Setting up an AQUARIUM, how MUCH, and how DIFFICULT?

spongy · Jan 17, 2014

Listen to Jevs, he has a lot of knowledge.

I set up a tank last summer. Bought a Juwel Vision 180 and cabinet for £130 off eBay.

£70 on an Aquamanta 400 external filter.

£25 on black gravel from eBay.

Quite a bit on plants.

I cycled my tank for nearly a month with ammonia and regular water testing before I bought fish. Doing a "fish in" cycle normally ends up in fish deaths so don't if you don't want want to explain why their new pets are dying.

I'm a member of www.fishforums.net it's a great forum and everyone is very helpful, and lots and lots of newbie info and help with everything you could possibly need to know.

Here is my tank as it was a month ago. It's my latest photo but I've added a lot more plants since...

Current stock is

6 Cardinal Tetra
6 Black phantom tetra
5 Harlequin
6 Pentazona Barbs
3 Peppered Corydora
1 Bristlenose Plec
1 Bosemani Rainbowfish
1 Rainbow fish I can't remember the name of

Looks great but now I want another tank for a Cichlid setup.....

Easy 10 · Jan 17, 2014

I had a ten gallon corner unit tank years ago that I kept for a couple of years. Returned home from work one day and the wife had committed mass fishy genocide that afternoon by "helpfully" cleaning the tank out for me, replacing almost all 10 gallons of water in one go.

I wasn't THAT bothered to be honest. Looked very nice all lit up at night, but I found regularly cleaning the thing was such a massive ballache I was glad to be rid of it. I do miss my spotted pleco 'Plecky' though. How he loved lurking around in his little skull eye socket.

jevs · Jan 17, 2014

amexee said:
I have a question [MENTION=2019]jevs[/MENTION] How do you keep your plants green and lush. Mine always either rot, or get covered in algae?

I have a high tech aquarium mate. I have 4 T5 four foot tubes, a decent substrate, good water movement and i also inject CO2 at around 1 bubble every 2 seconds. Choice of plants is important too....i've had plenty rot and fail and i still spend around £100 a year on plants

spongy · Jan 17, 2014

Easy 10 said:
I had a ten gallon corner unit tank years ago that I kept for a couple of years. Returned home from work one day and the wife had committed mass fishy genocide that afternoon by "helpfully" cleaning the tank out for me, replacing almost all 10 gallons of water in one go.

I wasn't THAT bothered to be honest. Looked very nice all lit up at night, but I found regularly cleaning the thing was such a massive ballache I was glad to be rid of it. I do miss my spotted pleco 'Plecky' though. How he loved lurking around in his little skull eye socket.

As long as she didn't empty out the filter at the same time a 100% water change isn't a death sentence, only if she filled it back up with cold water out of the tap and put the fish straight in its bad.

My missus once helped out by feeding mine half a pot of fish food because they "looked hungry" :facepalm:

Easy 10 · Jan 17, 2014

spongy said:
As long as she didn't empty out the filter at the same time a 100% water change isn't a death sentence, only if she filled it back up with cold water out of the tap and put the fish straight in its bad.

My missus once helped out by feeding mine half a pot of fish food because they "looked hungry"

Water, filter, gravel sieved out, the lot. I can't remember if she put them straight back into cold tap water or not, I think she had at least treated it. But whatever she did, none of them survived. We held a small but dignified service in the downstairs toilet, before sending them on their way.

jevs · Jan 17, 2014

Had a stunning tank when i lived in Brighton...a 6 foot x 2 x 2 marine fish only tank. Kids next door came in and decided to remove the hose off one of my external filters and emptied 150 gallons of salt water over the floor !!!

Muzzy · Jan 17, 2014

About a week ago, someone I know was giving away about a dozen fish tanks for nicks. Typical innit haha.

I've also been a long time fish keeper but what Jevs says just about sums up what you need to do.

Most people usually change their minds about a thousand times before settling on which fish to stock so never feel guilty about changing your mind about something that you wish you hadn't put in your tank. It will only lead to you quickly getting bored and neglecting the tank in the end.

Good luck, it can be a rewarding hobby.

One thing I would slightly disagree with Jevs on is about keeping marines. Keeping them isn't difficult at all but the 'chores' have to be done regularly. They also do with trops too but with saltwater animals they are less tolerant of a poorly maintained environment. Do your research, visit your local aquarists shop and speak to the specialist in the way you want to go with it. Keeping marines without ever having had any fish keeping experience is much easier now than it ever has been so look into that before you commit to anything would be my advice.

spongy · Jan 17, 2014

jevs said:
I have a high tech aquarium mate. I have 4 T5 four foot tubes, a decent substrate, good water movement and i also inject CO2 at around 1 bubble every 2 seconds. Choice of plants is important too....i've had plenty rot and fail and i still spend around £100 a year on plants

