Hello and Welcome All! - Page 5

susitna-flower · March 11th, 2007

I know it is really going to be a mess when I clean that old tank! I've done it in times past. I am going to move the fish temporarily, then clean old tank, when it is ready to go again I will split the fish between both tanks. Should be just about right then. With new filters on both tanks, I should be able to cut water changes down considerably.

Then I still plan to get another larger tank to put some of my fish in, like the bala sharks which can potentially get very large. Until that time, I will start going to those meetings we talked about to try to break my addiction to buying fish......

While up in Fairbanks at that new (to me) store, I did fall in love with a tank they had for sale, it will just take several months, and lots of convincing of my husband.....It is a 180 gal with overflows in both corners!!! This is what I want IF I build my own, and could eliminate the need to start that project until I have more room and floor stability to build the big one.---That's right we might just have to build onto our house first! What ends WILL aquaholics go to? :

Fish in the Frozen North Warmed up to +10 now. 8)

atmmachine816 · March 11th, 2007

Well jeez, you write a lot in all your posts.

Sounds like you have a lot of work to do, what type of filter you interested in?

10degrees, it's not that cold

50degrees here by the great lakes

tan.b · March 11th, 2007

susitna-flower.....you'll have to buy a semi detached house.....you live in one half.....the fish in the other half....make sure if their dif sizes the fish get the bigger half!!!! failing that........an extention! good luck

Tan

tan.b · March 11th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by atmmachine

Well jeez, you write a lot in all your posts.

Sounds like you have a lot of work to do, what type of filter you interested in?

10degrees, it's not that cold

50degrees here by the great lakes

ATMmachine.....just a theory, but girls always write more than boys and although it doesnt say male or female where it says your names i'd bet susitna is a girl and you're a boy!!!! same with the phone.....girls will talk for hours, boys give yes no answers and then hang up!! just a theory but it's usually right!!!!!!!!!! i have no idea why this is?!!!!!!!!!!....and i'm writing loads now and i'm a girl!!!!

57F, 14C here today!!! wahay......spring is here.....

susitna-flower · March 11th, 2007

LOL !!! You are so right, I talk a lot. You must forgive, yes girl ? (50+)

When you are young you move so fast, whether running or just going from one project to the next, you don't take time to savor communication. Well I have all the time in the world, and hopefully you find it interesting enough to wade through!

I plan on a new filter for both my old tank 55 gal, and new tank 50 gal. I am looking at either a Eheim or Fluval I'm not so concerned with cost as I will get them over the internet, what size would you suggest. I would even consider two filters for each tank. If there is a canister filter that you could suggest that would be better, feel free. I am up for any good recommendations. I am concerned with two considerations. #1. My power is off every night, so both GPH and priming ease will be a consideration. #2 Noise should be very low because both tanks are in our living area.

Fish in the Frozen North. 8)

tan.b · March 12th, 2007

works everytime!!!!!!!!

same with handwriting. girls always have neat rounded writing and boys have messy thinner more erratic writing!! except my grandparents that have identical writing!!!

i have quite alot of time as i'm a stay at home mum, so although the kids keep me busy enough to not get bored, but enough time to come on fishlore!!! hopefully will go back to work part time soon though. the 5yr old at school full time now and the 2 yr old just started pre-school one morn a week which will increase.

i always enjoy reading your threads...so feel free to type as much as you like. i'll always have time to read them!!!

i'm not at all experienced in filters i'm afraid

. the 15 gal was a kit so it just came with a filter. the stingray filter thats in it is good, but they dont come in sizes big enough for big tanks. in the 28 gal tanks i just got what ever was cheap and did the job at the LFS! i wanted an airline in it which is adjustable as bubbles are always good to help with airation and circulation etc, but wanted the option to turn them down or off if the fish didnt like it! they're both quiet which is essential for us too as the tanks are in the corner of the lounge right next to the sofa, so you dont want alot of noise in your ear while watching tv! they're all easy to take apart and clean and all have replacement filters readily available. the fluval the lfs talked highly of, but it was the most expensive (over £40) and didnt seem any dif to the one got for less than half the price, so i think he was looking at his sales more than anything else! mine's guarunteed for 3 years so thats worth looking out for! better than the usual 1 yr warranty! i'd never heard of them before, but in my 28 gals i have an "aqua flow 3" and the other 28 gal has a "cascade 600" (the cascade has 3yr warranty). never seen them before or heard of them before, but they were cheap and seem to do the job!! (about £15 each...not sure on exchange rate and how that compares?). there's a board somewhere on fishlore that has reviews on filters etc i think? see whats on there!!!

anyway, have fun!!!

