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Anonymous
so /an/, i picked up a 150L (~34 gallons i believe) tank at a garage sale a few years back, and have recently gained an interest in setting it up properly. i havent had time to go into a shop yet and talk to them, but have been reading a little here and there.

so i come as an absolute beginner, wondering if there are any particular sites/books that are worth having a look at? yes, i have tried google, i was wondering if anyone knew some specific good/helpful sites.

cheers
>> Anonymous
Yeah I know a couple good ones.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/

http://www.aquatic-eden.com/2007/10/ada-2007-aquascaping-contest-top-10.html

Those sites have more information than you'll ever need on how set up a nice looking aquarium and how to take care of plants and aquatic animals.
>> Anonymous
thanks, guess i got something to read now :D some of those top 10 ones look amazing.

anyone else got anything to help a noob... aquariumist? XD

cheers :D
>> Anonymous
>>334854
The most important rule - dont rush, research, read before buying. And dont rush.
>> Anonymous
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profile.html

I found that site to be exceedingly useful when I wanted to know about the fish I was seeing in all the stores around here. There are a few popular fish which are oddly missing, but otherwise it's great.
>> Anonymous
Don't buy anything just because it looks cool. Think about the final product and don't skip or overlook the details. Don't buy a plant that needs 3wpg when you only have 1wpg and don't buy a fish that will need 50 gallons minimum when you only have 30.
>> Anonymous
>>334867
thats why im asking for good resource :D

>>334870
thanks, once ive gone into some stores and seen specific fish ill give that a shot.

>>334874
yep, thats the idea :D do plently of research and make sure i do it proper the first time (well, as proper as i can)

cheers =D
>> Anonymous
>>334876
Did you want a link to some place with all the different species of aquarium fish or what?
>> Anonymous
>>334878
that'd be good. im thinking ill go fresh cause that seems somewhat easier :P
>> Anonymous
bawww i fell off the front page and i hate aussie time difference.
>> Anonymous
http://www.aquaria.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=database&file=fishclasses&watertype=
Freshwater&brackish=N
>> Anonymous
Just remember you need to cycle the tank for a week or so before adding fish or whatever you plan to keep. Basically that means you need to introduce some certain bacteria into the substrate and let it proliferate throughout your system. That bacteria will break down the amonia in the fish/animal waste so they won't poison themselves with crap (literally). Most fish shops can hook you up with what you need to do that. They should have a culture of it around the shop somewhere.
>> Anonymous
(cont)

Then you need to figure out what you want to raise! There are a lot of fish that are easy to keep that are interesting, and some that just love dying on you or causing problems.

What kind of tank do you want?
Do you want action and excitement, something peaceful and relaxing, or something more unique like a crustacean or amphibian tank? You don't have to stick with fish.
>> Anonymous
>>334972
thanks.

i was going to go with fish, i do plan to dabble with reptiles etc later on, but dont think i could keep up with it currently.

id like somethng peaceful, but at the same time exciting (colours perhaps? personality?)

cheers :D
>> Anonymous
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>>334974
Hi, I usually use these sites in combination cross-referencing for fish info (never trust only one site for fish stuff; there are sometimes errors..)
aquahobby.com
fishlore.com
badmanstropicalfish.com

That said, I'd recommend a fish for you: dwarf gouramis (pictured) are very colorful, and also very active swimmers. They are full of personality, as well--if you stick your finger in the water, they "feel" you with their wispy ventral fins. Also, my gourami spits water at me if I dangle food above his head, like an archerfish.

Do you have any other specifications, like, do you want a community of fish, with schoolers? Do you want a species-only tank, do you want a single fish in your tank? I could pull up some more fish for you, if you want more ideas.
>> Anonymous
www.monsterfishkeepers.com
best site out there....
>> Anonymous
>>335989
thanks man! they look nice, and yes, i figured browsing a multitude of sites would be best. and those gouramis look nice!

as to specific fish, i was thinking a small variety of maybe 10 or 20 fish, depending on the breeds i go for (havent read much on different breeds at all, so if you feel inclined, that would be great!

thanks =)
>> Anonymous
>>336015

CICHLA FOR LIFE
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
Get a Bichir if you want a real character. This thing has more personality in its pectoral fin than any gourami or tetra. Grow up to about 8inches in captivity, you will have a armor plated eel cruising your aquarium.

Pros: Will survive through the worst of tank conditions, as they have a lung to breathe air.

Cons: Will eat anything it can swallow whole.
>> Anonymous
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/plants/beginners.php
>> Anonymous
>>336048
There are a lot of tetras that can be quite colorful, and only get up to 1-2 inches per fish. Neon tetras are probably a famous example. Black neons, pristella, ember and glowlight tetras are also good. You could also have cherry barbs, harlequinn rasboras, white cloud mountain minnows or zebra danios... Just remember to keep them in schools of 5+. If you want to try out bottomdwellers, look into corydoras catfish (also schooling fish).

Also, don't get a bichir, in my opinion. While yes, they are awesome fish, they're not really for "beginners", and might be a little difficult for OP to obtain..
>> Anonymous
Get a Coelacanth.
>> Anonymous
OP here.
>>336087
i want a variety in my tank for the moment, not something that will om nomnom the rest. :P perhaps later

>>336258
thanks id seen the neon tetras and they looked pretty decent. is it viable to have 10 or so + some bottom dwellers, or does it depend on the specific species of said bottomdwellers?
>> Anonymous
so visited a shop today. got some good advice and worked up roughly the set up costs (tad more than i expected, mainly the light).

Ausfag, but is buying secondhand worth the effort when im still rather unknowledgable in what works and what doesn't? ebay is full of random stuff :D

cheers :D
>> Anonymous
>>337033
Secondhand could be awesome. Look at craiglist, you can often find great deals there.
Regarding the light, it depends on what do you want. Salles person would off course try to push the most expensive light on you. However, often you dont need much light, it all depends on what kind of plants do you want to keep and what other equipment are you going to purchase.