Just starting out and looking for advice

hutchcox

AC Members
Aug 15, 2007
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Hello I am new here so it’s polite to quickly introduce myself :grinyes:
My name is Rich I am 18 (19 in 19days ;) ) from England (Warwickshire) I am a college student on my second year in a 3D design course.. Oh and loving it!

Let’s begin, I have been looking in to getting myself a tank over the summer. After getting back off holidays and what not my dad supprised me with a 120l tank and cabinet from his mate (FREE :headbang2: ) so two weeks ago I filled it up and have just been letting it run. I am also using the same filter and stones that came with the tank (2 years worth of running with them both).

Today: I woke up and had enough of looking in to my empty tank and wanted to find out what next to do. So I made a trip to my LFS and got a little advice + new pump, plants and bits and bobs. She said that I'd need to let the tank cycle for a few weeks which I thought I had already done :confused: so the levels would set.

After getting it all set up... and then moving it.... and then re moving it... and then you guessed it I moved it some more. I let the water settle and did some water testing. This is what I got

PH: 7.5
NH3/NH4 0 mg/l
Water temp 77 of about 26 Oc

So what do I do now? I was told by my LFS owner I need to start with some small 'cheep and cheerful fish' But what I forgot to ask about was ideally what do the levels need to be and what else should I test for :confused:

She also told me to join a forum so here I am asking for some advice :)

Thanks for any help in advance and I am sorry about the wall of text.

Rich


 
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Welcome to AC.Just use the link above and you will be well on your way to understanding the cycling process and everything it involves. Any more questions just ask and there are a lot of people ready and willing to help you.

Marinemom
 
i agree, that link will be your best place to start. and i strongly recommend doing a "fishless cycle" (you'll read about that in the link) in which case you do not (and should not) get "cheap and cheerful fish" unless that's what you want
 
:welcome: to AC! Definitely read that link before you get fish (I wish I had). It sounds like you have a very good LFS if they are advising you to research first! You've come to the right place, these folks saved my fish and helped keep me sane (relatively).
 
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