Andorea

So here's my "stuff"

1 big aquarium. (Lady said it was 25 gallons, but i saw my friend's 25 Gallon and it's HALF the size of mine..i've enclosed a pic)
A bunch of blue rocks (small ones)
2 filters (isn't there something I'm supposed to put in those filter thingy's?..like a filter of some sort? Are they standard size or should I know what size i'll need?)
1 water heater
half of a ship (i think it has a little air hose for it to blow bubbles)
An aquatic scenary to stick at the back of my aquarium.

So here's all I have....now i'm really clueless and i'm hoping to learn a few things. I have a few questions. Any answers, comments, suggestions are greatly appreciated.
My hubby wants to do a remake of the fish tank in the dentists office, from the Finding Nemo movie. I told him he's crazy. Salt water fish for beginners?? IS HE NUTS!!??!?! So that being said, I have NO CLUE what kind of fish to put in there, or how many. The aquarium is a gift for my son. I have NO idea what we just got ourselves into, but i'm ready to work at it.

1. What's nice and easy?
2. Should I have real or fake plants?
3. How much decoration, is too much?
4. Is a salt water aquarium really that much harder? Would there be any way I COULD do a remake of the Finding Nemo fish tank?

Please be nice...i'm such a newbie.

Love & Light,

Andorea

Attached Images

my aquarium.JPG (139.0 KB, 20 views)

Joe G

Welcome. Ii am also new at this, from what people have told me you should read up on cycling your tank. I have real plants, as they look nicer and help with the ecology of the tank. You can put as many real plants as you want. And from what i have herd salt water is allot harder then fresh water. one of the most important things you will need is a test kit for your water, their are liquid test kits, and also ones you just dip in tank water. You must make sure you tank has cycled be for you add fish. As far as filter if it is the type that mount to side of tank, you only have to change filter cartrage when it gets clogged. as the bacteria it creates is good for tank.

Boxermom

First, you need to find out how big your tank is so that you can get the appropriate supplies and know how much you can stock your tank with. If you give the dimensions, we can help figure out what size you have.

Next, if you are going planted, you need to get rid of the undergravel filter plates (the white things on the bottom). You'll probably do better with an HOB (hang on back) power filter, but before I can recommend one, need to know the size of your tank.

For substrate, I recommend Eco Complete. Its a gravel that has important nutrients for the plants. There's also Flourite, but Flourite has to be washed a LOT and its a pain in the butt, while Eco Complete doesn't - you just dump it into the tank.

For a good list of plants, try http://www.plantgeek.com where you can find lists and pictures by various categories. You're probably going to want to stick with beginner and low light plants. As far as how much decor, that's pretty much a personal choice but also depends on what kind of fish you plan on getting. If you have top dwellers, such as White Cloud Moutain Minnows (highly recommend hardy fish for beginners), then you won't want really tall items, as they like a lot of room to swim. Other fish are very good at digging up and rearranging plants. Some fish require lots and lots of decor, as much as you can manage, such as puffers. Some need caves, some like wide open swimming areas, etc. The best thing to do is figure out what fish you want and plan the tank around them.

Yes, saltwater tanks are much more difficult and expensive, as you need additional equipment. Not recommended for beginners.

smillermom

Just from owning 2, your tank looks like a 29 gallon. I love Bio-Spira. It is a live bacteria that you add to your tank then immediately add fish. It is the only cycling product that actually does what it says as it comes to you refrigerated and ready to go. I used it in an emergency situation as a friend had convicts she was going to flush and would not wait for me to cycle a tank. I added the product, aded the fish right away and checked all levels for 2 weeks, no prob!!! It is made by Marineland here in the states. I think I read on a thread on the site they will ship to the UK. It is expensive! fishstoretn.com sells it. (The FIsh Store)

Boxermom

I love BioSpira and have used it numerous times with wonderful results. I highly recommend it as well. Not sure if its worth the cost of shipping to Canada or the UK, as it has to be express mailed since it must remain refrigerated or all the bacteria will die, but if you can afford the added cost, its great stuff.

Gunnie

Welcome to FishLore!

First off, you've got to figure out how big your tank is. If you go to the top of your screen, you can click on the FishLore logo and get lots of info on the hobby. There's a link there called, " Aquarium and Fish Tank Volume Calculator" which should help you figure out your tank size.


Your filters look like undergravel filters (ugf), and will need powerheads to make them work. They pull all the crud down below them and it's kept there forever. Most hobbyists don't like this type of filtratration because the crud never gets removed, and like Boxermom said, they pretty much limit what types of live plants you will be able to have in your tank. Any live plants you put in your tank that have root systems in the gravel/substrate will not do well because all the nutrients will be sucked away before they have a chance to absorb them. What you could do though, is reverse the flow of the water so the powerheads suck from the bottom up, and have hang on back (hob) filters on the tank also to filter the debris. I still think this would limit your live plants in that tank though.

If you decide to change your filtration, once you determine the size of your tank, you will be able to determine how many gallons per hour (gph) you need for adequate filtration. Most hobbyists recommend 10 times the gph rate on your tank for power filters, and 5 times the gph rate for canister filters. Don't be fooled by what the box says in reference to what size tank the filter is good for. Look at the gph instead. The power filters hang on the back of your tank and has a tube that sticks in the water. A canister filter actually sits under your tank, and all you see are the intake and outtake tubes. Sponge filters are also good and very inexpensive to use. Easy to clean also.

I would not recommend a saltwater tank at this time. You are probably overwhelmed at this time, and saltwater is more expensive and complicated than a freshwater tank would be. If you like the hobby, then it could be something you plan on in the future.

Make sure you understand cycling completely. In the beginners forum, you will see a sticky called, "FishLore Article for Beginners". Anything you don't understand about cycling, please ask. This is the most important aspect of fishkeeping, and will determine whether your fish live or die. You have seen a couple of posts about bio spira which is really great stuff. However, I don't usually recommend it for newbies because cycling your first tank is such an important lesson on understanding how a cycling works, and if you go through the process, you will know what to do when your readings are less than perfect in your tank. I have used the product 3 times in emergencies with great results, but that was because my fish were at risk. Most hobbyists recommend you fishless cycle because the cycling process is very stressful to your fish and could kill them.

You definately need some test kits to get started. I highly recommend the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals master test kit. It will have all you need to get started. If you live in the states, copy the page with the master test kit on it on the PetSmart web site and take it to your local PetSmart store. They should honor the online price, and this will save you over half of the cost. I think the online price is $13.49. They normally sell locally for around $30.00.

You will also need heaters for your tank, unless you decide on goldfish or white cloud minnows. Any tropical fish you decide on (including bettas) need a heated tank. Once you determine the size of your tank, you will need to have 5 watts per gallon to heat your tank properly. Your tank will need at least 2 heaters to heat it more evenly. So if you have a 50 gallon tank, you will need 250 watts, and most likely 2 125 watt heaters.

Live plants are wonderful, but they do take a little care. I would definately go for the low light plants. They are the easiest to care for.

This article will help you decide whether you want live plants or not:

http://www.plantgeek.net/article_viewer.php?id=17

Let us know what size tank you have, and the folks here will gladly give you ideas on what to put in that tank! This hobby is so much fun, but it takes a lot of patience and preparation to be successful. We will do everything we can to make this experience enjoyable for you!