i am new and have no idea on what to do

[mojojojo]

i am so sorry i might sound stupid but i want to get a fish tank and have no idea what to do, i have been reading in here and dont understand,

can anyone help please

[fastfly]

I am not the person to help you as I am still learning myself, but it helps if you have an idea of what you want to get out of this hobby. This will also help people help you.

[Fishalicious]

A great place to start is by reading the free e-book on here:
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

After that if you have any questions on something specific that you don't understand ask away :19: The peeps on here are very helpful and will be glad to help

[doug z]

Jojo (may I call you that? :c2: ), a good place to start are those links I provided in your introduction thread..

Like I say, that should get you going, and you'll be farther ahead than if you just asked a thousand questions, or if we asked YOU a thousand questions, like 'what kind of fish do you want to get, what's your budget', etc..

Hope to hear from you soon..

[Nick_Pavlovski]

1) DO NOT BUY ANYTHING ON IMPULSE!

That's one of the most important ones.

2) Work out a budget.

3) Someone else always will have a cooler tank than yours.

4) We all begin somewhere.

[mojojojo]

well what would be a good size tank for a beginner?
and yes doug i would be honered to be called that
and the fish there are so many i have no idea?
is there some very nice and kind person here who would offer me some ideas

you are all so very kind
thank you

[jbeining75]

The ebook and borders and article sections are the best way to start. They will give you the information you need to understand about cycling and maintaining a tank.

[Sasquatch]

Here are a few guidelines to get you started.

1. Before you buy anything, decide which fish you want and wether the tank will be planted.

2. Research the things you want to have and figure out what you need.

3. Decide if that's in your budget or not. If it's not, go back to step one and re-evaluate.

If you follow these steps, you'll be certain that you have a tank in which your fish will be happy, which will make life easier for your and allow you to enjoy the hobby.

A few other little things:
- Get the biggest tank that's feasible. Bigger tanks are more stable, so easier for beginners.
- Try to start with easy fish. Even if you really like a certain fish, if it's complicated to keep, you're not doing yourself any favors.
- Always get liquid test kits. Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH are essential. Always plan to set aside 40-50$ in your budget for a good set of test kits.

Hope this helps and don't be affraid to ask questions.

[smoochxoxo]

Welcome to the froums, you will find tons of information!!! I started with a 5 and moved to getting another tank that was a 10 Gallon. I want bigger yet but right now it wont happen. Anyhow....I started the hard way, people say smaller tanks are harder to maintain, BUT if you know your stocking limit, know how much to feed, how much to clean and what type of fish are suited for the tank you want, anything is possible. I am still a begginer myself...My 5 gallon tank is far from perfect or anything you see from some of the members but it is a work in progress.
Find things that others have posted to insipre you with you tank, how you want it to look, type of fish etc. Not only fish but live plants as well...look at different live aquarium plants that others may have in their tank that thrive...what do they do to keep them healthy and how much lighting can you have to support such a systemm. Even a small 5 gallon can look and be AMAZING.
Now if I were starting out with no tank and know somethings I do now I would wish for a size tank from 30 to 55 gallons. They seem larger than life but once you get into it they are to me just the right size. Not overkill and you can have a great community of fish and plants to support each other!
GL and keep us posted to what you find!
Hugs
Jenn

[k2x5]

#1 - well what would be a good size tank for a beginner?
A: Depends on your budget, the amount of space you have, and where you're going to place the tank. 10 Gallon tanks generally weigh about 100 pounds filled(45 Kg). Even 55 Gallon tanks often exceed 600 pounds filled (272 Kg).

#2 - and the fish there are so many i have no idea?
The simplest way to answer this question, is to take a trip to your local fish shop (Referred to as LFS in many forums/articles) and see what fish interest you most (Probably best to stay away from SaltWater for your first tank). Bring a small notepad and write down the names of the fish. Once you're home, look up each fish and see if they are compatible. Also, make sure you've read the free eBook a couple times, and it should help a great deal.

[mojojojo]

i am again so sorry for sounding stupid but what size tanks are there?
i was thinking about something in the medium size

would that be ok?

you are so ver kind thank you very much for your help

[k2x5]

i am again so sorry for sounding stupid but what size tanks are there?
i was thinking about something in the medium size

would that be ok?

you are so ver kind thank you very much for your help

There are nearly limitless tank sizes. Best bet would likely be a 10 to 30 gallon tank to start with. I'm sure you can find the dimensions of these tanks on the internet to see if they are about the size you're looking for.

