Aquarium people - I'm very seriously thinking of getting an aquarium

[Rabrrrrrr]

I've wanted one since I was in junior high, and at the time I read a bunch of books and learned about ichthyosis and fish names and all that stuff. But that was about 25 years ago, and I've never had a place in which I could really have an aquarium. But now I want one. But I also have no idea just how difficult they are to maintain, and what the chances are of getting an infected tank, etc.

I'd really like one of those 55 gallon monsters, but also thinking that myabe they're much more difficult to maintain than a smaller one, and so maybe I should start smaller, with a ten gallon.

These would be fresh water tanks. Though someday I'd also LOOOOVE to have a saltwater one. Unless someone can tell me that saltwater maintenance is just as easy as freshwater, in which case maybe I'll just go straight to saltwater - better fish!

Any insights anyone can offer?

And - please offer links to what are the best aquarium-owning websites.

Thanks!!

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

1. This is the dawning of the age of Aquarium

The age of Aquarium
Aquarium!
Aquarium!

[Maddy McCall]

2. Saltwater definitely is NOT as easy to maintain as freshwater.

Start with a freshwater and see if you want to dedicate the time it takes to maintain one of those--a ten gallon is very inexpensive. Then, if you feel you can take on more, move up to a big saltwater.

My friend has lost all of his saltwater fish three times because of parasites that were were unknowingly sold to him in the rocks that he bought. You kind of have to be prepared for that kind of stuff with a saltwater.

Look up fish species (freshwater) that don't produce a lot of waste ammonia. There are some freshwater fish that are every bit as beautiful as saltwaters.

Good luck!

[Liberal Veteran]

3. 50 gallons is a good starter tank....

I have a 50 gallon fresh and 125 gallon marine aquarium.

Start with a fresh water. Lower maintenance.

Stay away from undergravel filters....it's like having a sewer in your tank.

I use a biowheel filter on my freshwater and a couple of airstones and that works just fine.

Give your tank a week before stocking any fish.

Start with cheap fish (mollies are really good starter fish).

Use about 2-3 inches of gravel in your tank and vacume it out regularly.

Do NOT overfeed your fish.

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. Thanks!

It's so exciting to hear from a couple of you that a 50 gallon is a good starter and/or easier to maintain than a smaller one!

WOO HOO!!

Do you have any links to helpful sites?

[Liberal Veteran]

9. This one might be helpful...

http://honors.montana.edu/~weif/firsttank/steps.phtml

[Kali]

8. this has me thinking

tell me what this biowheel filter is? Its been many years since I had an aquarium - I used to use cutting edge equipment but imagine things have changed. Husband brought home a 60 gal we are using for a terrarium.....hmmmmm I LOVE to stare at fishes swimming around.

[Liberal Veteran]

13. A quick description of a biowheel...

A biowheel is usually part of the filter and a little water spray gadget causes it to spin. The surface of the biowheel will grow bacteria which help remove ammonia from the water. Usually part of a combination of that contains a biowheel and a normal carbon filter.

[Kali]

18. interesting

not too different from the old constant external filters, really. What sort of water exchange schedule and ammounts do you use?

[Rabrrrrrr]

10. Also - can I put the aquarium in the middle of the room?

On a table? I'd like to be able to see it from all sides.

[Deja Q]

12. Depends on how sturdy the floor is. Water is 8 pounds per square foot

If it's not on ground level with a secure foundation (e.g. upper level), a corner wall location would be better. 8 pounds times 10 gallons adds up, and I wouldn't recommend anything less than a 20 gallon tank.

also, the fish would be nervous and apprehensive if there was no corner to feel reassured against.

[Kali]

17. I learned to use 10 lbs to the gallon

for aquariums - gravel, glass, stands and other misc equipment add up.

[Rabrrrrrr]

21. My floor is a concrete slab sitting on the ground, so no fear there...

but in terms of the situation itself - I'd be looking to use the aquarium on it's own stand behind a sofa. One side (a short side) of the aquarium would see no traffic, since it would be just a couple feet from a wall and there is no throughway there (my living room goes sofa --> end-table --> wall, with no room between sofa and end-table, or end-table and wall.

I would think with plants that I could make a bit of a hidey-hole area.

And the cords and everything would end up being visible draping down from the tank, but they'd be quickly hid between the table and the sofa and then be run on the floor to the outlets.

Still, if you think that might be too much exposure for the fishies, then perhaps I need to find a wall on which to put them.


