N00b from Canberra

[mr_walker]

Hiya all,

I've been lurking on here for a little while now, but this is my first post. I've decided to get serious about keeping an aquarium, after having a only couple of goldfish for ages now.

I started about 5 years ago when I picked up a second hand tank and filter for $25 from a garage sale. Since then we've been through a few goldfish, and a little while back I decided to have a go with something different and added a couple of danios and sucking catfish ... which slowly died one by one. I guess it's hard to keep anything with goldfish in a 30 litre tank.

So I'm trying to absorb as much know-how as I can, and my current plan is to go all out and get a 4 foot tank because I've found the perfect spot for it in the house (on tiles, facing the main living area, and just outside the door to the laundry/bathroom).

I'm considering an Aqua One AquaGrande 120 (http://www.aquaone.co.uk/AquaGrande_aquarium.php) because it looks awesome, and has inbuilt filtration that is ... from what I read ... a lot easier to clean than a canister filter. Can anyone comment on this model?

I've been trying to figure out how to start - should I go for a basic tropical setup with reasonably hardy fish (platys, gouramis, tetras etc.) or should I look at something more adventurous like cichlids?

I'm looking forward to learning as much as I can off everybody on this forum!

Cheers,

Walker

[wombat1100]

Hi Mr Walker!
and welcome to TFT, if you are just starting out i would try really hardy fish, just until you get your head around water conditions and the like , then as your confidence grows you can change to less hardy fish. thats my opinion anyway.

[titan84]

Hi mate, Ciclids arent all that complicated proving that you have the right combinations in the tank. For a beginer such as yourself maybe a pair of Convicts and some Firemouths, Gold or Green Severums are always prety placid. You just have to stick with either Americans or Africans and africans can tend to be a bit more complicated as per water conditions ect... It is always a good idea to provide plenty of hidding spots for fish in the form or rocks caves or wood and if aggression levels in the tank gets to high maybe look at purchasing a silver dollar or two to break it all up.
As far as the filter goes i have no idea on that model but for a four foot tank i wouldnt get to complicated or over spend at this stage. Just make sure that you give your tank about three weeks to get the chemistry rght before you go putting any fish in.
Let us all know how you go
Good luck
Titan

[Woodsy]

Hey mate, and welcome to the forum :)
Funny that you have that preconception about tropical fish, and you're not the only one so don't worry. When you're first starting out, I don't care what anyone else says, African Cichlids are by far the easiest and forgiving fish to keep, assuming you don't try more adventurous species such as Tropheus. Many of my clients whom I only see once a month keep these fish, simply for that reason - the tanks are so stable once established. Aside from that, for someone new to the hobby and usually with the prerequisite of "colour", Africans will afford some of the most stunning colours short of a marine tank, while not breaking the bank or dying at the drop of a hat. If you go down this avenue, your choice of decore can work to your advantage in keeping your water chemistry stable as well. You can even head over to Frontosa.com.au and have a look at some members pics if you think you might be interested ;)

As for the tank you have in mind, those top trickle units are great for beginners or people who cbf cleaning a cannister! Later on down the track they also allow for some fun DIY options as well :)
The key is not to overstock, as the systems will not cope like a canister might.

Best of luck mate!

[mr_walker]

Thanks Guys,

I'm thinking I'd like a low tech planted tank, and have settled on the Aqua One Aquagrande 120 (acknowledging that I'll probably have to add an external canister to the setup at some stage, and might have to upgrade the lighting eventually as well). The base tank is very nice, and I can change the filters/lights on top if I want. I think I've read that planted tanks aren't optimal for cichlids either, which is swinging me further towards either tropicals or livebearers.

At this stage, I'm gunning for a 4 foot setup with a decent plant substrate and some pretty hardy plants, and I might start with a school of tiger barbs and a couple of BN's once the tank is cycled. Next step might be some tetras of some description, and maybe a gourami or two. I'm probably more interested in fish with a bit of character more than just colours (and no, I don't think I want an Oscar tank!). The barbs certainly look like a busy fish - although I read they're a bit nippy!

Cheers,

Walker

[Woodsy]

If you want to learn more about low-tech planted tanks, Walker, see if you can find yourself a copy of "Ecology of the Planted Aquarium", by Diana Walstad - One of the best books I've ever purchased :)

[mr_walker]

Well I can see how this can become an obsessive hobby! I haven't even got my tank yet, and I can't stop thinking about how I should set it up.

I ended up ordering the Aqua One Aquagrande 120, and some Flourite substrate - should all turn up next week I hope.

Now I'm thinking about an Amazon themed tank, with Angels, Tetras (bigger ones), Dwarf American Cichlids (Bolivian Butterfly or Blue Rams) and maybe a Bristlenose or two. I found the most awesome bit of driftwood at the LFS, that would go perfectly. I just need to find some suitable rocks.

Thanks for the tip about the Diana Walstad books - sounds like a good one to get. I figure that a reasonably densely planted tank can only be good for the fish, provided I get the right water profiles set up.

Cheers,

Walker

[wombat1100]

While you are waiting for the tank to arrive, soak that driftwood in some water to clean it and get some tannins out of it, hot water in the bath is the go if its big, I love the look of congo tetras in a amazon tank, also boesmani rainbows look good colour wise, not really amazon though! lots of cardinals and neons for colour , just a thought. what are you thinking of putting in it now u have gone away from the cichlid idea?