# Advice for Novice Regarding Start-up Items



## nvfish (May 22, 2012)

Hi there,

I am looking for some advice on starting an aquarium for my 8 year old daughter. I went to the pet store today and was buried by the variety of tank sizes, pumps, heaters, gravel, plants, water conditioners etc. (and all that before considering any fish!!!).

We are just starting out and would like something manageable and not budget breaking. Space is also an issue because we live in an apartment. So, if anyone has experience that would be helpful in starting out, I would appreciate it. I think that a 5-6 gallon tank would be manageable at the most. Could you give recommendations regarding kits vs. build the whole thing and what type of fish (and how many, please)?

Thanks very much.

Paul


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## qyrus (Apr 21, 2010)

I would say the absolute basic needs would be: tank, heater, filter w/ media, prime aka. conditioner, siphon and bucket for W/C, and food. Everything after that is optional IMO. I'd go with low maintenance plants like java ferns, anubias, or moss and stock with nano-sized fish like chilli rasboras. Cherry shrimps would work as well but are slightly harder to keep than fish. A pre-assembled kit would include everything you need and more (lights, nets. etc), but I'd first take a look at the classifieds here on BCA or the sponsors to check for better deals; much of the stuff in a pre-assembled kit will be thrown out once the hobby sucks you in :lol:

Jim


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

buy used, the whole thing will cost less than a decent filter new in store..
if your want a better end product go used those pre fab kits at walmart and other pet shops are over priced and the gear is garbage.
if you need a decent rig check out the classifieds on here,


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## Tarobot (Jun 27, 2010)

start with at least a 10g. 5g means water changes every three days.


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## Ursus sapien (Apr 21, 2010)

Great project to do together! 

Perhaps consider a ten gallon; an managable size but easier to keep stable than a smalller tank. There are many more stocking choices for a 10 gallon versus a 5 gallon, as well.

If you don't mind used equipment, I have a ten gallon tank and most likely a canopy you can have, if you can get out to PoCo. Or check out the classifieds for used equipment such as tanks, hang-on-back (HOB) filters such as AquaClear etc, heaters, air pumps and such. Decide on a look you like (natural, planted with ornaments, Disney...) and build from there.

In regards to equipment,
- I like AquaClear HOBs because they're indestructabe, flexable in regards to media, easy to use and easy to clean - even for an 8 year old.
- A 50 watt heater would give you enough warmth to house most of the obvious fish choices. 
- An easy-read thermometer.
- A small air pump and a sponge filter. I run sponge filters in all my tanks, for a bunch of reasons, so I'm going to suggest you do, too. 
- A couple of nets, say 3 and a 4 inches.

Hopefully other people will offer stocking ideas for livestock and plants - the only limits are cost and imagination.

So, here's mine
- Small school of gertrudae rainbows. These are a small rainbow suitable for Vancouver's water parameters. They're active and display frequently (fun to watch), get along with each other and are largely trouble-free. They may even spawn, and since they don't eat their eggs or babies, you could get a multigenerational tank.
- Cherry, blue pearl or green shrimp. All fast reproducers, they'll provide some ongoing live food for the rainbows in the form of newly hatched shrimp, but also help tidy the place and provide some extra activity. If you give them some hiding spots, you should be able to keep both colonies sustainable.
- For plants, naja grass, christmas or weeping moss, and a narrow leaf java fern.


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

10g minimum any smaller is more work for you. Buy a new filter , I like aqua clears. Cheap and little work horses plus they come with bio media. Old filters are noisy. If you can find a cheap tank with hood used than start with that. Read, read, read. Understand Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle and cycling a fish tank before you set up the tank. Keep it simple. At 8 years old your daughter might enjoy the tank now or lose interest after a few weeks so either way you will be the one maintaining it so dont get in over your head. Stock it lightly and start it out with either feeder fish or white clouds. Both are cheap and if your daughter loses interst you didnt spend $150 for nothing. Live plants are great but if you are new to fish keeping dont jump the gun. Seting up a tank takes time and patience. Basic or not. Witout starting it off properly and keeping up with your water changes green or cloudy water isnt too far away. I have set up alot of tanks for newbies. Learn the basics. Keep asking questions. Good Luck and Enjoy it!!!!!


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

I would second the recommendations for a 10 gallon tank and an aquaclear filter. The difference in space for a 10 gallon and a 6 gallon is negligible, and as said prior, more fish, or more options for fish.

Despite aquaclears being virtually indestructible, they are also the filter with the easiest access to parts to fix it if it does indeed break down. They are very easy to clean. And can hold a variety of media.

For ease of maintenance, i would recommend getting a bag of those nylon pot scrubbers you get from dollar stores (red yellow blue and green colours normally). 2 or 3 of them should fit in your filter above the sponge that comes with it. That way when you remove water from the tank, you grab 1 pot scrubber (alternate) and swish it around (and squeeze) a few times, then put it back. When you wash media, sometimes the good bacteria dies due to chlorine, very cold water or very hot water, so by only doing 1 per week, you remove the risk of the tank recycling and harming your fish.

