anser2 Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 I must echo Snoozer's comment. Take your time before introducing fish, get the tank well settled and let the plants get a good hold. Introduce the fish a pair or two at a time , do not fill the tank with fish all at once. I would recomend getting a good book on keeping fish before you start. It will help you make up your mind if you want to keep tropicals or cold water fish, how to set up the tank and what fish get on well together and what species are best kept alone. Buy fish from a local pet shop to start with. The odds the water type will be the same as your house and so the fish used to the same hard\soft water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted February 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 Fair play gents some of you have spent some time typing these replies! Appreciate it very much 👍🏻 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R1nut Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 I'm not far from you and suffer hard water!! I ran a 2 metre wild discus tank successfully for about 10 years. Don't let the hardness or ph put you off, find the fish you like then research their needs and aim for that!! Changing the peramiters of the water is doable it just takes the know how!! I also kept an arowana, he was a fantastic fish. I lost count of the amount of bulbs I replaced, that thing could jump!! He used to coil himself up in the corner of the tank and fire himself at the surface taking the lighting and lid with him!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 Yikes. I Googled arowana. Up to £5 k. A double headed one priced from £58 grand !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chady Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 Is that in Leicester?? Hi, This is the Jewel tank in the animal unit i manage, we also have a 45,000 litre Koi pond, we use this for water chemistry and habitat maintenance teaching, if you need any help, just ask! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R1nut Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 There are some pretty good videos on YouTube of them jumping for food!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toxo Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 I'm not far from you and suffer hard water!! I ran a 2 metre wild discus tank successfully for about 10 years. Don't let the hardness or ph put you off, find the fish you like then research their needs and aim for that!! Changing the peramiters of the water is doable it just takes the know how!! I also kept an arowana, he was a fantastic fish. I lost count of the amount of bulbs I replaced, that thing could jump!! He used to coil himself up in the corner of the tank and fire himself at the surface taking the lighting and lid with him!! How I miss my 6ft x 2ft x 1ft8 inch Discus tank. Water was very hard. I made a big ion exchanger out of 5 inch clear tube. Much quicker than the modern systems. I even had a Pike in it at one time. Much easier to maintain than small tanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R1nut Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 Toxo, I found that too!! The larger the tank the less likely for sudden changes. I ran and still have a ro unit, it was ideal to create breeding conditions. Kept to a set feeding and water change routine and didn't have any problems!! I fed them on beef heart, it made them grow really well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toxo Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 Toxo, I found that too!! The larger the tank the less likely for sudden changes. I ran and still have a ro unit, it was ideal to create breeding conditions. Kept to a set feeding and water change routine and didn't have any problems!! I fed them on beef heart, it made them grow really well. I find the RO units are so wasteful with water. The unit I made was basically two tubes, one filled with cation resin and the other with anion resin. Just connect to the tap (London. very hard water). When exhausted just run backwards to regenerate. I once had Eberhard Schulze, the writer and first president of the British Discus Association in my house pleading with me to let him have a very large female that I had. I miss my Discus like crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wandringstar Posted February 11, 2017 Report Share Posted February 11, 2017 get Malawi's in your tank, remember they wont mix with anything else, better than tropical, much more colour, nearest to marine for colour etc. I did the fish thing some years back, I enjoyed it, don't forget your pleccy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted February 11, 2017 Report Share Posted February 11, 2017 Is that in Leicester?? Almost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chady Posted February 11, 2017 Report Share Posted February 11, 2017 Ocean commotion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted February 11, 2017 Report Share Posted February 11, 2017 You can buy some fantastic guppies with big fancy tails, because the body of the fish is small you can have more of them in a tank. Depending on filtration you are stuck to a certain amount of inches of fish per gallon of tank water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperGoose75 Posted February 11, 2017 Report Share Posted February 11, 2017 I have a 400l corner tank set up with an island at the back for basking for 2 musk turtle and a small male false map. They have guppies and corydoras catfish in with them and are all fine. With turtles in you need a much bigger filter than you would for a fish only tank and more regular water changes. The bacteria they can carry is salmonella, so not good childrens pets. [/ Not meaning to derail the thread about fish