My first aquarium (picture)

Kavey

AC Members
Jan 24, 2007
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Its becoming a fun hobby to me. Ive always wanted some fishys. Now I got them.. have learned a ton on this forum. I wouldnt have been able to do it without you guys. This summer Im gonna fix up the goldfish pond the previous owner left in my back yard.. sure I will need some advice when the time comes :) Heres a pic of my aquarium so far.. comments and suggestions welcome on what else to put in there or do. Thanks

fish2.jpg
 
Thanks.. would like to get some plants or something instead of the fake plants on the background but not sure what kinda plants I need.. something living would probably help with my nitrate problem anyway.
 
Nitrate problems can usually be fixed by more frequent water changes, but, if its in your water before, (i had this in my well water at my previous residence) I had good luck using Nitra zorb. It came out of the tap at about 25ppm. The Nitra zorb got it down to about 10
 
Maybe im a bad searcher but I didnt find any threads showing how to do a water change properly.. I have been changing it often but maybe im doing it wrong? Mind telling me the correct way to do a water change?
 
Get a gravel vac, Start the suction, stick in in the gravel, let it suck the poo and nasties out of the gravel. After I'm done vaccuming i leave it in the tank until it sucks out half the water once a week. Then add the dechlor for the whole water volume, and fill her up.
 
I do it almost the same way, but I move the vaccuum from one spot in the gravel to another each time it looks like it has most of the mulm ( "poop"etc) from one spot. ... I hope that makes sense...
I keep doing this the whole time until I have about 50%of the water out each week.
also, I always put the dechlorinator in the water i was going to add, b4 I added it. Either way works. To Add water back, make sure the temperature of the new water is as close as possible to the old water and then add it in gently. The set up I have now lets me put the bucket full of new water up higher than the tank and use the gravel vacuum to siphon the water back in slowly. I like this because it doesnt stir up a lot of gunk into the water and send the plants flying around ;)
Oh also remember to unplug the heater before you take water out, and Remember to plug it back in when through!!
Oh about plants, look for low light easy care plants. plantgeek.com, or ask in the plant forum here... java fern and java moss are the two I rely on, but there are others too. I wonder what problem you are having with nitrate?
I Like the look of your tank btw
 
What is the thing taking up most of the tank space...one of those filters? I think, if it is, that a good HOB should be obtained, and it would give you more room for fish.
 
That thing is just a big rock. It was in the tank when I got it and I liked it so I put it back in there.
 
HOB? and should I take it out and put smaller decoration in there to make more room for the fish? I thought they would like that rock with the hole in it and it makes for a good spot for them to hide behind it.
 
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