I'm still low tech. 2 t5 bulbs with just gravel as substrate, some plants flourish, some don't. My amazon swords and Vallis are doing well and one I don't know the name of (front left in my pic previous post) are doing well, I've just added some decent looking fake plants I inherited with the tank in and they look good. Dying plant material is a pain and because I have a Juwel tank there is a support bar across the middle of the tank which means cleaning is a pain, as well as my twisty bit of wood to work around.....

jevs · Jan 17, 2014

Muzzy said:
One thing I would slightly disagree with Jevs on is about keeping marines. Keeping them isn't difficult at all but the 'chores' have to be done regularly. They also do with trops too but with saltwater animals they are less tolerant of a poorly maintained environment. Do your research, visit your local aquarists shop and speak to the specialist in the way you want to go with it. Keeping marines without ever having had any fish keeping experience is much easier now than it ever has been so look into that before you commit to anything would be my advice.

Oh ****ing do one will you Chris. I didn't say it was difficult, i said it was probably best avoided until you had some experience. I never found Marines hard at all but most fish these days wont give you change out of 30 sheets. If you lose one, it can be devastating. You'll be able to keep half a dozen small fish in a 60 gallon tank and you still have to learn about protein skimmers, water changes using RO water, pH, specific gravity, nitrate reduction and christ knows what else if something was to go wrong (whitespot, red slime algea, pH crashes etc etc)

Don't want to put you off El Pres but there's a lot to learn.

Dan Aitch · Jan 17, 2014

My advice would be to be patient and get your water fully cycled and your plants really well bedded-in before adding fish. If you want a 'carpet' of grass you may be looking at a few months to achieve his.

Otherwise I'd echo all the other advice and suggest taking recommendations about a really good shop to go to, especially when the usual questions surface in the first couple of years. Avoid buying your fish from the big chains like 'Dead Fish At Home' and make sure you trust your dealer to provide disease-free fish that won't suddenly kill off your others when they're introduced.

Get platys - they're great little fish which real personalities. :smile:

In the last three years we've spent well over £1500 in total. Easy to do.

Muzzy · Jan 17, 2014

jevs said:
Oh ****ing do one will you Chris. I didn't say it was difficult, i said it was probably best avoided until you had some experience. I never found Marines hard at all but most fish these days wont give you change out of 30 sheets. If you lose one, it can be devastating. You'll be able to keep half a dozen small fish in a 60 gallon tank and you still have to learn about protein skimmers, water changes using RO water, pH, specific gravity, nitrate reduction and christ knows what else if something was to go wrong (whitespot, red slime algea, pH crashes etc etc)

Don't want to put you off El Pres but there's a lot to learn.

Only on NSC would you get a binfest on a hobby FFS

I thought we were offering advice a how to set up a fish tank not deciding who can and who can't afford to buy anything?

I offered an opinion but wish I fecking hadn't now. Bye!

jevs · Jan 17, 2014

spongy said:
I'm still low tech. 2 t5 bulbs with just gravel as substrate, some plants flourish, some don't. My amazon swords and Vallis are doing well and one I don't know the name of (front left in my pic previous post) are doing well, I've just added some decent looking fake plants I inherited with the tank in and they look good. Dying plant material is a pain and because I have a Juwel tank there is a support bar across the middle of the tank which means cleaning is a pain, as well as my twisty bit of wood to work around.....

The plant on the left is a Cryptocoryne of some description mate. Ideal beginners plant and they don't mind low lights.

Depending on what your lighting is depends on most other factors with plants.

Imagine you have a 40 gallon aquarium with one 40 watt tube. This is classed as 1 watt per gallon (1 wpg), add another tube and you go up to 2 wpg. add a third and you're up to 3 wpg.

1 wpg is a low tech aquarium. s the light is low, the demands of the plants is low....that means they don't need any CO2 or additional fertilizers as they will be growing pretty slowly. Cryptocorynes, java ferns, mosses and anubias are ideal plants for this

2 wpg is moving up to the next level. Most plants grow well under 2 wpg but their needs are greater. Now you really want to be thinking of adding some sort of CO2 whether that's a decent regulator with solenoid valve or a basic tetra set up....you will notice the difference. Plants will also appreciate a feed occasionally, a monthly liquid feed is ideal. As mentioned, lots of plants such as the Amazon swords, vallis, ludwegia, hygrophylla and bacopa will thrive.

3 wpg is really as high as you want to go. CO2 and weekly ferts is almost essential. Having this set up allows you to keepn all the light loving plants such as the lovely Rotalas, althenanthera, cambomba etc etc.

Whatever you go for, substrate is important. I use normal garden potting compost (i prefer ericacious as this has no lime in it) with a layer of normal play pit sand on top. This almost gives you silt but without the potting compost escaping into the tank....and the plants love it.

www.ukaps.org is a great site for aquatic plant lovers.

