New Pet for daughter

Question
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Followup To
Question -
Chris,

I have just purchased a 20 gallon tank and I would like to get some fish for my daughter
I would like your advice on things I need to have fish.  I bought this tank and stand 2nd hand it came with a light and a mesh cover, need to know what additional products to buy before getting the fish.  Also is there anything I need to do to set up the tank?  I beleive I remember something about letting water sit in the tank before adding the fish.  I am very new to this, so any advice you could pass along would be appreciated.

Thank you,
Lori
Answer -
Hi Lori;

The mesh cover would indicate that it was used for something other than fish. Do you know what was kept in there? The sealant can hold ammonia and disinfectants that are commonly used for reptiles and small animals. You may have to fill it up with water and add a 1/4 cup of bleach for a good soak if you aren't sure what was in it before. Make sure it is well-rinsed before use. Letting it dry afterwards before refilling is good too. It lets the rest of the bleach evaporate.

The best way is to re-seal the tank to eliminate the possibility of contamination. Strip out all the old silicone that is on the inside of the tank with a razor blade. You don't need to take the glass out or anything. You just want to get any sealant out that will be in direct contact with the water. Don't forget to get it from under the top rim. Get some "100% silicone sealant that is non-toxic when dry" from the local hardware store. Reseal according to the directions on the label.

It would be a good idea to get a glass top for it. If there is any metal in that top you have, it can rust and poison the fish. It will also allow too much evaporation. That alone would drive me nuts! **laughing**

Is there a filter?
Is there a heater?
If not, you will have to visit your local fish store to get them also. Let me know about the history of this tank if you can.

Followups always welcome

Come on over and join us on the freshwater fish forum at About.com to get even more information too;
http://forums.about.com/ab-freshaquaria/start

My member name is ChrisR62. See You There!

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins

I believe it was used as a fish tank, I bought it from someone that had fish but was moving. The mesh top fits perfectly on the tank and has a hole where I suppose I would feed the fish.

There is no filter or heater.  I was wondering if I would need them.  
Also if you could maybe give me a hint as to what kind of fish are easy to care for.  

Thanks again for your help.

Lori  

Answer
Hi Lori;

If you want only cold water fish like guppies or goldfish you won't need a heater, but get a filter. The fish really need it to do well. It is easier for you to clean with one too. The tank would have to be emptied once a week or more without one. With a filter, remove 25% of the water every week to 2 weeks once it is fully cycled. (More on "cycling" later).

Make sure the heater and filter are working very well for a day or two before adding fish. Get a good water conditioner to add to the water before putting the fish in. Acclimate the new fish by floating the bags on top of the fish tank water for 10 minutes or so. Add a little tank water to the bags during the floating time too. When they are ready to release, net the fish from the bags and gently place the fish in the tank. Throw away the transport water. It will be full of stress hormones and ammonia. (yuck!)Your fish are better off without that junk in their tank.

I will include my article on new tanks at the end of this letter to help you through the first 6 to 8 weeks. You will want to start very slow with only 4 small fish. Don't add more for 6 to 8 weeks. This is called the "Break-in Period" and is a very difficult time for fish, especially if there are too many at first. Platies, cory cats, and danios are all good starter fish. Hardy and cute.

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New Tank Syndrome or Break-in Period

So you have a new tank and you filled it up, put the filter together, mounted the heater into place and turned on the lights. You have all the plants and decorations where you want them....
You are ready for fish.

But, your filter is not ready for a full tank of fish yet.
The filter is running and moving the water and cleaning out crud, right? Of course!
But a very important part of your filter is the part you can't see. An aquarium filter removes the larger visible stuff, but it also must remove the dissolved fish waste that turns into ammonia in the water. To do this, special bacteria must grow in the filter system and on the particles of gravel in the bottom of your tank. This process occurs even on a limited scale in little fish bowls that have no filter in them.

This is "New-Tank Syndrome" or the "Break-in Period". The entire process takes 6 to 8 weeks to complete because these "nitrifying" bacteria grow quite slowly.

Start off with only two hardy fish for every ten gallons of water and don't add more until the 6 to 8 weeks has gone by. Hard to be patient, but it is worth it to keep your fish alive and healthy. As a matter of fact, the bacteria cannot develop without fish in the tank. You can let that tank sit forever without fish in it, but as soon as the first fish goes in the process begins. Avoid changing the filter pads during break-in. This removes the bacterial colonies that are essential to a balanced aquarium. You can rinse the filter pad out in a container of aquarium water. This will preserve most of the bacteria colonies while still allowing your filter to flow freely. Even using bacteria additives and water conditioners when you first set up the tank will not make a tank cycle by itself. If there are no fish to provide food (fish waste) for the bacteria, the beneficial bacteria cultures will die and you will have to start the colonies all over again once fish are added to the tank.

Feed your new fish VERY lightly. Any excess food will cause additional waste your system cannot afford to have right now. If you see food floating around or lying on the plants and gravel after five minutes, too much food is going into the tank. Cut back a little each time you feed until it is ALL gone 5 minutes after you feed them.

During this "break-in period" your tank will become cloudy and milky looking. You may have to tolerate this for the entire break-in period but it is only temporary. Changing 25% of the water three times a week until the break-in period is over helps a great deal. Changing water reduces the ammonia and nitrites that rise while the bacteria continues to multiply. If ammonia and/or nitrites become too high, your fish will become stressed and possibly die. Use a good water conditioner when you replace the water and make sure it is the right temperature to avoid shocking your fish.

When the break-in is over after 6 to 8 weeks and there are no nitrites or ammonia present in the water you can slowly add more fish. Add one or two every week until you reach the desired population. This allows the bacteria to adjust to the new population every time before adding more. Monitor the nitrites and ammonia to be sure they don't come up. If they do, make a 25% water change and check them again. Don't add the next fish until the levels are down again.

The safe maximum population for any size tank is one inch of adult fish for every gallon of water in the tank. Do some research to be sure of the fish you are interested in. Even though they are small when you buy them, you have to base your population calculations on full-sized adult fish. Many hobbyists have up to two inches per gallon but this can be risky. If a water quality issue arises or a disease occurs it will spread fast and furious in an over-populated tank. In any case, 25% water changes every week to two weeks are absolutely essential for the health of your fish.

Following these guidelines will help you get your new tank on the right track.
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Come on over and join us on the freshwater fish forum at About.com to get even more information too;
http://forums.about.com/ab-freshaquaria/start

My member name is ChrisR62. See You There!

Followups welcome

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins