Yup. Or if you really want something more 'stylish' then a Fluval Edge 46l can be had for the same money. I have slight reservations about the Edge (namely relative lack of horizontal swimming space, small surface area and reduced access) but I'm pretty sure it'd make a much better home than the wall tank.
Your current Fish tank Setups!
- Thread starter Malt_Vinegar
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I echo the comments made by Robfosters & King4aDay.
Personally, generally speaking for community set ups, I wouldn't even consider putting fish in a tank if it's below 20 gallons, - you're so restricted with what you can do with it. In some instances, having a few very small tetras and shrimps in something like a 15 gallon will be okay.
@ Delvis - seeing as you have no fish (which is great for the moment), you could also turn up the temperature which will help the right bacteria develop a little faster.
Personally, generally speaking for community set ups, I wouldn't even consider putting fish in a tank if it's below 20 gallons, - you're so restricted with what you can do with it. In some instances, having a few very small tetras and shrimps in something like a 15 gallon will be okay.
@ Delvis - seeing as you have no fish (which is great for the moment), you could also turn up the temperature which will help the right bacteria develop a little faster.
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Here's a good article on goldfish I found the other week :
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/goldfish101art.htm
To sum up :
1) They are a social fish, so need tank mates, thus need plenty of room as they can grow big and live a long time.
2) Messy fish, so filtration needs to be good (6 - 8 times the volume of the tank per hour is a good starting point).
Did not know this.
So, water change, turn up temperature? Small water changes for a few weeks also? Or just what I said prior then leave it?
I can't remember if I've previously linked this or not, but here's a nitrogen cycling article which should be useful :
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwestcycling.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwestcycling.htm
Soldato
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Not really knowledgable on fish. Got a fish tank. Tropical. Did have about 10 mixed fish for ages then one morning woke up and all dead apart from two kissing gouramis. That was that for a month or so. Then one of the gouramis is now dead. The other one in the last week or so has gotten really fat. Swollen. Big time. You'd think it was about to explode. I feed normally. Change water. Rinse filter (in tank water). Use fresh start etc. Any ideas ? My last fish is just so fat/swollen
Do you have test kit? If so, what are the readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? If you don't, I recommend you get one. Something like API are a good choice.
Trimar. It's an award winning shop based in Cornwall. I've ordered a couple of marine specimens from there and they were great. Well packaged, good communication.
http://www.tropicalfish.org.uk/
The website is still naff but honestly don't let it put you off. Ring them up as they have fish that are not on the stocklists.
Trimar. It's an award winning shop based in Cornwall. I've ordered a couple of marine specimens from there and they were great. Well packaged, good communication.
http://www.tropicalfish.org.uk/
The website is still naff but honestly don't let it put you off. Ring them up as they have fish that are not on the stocklists.
Seconded! They have just moved to a bigger shop too. The website is indeed awful, and its probably time he did something with it but the staff are very knowledgeable if you need any advice etc
Soldato
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Just reading this thread in general there are a few things points worth pointing out. My experience is approx. 15 years as hobby, few years a serious breeder both marine and freshwater so just sharing the mistakes I have already made for your benefit.
Right 1st of API test kits they are crap stop suggesting them they are 1 up from a test strip and very inaccurate and are sold to people who want quick and easy. Nice fish tanks are not quick and easy they are huge learning curve at 1st
If you want test kits that are fair price and as accurate as your going to get this side of £300 you will want to buy Sailferts there about £10 each and you need 3 or 4 for freshwater. Lots of people say my API is fine, take your stats with an API pay a lab £100 for analysis.
when your buying fish at £100 each you wont be trusting API kits for tests for sure.
Join a proper fish forum get to know people and get decent advise. I have been in a lot fish shops over the years some of which there knowledge is awesome BUT and a big but if they told you the truth 100% they would close down they need to turn a profit selling there products fish are not money makers in the trade(In general)
last wall of text is test your tap water, after standing for 24hr the chemistry in the water will have changed. Sometimes not much sometimes a huge PH or ammonia swing, you might have really high nitrates up to the legal limit. HTH
Right 1st of API test kits they are crap stop suggesting them they are 1 up from a test strip and very inaccurate and are sold to people who want quick and easy. Nice fish tanks are not quick and easy they are huge learning curve at 1st
If you want test kits that are fair price and as accurate as your going to get this side of £300 you will want to buy Sailferts there about £10 each and you need 3 or 4 for freshwater. Lots of people say my API is fine, take your stats with an API pay a lab £100 for analysis.
when your buying fish at £100 each you wont be trusting API kits for tests for sure.
Join a proper fish forum get to know people and get decent advise. I have been in a lot fish shops over the years some of which there knowledge is awesome BUT and a big but if they told you the truth 100% they would close down they need to turn a profit selling there products fish are not money makers in the trade(In general)
last wall of text is test your tap water, after standing for 24hr the chemistry in the water will have changed. Sometimes not much sometimes a huge PH or ammonia swing, you might have really high nitrates up to the legal limit. HTH
Just reading this thread in general there are a few things points worth pointing out. My experience is approx. 15 years as hobby, few years a serious breeder both marine and freshwater so just sharing the mistakes I have already made for your benefit.
