Newbie - 10 starter questions

[boobaloos]

Again, all so helpful. I got the water tested today and they said I'm good to go, so tomorrow I stock up. For now I'll probably get three of one species, since I don't want to buy too many before I'm sure my lack of skills won't kill them all. If they survive a month I'll buy more, of a different species.

I bought the Aquaclear 70 and hooked it up. If you all think the chem is a waste, I'll take it out, but I'm going to wait a month or so, as it's a new tank with all new stuff, so the chem may help get rid of any residual chemicals, right? Then I can swap it out for bio. ?

I have a bright fluourescent bulb - do the cichlids like a color other than the standard bulb?

 

[mscichlid]

Here is what I do with aquaclears. I take everything out except the sponge and add another sponge. So when I clean the filter, I only clean one; alernating the sponges at each cleaning. Cleaning a filter means rinsing the sponge in a bucket of water from the tank not tap. Keep dunking and squeezing. (It will never be absolutely as spotless as new). Use the bucket of dirty water on your plants or garden.

This link will take you everywhere, but I chose the one about water basics to assist you with understanding the whole process about this little water world in a box.

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/water-basics

But this link does not mean you should stop asking us questions. Believe me when I say we all started in the same way. AND we all still make mistakes...still! The link is just an introfuction the world of fish keeping, tangents and possibilities.

Welcome to CCA.

 

[Hawkman2000]

I still like to use carbon unless I use RO water when I do water changes. There are hundreds of harmful chemicals in tap water. If we prefer the taste of water that has been run through carbon filtration (ex. Brita,Pur,Zero Water), imagine how much of a differance it would be to breath it. Thats just my opinion though.

 

[dogofwar]

boobaloos - what's your plan for doing water changes? Once your tank is up and running, you'll need to do partial water changes every couple of weeks.

There's the siphon and bucket method and there is a system called a Python (or other brands) that hooks to your sink to drain and fill. Unless you like to lug buckets of water I'd do that.

Choose your first fish wisely... I'd get more than 3 (probably 6-8).

Good stuff!
Matt