Preparation

[kryton55]

Hi, haven't kept Tropical Fish for 30 years.

1.How do I dechlorinate the water.
2. Filters, what is recommended? what are the benefits of undergravel and freestanding.
3. A few safe bet hardy starter fish please.
4. Tips on airation.

 

[gaz gun man]

1) You can buy bottles that nutralize chlorine and heavy metals etc. I use Nutrafin Aquaplus
2) Casnister filters are much more common than undergravel these days. I use a Fluval 205 external canister.
3) See this thread; Fishless Cycling
4) You can use your filter output the agitate the surface which will provide enough airation, or buy an air pump and stone, personally I have 2 air stones going.

Just to add, I would fishless cycle if I were you, its much easier for day to day maintence, otherwise you'll need to do anywhere from 20%-40% waterchanges everyday to keep the levels down.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

hi there, welcome to the forum and welcome back to fishkeeping.

you're probably in for a little bit of a shock, fishkeeping techniques have moved on some way in the last 30 years so the advice you'll get on this forum is often going to go against the grain of what you would have done 30 years ago.

There's two main reasons for this really

1 - knowledge, the amount of research conducted over the last 30 years has seriously increased our understanding of the natural environment and that within an aquarium. as they say, knowledge is power, know we understand more, we are able to do more and to look after our fish much better than the traditional established methods.

2 - fish are not so hardy, unfortunatley a lot of the common hardy species (guppys and neon tetras being two examples) have been massivley overbred and inbred to meet demand and to produce fancy colour and tail varieties that you see nowadays. Unfortunatley this has weakened the gene pool and as such the species once considered hardy can now be quite delicate, so we do need to be a touch more careful than fishkeepers did 30 years ago.

so the long and the short of that is, don't be surprised if what we tell you now is not what you would expect. However we're always happy to expound on any advice we give you (in fact sometimes we have to rein guys in from doing this too much ) and try to satisfy any queries you have. The best place for you to start re-learning is with the pinned topics at the top of the page, start off with the oens on cycling and take it from there.

 

[kryton55]

Hi, thanks I'll check out Fishless Cycle.
Is there a step by step guide on this Forum on how to set up an aquarium and equipment needed.

cheers
Dave

 

[Miss Wiggle]

you know I don't think there is actually..... there's all sorts of stuff in the pinned topics which probably encompasses it all, but not seen a step by step guide to setting it all up.......... however i'm sure one of us will take up the challenge and write one and see if the mods will pin it..... anyone wanna volunteer, i'll have a bash if not.

 

[waterdrop]

Finally another guy with the 30 year gap thing just like me.

Welcome to TFF, Dave.

A step-by-step is not a bad thing - helps you not to miss steps. I have seen some threads here that have pretty much created that but finding them is another thing. What you have no way of knowing is that you've stumbled across something potentially a hundred times better than a step-by-step in that Miss Wiggle herself and the many other experienced members showing up here are often like a wonderful answer machine that can lead you through and take you to almost any depth of detail you might desire on a given fishkeeping topic.

Its a very interesting experience, you just have your thread, like the one you've started here and you keep going with it and the help keeps coming. You can also start new threads and read all the threads by the other beginners (or Re-Beginners!) and learn all sorts of new things. Like any web forum, there's no guarantee the right info will come right away or that it will always be completely right etc. but in my experience it works really quite well.

Speaking of step-by-step, if you have the time and patience and have not already purchased the gear, you can research here about the right equipment for you as a first thing (and you're right, the filter is by far the most important area of focus among your initial purchases.) Or you can hurry that along and get to the next most important subject, that of preparing the biofilter for operation, or "fishless cycling" as we like to call it. For me this was a totally new and fascinating revelation, utterly different than what the books and magazines emphasized 30 years ago. And the underlying subject, the Nitrogen Cycle, is core to the whole hobby and much better understood in a practical sense now -- well worth the time investment right upfront before proceeding too quickly with your tank.