Right 1st of API test kits they are crap stop suggesting them they are 1 up from a test strip and very inaccurate and are sold to people who want quick and easy. Nice fish tanks are not quick and easy they are huge learning curve at 1st
If you want test kits that are fair price and as accurate as your going to get this side of £300 you will want to buy Sailferts there about £10 each and you need 3 or 4 for freshwater. Lots of people say my API is fine, take your stats with an API pay a lab £100 for analysis.
when your buying fish at £100 each you wont be trusting API kits for tests for sure.
Join a proper fish forum get to know people and get decent advise. I have been in a lot fish shops over the years some of which there knowledge is awesome BUT and a big but if they told you the truth 100% they would close down they need to turn a profit selling there products fish are not money makers in the trade(In general)
last wall of text is test your tap water, after standing for 24hr the chemistry in the water will have changed. Sometimes not much sometimes a huge PH or ammonia swing, you might have really high nitrates up to the legal limit. HTH
I've used API before. Was cheap, didn't expect the best quality, but it certainly helped. Ran a fish and live rock system, used tapwater. And you're right about the fish trade. It's pretty ugly. The main thing that gets me is marine fish. If you think they're caught ethically by a diver in Indonesia who earns a crappy wage and has a family to support you're conning yourself.
Right 1st of API test kits they are crap stop suggesting them they are 1 up from a test strip and very inaccurate and are sold to people who want quick and easy. Nice fish tanks are not quick and easy they are huge learning curve at 1st
If you want test kits that are fair price and as accurate as your going to get this side of £300 you will want to buy Sailferts there about £10 each and you need 3 or 4 for freshwater. Lots of people say my API is fine, take your stats with an API pay a lab £100 for analysis.
when your buying fish at £100 each you wont be trusting API kits for tests for sure.
last wall of text is test your tap water, after standing for 24hr the chemistry in the water will have changed. Sometimes not much sometimes a huge PH or ammonia swing, you might have really high nitrates up to the legal limit. HTH
Interesting.
I'll have to look into that (re : API), as I 'thought' they were supposed to be a decent brand. I've not heard of Saliferts before, though when you mention that they are around £10 per test (approximately, I appreciate), then that doesn't make them that much more expensive than an API (or equivalent) alternative?
What other brands of test kit would you recommend to consider (many years ago I remember using a Hagen test kit)?
Yes, I know what you mean about pH swing; I've started testing mine at roughly the same time on a given day now.
Cheers.
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Don't understand why people want designer tanks TBH. They're usually tiny with sub-par filtration. Find a good tank builder and get one that way.
Paid 70 for my 36l x 18h x 15w. None of this paying twice the price for a brand name.
Soldato
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Interesting.
I'll have to look into that (re : API), as I 'thought' they were supposed to be a decent brand. I've not heard of Saliferts before, though when you mention that they are around £10 per test (approximately, I appreciate), then that doesn't make them that much more expensive than an API (or equivalent) alternative?
What other brands of test kit would you recommend to consider (many years ago I remember using a Hagen test kit)?
Yes, I know what you mean about pH swing; I've started testing mine at roughly the same time on a given day now.
Cheers.
TBH for the money Saliferts are where its at they work out about 20 more the API for a set but there worth it. Main problem with API was inconstancy, there better then nothing and better then those strips but if your going to buy from new worth the few pound IMO
Red sea have a good rep but I believe they are marine based
Don't understand why people want designer tanks TBH. They're usually tiny with sub-par filtration. Find a good tank builder and get one that way.
Paid 70 for my 36l x 18h x 15w. None of this paying twice the price for a brand name.
Could say the same about ready built pc and self built will never understand ready built
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Don't understand why people want designer tanks TBH. They're usually tiny with sub-par filtration. Find a good tank builder and get one that way.
Paid 70 for my 36l x 18h x 15w. None of this paying twice the price for a brand name.
I didn't realise getting a goldfish was so complicated!
I don't want to be cruel though so will take the advice but makes me wonder what happens to all those that people win at the fair stalls.
TBH for the money Saliferts are where its at they work out about 20 more the API for a set but there worth it. Main problem with API was inconstancy, there better then nothing and better then those strips but if your going to buy from new worth the few pound IMO
Thanks. I'll look into that brand. After all, it's our interest to have a good testing method. There may well be something in the inconsistency aspect you mention; I was positive my pH was a little over 8, yet when I went into my local store to compare results, their reading (my tank water sample) was 7.0! Quite disconcerting, though I do have to take into account that during this period, which was some time ago, I was testing the pH at an array of times, which I know most certainly doesn't help with analysis. Thankfully, everything else checked out very well, unsurprisingly.
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Soldato
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Thanks. I'll look into that brand. After all, it's our interest to have a good testing method. There may well be something in the inconsistency aspect you mention; I was positive my pH was a little over 8, yet when I went into my local store to compare results, their reading (my tank water sample) was 7.0! Quite disconcerting, though I do have to take into account that during this period, which was some time ago, I was testing the pH at an array of times, which I know most certainly doesn't help with analysis. Thankfully, everything else checked out very well, unsurprisingly.
Always best to test ph in the evening after the lighting cycle of that tank if you can. You can do one in the morning and one evening you will shocked at the swing with a good test kit
Always best to test ph in the evening after the lighting cycle of that tank if you can. You can do one in the morning and one evening you will shocked at the swing with a good test kit
Amen to that.