New Aquarium ...need advice.

[Kalmel]

With the aqua clear filter... once a week or once every two weeks unplug the filter and remove all the inserts. Take bucket/pail (I buy a cheap one and specifically use it for aquarium use only. You don't want one that you used to mop the floor, may contain remnants of chemicals etc) and pour some aquarium water into it. Take each insert and give it a good rinse. Squeeze the sponge to get some of the muck of (yes gross I know lol). The reason is the aquarium water contains all the good bacteria and nutrients. If you clean the inserts with dechlorinated tap water it gets rids of the good bacteria. After I rinse off the inserts, I also give the whole filter a rinse with aquarium water.

There is also a black squarish part that twists off. That is the propeller. I use a bottle brush and gentle wipe some of the dirt off. Don't get it too wet.

Also important.. When you buying new inserts never change them all at once. It can disrupt bacteria levels.

Vaccuming the tank at 20% is great

I hope this helps!

Oh thank-you very much! .. already wrote everything down.

[Kalmel]

Getting into the hobby requires a lot more research than people think. I would highly recommend joining a forum http://www.kokosgoldfish.invisionzone.com/forum/

I have been keeping fish for 15 years now, but the cost of the hobby can get crazy, so I have toned it down to a 75 gallon and a 10 gallon cycled 'just in case' hospital tank (if someone gets sick, it's easier & cheaper to medicate in a 10g than a 75g).

Tell me about it! the tank and furniture cost me almost 600$ plus the fishes, plants, test kits, etc... comes up about 750$

thank-you for sharing this forum, i will go check it out today!

[KrazE]

Just an extra FYI - if you're keeping live plants you need a CO2 system. Also, be very careful with the plants, it's very typical for the plants to have pond snail eggs on them, and they can quickly infest your tank (not a good thing).

You can use the CO2 system that Nutrafin sells


Also, as to filtration - research this as well; I really do not recommend filtration that hangs on the tank as they do not do a very good job at all IMO.

I have had some different canister types, so I can say I do not recommend Fluval unless you are going to pay for the top line models. They have typically been poorly designed, and require a manual charging (pumping out the air after cleaning).

Presently I am using a Rena Filstar XP3 which looks like this:


I will be changing this in the next month or two to a higher end (and more pricey!) filter as this one has done it's job well for the last 5 years.

[ottawagurl20]

Since I bought my tank I have never cleaned it and I never had any fish die.. Only one pleco mysteriously disappeared

Right now I have 3 goldfish, 1 albino goldfish, 1 dalmation mollies, 2 Red tail tinfoil barb,1 rubber lip pleco and 1 African dwarf frog.

I only clean my filter maybe once or twice a month and thats only a few days after I feed my pleco and fish a boiled potato

Some of my friends have the same tank with fewer fish and they always end up with a fish or two dead. I think it's just the quality of the fish..
If the light is on all day and night the fish get nervous and die.

I have mine on a timer and set it to my sleep scedual. Turn off light at 10pm and it turns on at 7am

[Kalmel]

Since I bought my tank I have never cleaned it and I never had any fish die.. Only one pleco mysteriously disappeared

Right now I have 3 goldfish, 1 albino goldfish, 1 dalmation mollies, 2 Red tail tinfoil barb,1 rubber lip pleco and 1 African dwarf frog.

I only clean my filter maybe once or twice a month and thats only a few days after I feed my pleco and fish a boiled potato

Some of my friends have the same tank with fewer fish and they always end up with a fish or two dead. I think it's just the quality of the fish..
If the light is on all day and night the fish get nervous and die.

I have mine on a timer and set it to my sleep scedual. Turn off light at 10pm and it turns on at 7am

I've been told that goldfish eats plecos and guppys ...dont remember who told me that though

Also been told that it's not good keeping the light on too long that it's not good for fishes.