[Sasquatch]

i am again so sorry for sounding stupid but what size tanks are there?
i was thinking about something in the medium size

would that be ok?

you are so ver kind thank you very much for your help

Any size you can imagine ... and medium is a matter of perspective.

I consider medium to be somewhere between 30-60 gallons. With that size tank, you've got a pretty wide range of fish to choose from. The smaller the tank you get, the more you're limiting your options.

[pinsonpa]

There's been some great advice in here already but I'm going to stress the budget thing again.

For many of us (whether we realize it or not) budget is the biggest factor. I'd look into tanks and filters first and see what you can afford before going out and falling in love with a species a fish that you can't afford an appropriate tank for (you don't want to go falling in love with Angels or Oscars if you can only afford a 10 gallon tank. If you go shopping for a house, it wouldn't make sense to go falling in love with a 1.5 million dollar home when you know your buget is going to keep you in the $300k range.

You can save some money by going to a bigger store (like Petco, Wal-mart or Petsmart) and getting a starter kit that will come with the tank, a filter, a heater, and maybe some gravel and plastic plants too. The downside to this is that they usually skimp on the filter and heater (meaning you get a cheap one that won't do a very good job and may not last long. The trade off is the lower price.

If you find out you can only afford a 30 gallon starter kit (and you have a place in your house/appartment to keep one that size, you may consider downsizing to a 20 gallon tank (tank only) and use the money you saved to go buy a better filter and heater seperately.

Another option (which is what I did) is to buy used. Check you local classified in the paper, check our classifieds here in the AC, check craigslist, ebay, etc. but buy from someone near you so you can go see the tank, equipment, etc. Have them fill the tank with water well before you arrive so you can check for cracks, leaks, etc. With the money you saved by going used, you can go bigger and still save enough of your budget to splerge on a high end filter.

Once you know what size tank you can afford, you can go to your local fish store (lfs) and see what type of fish you might like to have. DON'T BUY ANY YET. Take your list home and look up all the fish you liked on the internet (the articles on this site are a great resource). As you read (and ask questions) here you'll begin to find out which fish (and how many) you can keep based on your tank size and also find out which ones will play nice together. For amount of fish, a good rule of thumb is 1 inch of fish for every gallon of water in your tank. Keep in mind, you need to know how big each fish will be when full grown for this measurement. A nice little bala shark in the store might only be 2" long, but could grow up to 12-14 inches.

I'd suggest figuring out your total budget for tank, equipment, fish, food, chemicals first. Once you figure this out, you can buy your tank and start a "FISHLESS CYCLE" (see the red "Sticky" thread at the top of the "Beginner Freshwater" section which is where we are right now). While your tank is getting established, you'll have anywhere from 10-30 days to research fish, etc.

Sorry, this is alot to take in I know. Just be patient and do some research before jumping in too far and too fast. We are all very excited for you!:19:

[graceluvsplatys]

If you really want some definitive answers.. heres what I would reccomend:
start with 20g. It isnt so big, but still stable. also, the equiptment isnt pricey. Start with some hardy livebearers. platys, mollies, guppies. Or, if you want no heater, one or two goldfish could live in a 20g (keep in mind there full size)

Here are the basics:
tank
filter
heater (possibly)
if you choose, decor

You should get also:
food ( flake and protein (brine shripm, blood worms.are good
additive chemicals that remove bad stuff

For best results:
several types of food
test kits
books
etc

[graceluvsplatys]

I got my whole set up by shgopping around...... for under 30 bucks. that includes
tank
filter
heater
5 types of food
2 types of good chemicals
gravel
decor
and more!

[doug z]

4 things to keep in mind:

The smaller the tank, the greater the swings in water quality..

1) If there is an ammonia problem (say a dead fish in the tank, or uneaten food), it will have a far more detrimental effect in a 10g than it would in a 25 or 55g.

2) Generally speaking, you are going to get what you paid for. Be wary especially when buying used equipment..

3) The bigger a tank you get, the more you will ultimately be spending (bigger tank, of course, bigger filter, higher wattage heater, etc).

4) Those all in one deals vary widely in quality, but MOST have stuff 1/2 of which you won't (or shouldn't) use.. Do yourself a favour and do your research on what there is for GOOD equipment, and get that, and a tank by itself..