Tan

susitna-flower · March 12th, 2007

I have looked into both the filters mentioned, and my biggest problem is that the models I am looking at are neither rated for a high enough gph for 50 gal tanks. What I want is either a Eheim classic 2217, or a Fluval 405. Both seem like fine filters, but are rated by the companies for more than enough gallons, but not the gph suggested here on fishlore!

By getting them on the internet they are at LEAST 30% less than in the LFS. I am also asking anyone who has experience in these filters to give me an idea if the power is off every night, if they would pose problems restarting when power is on?

Fish in the Frozen North. 8)

tan.b · March 12th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by susitna-flower

I have looked into both the filters mentioned, and my biggest problem is that the models I am looking at are neither rated for a high enough gph for 50 gal tanks. What I want is either a Eheim classic 2217, or a Fluval 405. Both seem like fine filters, but are rated by the companies for more than enough gallons, but not the gph suggested here on fishlore!

By getting them on the internet they are at LEAST 30% less than in the LFS. I am also asking anyone who has experience in these filters to give me an idea if the power is off every night, if they would pose problems restarting when power is on?

Fish in the Frozen North. 8)

internet is a fab tool! keep looking and hope you get answers soon. good luck!
another sunny day...bit colder though, about 7C today, bit breezy too!
Tan

zpecialt · April 3rd, 2007

Hello all! My name is Tara and I am currently living in Moon Township, PA (near to Pittsburgh Int'l Airport) and will be moving north at the end of this month with my fiance. We currently have two tortoiseshell calico cats in our home, Puppy and Penguin. They are age four and three and one half years young, respectively. We have both had dogs, other cats, bunnies, hamsters, and lots of fish while growing up and into our early adulthood. Currently, we do not have any tanks setup. The largest that I ever had as a child was a 20 gallon tank. When Hiram and I first started dating, I had set up a five gallon, freshwater tank for him. The fish survived a few years considering the relatively poor setup and small aquarium size. I've decided that I want to start a new aquarium when we move as we'll be in a permanent home for some time to come. I've been spending the past few weeks perusing this site and absolutely feel in love with the vast information that is available. I'm thinking of getting a 40 gallon corner aquarium for our living room and I cannot wait to get some good tips!

I've yammered on too long already... see you all in the forums!

susitna-flower · April 3rd, 2007

Welcome to fishlore, zpecialt. North? When you get set up, all I can say is read everything you can get your hands on about cycling your tank, and about the different types of fish you want, BEFORE you even buy your tank. It will save lots of headaches, and you won't get a tank to small for that fish you just fall in love with. The larger the tank, the easier it is to keep healthy.

Study all the articles on the nitrogen cycle, and just take your time.

It is always nice to meet new people on this forum, hope your move goes smoothly, and we'll see you around the forum.

Fish in the Frozen North 8)

tan.b · April 3rd, 2007

hi there zpecialt! good luck with the move and getting your new tank. as susitna-flower says, read everything you can get your hands. the more researh you do the less mistakes you'll make! any questions let us know and we'll be glad to help!
tan

irishcelticeyes · April 25th, 2007

Hello...
I'm a first time owner of a fish aquarim. And I need loads of help. I have three red belly pacus. They are now 10 to 12 inches long and in a 40 gal tank. I bought them at Wal Mart fish dept. with no idea they would grow so big and so fast. I have had them 9 months. The water is turning brown and I keep changing the water almost every three days and can't keep it clear.
I now know I can not keep these fish healthy in a small tank and have no way of getting rid of them. I do not want to kill them nor do I want my daughter to use them as 'cut bait' for catfish fishing in the local ponds. Is there any way I can find a good healthy home for my fish

giki · May 1st, 2007

Hi Everyone
My name is Giki. I live in Illinois and I am a lover of goldfish.
Had one that lived 10 years. He grew to be 8 inches long before he died.
Just moved to a new area and set up a new tank. But I am not having much luck with it.
It's that my tank is like the dead sea. I put the goldfish in the tank,they swim for a while then go down to the bottom and lay there not moving.

I just had the water tested and i was told that the water was hard and the pH was too high. But everything else is OK .
Never had this problem before!
I just put a product into the tank to bring the PH down.
It seems to be working a little because there is some movement in the tank.