to terrapin's but think it good manners to reply. That is a very good looking setup you have and way bigger than what we have.However we have a specialized terrapin tank that comes with a shelf that slopes for the terrapins to bask on. We also have a rock type cave that they use to hide in and also it protrudes from the water level that they also lay on. The Kids don't handle them but do feed them with their hands as they come up and take the food from their hands but they always get their hands washed when finished. I clean them out every couple of weeks and I was told to squeeze the filters into the clean water as there is something that the turtle's create and need. They are very happy and active. Just an observation and I'm by no means an expert but that terrapin in your tank looks more like a 'Red Eared Slider' rather than a Musk terrapin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted February 12, 2017 Report Share Posted February 12, 2017 Very wise to be very careful with hand washing and terrapins, filthy creatures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted February 12, 2017 Report Share Posted February 12, 2017 Not meaning to derail the thread about fish to terrapin's but think it good manners to reply. That is a very good looking setup you have and way bigger than what we have.However we have a specialized terrapin tank that comes with a shelf that slopes for the terrapins to bask on. We also have a rock type cave that they use to hide in and also it protrudes from the water level that they also lay on. The Kids don't handle them but do feed them with their hands as they come up and take the food from their hands but they always get their hands washed when finished. I clean them out every couple of weeks and I was told to squeeze the filters into the clean water as there is something that the turtle's create and need. They are very happy and active. Just an observation and I'm by no means an expert but that terrapin in your tank looks more like a 'Red Eared Slider' rather than a Musk terrapin. Definatley musk as they are only 4" long and 15 years old. I have had them since 1" long and sliders at that size would be vivid green not brown as these were and still are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted February 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2017 It's an Aqua One 22litre tank, it's think it's about a 1ft cube. Got it set up and the pump and now the heater running so hopefully give it a few days then pop some fish in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 It's an Aqua One 22litre tank, it's think it's about a 1ft cube. Got it set up and the pump and now the heater running so hopefully give it a few days then pop some fish in Don't just lob the fish in, run a couple of water chemistry checks first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie10 Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Used to have a 320 gallon tank with Sting rays and Siamese Tiger fish....until the tank broke.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted February 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Don't just lob the fish in, run a couple of water chemistry checks first! I will do mate! Was told to let it run for a few days first to establish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 I will do mate! Was told to let it run for a few days first to establish. Yep do that, check ammonia, nitrates, nitrites and the pH, it's worth checking the DKH/alkalinity if your pH isn't acceptable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted February 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Yep do that, check ammonia, nitrates, nitrites and the pH, it's worth checking the DKH/alkalinity if your pH isn't acceptable. Can you just buy a kit for all that? My gf just told me apparently pets at home will test your water for free if you take them a sample. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wandringstar Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 those mollies go in any water within reason, I put mine in same day and they were fine, quite tough fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 Can you just buy a kit for all that? My gf just told me apparently pets at home will test your water for free if you take them a sample. You can, I'll check which ones we use at work, which have been calibrated to be as the most accurate by our labs. pH is so important so get a kit that gives more accuracy than 1 point/degree of pH. It's all ok taking water somewhere, but if it's not right you have to adjust/change water then run off for another check. TBH water testing is a nice thing to do and understand. those mollies go in any water within reason, I put mine in same day and they were fine, quite tough fish. They are, as are danio used as 'tester fish', but if you want to get some species less robust, water chemistry and interpretation is vital. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted February 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 You can, I'll check which ones we use at work, which have been calibrated to be as the most accurate by our labs. pH is so important so get a kit that gives more accuracy than 1 point/degree of pH. It's all ok taking water somewhere, but if it's not right you have to adjust/change water then run off for another check. TBH water testing is a nice thing to do and understand. They are, as are danio used as 'tester fish', but if you want to get some species less robust, water chemistry and interpretation is vital. Yer I thought I wouldn't want to be doing trips back and forth to see if it's alright 😂 Appreciate if you let me know which kit to get. I'm well excited 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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