I recommend you click on the Beginners Resource Center, then Cycling Resource Center and then look for articles by AlienAnna and Miss Wiggle and read those first as more of the type of intro I was talking about. Then proceed on to our main fishless cycling article by rdd1952, which is the working document we all tend to use when we do our first fishless cycle. There are some good charts on Nitrogen Cycle in wikipedia on the web and searches here will also turn up very good materials. Takes a bit of desire to know but I found it all quite fun.

Oh, and a bit on your questions (just 'cause different perspectives from all of us can help):
1) Water Conditioner is essential but not a difficult choice as most will take out the chlorine/chloramines. I use Prime after reading comparisons here that it is cheaper because of its concentration. I started out using StressCoat which I remembered from years ago and thats ok too. Its not a big deal other than to be sure you have some around.
2) Filters: I've come to the realization, because of TFF, that experienced people with knowledge can make any style of filter work and understand it. But at the same time, for us beginner-normal-type people, my own feeling is that undergravel filters are an out-of-date technology. Modern cannisters are just too wonderful - they bring much greater media volume to the task than HOB (Hang-On-Back (aka waterfall)) filters or internal filters (although each of these can have a time and place that is right too.) The cannisters are easy to operate, need cleaning less often and are easier to clean when that is needed. There is an entire Hardware forum where the details of these are discussed almost daily.
3) When we hear a beginner say "hardy fish", we know they often need to hear about the whole topic of "fishless cycling." -After- fishless cycling, there still is merit in knowing which fish (zebra danios for instance) are hardy and good to start your stocking with - in fact you can group fish into tiers of beginning, middle-time and later, after the tank is much more stable.
4) I learned here on TFF that airstones do not make a significant increase in water surface area as I thought years ago. Instead, simple surface area and keeping it agitated is the important thing. That is made easier now because filters come with spraybars, which spread out the surface disturbing action of returning the filtered water to the tank. Airstones still have their place in further water movement and disturbance, particularly during fishless cycling, and also of course later if you like the look and the sound is not a problem.

So, in short, 1st step is to think if you want to examine the filter choice, the tank itself, the heater etc. before you purchase. The second step is your crash course on the nitrogen cycle and the subsequent practical realization of it in the "fishless cycle" technique. During step 2 you will choose the all-important water test kit. The 3rd step is to get your fishless cycle underway. The fourth step is to begin planning your fish stocking list while the fishless cycle is going and also possibly begin learning about plants. Also essential will be learning the details of good water changing technique and good tank maintenance.

~~waterdrop~~
ps. consider putting your location (state, country, whatever) into your profile as that will help other members know what type of help to give on some subjects such as purchasing locations etc.

 

[kryton55]

Hi Miss Wiggle
Thanks for your reply and your offer to do me a step by stumble lol

I am restricted to a small 18inch Aquaruim.
I haven't bought anything yet so maybe you could guide me in stages?? ... sorry if I'm being too cheeky

Dave

 

[RedeyesUK]

Dave, where in the world are you?

This is useful to know, as availability of various products can be totally different, depending on where you are.

For future reference, you might find it easier to update your profile in your location, so it appears in the panel on the left.

Oh, and welcome back to the hobby!

 

[kryton55]

Hi, I'm in Chelmsford, Essex
I've found a specialist eleven miles away, another in Colchester.
Good to hear from you.

 

[RedeyesUK]

Ah, UK based, thought so.

As it happens, I'm in the middle of cycling an 18" tank I bought recently.

The tank is a Clearseal, I got it from a local pet supplies store, but I think Pets@Home sell them, if your local places don't.

Clearseal Aquariums

I've got a Fluval 1 Plus internal filter, it's a pretty decent filter (if a little basic), and more than adequate for the job.

Fluval 1 Plus

The heater is 100W - it's worth buying bigger than you need, as they tend to be all nearly the same price anyway.


