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Footnote:
This section is going to be written by
one of the readers. He has decided to undertake the task of starting
up a new 75 gallon aquarium. I believe it will be a helpful and fun
addition to the site and offer insight, ideas and problems from a fresh
perspective. Enjoy, the Badman
Hi I would like to welcome all to this section of the site.
I would like to mention that this section is intended for NEWBIES people
who would like to get into keeping fish and what is involved, but everyone
is welcome.
This site will contain several sections. The first section is the new
tank that I am putting together which will be a 75-gallon tank. I will
show you step by step all parts and work necessary in putting up this
tank, and I think we will do this in weekly (or as I get to them) so
stop by whenever you can to see how far along we are!
The second section I would like to put up is really geared up for the
beginners. There is much to know about these cute little water swimmers
than you could possible think. The third section I haven't decided yet
and will update this as soon as I know what it will be!
First of all I will tell you a little about
myself and hope that I don't ramble to much as I am know to tell long
fish stories! First off I am 37 married and have two kids that occupy
what little time I have. I am forced to find time at work and late at
night to do things I love such as this site.
Well, the story begins: Up until 2 months ago I knew that fish swim
and they like water! That was all I knew. We went to a carnival this
summer where my son won a Goldfish. I had been thinking of getting
him a fish tank for some time but wasn't sure if I wanted to mess
with the fish stink (so I thought they stunk). My son was all excited
on the idea of getting a fish tank and I thought oh what the heck
Walmart is open all night lets head out there. Not having a clue of
what I am doing, I was shopping up a storm, picking stuff like I knew
what I was doing. I found a 10-gallon tank kit. Hey! This is just
what we need. Everything is in the box just add water and fish. Nothing
to it! Hey! We only have one fish. Lets get him some buddies. Hey
this funny looking (I think) Catfish looks good. I found out later
it was a Pleco. He looks cute silver and black and nice and little.
The sign says Silver Shark but he looks OK. Close but it was really
a Bala Shark. My son spots these cute little frogs. African
Claw frogs they look small and cute lets get two. So we proceeded
to get 1
Pleco, 2 African Claw frogs, 1
Bala Shark, a cat fish of some sort I forget and we had a Gold
fish so now we have some buddies for him. I bought a Regent 5-15 gallon
100 gal/hr. filter (don't ask me why I guess I thought it would make
the tank not stink). A few little plastic plants and home we went.
When we arrived home, I noticed that there was no gravel in the kit.
It's pretty hard to weigh down a sponge filter blowing air without
gravel to hold it down and gravel is supposed to be in there to make
the tank look pretty. Dad to the rescue! A hot pepper jar will hold
the bubble maker down until tomorrow so toss those fish in and we'll
take care of that in the morning. Next morning all the fish are still
alive and dad is a hero. Lets go to Walmart. We get gravel and more
junk to put in the tank and buy a heater.
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We didn’t get one of those with the kit maybe, we need one. My son spots
a Crayfish.
He has to have him he’s cool. What the heck I’m make him happy. We get
a crayfish I should have known this guy was going to be trouble when
he poked a hole in the bag before we got through the line and the girl
in the fish department had to put him in a glass jar. But she said they
don't hurt fish? We get home, put the tank together add gravel and the
heater. As my son sits there looking at the Cray fish, that was in the
tank one minute eats his Bala Shark. Tears flying from him I catch the
Cray fish in the net and put him back in the jar. The Bala, still alive
but badly hurt had to be euthanized. Another trip to Wally World to
get a refund on the Cray fish. The same sales girl is still there feels
bad about the Bala and gives me a new one free. Back home We went with
the new Bala and dumped him in. Now all is well. Four days later the
Bala is dead. Must have been defective, so out to Walmart again. They
give us a new fish. He’s dead the next day along with the catfish. Hey
what gives here?
I found a pet store where I work and talk to the guys in the fish section.
They inform me that I have new tank syndrome. Huh?! What the heck is
that? They want a water sample. I bring it in and the Ammonia is off
the charts. How often do you feed the fish they ask? Three or four times
a day, and lots of it. We want fat fish. The next question is what kind
of biological filter am I using. BIO WHAT! Like I said I have fish with
a bubble maker! You should at least have an undergravel filter. OK!
Off to Walmart. Get an undergravel filter and what the heck there is
a power head. This is supposed to work great on undergravel filters.
It says so on the box. 170 gallons per hour too. That will fix the problem.
Out of the tank the fish go and in goes the new undergravel filter and
power head. Switch on! Now this I wished I had a video of a 170 gal/hr.
head on a 10 gallon tank. I had the only wave pool for fish on the block,
and with the aeration it looked like they were in a snowstorm. This
doesn't look right. Out come the fish redo the whole tank again. Using
the air pump and the two tubes. Now I find that I need a valve splitter
and tubing. Out to Walmart. Take the power head back and get a new air
pump and new tubing and a adjustable valve splitter. Now we’re set.
Biological whachamacallit in there and new fish, air looks good but
fish have white specks on them. Must be dandruff or something. New Bala
dies. Two days later spots are worse and Pleco is dead. What the heck
is going on now? I call pet store and they say
ICK!I told you I have fish what the heck is ICK! Well that was
it I had added 3 Berry Tetra’s (which I found out are painted fish)
and they were the last to die. I added Copper plus to the water after
I found out that this stops ICK but it was too late. I am a fish killer.
I was sure that the Cods had my picture on every tank don't go home
with this guy.
Well, that was a lesson well learned and a long story. There were other
problems afterwards to but the moral of the story is don't listen to
Walmart fish people! No really I told this story to help others not
to make the same dumb mistakes I did. First of all those cut little
frogs at Walmart get the size of a grown mans fist and will eat your
fish in about 6 months to a year. Not to mention fish getting scared
and developing a disease called “ICK”. This is what caused my fish to
get sick. In one night I pulled the fish in and out of the tank two
times. This is what caused the ICK! I’m sure the frogs jumping around
didn’t help but they were the only things to survive. I guess ICK doesn't
affect frogs. I cleaned the whole tank (which I find out I didn’t have
to do after 24-48 hours ICK parasites die without a host). I got books,
studied web sites and started over. I got another 10-gallon tank to
hold the frogs and just fish in the other.
So here I am 2 and a half months later and a lot smarter. I have 2 ten-gallon
tanks and 1 has already cycled and all fish are doing great. So I am
by no means an expert at fish but I am a lot smarter than I was 2 ½
months ago. I have read many books and have asked many a question. I
now know that cycling the tank is very important and what goes on and
what to look for. Also the reason for the 75-gallon tank. Larger bodies
of water are a lot more forgiving than smaller bodies. Make a mistake
with 75 gallons of water not real bad as long as repaired. Make a mistake
with ten gallons and move quickly because concentrations build quickly.
I also want to show that even a Green person such as myself can put
together a large tank and so can you. I will show you step by step parts
I am using and the things you need to do. Also pictures of what to do
as well. Prices of parts and helpful places to get the best prices.
By no means does anyone need to use the same parts and I will try to
add a place for the smaller tanks. I found out there is such a thing
as starter fish. Some fish can tolerate extreme levels of toxic substances
more than others can and we will cover this as well. So book mark this
page and tune in as often as possible to find out how things are going
and how far we are along. My name is Bill but my friends call me Mags!
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