If anyone has cured this type of problem with their Goldfish , i would love to hear from them.

wookie · May 6th, 2007

Hello all, I have recently added fish to my zoo of a house, I have a bird, a snake , a new kitten , hermit crabs , and 4 fish tanks. my 1st fish tank was my daughters 1st pet and it grew from there I now have a 100gal. tropical I am still new at this though hoping to learn a few things and meet a few friends here at fishlore!!!

tan.b · May 7th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishcelticeyes

Hello...
I'm a first time owner of a fish aquarim. And I need loads of help. I have three red belly pacus. They are now 10 to 12 inches long and in a 40 gal tank. I bought them at Wal Mart fish dept. with no idea they would grow so big and so fast. I have had them 9 months. The water is turning brown and I keep changing the water almost every three days and can't keep it clear.
I now know I can not keep these fish healthy in a small tank and have no way of getting rid of them. I do not want to kill them nor do I want my daughter to use them as 'cut bait' for catfish fishing in the local ponds. Is there any way I can find a good healthy home for my fish

hi there irishcelticeyes! you could try selling them on ebay or ringing round your local fish shops. they may give you instore credit if you're lucky. pets at home will exchange fish for dif fish and my local independant shop will do the the same. even if you have to give them to the shop for no money at least the fish should find a good home.
good luck
tan

tan.b · May 7th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by giki

Hi Everyone
My name is Giki. I live in Illinois and I am a lover of Goldfish.
Had one that lived 10 years. He grew to be 8 inches long before he died.
Just moved to a new area and set up a new tank. But I am not having much luck with it.
It's that my tank is like the dead sea. I put the goldfish in the tank,they swim for a while then go down to the bottom and lay there not moving.

I just had the water tested and i was told that the water was hard and the PH was too high. But everything else is OK .
Never had this problem before!
I just put a product into the tank to bring the PH down.
It seems to be working a little because there is some movement in the tank.

If anyone has cured this type of problem with their Goldfish , i would love to hear from them.

hi giki! what tests did they do on your water? what readings did they give for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? have you read http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm yet? this will explain why these 3 tests are vital. also how much are you feeding your fish. they only need enough for them to eat in 2-3 minutes, certainly any food left after 5 mins should be removed. they can be fed 1-2 times a day. what size is your tank and is it just the goldfish thats in it? have you a filter?
what was the pH? often trying to adjust it causes more probs as it will wuickly go down (stressing your fish) then it will gradually rise again (stressing your fish) you then add more pH adjuster dropping the pH (stressing the fish again) and it will gradually rise again. so you see the constant fluctuations can stress the fish more than just a constant high pH.
here's a read for you http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-chem.html which explains water chemistry for you and why its important to check your water. also did the shop use test strips or liquid drops to test your water? the test strips are notoriously inaccurate. it would be worth you investing in a liquid test kits such as the aquarium pharmaceutical inc (API) freshwater master test kit. it may seem pricey (about £18 over here) but it does something like 700 tests, so will last for ages.
in the disease section on this forum theres a table of diseases to look through and heres a link http://www.fishyfarmacy.com/fish_dis...disorders.html which may help you diagnose your fish. usually poor water quality is the stress trigger for disease.
hope your fish recovers and you have no more problems so you can enjoy them!
need any more help just yell!
tan

tan.b · May 7th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by wookie

Hello all, I have recently added fish to my zoo of a house, I have a bird, a snake , a new kitten , hermit crabs , and 4 fish tanks. my 1st fish tank was my daughters 1st pet and it grew from there I now have a 100gal. tropical I am still new at this though hoping to learn a few things and meet a few friends here at fishlore!!!

hi wookie. welcome to fishlore! sounds like you'll be busy! we got a tank for my son for his birthday and now we have 4. they are infectious! 100gal!! wow! what's in there?
tan

the fish guy · May 10th, 2007

Hi everybody I am a new member, I have a salt water tank and a fish water tank so if anyone needs advice just ask.

mojoman101 · May 13th, 2007

Hello, my name is matt. I am from Alberta Canada. Have just begun fish tending. My girlfriend has been infected with the betta bug for years before we met and i got a good deal on a 45g tank 4 months ago and here i am in love with my fsh and happy. I have a female rottweiler, Mrs. mojo has two cats. I have learned so much from fish lore and decided to join the forum. It has been a great resource and am happy to say other than the 4 of the ten feeders that didn't make it through cycling i have not lost a fish. A proud statement from a beginner. This forum helps me ain experience and i feel more amature than begginer now. Thanx to all for all the help.
mojo

sqeeker · May 18th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by J-Man

Wow the middle of New York cool! Right in the heart of one of the biggest cities in the world whats that like. I live in Adelaide, Australia in the Metropolitan area so you know it be fairly quiet in comparison.

I have been to London which was pretty big and noisy....(thought I'd mention that

)

Ow yeah I got a baby chicken the other day. She moved in with my rabbit. Hehehe she so funny. Doesnt shut up mind you just keeps chirping and eating while chirping.