The only thing I'm having trouble with is a hood - the plastic one that came with the tank is useless, and I can't find a decent one to buy - I may end up doing a DIY one.


Hope that helps a little!

Garry

 

[vinylman]

Hi, I'm in Chelmsford, Essex
I've found a specialist eleven miles away, another in Colchester.
Good to hear from you.

A word of preparation/warning. Lots of fish 'specialists' don't even acknowledge the existence of tank cycling and will probably say something along the lines of ''set it up, leave it a week and you'll be ready for fish''. Take the time to read as much as you possibly can here before you take the first step; if you start the right way, you'll save yourself a LOT of trouble further on. Ask anything you like here, there's always someone around. If you get advice from your LFS, don't act on it straight away, come back and check here. Shops are there to sell you things, many of which you don't need. The only thing you'll get from us is advice and support - and guess what? - it's free!!!

 

[tenohfive]

Hi, I'm in Chelmsford, Essex
I've found a specialist eleven miles away, another in Colchester.
Good to hear from you.

A word of preparation/warning. Lots of fish 'specialists' don't even acknowledge the existence of tank cycling and will probably say something along the lines of ''set it up, leave it a week and you'll be ready for fish''. Take the time to read as much as you possibly can here before you take the first step; if you start the right way, you'll save yourself a LOT of trouble further on. Ask anything you like here, there's always someone around. If you get advice from your LFS, don't act on it straight away, come back and check here. Shops are there to sell you things, many of which you don't need. The only thing you'll get from us is advice and support - and guess what? - it's free!!!

Seconded. So many people come on here saying, "The man in my local fish shop said it would be ok," which sends the regulars into fits of rage. Believe no-one, verify everything.

 

[rabbut]

you know I don't think there is actually..... there's all sorts of stuff in the pinned topics which probably encompasses it all, but not seen a step by step guide to setting it all up.......... however i'm sure one of us will take up the challenge and write one and see if the mods will pin it..... anyone wanna volunteer, i'll have a bash if not.

I am doing one for work anyway, so I can do this if you want, saves someone else some leg-work If you want a go Miss Wiggle, feel free

 

[rabbut]

Quick guide to equipment.

Tanks. These come in all glass or acrilic. Glass is harder to scratch, but is heavier and more easy to break. Acrilic is easily scratched but more durable; it bends before breaking. I prefur glass, as nothing near (or in) my tanks are going to break panes

Heaters. Electronic types fail off, avoiding cooking fish, but as yet are not very well proven. By-metalic strip controlled heaters are proven to last well, but tend to fail on, cooking fish, when they do eventually fail. In theory, electronic heaters will be more reliable than by-metalic strips, as the latter wears out over time, electronics shouldn't. A lot also depends on build quality. I'd get either a Visitherm for internal heating, as some 30 year old heters from them are still going strong. Expaect to pay more for this brand though, as they are the best at the moment You can also get exturnal heaters, that go in-line. These haven't been arround long, but have so-far proven reliable. You need an exturnal filter to run one though...

Filters. These come in five main types. Internal, HOB, UGF, exturnal and air driven. Internal are cheap and reliable, but tend to clogg quickly, same with UGF, and UGF is also harder to clean, but cheaper at outlay. I have never used a HOB, so don't know much about them. Air driven are good for small tanks, but can lack "punch" in larger tanks, and they also aren't very good with plants... Exturnals are the best, being low-maintanance and durable. They are however, the most expencive type...

Lighting. What you see is what you get with it. If you want to grow plants, you should look for scope to up-grade lighting at a later date This rules out most "kit" hoods, but this isn't an issue if you will only keep fish

HTH
Rabbut

 

[Blade118]

you know I don't think there is actually..... there's all sorts of stuff in the pinned topics which probably encompasses it all, but not seen a step by step guide to setting it all up.......... however i'm sure one of us will take up the challenge and write one and see if the mods will pin it..... anyone wanna volunteer, i'll have a bash if not.

Sounds good to me!