I just love the idea of using a big ol' 50 gallon tank as a room divider between the living room and dining room.

[Liberal Veteran]

14. You can, but it would be an expensive setup to work with...

There are ways to do it, but I wouldn't go there.

There are a number of things you are gonna have hanging from your tank (air lines, filters, heaters and electrical cords).

It's easier to use the back of the aquarium for all that between the back and the wall.

[Kali]

20. you could but

like the other person said - you will have stuff hanging, electric cords etc. You could have a custom made hex or octagon built (or they used to make them commercial) - they do tend to have a problem with surface area to volume being pretty small. With the right kind of decoration, plants etc the fish won't be bothered any more than any other site. They get used to the household activities like any other resident.

[Kali]

4. its been years since I've had one

but a few basics are still true I bet. One, the bigger the better - they are more stable and EASIER to maintain. Go for surface area of the top over gallons oxygen exchange). Freshwater of course is easier and less expensive. Don't worry about diseases and such if environment is clean and nutrition good. Especially if you take the store's advice on what and how many fish to start with.

Back in the day we used undergravel circulation systems that helped break down waste biologically and say once a month hooked up a filter to one of the risers and really filtered the water through filtermedium and charcoal, then replaced 10 to 25% of the water. I also worked in a pet store and this is how we maintained the overpopulated sell tanks as well. Rule of thumb is and inch of fish to a gallon of water. You can crowd some species a bit more and others need room - get advice from the store. (Don't believe all of it however. I have kept varieties that weren't supposed to get along fine and other things that were supposed to be safe have killed things sot its not always true what that kind of advice is.

I wonder what kind of new stuff is out now? I would say for sure spend what ever you can on a good pump, that is the heard of the system, decide if you want live plants - they are "pets" in themselves and some fish will destroy them etc.

[Rabrrrrrr]

5. Thanks!

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. We've got a nice little 10 gallon warm freshwater tank with

(don't mind the misspellings) gurami, tetras, sand-dollar fish and an algae eater. They have a castle to play in and are all named after Harry Potter characters. We think we might have room for 2 or 3 more small guys and then we will call it quits.

[Blue Gardener]

11. Be prepared - fish can live a long time

I set my aquarium up in the spring of 1995. A pink kissing gourami and an upside-down catfish have been with me from the start. I actually am kind of tired of cleaning the tank every month, but don't have the heart to get rid of the fish. I wouldn't be terribly heartbroken though if I came home one day to find them belly-up. They have lived a lot longer than I ever thought they would.
By the way, it's a 45 gallon tank with an undergravel filter and powerhead. I vacuum the gravel and do a 15-20 gallon water change monthly. Apparently the tank enironment is quite healthy.
If you have a local aquarium business where you live they can be very helpful in getting you started. That's what I did.

[crispini]

15. Do you have a yard? Get a pond.

Ponds are cool. They're basically outdoor aquariums. Mine's kinda small, and it's about 800 gallons. I have three koi. They rock.

[Rabrrrrrr]

16. When I have a house, I want to do that

As for now, though, I don't think the landlord would be so keen on it...

I love koi! Much fun to watch.

[Kali]

19. bleh koi

I live on a ranch and one year when we were kids my sister dumped her aquarium into the stock tank - she had goldfish, just regular comets and a couple fantails. A few years later we had THE most beautiful long tailed 6 to 10 inch multicolored pond fish. The tails and fins were so much more graceful and pretty than stubby carp shaped koi.

(no offense)

[Corgigal]

22. I've had freshwater tank for years

I have a 20 gallon tank and it sits on a nice wooden stand that I bought at the time.

I have found that fancy tail guppies are the most fun I can have in the tank. Sure they are expensive as a pair but they are breeding constantly and replace each other. Also they are live bearers so you will see the baby fish pretty quickly. The males are actually very beautiful and I have a little albino catfish who cleans up the bottom.

The are suppose to be calm, peaceful fish however the males will put on a show for the females. So do a little research on what type of fish(s)you would like to have and enjoy them.

Also try to buy a backdrop to the tank. I think it makes the tanks pretty.

[Rabrrrrrr]

23. Thanks again everyone!

Can't tell you how excited I am about getting a fish tank now that i know that a larger one is easier. :-) Part of me was thinking, if I had to start with a small one, to just screw it. Ten gallons aquariums aren't anywhere near as cool as the 50 gallon ones.

And after reading the link above, and some other google searching, I'm thinking that even I could manage a tank qith little or no problems.

WOO HOO!

