Please comment on this aquarium

(31 Posts)
sweetestB Tue 05-Feb-13 15:00:22
EauRouge Tue 05-Feb-13 15:11:28

Too small, sorry sad Also v overpriced for what you get. Something around 60 litres is a good size for a beginner. 45 litres is really the bare minimum unless you just want a couple of shrimps.

sweetestB Tue 05-Feb-13 18:36:53

oh hello.
too small for any kind of fish at all?

NatashaBee Tue 05-Feb-13 18:41:59

I agree, go for a 60 litre. We had something similar for that just for a couple of neon fish.

EauRouge Tue 05-Feb-13 18:47:34

Yes, definitely too small for any fish at all. The RSPCA recommends 45 litres as a minimum. There are no restrictions on what can be sold as a fish tank so just because something is packaged, labelled and covered in fancy marketing blurb, doesn't mean it's suitable for keeping fish in. It's a bloody minefield!!

Small tanks are often marketed for beginners but bigger tanks are actually easier to maintain because they are more forgiving of rookie mistakes.

sweetestB Tue 05-Feb-13 18:50:41

it's a shame this market is so misleading.
thanks again, I will ask for more opinions soon

EauRouge Tue 05-Feb-13 18:51:57

Sorry, that should have been potential rookie mistakes- they don't always happen!

sweetestB Tue 05-Feb-13 20:04:46
EauRouge Tue 05-Feb-13 20:20:24

Well you need some dechlorinater (there are others, that's the one I use) and a water test kit. That's all the chemicals you need, don't bother with any of the filter boost stuff. You just need to wait grin

You could use household ammonia to cycle the tank- this method is easiest because you have more control over the amount of ammonia- or you could just use fish food.

sweetestB Tue 05-Feb-13 20:30:23

Wow that water test kit is pricey

EauRouge Tue 05-Feb-13 20:34:42

It'll probably be cheaper on Ebay. It works out better value than the dipstick ones because it lasts much longer.

sweetestB Tue 05-Feb-13 20:48:22

Should I get some real plants?

EauRouge Tue 05-Feb-13 20:51:43

It's up to you. There are some very easy to keep plants that need minimal lighting and fertiliser. They cost a bit to start with but they spread so you don't need to buy tons. You'd need a fertiliser like this kind of thing to go underneath the sand/gravel.

You could try freecycle for aquarium plants, I'm always freecycling my spares. Just make sure you give them a good wash first.

Silk plants are OK, fish much prefer real ones though. Plastic ones are generally to be avoided as they sometimes have sharp edges that can tear fins.

sweetestB Tue 05-Feb-13 20:53:32

Water test kit is £3 cheaper on EBay

sweetestB Tue 05-Feb-13 21:01:42

You know what? I better not think about plants for now

sweetestB Tue 05-Feb-13 21:32:19

Last question before I check out: if I buy the water conditioner, do I need to buy the safe tablets and clear tablets?

sweetestB Tue 05-Feb-13 21:55:35


EauRouge Tue 05-Feb-13 22:27:13

Nope, you only need the dechlorinater.

sweetestB Fri 08-Feb-13 12:14:17

So hopefully my Jewell Korall 60 Tropical Aquarium will arrive tomorrow. I forgot to order much I need? How much decoration.?
I'm going to the pet shop to buy stuff and want to have a look at the fish, so how many fish and what type I can use in this tank?
I will just look at the fish I won't buy any

EauRouge Fri 08-Feb-13 19:02:40

Hmm, probably about 7kg of gravel? I can never remember. You'll need enough to cover the bottom and be about 3cm deep. If it's too deep then you get patches of anaerobic bacteria, if it's too shallow then plants can't root. If you were thinking of getting some little catfish then sand is a better choice than gravel, which can injure their barbels.

Decor depends on what fish you have and what your personal preference is. You could get bogwood (there are some plants that will grow on it that look really nice and are easy to grow), rocks (be careful what sort, some can alter the pH of the water), ornaments etc. Real plants or silk ones are fine, avoid plastic ones as some of them can have sharp edges. If you go for real ones then get something that stays fairly small. Crypts are a good bet. Real plants will need a planting substrate to go under the gravel.

There are lots of species that will live happily in a 60 litre. What is your tap water hardness and pH? If it's around neutral then you have loads of options but if it is very alkaline or acidic then that will limit your choices a bit more. Let me know once you've tested and I can recommend some fish.

I wouldn't go for anything that gets bigger than 2 inches (there are still exceptions) and I'd stick to just one shoal of one species or possibly 2 species if you were to have a shoal of catfish and a single specimen or pair of gouramis for example. But once you know your water type then I can start being more specific.

Hope that helps, happy browsing smile

sweetestB Sat 09-Feb-13 19:23:37

Thanks for that, EauRouge, actually I just realised that I haven't ordered the tropical aquarium but the goldfish one, so ideally how many fish can I have in there and can I mix different types of cold water fish and how many?
Also, I will use silk plants won't mess about with real ones for now.
I have bought some gravel but not decoration, I will wait for the tank to arrive.

sweetestB Sat 09-Feb-13 19:29:44

I am worried now because I ordered the tank on Tuesday evening, the seapets website didn't tell me when they will deliver but I have read somewhere it was 3 days delivery.
They didn't reply to my email (I sent on Wednesday) asking about the delivery, and in fact I haven't received a confirmation email about the order but it appears on my account on the website.
I will call them on Monday depending on their call fees.

sweetestB Sat 09-Feb-13 19:32:44

Oh, will also check on the type of water overhere, I have no idea.
Also can you give me your opinion on those fake jelly fish you can put in the aquarium and background?
I'm not keen on the backgrounds but I guess I need to set up the aquarium and see...

EauRouge Sat 09-Feb-13 21:05:59

Coldwater limits your options again. Pretty much your only option is white cloud mountain minnows, but they are lovely little fish; very pretty and easy to look after. They'll be OK unless your water is really acidic.

You don't have to have a background, I haven't bothered with my tank. Lots of tall plants at the back will look fine.

Not seen the fake jelly fish. If it's plastic or resin then it shouldn't change the pH, as long as it doesn't have any sharp edges then it should be OK. A lot of decor is just down to personal preference.

EauRouge Sun 10-Feb-13 20:26:49

If you wanted to get tropical fish then all you'd have to do is add a heater, you can get one for about a tenner.

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