1.) Before you get into fish keeping become VERY knowledgeable about the Nitrogen Cycle, not DURING, not AFTER.... BEFORE you begin. Before I got into fish keeping a couple of years ago, I was one of the lucky ones who actually did my research, unfortunately, I have seen many aquarists make the mistake of NOT researching the fundamentals of fish keeping, thus resulting in their little fishies death. >.> You can never know TOO much... learn on.
2.) Never listen to anything that your local pet shop employees tell you, IT'S A TRAP!... and will most likely result in a very bad decision/mistake.
3.) Never throw away your filter unless it's falling apart, this is where the majority of your Beneficial Bacteria live... If you notice impeded filter performance, simply rinse your filter in dirty tank water, but for the love of God, not too thoroughly!... or you'll send your tank into another cycle. >.>
4.) Contrary to popular belief, entirely removing your decorations and substrate in an establish tank will not throw your tank into a cycle (thanks to that handy dandy filter colony), although your BB (Beneficial Bacteria) resides on ALL surfaces of your tank, there isn't enough of it on those surfaces to make any real impact.
5.) Gravel vac'ing frequently is not harmful, and is actually quite beneficial to your tank, especially if you have species that produces a large bio-load. (unless it's planted)
6.) A neat little trick for adding sand into your aquarium, however, you will still have to rinse it prior to using this trick :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-XB0bwtZh8
7.) An easy way to get your siphon started
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aO6I5Y3fUIk
8.) Anything that can fit into a goldfish's mouth WILL get eaten... but I've found that zebra danios are usually too FAT for most goldfish, unless the goldfish is gargantuan. Hungry little buggers >.>
9.) If you keep goldfish... don't use the usual gravel, if you keep them well they will live and grow, and they will become large enough to take the gravel into their mouth, this is quite hazardous and could result in an untimely death of your fish... don't switch to sand... Goldfish like to scavenge at the bottom of the tank, and they will consume some of the sand they pick up... making their poop almost impossible to gravel vac out >.> trust me on this one... River rocks are your best bet.
10.) Beware the pet shop moss ball (and all plants housed in an aquarium)!... they contain unwanted surprises... like snails >.>
11.) As a treat for your fish, you can purchase some guppies! They'll breed like rabbits and every 28 days your fish will be able to enjoy some yummy guppy fry (OM NOM NOM). Just be sure to slip on a nylon stocking around your filter tube, or the fry will get sucked up into your filter, and will decompose, possibly causing an ammonia spike.
Okie doke, that's all I have time to think of right now...
This is mrs.Price... signing off... until next time!
2.) Never listen to anything that your local pet shop employees tell you, IT'S A TRAP!... and will most likely result in a very bad decision/mistake.
3.) Never throw away your filter unless it's falling apart, this is where the majority of your Beneficial Bacteria live... If you notice impeded filter performance, simply rinse your filter in dirty tank water, but for the love of God, not too thoroughly!... or you'll send your tank into another cycle. >.>
4.) Contrary to popular belief, entirely removing your decorations and substrate in an establish tank will not throw your tank into a cycle (thanks to that handy dandy filter colony), although your BB (Beneficial Bacteria) resides on ALL surfaces of your tank, there isn't enough of it on those surfaces to make any real impact.
5.) Gravel vac'ing frequently is not harmful, and is actually quite beneficial to your tank, especially if you have species that produces a large bio-load. (unless it's planted)
6.) A neat little trick for adding sand into your aquarium, however, you will still have to rinse it prior to using this trick :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-XB0bwtZh8
7.) An easy way to get your siphon started
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aO6I5Y3fUIk
8.) Anything that can fit into a goldfish's mouth WILL get eaten... but I've found that zebra danios are usually too FAT for most goldfish, unless the goldfish is gargantuan. Hungry little buggers >.>
9.) If you keep goldfish... don't use the usual gravel, if you keep them well they will live and grow, and they will become large enough to take the gravel into their mouth, this is quite hazardous and could result in an untimely death of your fish... don't switch to sand... Goldfish like to scavenge at the bottom of the tank, and they will consume some of the sand they pick up... making their poop almost impossible to gravel vac out >.> trust me on this one... River rocks are your best bet.
10.) Beware the pet shop moss ball (and all plants housed in an aquarium)!... they contain unwanted surprises... like snails >.>
11.) As a treat for your fish, you can purchase some guppies! They'll breed like rabbits and every 28 days your fish will be able to enjoy some yummy guppy fry (OM NOM NOM). Just be sure to slip on a nylon stocking around your filter tube, or the fry will get sucked up into your filter, and will decompose, possibly causing an ammonia spike.
Okie doke, that's all I have time to think of right now...
This is mrs.Price... signing off... until next time!