I think I'm gonna go out this week and check some out at the pet stores, but this time not just to stare at the fish (I often go to pet stores just to watch the fish...)

[Rabrrrrrr]

24. Okay, everyone - now it's dilemma time

I looked at aquariums today. The PETCO store was shit. Fuck them.

Oddly enough, there's a True Value store in town that has a hella good fish section. Talked to the owner for a while, and he's very smart, and been selling aquariums for 30+ years. So, I think I've found the guy to go with. And he has great prices on stands and aquariums.

So, I found a nice 55 gallon tank, 48"x13"x20" (not sure about the 20, but close, anyway), on a very nice stand that actually has shelves and usable space (I was amazed at how many of the wooden stands, even the ones that had doors, had no shelves or usable inside space....but I digress...). This tank is a good one, with black seals, but otherwise your basic plane jane tank with black trim on the top and bottom. I could get that set up, with a bitchin' filter and heater unit and lighting stuff, for $390. (the tank is like this one, except larger http://www.all-glass.com/products/aquariums/index.html )

Now, I like the longer tanks, because I have a longish space in which to put it, and because I like to watch fish swim, not spin in a circle. However, I also like wider - and the 13" on that one isn't very wide at all.

Now, another option is, he has a 125 gallon tank, with filter, gravel, heater, lighting elements, and a SOLID OAK stand that's REALLY nice, and the lights are in a solid oak topper. The tank also sits in the stand (that is, the tank doesn't have the top and bottom lines). Like this: http://www.all-glass.com/products/stands/index.html

That one I could have for right around $700. And that tank is 18" wide, which is better than the 13" of the other AND it's 6 feet long, instead of 4 feet, which would give me bitchin' amounts of fish enjoying time. But, that's a fair amount more chunka change.

Is it stupid to start off with a 125 gallon tank? Or should I just stick to the 55 gallon one that's cheaper? But then, what if I totally enjoy the fish and keep kicking myself for not getting a bigger tank?

Ah, dilemmas.

[CornField]

25. My personal opinion is that salt is not so difficult after the first 6 mo

Of course, I'm biased. :) The set-up for a salt water tank, especially if you want a reef tank with corals, can be extremely expensive. And the set-up doesn't even count the cost associated with fish, invertibrates and/or corals.

What I'm going to tell you now is something you don't want to hear: Go with the smaller tank. Matter-of-fact, I'd even recommend going with a 29 gallon instead of the 55 to start.

First, tanks are a great deal of work. There's water testing, tank cleaning and water changing. Although fresh water fish are more forgiving than salt, they still thrive and grow better with smaller and more frequent water changes. (10-15% every 2 weeks instead of 25-30% every month, for instance)

Second, equipment is expensive (although you can typically find much better deals over the net). The larger the tank, the more expensive the equipment (larger motors, more wattage, etc.) When you start with a smaller tank, you can test the different options (perhaps even learn to retrofit or DIY some projects) BEFORE you drop an arm and leg on the latest and greatest, only to decide it isn't either. If you drop $100 on cannister filtration and then decide you hate it want to switch to wet/dry, it will sting but not as much as if you'd spent $500.

Third, even if it turns out you adore keeping fish, you are going to want a smaller medical/quarantine tank. (That's the big secret on how to keep your larger display tanks healthy -- every new creature, no matter how good it looks, automatically goes into quarantine for a minimum of two weeks.)

After you've 'testing the waters' with a smaller tank (force yourself to wait a minimum of 6-8 months before buying a larger system), then you'll have a better idea of your own likes and dislikes and will be much better prepared to set up a life-long habitat for your new friends.

[CornField]

27. Here are some links too

http://www.fao.com.au/fresh-aqua.asp -- lots of info about tanks and all the various accesories.

http://fish.mongabay.com/ -- another general information site, this one has more on the fish

http://www.freshwateraquariumplants.com/ -- about plants and aquascaping

http://www.fish-forums.com/ -- this site has some good articles and a discussion board (slow moving)

http://www.aquaria.info/ -- this use to be fishgeeks.com and I'm not sure why the domain name changed. Lots of good information about set-up options, lighting and all the other watery goodness that goes with fish keeping.

http://www.aquaria.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=67 -- an article about brackish tanks (between fresh and salt).

[Rabrrrrrr]

28. Thanks for all those!

and for the comments...is much to think about.

