Have the tank now what...

Akeema · 08-03-2009, 03:25 PM

Well where to begin I guess from the subject you can tell I've never had an aquarium before and need a little help building up one. I really want one for my son because we went to Disney world and he loved the fish there. So we went out and got a fish tank that we saw at a yard sale and now that I have it I have no idea where to start and my son's birthday is in a week. I really would like something that looks cool kind of like the ones you see in the doctors offices but my husband just wants to get some gold fish and stick them in there. Honestly I just need something that is easy to keep up and something that can stand having a full lid because we have two cats. I really need to know everything from how to clean the tank before you put fish in because it looks like they had it stored out side and there are lots of leaves and stuff in it. All the way to what to buy and even the fish and what not I should have in it. I really need this to be easy and kind of on the cheaper side of things and need it to be quick because my son's turning one on the 9th.

Thank you for taking the time to read all of that and for leaving advice if you do.

Judge · 08-03-2009, 06:37 PM

Ok, let's see where to begin. Cleaning, use NO soap. Lots of water, rinsing, elbow grease. Maybe a little vinegar. Mostly elbow grease. For some basics you need substrate/gravel, good water source and chemicals to treat the water to remove chlorine and/or chloramine. You will need some test kits for at least/minimum to test ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate so you can see your progress on cycling. If you are planning on having the tank up and running with fish by your son's birthday....well, I wouldn't. yes, the local fish store will sell y ou all kinds of "snake oil" that can quickly "cycle" your tank, but it won't! If you put fish in a tank that has not completely cycled, chances are really good they will die. Ammonia and Nitrite are deadly to fish and they are a natural part of the cycle.
Next, you'll need a heater and a filter of some sort. I may have missed it in your post but what size of a tank is this?
If it were me and my child I would want them to experience the whole process of cycling. It takes patience but the rewards are great and the payoff is wonderful when they finally get to pick out their first fish. Believe me, cycling can vary and does take patience. I started my 3rd tank 07/04/09 and it is not finished cycling yet!!! It will be worth it when it finishes. So I hope ya'll will research and learn all about this great hobby...might save some heartaches down the road. We're here for specific questions and look forward to hearing more about your progress.

louistheloach · 08-03-2009, 08:41 PM

Judge is right. There is no way you can have the tank up and running.....in fact for a 1 year old, I am not sure how long his attention will be held to this hobby.....they are work no matter what......

There are weekly water changes, vacuuming the gravel every couple of weeks (requires a tool), cleaning the filter, replacing the media (regular expense), chemicals to make city water safe for fish, test kits (at least in the beginning due to the cycling process and just learning the changes that affect water quality), cleaning the tank and the filter at regular intervals, and then if you have something like an algae bloom....oh my, a little more work......this is just a minimal list of what it takes to properly care for an aquarium, and at his age he will not be much help. .....so the job will fall to you, make sure you have the time to invest.......I am not trying to scare you away, just making you aware of the commitment it takes.......

Another consideration may be to go with something like frogs in your tank....there are some really cool ones, it would not be as much of an investment and probably not as much work, but still something alive for your son and you could get it set up by his birthday......a tank can always come later when he is old enough to at least help out a little and appreciate it a little more. You will still need to do a little research, as frogs do have specific needs, and food requirements, but very easy to take care of.

ltl

Judge · 08-04-2009, 06:52 AM

Thanks LTL I missed that. I saw the "9" and thought that was his age...you are correct, won't be much help but then again, you can never start too early! So go for it and have some fun. If I had smaller children I would try my best to use them for an excuse to have a few more tanks...one in each childs room at least. but then, I am addicted to fish!.