new to fish, needing guidence

[drew]

Hello everyone.

ok so ive decided to get an aquarium and some fish for my new room but im totally new to this and dont know what supplies i need and im on a tight budget at the moment. I think im going to start out with a 10 gallon tank (is this good for beginers? But from there im lost. What kinda fish do I get, and how many do i get? I dont want goldfish i know that much. What all do i need, the tank, pump, filter and what else? Thanks for anyone that looks at this and all replys are appreciated.

[SueM]

Here Drew, start here...........
http://www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/prof...ettingup1.html

Then you need to decide if you want to cycle with or without fish.............
http://www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/fresharticlesindex.html

[emc7]

Most people start with 10 gallon tanks, but you really can't keep very many fish in one. Bigger is better (more stable, easier to cycle without killing fish) and a 20 gallon high tank is only 4 inches longer. Unless you have a 80 degree room, you need a heater. You also need a lid (plastic wrap will do), dechlorinator, either a power filter (inside or outside the tank) or air pump and sponge, box or undergravel filter. Substrate (gravel, sand, marbles on the bottom of the tank) is optional as is lighting. I strongly recommend tests kits for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and hardness. If you can only afford one, get the liquid ammonia test at walmart. Some pet stores will test your water for free. You can check garage sales and auctions for cheap equipment (alway check for leaks), but I recommend only new heaters. Read the posts about "cycling" and "new-tank syndrome", make sure you understand the process before you get fish. Setting up a new tank is the hardest part of fishkeeping and many people kill their first fish and give up. Fish recommendations depend on tank size and water parameters (pH and hardness). It is much easier to choose fish that like your water than to adjust the water to the fish.

[Ownager2004]

My suggestion for a tight budget is to buy a kit at wal-mart. Do get atleast a 10 though... Not the best equipment, but it will work. And read up about cycling because its no fun to have dead fish

[JustOneMore20]

Like mentioned above, bigger is better. I would get either a 20 high or 20 long (more surface area on this one). Equipment needed is mentioned above. I like Aquaclear power filters. They are pretty inexpensive and work great. You can choose the filter media (I use only sponges). If you get a 10g, I suggest an Aquaclear 20. If you get a 20g, I would get an Aquaclear 50. The more filtration the better. I tell people to get a filter rated twice their tank size (in this case its a little more than twice, but more is better).

There are many heater brands. The general rule is 5 watts per gallon, so for a 10g you should get a 50 watt heater and for a 20g, a 100w heater. I use submersible heaters that can be adjusted. They have knobs on top that allow you to set the temp (really great!).

I buy alot of stuff from here. If you are in the US or Canada, that is a good place. I think the prices are better in the US though. They have great stuff and prices on everything.

A test kit was mentioned above. I like the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals master kit. It has everything you need for cycling. It is pretty inexpensive also, but easy to use. Big Al's has that also.

If you can afford the 20g long, get that. You can have more options for fish and its more stable than a 10g.

[drew]

ok, thanks for the replys so far, im reading this article on fishless cycle, http://www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/prof...sscycling.html and it says all i need and it mention a filter and filter medium. But im clueless as to what a filter medium is, ive heard people say sponge, but what does that mean?

thanks all

[fish_doc]

Filter medium is what external or canister filters use to filter. In some filters it is a white foam or cotton filler type material. In others it is a sponge similar to a typical household sponge but not as dense.

[SueM]

"sponge" can be used many ways, you can get sponge filters that sit on the floor of your tank and are powered by an air pump. Or you can use sponges inside your filters.
My personal favorite is an Aqua Clear hang on the back filter, it comes with a sponge http://froogle.google.com/froogle_cl...ring=mrd&hl=en and you can also easily put an other of their sponges on the intake for more Bio filtration, as well as making your filter media last 10 times longer, and keeping baby or tiny fish from being sucked up.

[Scy64]

I was in your same position a few months ago when I decided to get a fishtank. I got a 10 gallon kit at Petco, and it came with the tank, hood, lights, and filter system. Even just reading over the directions of the filter system teaches a lot (it was my first experiance with a filter too).

Cycling is a very important part of it all (as everyone has mentioned), but there are a few other little tips I've picked up personally (through both learning from others, and my own mistakes):

-Make sure the hood (cover) of your tank is a full cover. It protects the lights (and even though it might be a little more expensive, it's NOT worth saving a few bucks only to have open lights with minimal coverage). The best hoods have the hood seperate, and a lighting unit that sits on top (in my opinion).

-DEFINATLY watch the adult size of your fish. Lots of things start out small and end up way too big. A good "small" fish are most tetras, and also cory catfish (I think they get 3-4 inches max or so).

-Invest in some living plants for the tank (they cost a few bucks, and most of the time, fish like to munch on them).