Make sure you keep that chick warm! Chicks are great pets, I used to have 55 of them!! How big are your angel fish?

tan.b · May 19th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by the fish guy

Hi everybody I am a new member, I have a salt water tank and a fish water tank so if anyone needs advice just ask.

welcome to fishlore! how envious am i.....you have s/w tank! hope to see some pics soon!
tan

tan.b · May 19th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojoman101

Hello, my name is matt. I am from Alberta Canada. Have just begun fish tending. My girlfriend has been infected with the betta bug for years before we met and i got a good deal on a 45g tank 4 months ago and here i am in love with my fsh and happy. I have a female rottweiler, Mrs. mojo has two cats. I have learned so much from fish lore and decided to join the forum. It has been a great resource and am happy to say other than the 4 of the ten feeders that didn't make it through cycling i have not lost a fish. A proud statement from a beginner. This forum helps me ain experience and i feel more amature than begginer now. Thanx to all for all the help.
mojo

welcome to fishlore! hope we continue to be of help! - tan

audreydelia21 · May 22nd, 2007

Hiya.. I'm Audrey and am new to fish keeping. I just bought a 40 gal tank with stand. I just put in a undergravel filter and now have a very white cloudy water. Why is it like that and how do I get rid of it? And why does the filter have two pipes coming from it? Do you hook them to the Whisper 60 power head filter? And what chemicals do I need to keep the water clean for my algae eater fish?

I really need a good website that will answer all my stupid littel question about owning a tank. Does anyone know where I can find all the answers needed to be a fish keeper??

sgould · May 22nd, 2007

Quote:

Hiya.. I'm Audrey and am new to fish keeping. I just bought a 40 gal tank with stand. I just put in a undergravel filter and now have a very white cloudy water. Why is it like that and how do I get rid of it? And why does the filter have two pipes coming from it? Do you hook them to the Whisper 60 power head filter? And what chemicals do I need to keep the water clean for my algae eater fish?

I really need a good website that will answer all my stupid littel question about owning a tank. Does anyone know where I can find all the answers needed to be a fish keeper??

Welcome Audrey! It has been YEARS since I ran an undergravel filter, so hopefully someone else can chime in on that one. The best of my recollection is that air tubing from a pump went down to the bottoms of those pipes you mentioned and blew air bubbles up through the pipes, at the top of which was a carbon filter. The bubbles moving up the pipes created water flow that drew water down through the gravel, in theory trapping debris in the substrate.

As for chemicals, you need a water conditioner to make your water safe for both the fish, and the bacteria that will be growing in your tank to break down the ammonia your fish produce. The basic function of the conditioner is to eliminate chlorine and chloramines from your tap water before you put it in your tank. Some conditioners, such as one called Prime which is what I use, also help chemically bind up ammonia and nitrites in your water, which are toxic to fish. One thing you need to be very familiar with starting out, is the concept of cycling your tank. Follow this link and read through the information: http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm

tan.b · May 22nd, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreydelia21

Hiya.. I'm Audrey and am new to fish keeping. I just bought a 40 gal tank with stand. I just put in a undergravel filter and now have a very white cloudy water. Why is it like that and how do I get rid of it? And why does the filter have two pipes coming from it? Do you hook them to the Whisper 60 power head filter? And what chemicals do I need to keep the water clean for my algae eater fish?

I really need a good website that will answer all my stupid littel question about owning a tank. Does anyone know where I can find all the answers needed to be a fish keeper??

firstly welcome to fishlore! first of all can i suggest you read this: http://www.fishlore.com/BeginnersGuides.htm which will help get you started. have you put any fish in your tank yet? is the algae eater in there or just what you plan to put in there. if you havent put fish in yet...dont! the tank HAS to be cycled first and this is easier and safer without fish in there. i've never had an undergravel filter so i'm sorry i cant help on that one. they are notorious for getting clogged up and can cause trouble. the filters that stick on the inside of the tank with suckers are good as you can take them apart and give them a rinse in old tank water. as sgould said the only chemicals you need are a dechlorinator AKA water conditioner. there are loads of types to choose from. some have a stress coat like nutrafin aqua plus (which i use) some have chemicals which bind up the ammonia/nitrite etc, some just dechlorinate and thats it. the choice is yours. the costs do vary. i bought a big 5 litre bottle of the stuff as i got through loads when cycling with water changes and i have a few tanks too. make sure you have plenty for what you need.
the cloudy water if you've only just put it in will be dust off the gravel. no matter how many times you rinse it before putting it in the tank it will dust up your water. dont worry, it will settle in a few days and clear up. dont add chemicals to clear it. if you're tank has been set up a while and you have fish in there it may be a bacterial bloom which happens during the nitrogen cycle. you'll read about that in the nitrogen cycle aticle. its a good sign that the bacteria you need to convert your ammonia to nitrite and/or nitrite to nitrate are appearing! may i also suggest if you havent already in getting a water test kit. again there are loads to choose from, but most folk here incl me use the aquarium pharmaceuticals inc (api) freshwater test kit. it is cheap as it performs over 700 tests compared to the test strips which are very expensive when you work out te cost per test. and api test kit is readily available online and in most lfs (local fish stores). the kit will help you monitor your nitrogen cycle and let you decide when your tank is ready for fish. anyway, good luck and any questions...do ask and we;ll help! tan