A good tank size to start with would be a 20g, I should think..

Have you done your reading yet? :)

[sandy_n]

Just to give you an idea on tank sizes:

........Length..Width..Height..........

20g......30" x 12" x 12"
30g......36" x 12" x 12"
40g......48" x 12" x 16"
55g......48" x 13" x 21"

[Wild Turkey]

If you really want some definitive answers.. heres what I would reccomend:
start with 20g. It isnt so big, but still stable. also, the equiptment isnt pricey. Start with some hardy livebearers. platys, mollies, guppies. Or, if you want no heater, one or two goldfish could live in a 20g (keep in mind there full size)

Here are the basics:
tank
filter
heater (possibly)
if you choose, decor

You should get also:
food ( flake and protein (brine shripm, blood worms.are good
additive chemicals that remove bad stuff

For best results:
several types of food
test kits
books
etc

Test kits are a must. If possible get them before anything

[NickFish]

We can't tell you everything about fish keeping, it would take months or years.

Ask relatively specific questions and they will be answered. Most of the tank size things have been answered already, 55 gallon would be considered medium. That's a 4' tank. 55g is the best beginner size, however it is more expensive cost wise. Do you want to spend the extra money and start off with an easier, yet more money, tank? Or would you rather have a cheap and hard to maintain 10g? You could split the difference and get a 30g, but it all depends on what fish you want.

And of course, research!

I have to ask, what are you looking for in a tank? Do you want colors? Do you want social fish? Active fish? Big fish? Small fish? Schooling fish? Predator fish? When you find out what you want from your tank it will be easier to narrow down specific kinds of fish. Also, read the e-book! Lots of good info there!

[mojojojo]

thank you all
i am so confused, i feel silly,
i think i will go for the 30g,
can someon explain a little more about the ummm i think someone said cycling
i hope i got that right
i am going to take the list with me tom and buy somethings

can some one please explain about the filter, i am a little lost on that

thank you i am so very sorry for being so silly

[fastfly]

thank you all
i am so confused, i feel silly,
i think i will go for the 30g,
can someon explain a little more about the ummm i think someone said cycling
i hope i got that right
i am going to take the list with me tom and buy somethings

can some one please explain about the filter, i am a little lost on that

thank you i am so very sorry for being so silly

Jojo,

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
That is a link to a great ebook. I recommend you read page 22 as well as 11-13.

[mojojojo]

i read the book thank you very much for recommending it it is good

but i am still so very confused
what sort of filter should i get, it all seems to be very strange to me, i want to do this right but i am so very nervous,
see i had a friend once who had a tank, with i am sorry i cant remember what sorts, and they killed all the fish by doing things wrong i cried and cried it was so sad and i want to make sure my fish live

please help me
i am feeling silly
thank you all very much

[NickFish]

Read the e-book.

All your questions so far have pretty much been in there. Just take the time and look through it.

Anyway, on a budget the best filter for a 30 gallon would be a AC70, or duel AC50s. If you have money to spend you could pick up a canister.

But not until you cycle it. How to cycle is stickied in a couple places, and is in the e-book.
If not re-read it because it should answer your questions.

[Sasquatch]

Nickfish recommended some good filters. The most common type are HOBs (Hang-On Back). As the name says, they hang on the back of the tank with a tube inside to take up the water.

As for cycling, it's fairly simple. Fish produce ammonia, which is toxic and will harm the fish. You need bacteria to transform that into something less toxic. A first kind of bacteria converts ammonia to nitrite, which is also toxic, and a second type of bacteria converts nitrite into nitrate, which is much less dangerous.

The process of establishing the bacteria is called "Cycling". The best way, IMO, is called fishless cycling where you get pure ammonia and add it directly to the tank. Fishless cycling is much faster and doesn't harm any fish, since there are no fish.

Just take your time, do some reading and things should be fine. With aquariums things usually go wrong when you try to rush things.

[doug z]

Remember to do your reading first, Jojo, before you go to buy things..

Have you read those articles I linked?

There's some there on everything you need to know on cycling, there's also plenty to read on what kind of equipment you'll need.

Please do take it slow..

[mojojojo]

i am very thank ful for all your help
i will read your articles doug you are can i say a very sweet man
i am trying to get my head around it all but it is just so confusing
i am sorry to be a pain

thanks all

[doug z]

No worries..

