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Fish Tanks \ Aquariums


maddog
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Join a decent UK based internet forum for fish keeping - I'm now into refs but there were quote a few - tropicalfishforums.co.uk (?sp) or similar

 

very useful

 

read a lot before you go for it and don't rush - especially the tank cycle this is VITAL and there are no short cuts

 

you will have a tank with no fish in it for several weeks whilst the bacteria build in the filter - rushing this stage will cause fish deaths and cost you money

 

Good luck bud and let us know how you get on - its a fantastic rewarding hobby

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I found the best thing to do was to go and speak to an expert about it. Find a decent aquarium stockist close to you (a proper one, not somewhere like Pets at Home). If you live anywhere near Romsey then Romsey World of Water always used to be pretty good (at least when I had my tropical setup a few years back). They'll be able to give you all the advice you need for startup.

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And good aquarium stockists will be able to sell a complete starter pack (tank, heater, pump/filter, plants, gravel etc). They often come bundled in start up packs. The theory of them is pretty much the whatever the size of tank, my first tank was 3ft so you dont necessarily have to start small and work up.

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Practical Fishkeeping Magazine forum is probably best place to start online - they're all very friendly and patient on there. World of Water was always good and there are a few branches of Maidenhead Aquatics dotted around Hants who are the best chain (imo). You're actually better starting with a bigger tank than a smaller one as they need less maintenance believe it or not. 150-200 litres is a good size that you won't grow out of quickly, can keep most fish in happily but at the same time won't take over your living room! Feel free to pm me if you want to learn from my many fishkeeping mistakes over the years!

 

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

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My Dad when I was growing was into all this lark, we had an octopus at one point and the thing was an escape artist!

 

I had crabs (phnarr). A couple of them. They lasted for about 2 days before they both make a break for freedom (crawling up the wire for the pump and through an impossibly small gap in the tank lid. They were found perished, shrivelled and dried out by me the next morning on the living room floor, one having made it all the way to the patio doors. Idiots.

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I had them for a while, was great for a couple ofyears but then I got bored with the cleaning and expense. All came to a tragic end when I dropped a big saucepan out of the cupboard above them which bounced off the worksurface and smashed the tank. Fish and water all over the floor.

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I had them for a while, was great for a couple ofyears but then I got bored with the cleaning and expense.

 

Sadly, I got bored too after a few years and waited for the last hardy tetra to kick the bucket before packing the equipment away! (Well, actually, I made the decision to chop it's head off* as he was looking bad)

 

Think I'd like to try a salt water tank with some clown (Nemo) fish soon though.

 

All came to a tragic end when I dropped a big saucepan out of the cupboard above them which bounced off the worksurface and smashed the tank. Fish and water all over the floor.

 

Oh ****!

 

 

*Apparently the most humane way to euthanize a fish FWIW

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I have a reef tank now, it's incredible. Not only are the fish stunning but the corals are absolutely fascinating as well. Plus I have shrimp, hermit crabs, starfish etc all forming a symbiotic tank. My randalls goby and pistol shrimp have pried and I could watch them work together all day. Makes me wonder why I ever bothered with tropical.

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I have a reef tank now, it's incredible. Not only are the fish stunning but the corals are absolutely fascinating as well. Plus I have shrimp, hermit crabs, starfish etc all forming a symbiotic tank. My randalls goby and pistol shrimp have pried and I could watch them work together all day. Makes me wonder why I ever bothered with tropical.

 

How much extra work is having a reef tank compared to a tropical setup? No doubt reef setups look much better (and have a much more interesting variety of sea creature) but they just seem like far too much hard work to me.

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