and cleaned with water. when i put in tank and filled with water the water went a gloomy dark colour, very cloudy. i thought id done wrong but 24hrs later the tank was clear. i presume this was the filter at play. im just concerned that the water is not good enough. what would be the best way to check water?

my next question is cleaning. how often should i clean tank? ive read that if i take all water out ill lose the required bacteria? so do i just empty half each time?

i must admit im a complete novice to this but am keen to learn

any help would be very grateful

Thanks

Jon

 

[chibi]

Before I answer your questions, I'd like to figure out how big your tank is in gallons. How deep is it? You measure this from the front to the back of the tank. Since tanks are 3D, it's hard to determine the gallon size with only 2 dimensions .

 

[dthoffsett]

You might have a read through this: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=88643.

It should answer several of your questions, and if you have more, feel free to ask.

As far as the water getting cloudy, that was just from left over dust in your gravel, and is harmless.

 

[catxx]

first problem is , you've already added fish and your tank is not cycled.
and the fish you have together aren't really compatible, the fighter will think the guppies are other fighters and attack them, potentially killing them, and the neons will nip the fighters fins. thats if the ammonia from the uncycled tank doesn't get them first. you'll quickly learn from this board that taking the fish store personnel's advice isn't always the best idea, they're only there for your money after all.

you need to research cycling, the nitrogen cycle, FAST
and do lots of regular water changes
and invest in some test kits (that measure ammonia, nitrate and nitrite especially)

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

yeah ive never had a problem with fighters and neons since i kept them togather before but the betta may attack the guppies. if you want a betta get a female and take the male back. see if theres any jump starting bacteria stuff at the pet store. do 25% water changes once a week with a siphon. how much was the tank? did it come in a package with light hood ect?

 

[juicebox]

hello jstephens,

i think your tank might be around 30 USG, although it's hard to tell without that third dimension. that being said, it will be hard to determine how many fish you can have in your tank without knowing the number of gallons your tank will hold.

it's best to clean the tank once every week with a 20-25% water change. most of the beneficial bacteria will be in your filter; hardly any will be in the water itself. what type of filter do you have?

good luck with your new tank and fish.

 

[jstephens]

Before I answer your questions, I'd like to figure out how big your tank is in gallons. How deep is it? You measure this from the front to the back of the tank. Since tanks are 3D, it's hard to determine the gallon size with only 2 dimensions .

The tank is 35 inchs wide. 15 inchs high, 15 inchs deep and 33 inchs across

Many thanks

 

[jstephens]

first problem is , you've already added fish and your tank is not cycled.
and the fish you have together aren't really compatible, the fighter will think the guppies are other fighters and attack them, potentially killing them, and the neons will nip the fighters fins. thats if the ammonia from the uncycled tank doesn't get them first. you'll quickly learn from this board that taking the fish store personnel's advice isn't always the best idea, they're only there for your money after all.

you need to research cycling, the nitrogen cycle, FAST
and do lots of regular water changes
and invest in some test kits (that measure ammonia, nitrate and nitrite especially)

Right, i did buy 2 items when tank was purchased.

1st was chlorine remover start plus water conditioner and the other was bio bac to add bacteria.

I added these to the water not long after completion.

I will go buy some test kits to check water. hopefully fish will be ok.

is there any other test items that help keep a healthy aquarium?

Many thanks for advise. shame the stores persons dont offer this

 

[dwarfgourami]

I will go buy some test kits to check water. hopefully fish will be ok.

is there any other test items that help keep a healthy aquarium?



A liquid test kit is best: this should contain tests for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, ph, and general hardness

You also need a thermometer

Other useful items include:

buckets - marked aquarium use, you don't want to risk adding detergents to your tank, and conversely you don't want to be cleaning your kitchen floor with old fish do!

gravel vac- cheap and useful item

two nets (much easier to catch fish with two)

algae scraper (I also find a toothbrush really useful here)

 

[ImperfectFaerie]

One thing to add- I know that test strips will seem easier/cheaper, but I'll tell you with personal experience you will spend even more money because they are a) inaccurate and B) very easy to ruin the entire bottle. So save yourself time money and hassle and get liquid tests ;-}