Feed every second day is also my recommendation. Fish always act hungry, so its easy for beginners to over feed, by feeding every second day, you give plenty of time for the filter to help remove the excess waste. It also entices the fish to forage around the tank, often time eating small amounts of algae or micro fauna.

Get a hood, your daughter wont appreciate jumping fish that dry up and die on the floor, if you can, get one with a screw in bulb, and only use very low wattage Compact fluorescent (less than 9Watts). Remember that really bright tanks = water turning green and fluffly ugliness over decor.

Last thing, Our water sucks here. Guppies are hard to keep for most people due to it. So if you plan on keeping a stable tank with happy fish, there are 3 additives i'd recommend.
1. Water conditioner. Removes chlorine and neutralizes heavy metals
2. Baking soda. Increases carbonates in the water, which helps prevent PH crashes (they are bad) side effect is the PH will slightly increase, but fishies would love a slightly higher PH that stays the same than one lower that jumps around. (Most KH boosters, or alkalinity boosters consist of mostly baking soda, or completely baking soda, saves lots of $$$)
3. Equillibrium. Its a seachem product, it adds minerals to the water that make fishies happy. This is a GH booster.

Reason for #2 and #3 is our water is too pristine. Without minerals, fish are weakened and using more energy to regulate the fluids in their body, so more prone to sickness. Also wholesalers and fish shops normally have buffered water to some extent, so the sudden change from shop to home is very stressful to the fish. Crushed coral or argonite is recommended by some, but it only covers #2, and no effectively.

Lastly, how much of each. On water change, take out roughly 2 ice cream buckets (rinse filter media as said earlier)
then replace with tap water (match temperature, little colder is better, hotter is not)
add 1/2 cap water conditioner (2.5 mL)
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp equillibrium

thats it. once a week and you are done maintenance.


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## Ursus sapien (Apr 21, 2010)

Neven, thanks for mentioning the plastic scrubbies. I use them in all my HOBs, as media and as prefilters. 6 scrubbies for a $1, with superior surface area. Most excellent.


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

Hey if you're in North Van, I have some decent aquarium gravel that you can have for free (natural color, not clown puke neon). I also have some extra Ebo-Jager heaters, and a spare tank lights that I can give you a good deal on. We're over by Capilano Road, so on the North Shore as well. I also have a spare older air pump (noisy but it works), line and probably a spare air stone. PM me if you're interested.

I would definitely go with an AquaClear filter - for a 10g tank, you can pick up a new AquaClear 20 with media for $25 at J&L (Hagen Aquaclear 20 Hang-On Power Filter).

I also second the whole 10g minimum setup. 5g isn't stable enough and you will be doing a LOT of maintenance. Craigslist always has tons of cheap tanks, so do a lot of the members here who post in the classifieds.

About stocking: DON'T get goldfish. They produce way too much waste for a 10g and grow too fast, and they make very poor beginner fish. They need a 20g minimum to start for one goldfish to make them happy. Other members have given good suggestions about fish that will look good and be happy in a 10g tank.


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## Tiwaz (May 5, 2011)

neven, great post.


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## TomC (Apr 21, 2010)

To save money, buy used. With the money saved, get a ph, gh, kh test kit, and some buffers. (Read the Island Pets Unlimited forum about buffering.) Be patient when stocking. Choose fish thoughtfully. Never buy fish on impulse. If you have no plants, keep the light off when you arent watching the fish. It will mean less algae. Get a timer if you have plants. And, as mentioned before, DO NOT OVERFEED!


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

Great advice given, if you go the parts route, a new 10g tank is quite often cheaper than a 5g tank. Not nearly as much demand for the 5g tanks, so it's more of a supply and demand thing.


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## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

I agree with what the others have said in getting the bigger 10 gallon tank and stay away from the tiny sub 5 gallon tanks. For me, I would take it one step further (if budget permits) and buy something like an Eheim Aquastyle 9 gallon setup. Comes with tank/filter/light. The all in one setup is not as flexible as buying all separate pieces but the key to me is to keep things absolutely simple. Kids won't likely need the flexibility. Also, I found that my kids don't have the greatest attention spans and you want to keep their interest and try to ensure success. By the time I finish reading instructions for their toys, they've often already lost interest! They want to get right into things so the easier and more successful, the easier it will be to keep them engaged. Also, this Eheim setup is really slick and of high quality. Looks great in any room. It's not a cheap as buying all the separate pieces for sure. But to me, its one of those one and done kind of deals. Man, I'm starting to sell myself on this thing! But alas, my wife would kill me. Check out this review: Eheim AquaStyle Aquarium - YouTube

Keep the fish that can be kept in unheated water to make things even simpler. No heater, one less electrical item to worry about. Understock, just keep a few fish. Maybe like white cloud minnows. Pretty cool looking fish and hardy.


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