whats the best for a fish tank?

[kriso]

Hey fellas,

just a quick one and this may sound stupid but here it goes, im gonna fill my fish tank tonight, should i use tap water or water outa my rain water tank? or does it not make a diffrence either way?

cheers

[ellicat]

What size tank is it kriso ?

Don't think it matters either way, provided you use an ageing thingammy (that dechlorinates).

[Do$tylz]

I'd maybe go for the tap. The rain water tank is run-off from your roof so you never know how much crap has collected on your roof to then be washed into your tank.

But yeah those water treatments are a must.

[kriso]

sweet yeah i got the additive stuff woo hoo cant wait to get her going!!!

[namyau]

tank water is fine saves you a bit on your water bill, just fill the tank add the water ager stuff and have the filter running at least for a few hrs before adding fish - its best if you can let it run overnight before adding fish, thats how i do it.

[kriso]

wont be gettin any critters till next week so will have the weekend to run and so forth

[namyau]

good good either way tap water or tank water - make sure the tank is clean fill it up stick the water stuff in it and just let the filter and air go through it. make sure you keep the lids on it tooo dont want anything falling in

[Gazza]

How long before adding fish Depends on the type of fish (Tropical or Cold water fish) tank size etc

Absolute min run in time is a week 2 to 3 is needed if your running a bio filter

Gaz

[kriso]

will be redclaw at first for a while

[Chafule]

hey

Your choice could also depend on what fish your planning to keep.

rainwater is usually more acidic and prefered by most tropical fish and even natives. However cichlids which prefer a higher pH may like your tap water abit more.

As mentioned before, make sure u dechlorinate the water, and since your only recently filling the tank, let it cycle building up the population of bacteria required for bio filtering (nitrates, ammonia, nitrites).

hope this helps!

[Dazzamcgee]

Fill with tap water and aerate the hell out of it for a week then add fish. Mean while leave any glass lids off until this process has completed.

[kriso]

Dazzamcgee wrote:

Fill with tap water and aerate the hell out of it for a week then add fish. Mean while leave any glass lids off until this process has completed.

why do you leave them off daz?

[Dazzamcgee]

Kriso the reason for leaving the lids off is to expose the water to the atmosphere as this helps to remove any chlorine that maybe present in the tap water. If the lids are left on during the start up stage with heavy aeration, condensation will form on the inside of the tank which is really the crap you are trying to remove.

Basically the process you are looking to achieve is evaporation.

Remember this is for start up only and once the tank has settled the lids can be replaced as to reduce the amount of water lost through evaporation.

By the way forget about using chemical dechlorinators!!

There just a waste of money made purely to suck in newbie's!!

Try not to get in the habit of adding chemicals everytime U think somethings wrong as u will only end up with a toxic slurry.

[kriso]

okay i have got all clean and filled up. filter/aerator running also the heater is running at 26 degrees and have the water ager in. will buy some of that ph stuff tommorow so should be good to put the redclaw in on wed/thur i reckon. one thing i need is a piece of glass for the top to suit a 3 foot tank any one got some glass they want rid of?

[shortie]

PM sent

[planetfonz]

i wouldnt put the crays in until the glass lid is sorted - they will certainly escape - crafty buggers

[kriso]

that problem is sorted now thanks to me good mate shortie!

[kriso]

just add critter's:woohoo: [img size=500]http://www.australianfishing.com.au/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/images/tank_AFO.jpg

[ellicat]

The bubs have left their mother's underbelly. Sptted 4 cruising alone today.

[MichaelJ]

when u get the red claw u could buy a couple silver sharks there easy to take care of and look allright swimming around in the tank plus when i put fish food in my tank i can hear mine eating em off the surface lol

[Cowfish13]

They wouldn't last long with the Redclaw. If they're anything like the cherax destructor, they'll eat the fish pretty fast:silly:

[MichaelJ]

there pratty fast fish but if that happens they only cost like $6

[Dec]

Or you could get a real fish Whatnow like a toga bass or barra or other natives that eat redclaw and the silvershark :lol: and yes the red claw would eat them.

[kriso]

the guy at the shop said to pic fast moving top feeding fish and should be okay and make sure that i keep the red claw fed and they should be okay.

[MichaelJ]

atleast my silver shark isnt shy like your toga dec