[EstimatedProphet]

26. No, it isn't

1) you can be sure your fish will have enough room. Some fish get very territorial (gouramis for one) and attack other fish if the density is too high. Learned that lesson as a kid
2) since it's so big, you can take your leisure to keep adding fish without worries.
3) once the ammonia-reducing bacteria is established in the tank, size in and of itself doesn't matter for freshwater. What I mean by that is that a 125 gallon tank can be maintained as well as a 50 gallon tank, so long as the rules of not overcrowding, overfeeding, no chlorine, snails and plecostomus added, etc. are kept. A 125 gallon tank will take more time to fill up with fish, and you can have more fun building a community.
BTW you might want to include some aquatic insects too. Very few people do, and IMO they are very cool to watch.

[jmowreader]

29. I like the idea of starting with a 125

I know I'll never buy another 55, that's for sure. If you're keeping a plecostomus, it's too small. Let me explain.

A 55-gallon aquarium is 48 inches long by 13 inches wide. My pleco is now 15 inches long--he can't swim freely in that tank. Plus, with the tank as short as it is and the fish as long as he is, the tank is pretty damn sparse inside--two flowerpots with the bottoms knocked out of them as refuge for the cichlids who room with him.

In a 125-gallon tank, you have more options. You can put two feet of 8-inch PVC pipe, which when covered in gravel makes a great cave for the pleco to hang out in, lengthwise in the middle of the tank. The pleco will have plenty of room to enter and leave the pipe. You can put other decorations--big pieces of sunken driftwood and so on--in the tank as decor. (Or, in the case of a tank that contains a Royal Pleco, as food.)

Fish for a big aquarium? First, bottom feeders. You can do either catfish or loaches. Clown loaches, which are a shoaling fish that grows to a foot and a half in the wild, are really fun to watch. You need six for maximum effect. If you're doing cats, the bristlenose catfish Ancistrus is capable of living in groups and should be kept in groups of at least four so they'll be happy. The big plecos, like the sailfin you can get anywhere or the Royal Pleco which you shouldn't get at all--p-mail me to find out why--have to be kept by themselves. Put two in one tank, no matter how big it is, and they will fight. A war between two fish the size of your forearm is not something you want to have happen in your aquarium.

Next, get some large mid-water to top-water dwellers. Aside from cichlids which everyone keeps these days, some fish I might think about include kissing gouramis. They're called that because they kiss. They also get huge--eleven inches, IIRC. Big silver dollars are kinda cool, as are some of the large cichlids like Jack Dempsey, the Red and Green Terrors, Red Devils, Firemouths, and the Oscar. The only problem with Oscars is you have enough room for one. They need about sixty gallons of water apiece, but you can't keep two Oscars because they'll kill each other. You can keep an oscar or at least four oscars. They also need to be in there with large, hard-to-eat fish like sailfin plecos, silver dollars and kissing gouramis because oscars are opportunistic predators. I occasionally run across postings on fishkeepers' websites about how wonderful their oscars get along with (fill in name of fish that grows to a size small enough to fit in an oscar's mouth)...then one day they wake up and the only thing left in the tank is an oscar that weighs a pound and a half more than it did last night. "What happened?" Well, what happened is the oscar finally figured out he's a piscivorous fish.

[Rabrrrrrr]

30. And I'm liking this option more and more as well...

Partly thinking of how bithcin' it would look in the place, and also because I just plain love watching fish! And with a huge-ass tank, there will be more fish to watch! More room for them to swim! Imagine a small school tetras darting around!

And I can have some bigger fish as well.

If it weren't for the extra money, I'd be all over it already. But it's almost twice as much as the 55 gallon setup.

And the guy at the fish store told me, "Once you get a tank, no matter how big it is, you'll always wish you had a bigger one."

So I have to ask myself the question, even though it's more expensive in the beginning, will it prove to be less expensive in the future, since it will bar me from paying all $$ for a 55 gallon now, and ending up buying the 125 next year anyway?

So, anyway, thanks for all the good information! (And i love the kissing gouramis!)

[BiggJawn]

31. I have a 29 with 2 Goldfish.

One of them is 11" long.

I started out with a 10 and 6 Goldfish, then it dwindled down to 2, and after 5 years the 10 was too small, so i got them a 29.

Then the biggest one died, and the survivor was lonely so I got it a playmate (the little one from the outside bowl) and they're just the best buds.

The big one is about 9 years old.

[Politicub]

32. Fishy, fishy, where is the fishy?

Is it in the cupboard?

[Rabrrrrrr]

33. Did you look in the boureau?!

And it went wherever Iiiiiiiiiii did go...