audreydelia21 · May 23rd, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by tan.b

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreydelia21

Hiya.. I'm Audrey and am new to fish keeping. I just bought a 40 gal tank with stand. I just put in a undergravel filter and now have a very white cloudy water. Why is it like that and how do I get rid of it? And why does the filter have two pipes coming from it? Do you hook them to the Whisper 60 power head filter? And what chemicals do I need to keep the water clean for my algae eater fish?

I really need a good website that will answer all my stupid littel question about owning a tank. Does anyone know where I can find all the answers needed to be a fish keeper??

firstly welcome to fishlore! first of all can i suggest you read this: http://www.fishlore.com/BeginnersGuides.htm which will help get you started. have you put any fish in your tank yet? is the algae eater in there or just what you plan to put in there. if you havent put fish in yet...dont! the tank HAS to be cycled first and this is easier and safer without fish in there. i've never had an undergravel filter so i'm sorry i cant help on that one. they are notorious for getting clogged up and can cause trouble. the filters that stick on the inside of the tank with suckers are good as you can take them apart and give them a rinse in old tank water. as sgould said the only chemicals you need are a dechlorinator AKA water conditioner. there are loads of types to choose from. some have a stress coat like nutrafin aqua plus (which i use) some have chemicals which bind up the ammonia/nitrite etc, some just dechlorinate and thats it. the choice is yours. the costs do vary. i bought a big 5 litre bottle of the stuff as i got through loads when cycling with water changes and i have a few tanks too. make sure you have plenty for what you need.
the cloudy water if you've only just put it in will be dust off the gravel. no matter how many times you rinse it before putting it in the tank it will dust up your water. dont worry, it will settle in a few days and clear up. dont add chemicals to clear it. if you're tank has been set up a while and you have fish in there it may be a bacterial bloom which happens during the nitrogen cycle. you'll read about that in the nitrogen cycle aticle. its a good sign that the bacteria you need to convert your ammonia to nitrite and/or nitrite to nitrate are appearing! may i also suggest if you havent already in getting a water test kit. again there are loads to choose from, but most folk here incl me use the aquarium pharmaceuticals inc (api) freshwater test kit. it is cheap as it performs over 700 tests compared to the test strips which are very expensive when you work out te cost per test. and api test kit is readily available online and in most lfs (local fish stores). the kit will help you monitor your nitrogen cycle and let you decide when your tank is ready for fish. anyway, good luck and any questions...do ask and we;ll help! tan

thanks for the info...i do have a small sucker fish and am planning to put more fish in the tank...but do not know which ones i want yet. i will look at all the fish wed sites before checking into any more fish. My daughter saw a fish she liked.....i think it is called a dragon fish? it looks like an eel with a grumpy old man frown. i would like to check into getting a few of them

tan.b · May 23rd, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreydelia21

thanks for the info...i do have a small sucker fish and am planning to put more fish in the tank...but do not know which ones i want yet. i will look at all the fish wed sites before checking into any more fish. My daughter saw a fish she liked.....i think it is called a dragon fish? it looks like an eel with a grumpy old man frown. i would like to check into getting a few of them

.
yeah, research any fish before buying to ensure your temp and plants and other fish are all compatable. and dont add any more fish until your tank has cycled. that being when ammonia and nitrite and zero and nitrate is over 5 (although through water changes ensure it stays below 20). adding fish while cycling can result in fatalities. tan

GLAT · June 21st, 2007

Just joined, and found this forum yesterday. So much information, I look forward to reading everything as I get started with my first tank soon.

armadillo · June 21st, 2007

Welcome Gilly and GLAD.

Gilly, am sure your kids will LOVE the hobby. I'd also advise you to have a look at the other stickie'd articles on the beginners' section to avoid repeating our own mistakes.

COBettaCouple · June 21st, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by GLAT

Just joined, and found this forum yesterday. So much information, I look forward to reading everything as I get started with my first tank soon.

welcome to fishlore!