Hi Noob Here

Hi,

I'm Carl, I'm new to forums so patience please.

My fishy History.

In my mid-late teens I bought a ClearSeal 36" tank with hood and got a starter kit, under gravel filter, cheap heater etc This included tap safe. I could never keep anything alive and it just upset me and suffering from depression this was counter productive as I thought it would be something to help me find peace. Anyway I stopped. For a few years now I have really wanted to get back into it and try again, wondering if I was just immature. I now realise that it is rather odd that they sold me a load of Neon Tetra at the same time I bought the tank. Brain starts going, was it not just me, was it that I was simply too young with zero knowledge taking advice from people who were only interested in selling fish? Shop has gone now you'll be pleased to hear.

So here we are now, all my old tank and all equipment, yes never sold or threw any of it away,  is being brought to me this weekend. Gonna fill tank to check for leaks gonna replace under gravel with probably Fluval U2 (suggestions welcome) and gonna check the rest works properly and replace what doesn't. Gonna allow up to 2 months for the cycle. My local fish shop here, 300 miles from old one, says that in this area once chlorine removed from tap water the ammonia will be so high I won't need to add any? Will probably get some anyway so I can keep cycle going until I am convinced we are good to go with the fish.

Anyway end of Fishy History. I have used your brilliant Community Creator to create a tank for each step of stocking once cycle complete. Hoping with your wise minds and my willingness to learn this will finally be what I always hoped it would be all those years ago!

Well done you made it to the End. 
Carl.

Hi Carl, and welcome to the forum. 

Thanks for provide a bit of your fishy history. It is very sad when shops provide "advice" that leans towards quickly selling products & fish, rather than providing the information for a more long term suitable set up for good fish health. A lot of shops are getting better. Technology, research, and knowledge has moved on. There is a LOT of information available on the internet, even though some of it is conflicting.

It's also great to hear that you didn't get rid of your tank & kit, and that you are ready to have another adventure in the watery world of fish.

I started with zero knowledge, then found this forum, which I used as a guest whilst attempting to fishless cycle my first tank. After that I joined the forum, and the advice and experience available has been brilliant.

I agree with Matt, the fishless cycling methodology is great, and I have used it many times.

I'm also a big fan of the community creator when planning a tank, and if you let us know the water parameters of the mains water in your area (available on your water providers website), we can help with what fish would be suitable for your water.

I look forward to hearing about your plans. 

It's sounding good, though I would turn the heater down a tiny bit. Excepting those fish that need water in the high 20s, most prefer the 23 to 25 C range.

Regarding my comment about the temperature, that's for after the tank has cycled and you have fish. Cycling goes a bit faster if you have the temperature set to the upper 20s C as that makes the bacteria multiply faster.

Hi @TourinGolem
Just wondering how you've been getting on?
Matt