Need advice : setting up an Aquarium

Sui_Generis

I've ordered a Fluval Edge looking forward to it arriving now...

MrsTinks

:j :j :j

Hooray I hope you like it now I've been singing it's praises LOL

Sui_Generis

The local aquarium supplier is recommending Danios and possibly a SFF (eventually), does that sound reasonable?

MrsTinks

danios should be fine - there are some gorgeous leopard spotted danios out there The main thing with SSF males (actually and females too) is don't put them in with anything else that has flowy tails... Because they won't have one for long!
Danios might actually get a bit big (only my oppinion mind! basing on the 2 we had in the big tank originally) - look up cherry barb and ask if they can get some cherry shrimp for variety No idea if the shrimp will survive a SFF though lol mine are both adult now so probably stand a better chance than small baby ones...
Cherry barb are quite colourfull - the females a lovely orange and males a really bright red! Neon tetras might also do quite well... a small group of 6? So long as you populate the tank depending on the size of the fish you have picked Danios I'd say maybe 2 + 1 SFF would probably be your limit... I seem to recall them being pretty lively.

k.o.d

MrsTine wrote: »

Because it's
a) a hassle to change the equipment in the tank
b) the bacteria in a freshwater tank isn't guaranteed to be killed and could cost you some expensive coral - apparently

If it's never been used for tropical then it's obviously not going to have the bacteria in there

Have changed over several tanks from freshwater to marine, you have to sterilise and clean, but unless you have had copper medications in the tank, then remove old water, sterilise and then set up is no problem whatsoever.
Equipment is as easy or as difficult as you want to make it, have had success with no corals and hardy marines with just a heater and an undergravel filter, right up to full reef systems with reef surge timers and no external filters at all (filtered by the Berlin filtration system)
Nitrosoma and nitrobacter are the freshwater equivalents, so no, they won't work in marine systems, but once that clean tank has been colonised and seeded, then the marine version of the nitrifying bacteria will grow and flourish.

Sui_Generis

And so the Fluval Edge arrived! Great excitement and anticipation. The unboxing proceeded with care - there's a huge number of card inserts in there. Then we go to the point of lifting out the tank and that done saw that the top glass plate was cracked in at least 3 different places....

If only I'd done it earlier I could have got the supplier to do something about it today, now I have to wait until tomorrow and the replacement will be sometime next week which almost certainly means the tank won't be conditioned in time for the promised birthday fish buying trip. Gutted.

MrsTinks

Tell them to send it same day delivery
Or pick one up from your local fish supplier if they stock them?

Sui_Generis

Its Rapid Aquatics on eBay and they haven't responded as yet - sadly no one local has them.

I've asked them to swap it out but I'm not hopeful at the moment and can't find a phone number for them.

Sui_Generis

Update: they got in touch and will send one out for Monday delivery - fingers and toes crossed.

Careful_with_that_Axe

I have just recently acquired a BiOrtb from my Dad's wife who couldn't be bothered to feed the fish (:eek:).
I have danios and some rasb-sommats that came with the tank and have just bought some gorgeous guppys today. I absolutely love having the tank and am thinking of getting another tank that I can set up from svcratch and have how I want it. I think I would go for a traditional shape and perhaps 90l to allow me to have more of a range of fish to choose from.

I am slowly learning but have a couple of questions please?

How often do you need to clean the substrate? I have just noticed it's getting a little frimy and have ordered a cleaner from EBay.

I had wondered about introducing some clown loaches, but am a little concerned about over-crowding the tank - I inderstand the ratio is about 1:5 fish to water?

I have some golden apple snails which are gorgeous - they look like burnished gold, but I also have lots of little brown snails. I think the eggs may have come in on plants etc. Is there any way of getting rid of these other than picking them out?

I have quite a lot of plants in the tank - is it possible to over-plant?

OK, more questions than I had thought there :rolleyes:
I've also bookmarked the links that you have all given and now know where to go to learn more.

Thanks.