Author Topic: Noob Here (Read 5160 times) 9 replies

RAYK47 · « **on:** March 06, 2013, 12:05:58 PM »

Hi all

Wanted fish for many years but never got round to taking the plunge. However I purchased a 120ltr Interpet tank a few weeks ago with the intention of creating a tropical community.

I have been looking around the interwebs and it is full of excellent advice but all a bit confusing to a noob.

Currently the tank has standard gravel substrate and a few artificial plants. There are plans to maybe get a few more plants and a couple of ornaments (that will allow more hiding places.

This has been like this for about 10 days and I was looking to get a few fish at the weekend. his is where the headache starts. I am struggling to find what fish I want in the tank. I have used your compatibility app and everytime I add something I find it is incompatible with something or other.

To be honest I dont have any real preference in what fish I want except for I would like a good range of colours and sizes. I would like a couple of larger fish but also some shoaling fish as well.

If anyone can provide some advice of good fish to add then please share.

Unfortunately my local fish stockist are only pets at home however the Japanese koi carp company is not too far for the occasional visit. If anyone knows of any good stockist (I am in North Herts but am willing to travel to any that is not too far)

ColinB · « **Reply #1 on:** March 06, 2013, 12:44:04 PM »

Firstly.... welcome to the forum. There's lots and lots of help to be found on here.

Secondly.... you need to cycle your tank before you add any fish. This is to 'grow' the ammonia and nitrite eating bacteria you need to keep your fish healthy and alive. You won't find better explanations than here:

Fishless cycling: http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,16.0.html

Fish-in cycling: http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,17.0.html

There's a few threads to read in the 'Cycling and Filtration' section that will show what to do..... and how long it takes. (4 - 6 weeks.)

Thirdly.... to help select your fish we need to know your water pH and hardness. You will need a water testing kit anyway to monitor your water and that will have pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate test solutions. You can get hardness test kits, or you can look on your water-board web-site for their details of water parameters.

As 'they' say..... you keep water, the fish keep themselves!!

It sounds like a lot - but ask away. we like helping!

Sue · « **Reply #2 on:** March 06, 2013, 01:08:21 PM »

I'd just finishing typing when I discovered Colin has beaten me to it and said just about everything

I'll just add a warning. Don't believe the shop. Any of them. Listen to what they say then do your own research.

TigzFish · « **Reply #3 on:** March 06, 2013, 01:53:03 PM »

Quote from: RAYK47 on March 06, 2013, 12:05:58 PM

Unfortunately my local fish stockist are only pets at home however the Japanese koi carp company is not too far for the occasional visit. If anyone knows of any good stockist (I am in North Herts but am willing to travel to any that is not too far)

Without a city for reference I can only suggest you run a Google Maps search on "Aquatics Hertfordshire". I did that when I got started and visited all within a decent traveling distance.

Maidenhead Aquatics have 3 stores in your general vicinity, St Albans AL2 1DL, Kings Langley WD4 9LH, Milton Keynes MK17 8UF. I use my local one near Wigan almost exclusively, despite it being a few miles further than my very local PAH store (which I only buy dry goods from).

As Sue has said, don't take what shops say to you as gospel as most contradict each other. Always remember that a shop is there to sell, so don't invest in spending cash unless you are certain you know why you are doing it.

To be honest, some of the shops I've been in would try to sell sand to an Arab if they could, but that's another story.

Best of luck, we are all keen to help where we can.

Sue · « **Reply #4 on:** March 06, 2013, 02:28:42 PM »

There's also a shop finder in the menu at the top of the page.

We can let Peter (Thinkfish owner) know of any shops on the list that have closed and new ones that have opened. He is probably fed up of me giving him upates for my area

RAYK47 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 06, 2013, 02:49:57 PM »

thanks for the quick reply's, i will look to get a testing kit at the weekend.

I am based in Stevenage, Herts

Mervyn · « **Reply #6 on:** March 06, 2013, 03:09:13 PM »

Hi,
If you do travel St Albans way then you also have Hertfordshire Fisheries which is adjacent to Burstons Garden Centre.
Which is in Chiswell Green only a mile or so away from Maidenhead Aquatics and not too far from Watford and Hemel if there are any in that area.

ColinB · « **Reply #7 on:** March 06, 2013, 03:19:06 PM »

Excellent. You might find it useful to read the articles under 'Information' on the menu bar at the top of each page. It's packed full of really useful stuff.

If you're in Stevenage then your water will be very similar to mine (Wendover) which is a pH of around 7.6 (after the water's been left to 'age' overnight - i.e. out-gas it's CO₂ content) and a General Hardness of 16.5^o on the German Scale (which is what fishkeepers tend to use. It's ppm divided by 17.9)

My local fish shop is Maidenhead Aquatics (Aylesbury branch) and they keep half their freshwater fish in the same water as the local tap water because that's in their best interests. Your LFS should do something similar. You could ask them, and if they fudge their answer then go somewhere else. Make a note of any of these fish you like the look of then come back and check out their details on this web-site...... and, dare I say it, on a few others as well as they never quite match.

You will also need a de-chlorinator solution to add to your tap water as well as a test kit. They'll have them at your LFS, I use AquaSafe by Tetra.

Keep on asking.

maz1 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 06, 2013, 04:01:05 PM »

hi i live stevenage too and keep a 6ft and only use crews hill maidenhead aquatics is the best up there or water world at the other end is quite good too

RAYK47 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 07, 2013, 11:56:37 AM »

Hi colin, i also used aquasafe (it came in the setup i purchased).

Hi Maz, thanks for the heads up, might take a trip to St Albans this weekend.

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Noob Here

Noob Here

Author Topic: Noob Here (Read 5160 times) 9 replies

RAYK47

Noob Here

ColinB

Re: Noob Here

Sue

Re: Noob Here

TigzFish

Re: Noob Here

Sue

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RAYK47

Re: Noob Here

Mervyn

Re: Noob Here

ColinB

Re: Noob Here

maz1

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RAYK47

Re: Noob Here

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