# starting again atogetherfter all the fish died



## mariebx19 (Mar 14, 2013)

i have an aqaurium which i thinking of getting tropical fish for,what do i need to know/do/have before getting them ?? if you need a filter,is there a certain one ?? what temperature have they to be in ?? does the light and the filter have to be on 24/7 ?? about 5 years ago my mum bought fish for it and i think we had them for a few weeks before they all died (at the same time) what could have caused this and how can i make sure it doesnt happen again ?? 

oops,messed up the title,but cant fix it,oh well


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## NaomiM (Sep 22, 2012)

Hi  There's lots of information to take on board when you're starting up with new fish. I'll try to give you all the essential info, but it can be a bit overwhelming at first, so feel free to ask if anything needs clarifying!

The problems last time were almost definitely due to ammonia and nitrite poisoning. Basically, fish excrete ammonia, which is toxic. Bacteria in the filter turn the ammonia into nitrite, which is also toxic. Then more bacteria in the filter turn the nitrite into nitrAte, which is more or less harmless and is removed when you do water changes. But it takes time for the good bacteria to develop, and during that time, the fish suffer and can often die.

The best way to avoid this is to do a 'fishless cycle' on the tank before you buy the fish. This allows the good bacteria to establish before you put the fish in, so that the ammonia they produce is dealt with straight away before it can poison them. There's a step-by-step guide on how to do this here.

Other points to remember:

1) Yes the filter needs to be on 24/7, except for when you do your weekly water change, when you may leed to turn if off for a short while, but never for more than an hour or so, or the good bacteria will start to die.

2) All the water you add to the tank needs to be treated with a dechlorinator, and should be the same temperature as the water already in the tank.

3) When you clean the filter media (which doesn't need to be done nearly as often as the aquatic shops will tell you), NEVER wash it in tap water, as the chlorine in it will kill the good bacteria. Just give it a gentle swish in a bucket of old tank water.

4) Don't overstock your tank, as the filter will only be able to cope with a certain amount of fish. A good website to help get an idea of how many fish you can have, is AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor. It will also give you an idea of whether the fish you choose are OK to be kept together, and what temperature and pH they need.

5) You asked about lights - well the answer depends on whether or not you have live plants. If you do, they'll need to be on for around 10 hours per day. If not, then the lights are only there to make the tank look nice, so it's up to you how long to have them on. They should definitely be off overnight, though, so that the fish can rest (and also to stop too much algae growing).

Things you'll need:

- A decent sized tank - the bigger the better, but at least 60l. Smaller tanks are actually harder to maintain, as the water parameters are less stable in a smaller amount of water. It's also best to go for a tank with a lid, as some fish can jump out!

- A filter. Most tanks come with an internal filter, but if your tank is bigger than 90l or so, then an external filter is better.

- Your choice of substrate - gravel or sand. Sand is better if you're getting any fish that live on the bottom, such as catfish or loaches.

- A heater if you're keeping tropicals.

- Places for the fish to hide - plants (live or plastic/silk), and maybe some caves or ornaments.

- Dechlorinator (Seachem Prime is a good one - you can get it from Amazon or your aquatic shop might stock it).

- A liquid test kit. This is essential for monitoring the water quality, and liquid ones are far more accurate than the paper strips. The API master kit is a good choice, and about £20 on Amazon or ebay.

- Liquid ammonia for cycling (Jeyes Kleenoff is a suitable brand).

- A thermometer to monitor tank temperature.

Sorry for the mega-long post! Please feel free to ask questions! And do read the link on fishless cycling, as it's the most important thing you need to know at this stage.


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