Considering an aquarium

[Speedy1995]

Hi guys ive got a wee bit of spare cash and was considering an aquarium . Whant some interesting (colourfull) fish have about 275 - 300 to spend .
What do i need for the tank how muxh will it cost to run and maintain. was thinking around 75-100 litres

I am in no rush as i want to do things properly so the fish have a healthy environment and life which is only fair considering i am technically keeping them captive in a glass box for the rest of there lives .

sorry for any crap spelling

[Grayham]

I have no idea how much my tank costs to run electricity wise. To completel change the filter media would be about £40 but you wouldn't do that in one hit. You can buy in bulk to save a bit of money.

I would advise you to look fo a second hand setup. With the budget you have you should be able to find something nice. Look on a site called aquarist.

[Jasandjules]

Presumably fresh water?

[Turn7]

http://www.ndaquatics.co.uk/ if you want new, but plenty about second hand on ebay or aquarist classifiedsa.

[AceOfHearts]

For tropical fish you will need tank, lights, filter and heater plus any ornaments, gravel and other bits.

I am not sure on the actual costs, but I know that Eheim 2213 external filters are around 8w, heaters for a smallish tank will be about 100w (but will not be running constantly) and lights will be maybe around 18w x 2.

Where abouts in east midlands are you? I have a Juwel Rekord 800 tank setup that I am currently selling

On a more serious note though, I would personally recommend the Juwel tanks as i have always had and been impressed with them (I have had 6 of their tanks) and they come complete with all you need for a tropical setup. If you want to get really serious an external filter is also a good addition.

For your budget I would be getting either a Juwel Rekord 800 or a Juwel Rio 125/ These will leave you plenty of money for gravel, water treatments, ornaments and fish and are a really good quality and easy way into fishkeeping

[Nimby]

I've had a Juwel 180 for about 5 years and the tank itself, plus the included filter, heater and pump are all fine. However fluorescent control/ballast unit in the hood only lasts about a year and is very expensive to replace - £70 or more. Because it's sealed you have to replace the whole hood. After the third one went I butchered it and wired up to an external 2x35w control unit which is only a few £ and has lasted a lot better too.

Mine's the older T8 unit - maybe the newer T5 ones are more reliable.

[Speedy1995]

I have decided to start off with a fairly small tank 45 litres i think.

I am going to start with cold water fish and have a motor pump and air pump so i can oxygenate the water .

Once i am comfortable with the basics i can then upgrade as i go along and have a cols water and tropical aquarium as i gain more experience.

Thanks for the advice.

[therealpigdog]

45l is too small for goldfish - just in case you were leaning that way.

Cold water is more limiting in some respects as there is less choice for small tanks.

45l is a bit small for most things to be honest. Bigger is always easier - the usual analogy being if someone farts, would you rather be stuck in a lift or a sports hall.

Plenty of threads on here covering cycling and setting up - and also tank sizes.