# Blank Slate



## plotthickens (Mar 9, 2010)

Howdy! 

So I've only had a little tank as a kid. I want to get started again. They're so beautiful and hopeful. What should I start with? What sites are good to read? I'm a blank slate so start me off with your expert advice and a good basis. What is most important? What do most folks forget? What little things always seem to go wrong at the worst times? 

My thanks in advance. Your pardons if I've repeated a post, a quick search did not turn up anything exactly like this.


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## dave in Iliamna (Aug 15, 2009)

Well this a pretty broad question.
I would say to start with make sure your tank is properly cycled.
Other then that it depends on what you want. Do you have a tank in mind or a type of fish?
as you ar looking at fish you may want to check how big they get. A lot of people buy fish at their local feed store and don't know a thing about them. Many times the people helping you will not know or volinteer information on them.
For example my wife and I were looking into getting an addition to our 10 gallon tank. My wife fell in love with a little glass eel. I knew nothing about it and the store guy knew very little about it. Well we would up taking it home because the store guy didn't seem to think it would be a problem. after getting it home I did a little looking into things and found out that they get to be 3 ft long. Then just recently a different person at the same store told me they almost never live more then a few weeks. Thankfully ours is still alive a year latter.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

My advice would be to get the biggest tank you can afford and have room, and make sure you get a good filter. That way you don't have the problem of upgrading because its to small.


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## flyin-lowe (Oct 3, 2009)

+1 for studying up the nitrogen cycle. Google it and read read read.


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## plotthickens (Mar 9, 2010)

This is all fascinating, thank you. Entirely opposite of what I was thinking - in gardening you start small and slowly expand. I'm all over the nitrogen cycle and hope that is related to what Dave talks about. Pardon me, must go pore over this sites' entries for more information.


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## Sweet Tee (Nov 24, 2009)

After getting mixed info from various local fish stores, I started doing research on my own. There's a wealth of knowledge on aquariums online, books, magazines, etc.! I would advise registering on forums (which you already have  , reading on other's experiences and posting questions of your own. Many times you can find the answer to your question buried in other threads! I've learned SO MUCH about this hobby and the well-being of fish through the examples I've mentioned.

Welcome to the forum and best of luck!


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## dave in Iliamna (Aug 15, 2009)

plotthickens said:


> This is all fascinating, thank you. Entirely opposite of what I was thinking - in gardening you start small and slowly expand. I'm all over the nitrogen cycle and hope that is related to what Dave talks about. Pardon me, must go pore over this sites' entries for more information.


Yes, the nitrogen cycle is what I was refering to.


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## Zolbaxil (Feb 28, 2010)

Flyin-lowe, Dave in Iliamma, and Susankat have given you the best info out there...the only thing i can add is before you start your tank, test the water you will be putting in it to see what water quality you have to start with...


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

I recommend you do a planted tank.


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## Zolbaxil (Feb 28, 2010)

Beaslbob (Nice screenname btw) Has a good idea, My tank is moderately planted, and i have never tested for more than 5 ppm nitrates, and the fishies love it. My butterfly hangs out underneath the surface leaves of my bananna plant all the time.


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