# First Venture Into The World of Fish!



## bobofat (Mar 17, 2017)

Hello everyone,

Some of you may have seen my introduction post. Thank you all for being so supportive. I just bought a 46 gallon bowfront fish tank to try out this hobby. Here are the specs if you are interested:

37inch long, 21inch tall, 12inch wide.
Included:
Fluval 206 filter with Sponge & bio balls
3 Fluval heaters
Aqauclear filter 70 with sponge & media
Eheim 350surface skimmer
Whisper air pump

I went out today to get some gravel for the tank as I want to start an easy community tank before I try a Tanganyikan Shell Dweller tank. Rinsed the gravel for a good 40 minutes and filled the tank with de-chlorinated water by carrying buckets full of water back and forth for about another 40 minutes. My back hurts, my arms are sore, but I am loving it!

I plugged in the Aquaclear 70 to run the filter and plan on trying a fishless cycle to make sure I don't kill anything. After that, I want to fill the tank with these livestock: African Dwarf Frog, Red Cherry Shrimp, Kuhli Loach, Neon Tetras, Dwarf Guorami, and Rasbora. This sounds like too many and I'll probably need to remove a couple from my list.Guess ill be posting as there are improvements but I'm glad to be here and look forward to speaking with you all!


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

Congrats on your journey. If you want to do a fishless cycle with household ammonia, Superstore has generic household ammonia, I think I paid $3 for a jug. I'd recommend a Python type of water changer unless you like your buckets of water - it does get old fast. 

I've kept on those tank inhabitants at one time or another, your future red cherries may not feel comfortable to spawn with some of the tank inhabitants if you want shrimplets. Loaches loves their shrimp too! 

I do like my cichlids so once you get past the pretty colours of the "eye candy" fish, personality stands out. Tanganyikan cichlids are fascinating, cool behaviours when they start to breed and can be a big headache when you're trying to keep peace in the tank. Good luck.


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

Forgot to add, when you become addicted to the hobby and it sounds like you will, you'll want more tanks. Many Tanganyikan cichlids inhabit the bottom portion of the tank, so a good footprint/base is more important than height. A great size would be a 75g and you can house a few tanganyikan cichlids species. It would all be about the rock scaping for their territories.


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## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

Some good reading, it helped me with Tanganyikans:

Aquarium Quick Reference Resources - Cichlid Keeping


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## Mark Brown (Jan 21, 2017)

Nice looking set up you have there.


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## Reckon (Jul 25, 2012)

bobofat said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> Some of you may have seen my introduction post. Thank you all for being so supportive. I just bought a 46 gallon bowfront fish tank to try out this hobby. Here are the specs if you are interested:
> 
> ...


If you don't mind a little advice.

1) No more buckets! Unless you like the exericse. Get one of these! You won't regret it.









2) Don't put Red Cherry Shrimp with Loaches and Guoramis - unless you really want your fish to eat really well! Personally, I like to add one or two species at a time (the first few are groups/schools) and then decide on how another fish will change the aesthetics of the tank. For example, I may add Cardinal tetras first. Then after deciding I need fish of another color other than the blue I added a school of Ember tetras; these fish are red and have a smaller shape... Next I added a smaller shoal of Diamond tetras for their larger size and showy white color. These guys will really stand out amongs the other two schools. Add some algae eaters and bottom feeders that'll help maintain the tank, etc etc

3) Finally, if you are hoping to add any hills or rises to the bottom of the tank (adds another dimension). I learned that its best to add say, lava rock early in the life of the tank, followed by pouring gravel on top so that it's not disruptive to your tank inhabitants later on.


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## Mick2016 (Jun 16, 2016)

Just wondering? I understood that cichlids only do well with other cichlids and these fish are not to be housed in the same tank as other (community) species. Have I got the wrong info?


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## bobofat (Mar 17, 2017)

Thanks for the info! I ordered the Python No Spill Cleaner thing! 

I plan to take it slow, got some plants in there now and thinking of getting a couple Guoramis until the tank's fully cycled.


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## Dou (Dec 4, 2015)

Lots of good advice in this thread - but a water change without a bucket is not a true water change...... Sorry Lawson, it's the truth!!!


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## Mark Brown (Jan 21, 2017)

That's why I love you dou!!


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## Reckon (Jul 25, 2012)

Dou said:


> Lots of good advice in this thread - but a water change without a bucket is not a true water change...... Sorry Lawson, it's the truth!!!


LOL. A 5 gallon bucket might be fine to do a 25% water change for a 20 gallon ADA 60p. But then for a 46 gallon?!?!


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## Dou (Dec 4, 2015)

Reckon said:


> LOL. A 5 gallon bucket might be fine to do a 25% water change for a 20 gallon ADA 60p. But then for a 46 gallon?!?!


But 5 buckets, 5 times the fun... We're all about having fun here and trying to keep it as real as possible!


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## aprilsaquarium (Aug 22, 2016)

Until your old and crunchy! Wear and tear! Adds up


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