One thing I've personally run into is the cost of keeping fish healthy. Like you, I'm on a tight buget, but when fish get sick, you're going to have to get medications to help it. It might be a good idea to set aside aside some money every week, just in case. More then once, that extra $10 has bought the medication that saved my fish. =)

[drew]

ok everyone,

Ive got my tank now, its actually my brothers old 10 gallon that i totally forgot about and im going to use it just the begin with, but later on i plan on getting like a 30 gallon tank. I plan on going to petsmart within the next cpl days to pick up my remaining supplies. WIll yall just look at this and make sure im not missing anything. Also, i cannot find the top of the tank anywhere, but with that filter will i need to buy a new top cause i cant have the top and the filter on at the same time can i?

-Aqua Clear 150/30 Filter, for 10-30 gallon aquariums
-Top Fin® Submersible Aquarium Heaters
-Top Fin Aquarium Gravel - either dk blue or white(how much will i need)
-Top Fin® Floating Glass Aquarium Thermometer


ok as far as the chemicals i need im totally lost, will someone please link me to the stuff i need on petsmart as far as chemicals, i know i need a Dechlorinator but ididnt see any.

THANKS FOR ANY HELP!

[fishn00b]

I woulda went with an Aqua Clear Filter that was for 20 - 40 gallons, or 30 - 50 (don't know how they label them). There really is no harm in getting a bigger filter unless your fish can't stand the flow, but i'm sure the one you have will work fine.

[JustOneMore20]

For the heater, I would go with one that is adjustable. I am not sure if the Top Fin brand is. I like Visi-therm Stealth heaters and Hydor Theo heaters they are more reliable IMO. I think PetSmart sells them.

For dechlorinator, there are many different brands. I use AquaSafe and Stress Coat. Just make sure it says dechlorinator and you're good.
Click for the link to Stress Coat. I don't see AquaSafe on their website so I'm not sure if they sell it or not.

I can't think of any other chemicals you will need. I would pick up some Melafix while you're there. Its good to have on hand. It treats fin rot, shredded fins, and some other things. Here is a link to that.

[meyerhaus]

The hoods have cutouts or punchouts for the filter. You will do fine with a smaller power filter...the 10-30 is fine. I have found that in 10g and 20g, the current from a larger filter is too much. Once you get over 30g, there is enough room that the water flow is fine. I have an AquaClear 75 (300GPH) on my 38 gallon.

I, too, would recommend a Hydor or Stealth heater. Buy submersibles that have a thermostat (actual numbers)...it is worth the money. I came down to my fishroom two weeks ago to find that my new pygmeaus corys had been fried in a 98 degree aquarium b/c of a malfunctioning heater. If there is a Meijer by you, they also have Hydor heaters.

Buy 15 pounds of gravel. I like neutral, but color is up to you. Rinse it...hard. I bought a cheap Wal-mart collander to make it easier.

I would get a stick-on thermometer; the suction cup breaks on the floating one over time. However, they are not expensive to replace.

Melafix is a good one to have on hand to treat a sick fish. I would spend a couple dollars for a small fish bowl, too. That way, you don't have to worry about using half a bottle to treat one fish with pop-eye. As long as you can get to a pet store to get other meds if need be, you are fine. Get that Aquasafe. If you change 5 gallons per week (just get a bucket from Home Depot for $3 and 6 feet of 3/4" diameter tubing for a siphon), you use a 1/2 teaspoon to treat the water before adding it. I just wait for the bucket to be half-full, measure it out in a spoon just for that reason, and put it under the stream of tap water.

Here is what Aquasafe looks like:

[drew]

ok while im sitting here waiting to go to the store and pick up my supplies i cant help but thinking of what fish i want to stock the tank with. Using this compatability chart http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/f...lity_chart.cfm
ive come to the conclusion i would like a cory or two, a betta and some tetras. Ok im totally new to this, so will the tank size not be enough for this. And if this is not even close to good choices can someone help me out. THANKS

[bpswim90]

Yeah, a 10 gallon would be great for a couple cories, a betta, and a school of tetras. Although I believe most cories prefer a larger tank because they too are shoaling fish.

[emc7]

Gravel color is up to you, but I'd choose white over blue, if you ever need more gravel it will blend better and you can use it to seed your next tank. You'd never find the same blue again if you wanted to add more.

[JustOneMore20]

Cories need to be in groups of 6 or more. You can't really fit 6 in a 10g. The smaller ones are pretty active, so they deserve a tank bigger than a 10g. Wait on them until you get something bigger.

For a 10g, I would have a school of small tetras (neons, black neons, glowlights, von rios) or Harlequin Rasboras and a male betta. Later on, if you decide to plant the tank and get some algae, you can add a couple ottos.

You could have a school of 6 of the above mentioned tetras/rasboras.