Just keep reading and it will all start to fall into place..

Have you any idea what type of fish you like?

[pinsonpa]

mojojojo,

I know this is quite a bit to take in. Getting confused is totally normal. Something that could make it easier for us to help you is for you to keep a note pad with you as you read through the articles that have been suggested. As you read something that doesn't make sense or a term you don't understand...just make a note of it. Then you can login back here in the A.C. and let us know what specific things you need us to clear up for you. The more specific you are with your questions the easier it will be for us to steer you in the right direction.

Example: You said you read the e-book but are still very confused...just tell us specifically which parts you are confused about. If you are confused about your filter options, tell us what size tank you're planning to have and what your budget is and we can make some specific suggestions.

[mojojojo]

No worries..

Just keep reading and it will all start to fall into place..

Have you any idea what type of fish you like?

i am hoping as well doug
you are so very kind to me
what types of fish would you recommend?
i was thinking maybe an oscar with some neons, and tetras, they looked pretty in the shop

thank you all

[doug z]

Now that I think on it, we might want to wait till you know what kind of tap water you have before we get into fish..

Fish CAN adapt to different water parameters TO A POINT..

But best to make them as happy as possible, no?

So if, while you're figuring out tank size, budget, etc, you wanted to take a sample of your tap water down to your local fish shop and ask them to test the pH, that'd be a good thing to know..

Pinsonpa's made a great suggestion..

We have no way of helping with your confusion if you don't ask about the stuff that you're confused about..

Let the questions fly!

The more you read, the less questions you'll have.. BUT we can help you find what you need to read to answer the questions that pop up when you read about something, like the nitrogen cycle, or stocking levels, etc..

PS- Oscars and neons don't mix.. Sorry.. :)

The Oscars would eat the neons..

Also, ask yourself questions to help you along..

Do you want real plants in your tank, or fake ones?

If you really wanted Oscars, for example, you'd want fake ones, as Oscars would dig out the roots of real ones.. Real plants mean some more money, though..

How big a tank do you want?

How much room do you have? How many fish do you want in the tank? A good size to start would be a 55g RECTANGULAR, in my opinion.. Big enough so that you won't be kicking yourself that you didn't go bigger when you get the hang of everything, and your fish start to grow.. And your water parameters will be more stable. Rectangular, because corner tanks and hexagon tanks that are tall present their own problems.

Stuff like that..

I think there are more examples of questions you should be asking yourself in that article I wrote for beginners. Dunno if you've gotten to that one or not..

[pinsonpa]

Pinsonpa's made a great suggestion..

We have no way of helping with your confusion if you don't ask about the stuff that you're confused about..

Let the questions fly!

The more you read, the less questions you'll have.. BUT we can help you find what you need to read to answer the questions that pop up when you read about something, like the nitrogen cycle, or stocking levels, etc..


Why thank you doug...even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then:hmm3grin2orange:

Mojojojo,

What kind of budget do you have for all of this? I think this will be something you'll want to figure out soon. The size tank and equipment you can afford
will play a big role in what kind of fish you can keep. I like doug's suggestion of a 55 gallon IF you can afford it (and have a place to put it). You'll have tons of options for fish and it will be easier to keep your water quality consistant. If your budget will only allow for a 10 gallon you'll be MUCH more restricted with regards to the fish you can keep (you wouldn't want to put an oscar in a 10 gallon tank).

[fastfly]

Why thank you doug...even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then:hmm3grin2orange:

Mojojojo,

What kind of budget do you have for all of this? I think this will be something you'll want to figure out soon. The size tank and equipment you can afford
will play a big role in what kind of fish you can keep. I like doug's suggestion of a 55 gallon IF you can afford it (and have a place to put it). You'll have tons of options for fish and it will be easier to keep your water quality consistant. If your budget will only allow for a 10 gallon you'll be MUCH more restricted with regards to the fish you can keep (you wouldn't want to put an oscar in a 10 gallon tank).

But, Jojo, don't be discouraged with a 10gal, that is all I have and you can have a TON of fun.

[pinsonpa]

VERY GOOD POINT Mark (fastfly)! It's all I currently own as well and my whole family is having a blast with our ten gallon. I've attached some pics that I took last night (6 Cardinal Tetras, 4 Amano Shrimp and some live plants).

That being said...I must admit I feel a touch of MTS (multiple tank syndrome) coming on:hmm3grin2orange: