# Newbie. Have I got everything I need?



## azdaboss (Aug 24, 2010)

Hi Guys, just found this fantastic forum, and decided to register!

I am looking at getting some tropical fish (such as clownfish, angels, neons etc) in a nice aquarium to have at home.
I'm looking at having around 10-15 fish altogether in the tank after it's cycled etc.
I don't have any equipment or fish yet, but I've had a look around and so far this is what I will be getting:
- Fluval Roma 125 Aquarium (125 litres) and Cabinet
- Fluval M Series Heater 150watt
- Fluval U3 internal filter
- Fluval GLO lighting (PowerGlo and AquaGlo)
- Included is 100ml Nutrafin Aqua Plus water conditioner and a 100ml Nutrafin Cycle with a 26g Nutrafin Tropical Flake food
- Aquarium Decoration & Background
- Dechlorinator

My questions are:
- What else will I need to start the aquarium (other than fish obviously!)
- What exactly will the water conditioner and Nutrafin Cycle do?
- Is the filter sufficient enough?
- Anything else I should know


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## GetITCdot (Aug 4, 2009)

azdaboss said:


> Hi Guys, just found this fantastic forum, and decided to register!
> 
> I am looking at getting some tropical fish (such as clownfish, angels, neons etc) in a nice aquarium to have at home.
> I'm looking at having around 10-15 fish altogether in the tank after it's cycled etc.
> ...


Welcome to the forum! I don't really know the metric system but if google serves me right 125 liters is about 30 gallons..... there is no possible way you would ever want to keep 15 fish in a 30 gallon tank. I have 12 fish in a 150 gallon (567 liter) tank and still at times i feel its overstocked.

You will also need sand, live rock, and a cleaner crew (snails, crabs, etc)

The filter will do fine for a fish only tank but again you dont want anywhere near that bioload.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

I think he is talking about a freshwater tank not salt.

A clown will get to big for a tank of this size, you would be limited to one angel, 2 if you get a male and female, but then if they start breeding they will fight with any fish that get to close to the nest.

Neons would be to small to put with angels and are an angels natural food source. I would look into cardinals instead as they are somewhat larger.

Water conditioners remove chlorine and chloramine from your tap water. Best is Prime by seachem. Nutrifin cycle is basically a bandaid, that will work sometimes but most of the time not.

I would also look into getting a larger filter and get a hang on back one. Aquaclears are a great brand. Get one rated for twice the size of the tank and you will be so much happier.


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## GetITCdot (Aug 4, 2009)

susankat said:


> I think he is talking about a freshwater tank not salt.
> 
> A clown will get to big for a tank of this size, you would be limited to one angel, 2 if you get a male and female, but then if they start breeding they will fight with any fish that get to close to the nest.
> 
> ...


Good call,
Op: Are we talking fresh or salt?


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

*(such as clownfish, angels, neons etc) *

I think the neons here gave it away


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## azdaboss (Aug 24, 2010)

I'm a newbieee!! I don't know which fish are and aren't saltwater/freshwater/tropical etc etc.!! I'm looking at SALTWATER, sorry for the confusion. I have bought a saltwater mix ready for the aquarium also.

Also I have just had the aquarium upgraded to the 200 litre model 

My daughter wants colourful fish for our new aquarium

Can anyone recommend any good ones to get, and if possible different species I can put together that will get on with each other.


Any help would be appreciated.


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## GetITCdot (Aug 4, 2009)

azdaboss said:


> I'm a newbieee!! I don't know which fish are and aren't saltwater/freshwater/tropical etc etc.!! I'm looking at SALTWATER, sorry for the confusion. I have bought a saltwater mix ready for the aquarium also.
> 
> Also I have just had the aquarium upgraded to the 200 litre model
> 
> ...


There are a good number of colorful fish, check out gobys and cromis 

But again you really need to re-think how many fish you want to add into a tank that size.


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## AZDesertRat (Apr 10, 2009)

Thats about a 50 gallon aquarium. A good stocking number for a tank that size is maybe 4 or 5 fish maximum and then only smaller species when they reach adult size. I run a 100G reef system with massive amounts f natural filtration and stick with about 7-8 fish maximum.
Saltwater is not like freshwater, you must keep the bio load lower for the inhabitants to be succesful.

There are many good books on the subject, one of my favorites for a newbie is Bob Fenners, The Concientious Marine Aquarist, its a older publication but still the best available. Do some research before buying anything at all, it really gets expensive making the wrong purchases only to have to replace it soon with something different.

For fish a clown is always a favorite and in the beginning damsels are a good choice but can be agressive to others, lots of colors though. Stay away from any tangs or surgeonfish as the tank is too small to keep them as they grow and i would avoid messy agressive fish like triggers, wrasses, puffers and others. A lot wil depend on how you decorate the tank too, some like sand substrate and others like lots of rock with nooks and crannies to hide in.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

Sorry if I am repeating but I would add macro algaes in a refugium (if marine) or live plants (if FW.)

my .02


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## [email protected] (Aug 18, 2010)

Call me a freak, but I would never be without a reliable test kit. API makes one for about $20-$25. Might want to add this to your list.


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