My New Tank.

Hi All.

Sorry, but I just had to gloat about my new "purchase" and ask a few questions please (again  )

If any of you have read my previous posts, you will see that I bought a complete aquarium set up (including fish) on ebay about 10 days ago, so I am very much a newbie. After going on this site and forum it soon became apparent that my 60 (possibly 64) litre tank was not suited to amount of fish and the types of fish included.

I therefore started searching on ebay for a larger tank, but they all went for too much (I'm unemployed and on a very limited budget) or they were too far away. I was looking at my local "freebies" site (similar to freecycle yesterday when this popped up.

"Large fish tank and stand - tank is fine and sound but stand has seen better days. Light in working order with brand new bulb. None of the contents included apart from black gravel." That was cut and pasted.

I couldn't believe it. Exactly what I was looking for. I got my "Yes please" reply in within 30 seconds. I was first and am now the proud  owner of a 100cm, 150 litre tank. It was only 3 miles from me and it was FREE!!!!!

Now to the questions.

It was being used up until last week, but could still do with a clean. I'm sure that there is a right and a wrong way to do this. Any advice?

I will need to get a filter and a heater. My old ones aren't up to the job and I want to keep the old tank going anyway. Any advice on which are best? Remember I am on a limited budget. External filter I assume? I have seen someone selling new heaters on ebay for £9.99 postfree, with a choice of 50w, 100w, 200w or 300w. Not sure how to tag them, but the item number is 330915914736. They don't seem to state a make. Can these be any good?

Once I have these I can start a fishless cycle.

Thank you for listening to my indulgence and in anticipation of the usual excellent  and friendly advice.

Many thanks,
Ian.

Sorry, but I just had to gloat about my new "purchase"

Nicely done, bitten by the bug early. 

It was being used up until last week, but could still do with a clean. I'm sure that there is a right and a wrong way to do this. Any advice?

First thing is remember not to use any form of detergent on the inside/outside of the tank, or introduce anything that has had any of the same on it (like buckets, cleaning pads, cloths etc etc).

Detergents can be very potent and terminal to fish (from what I have read).  I have seen mention of "aquarium safe" vinegar solutions for outside the tank, and use of bleach for the inside.  I have never used either and have been quite happy with algae scraper pads and dedicated cleaning sponges (plain ones with no added chemicals).

Plain water, elbow grease and lots of rinsing is my own preferred method... which reminds me I have a 64ltr tank to close down and clean out before weekend too.

Free tank... I'm jealous, really well done you! 

Count to ten, slowly. I'd just typed out a reply, tried to post and "connection problems" and it's all gone. Aaarrrghhhhh!!!!!


Cleaning.
Elbow grease as Dave says.
Limescale (hard water deposits) - vinegar or lemon juice being careful to avoid the corner sealant. Rinse well.
To sterilise if necessary - supermarket basic range bleach (the stuff that costs a few pence) diluted 1:9 with water or babies' bottle sterlising solution diluted as per instructions. Afterwards, rinse rinse rinse then soak in water that's been overdosed with dechlorinator.
Really stubborn, dried on algae - razor blade.



I'm now going to copy this post in case I get "connection problems" again!!!!!!!!

Wow, lucky you!!!

It'll be hard to find a shop to take guppies as they can get them so cheap. If you do try to sell them you'll need to charge less than the cheapest shop. You'll probably have to give them away I'm afraid. Try freecycle, gumtree etc if you don't mind giving them away. The website aquarist classifieds for giving away or a small charge but be careful, I have heard stories about trojans from this site.
There is a sale section on here (marketplace, right down the bottom) but it doesn't get much traffic. You could try other forums but some won't let you use the sales section until you've made a certain number of posts.
I don't use facebook so I've no idea about that.


Edit - just to remind you if you decide to keep some females - they can carry sperm for up to six months so if there are any males in with them, you'll get fry even with just females. And also if you decide to keep a few of each sex, you need at least twice as many females as males. Of course, you can keep just males. No harrassing females, no fry......

Hi Ian,

How wonderful!  Another tank,,,,very contagious, this fish tank business, isn't it?   Sue is very accurate when she says how much guppes can breed.  If they are anything like platys...and I believe they are in that way, you will end up with millions of the little blighters! I only had two female platys and they have just kept on having babies. I notice now, that two of the older babies that escaped capture, are looking decidedly plump!  I have been lucky in that my LFS are happy to take them off of my hands...I am 99% sure in order to sell them and not, I hope, to provide a tasty snack for their huge piranha!

Anyway, don't forget pics for us.  I am going to have another go myself this evening to put up some pics of my fishies.  I have had very limited time this past week and the couple of attempts I made didn't work...so fingers crossed!

Resa
 

Thanks Resa and Sue.

Re: Running costs. I think I'll just wait and see what my bill is!!!!

I'm not on a water meter, so that doesn't apply.

Hi Jesnon.

I've been really lucky just recently. I keep being in the right place at the right time. I have also managed to buy a 10 month old sofa and archair for £10.50 on ebay and get given a relatively new double bed from someone who was moving from the flat below me.   

If you are ever likely to be in Folkestone, Kent, I could well be giving away the previous tank that I got given, but it looks like you are some way away from me.

With regard my luck, would be great if someone would give me a job. lol.