El Presidente · Jan 17, 2014

jevs said:
Oh ****ing do one will you Chris. I didn't say it was difficult, i said it was probably best avoided until you had some experience. I never found Marines hard at all but most fish these days wont give you change out of 30 sheets. If you lose one, it can be devastating. You'll be able to keep half a dozen small fish in a 60 gallon tank and you still have to learn about protein skimmers, water changes using RO water, pH, specific gravity, nitrate reduction and christ knows what else if something was to go wrong (whitespot, red slime algea, pH crashes etc etc)

Don't want to put you off El Pres but there's a lot to learn.

Cheers [MENTION=2019]jevs[/MENTION], I live in Cheshire so a bit far from Lewes but thanks for all the advice!

jevs · Jan 17, 2014

Funny enough, we've just been discussing this topic on the WHU forum i go on if you want to take a look

http://kumb.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=151157

Dick Head · Jan 17, 2014

At the Water Zoo

Today I have seen all I wish
For I have seen four thousand fish,
Inscrutable and rum,
Observing me with solemn eyes
That hold no anger or surprise,
like people, only dumb.

For there one pike and trout and carp,
and fish with faces long and sharp,
And wrasse with their mosaic scales,
And oblong fish that have no tails;
Fresh-water and soft-water fellows,
And fish with valves that work like bellows;
And fish that leap an fish that crawl,

And great octopodes a-sprawl,
And golden fish with filmy skirt
That move about as maiden’s flirt,
And rainbow-coloured fish that seem
Like sunsets dipped into a stream,
And silver fish with dusky bars
That float beneath the nenuphars,
And tiny fish of Paradise,
And fish with furry backs like mice,
And fish that lay their eggs on land
By leaping, as I understand,
And placing them on grass, but yet
Must splash about to keep them wet;
The sea-hare which is a slug,
The wold{?}-fish with an awful mug,
And sharks with faces mild{?} and prim,
like schollgirls, elegantly slim-
One would not think that underneath
That tiny mouth lay all those teeth-
And humorous turtles that advance
As though in some strange eastern dance,
And hermit crabs that have the sense
To use a whelk-shell residence
to walk about with in the sea,
Whereon there sprouts, most luckily,
A poisonous anemone.
And there are fish that kiss and climb
and fish that croak, though not in rhyme,
And sucking -fish that hang on rocks,
And eels that give electric shocks,
And fish that turn to rosy pink-
From sheer false modesty, I think-
And fish that, floating on the tide
Transparent, show their whole inside;
And flat fish with their eyes askew,
All buried, save those eyes, from view
Beneath the clean white sand, until
The sand moves that before was still
And with slow movements they ascend
To eat some portion of a friend
Thrown in by keepers from the top;
And fish that always seem to stop
Lying in one place, dull as lead,
Although you tap quite near their head;
And there the crayfish or langouste
On craggy rocks is seen to roost…

Today I have seen all I wish
For I have seen fourthousand fish,
Inscrutable and rum
Observing me with solemn eyes
That hold no anger or surprise
Like people, onlu dumb.

Because they float about my brain,
Tomorrow I should like to come
And see four thousand fish again.
by E.V. Knox

Superphil · Jan 17, 2014

You can get a complete Fluval kit from Maidenhead Aquatics, 125 litre tank, all the kit, brand new, for £200. Has the benefit of coming with a warranty, from a respected manufacturer, all ready to go. A great way to get started, for a not totally eye watering price.

Superphil · Jan 17, 2014

[MENTION=2019]jevs[/MENTION] can you help me identify what's eating my plants? I have Amano shrimps, Panda Corys, Chain Loaches and Polka Dot loachs (I don't do Latin names, sorry). Also, Ember, Rummy Nose and Neon Tertras. These holes have been appearing in the large leaf plants ever since I put them in 3 weeks ago, but I've never managed to spot what is eating them. And if you can identify the cuplrit, is there a way to stop them?

jevs · Jan 17, 2014

Looks like snail damage mate....have you spotted any little snails in there...the loaches usually keep those down.

had a serious problem with snails, i now have 8 very fat clown loach and lots of shells !!!!!

spongy · Jan 17, 2014

Superphil said:
[MENTION=2019]jevs[/MENTION] can you help me identify what's eating my plants? I have Amano shrimps, Panda Corys, Chain Loaches and Polka Dot loachs (I don't do Latin names, sorry). Also, Ember, Rummy Nose and Neon Tertras. These holes have been appearing in the large leaf plants ever since I put them in 3 weeks ago, but I've never managed to spot what is eating them. And if you can identify the cuplrit, is there a way to stop them?

View attachment 50321

I would hazard a guess that that isn't fish eating them, I would say more of a pest snail problem or die off, do you have sufficient lighting and co2? Do you have a substrate below your gravel/sand? Some plants need a lot of things to do well. Something the fish shops don't tell you about!

spongy · Jan 17, 2014

jevs said:
Looks like snail damage mate....have you spotted any little snails in there...the loaches usually keep those down.

had a serious problem with snails, i now have 8 very fat clown loach and lots of shells !!!!!

I had a small snail problem that within a month evolved into a massive snail problem!!!

4 Assassn snails sorted it out, but I still don't know what the assassin snails will eat when they've eaten all the others

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