Tank and Misc questions.

[syntaxx]

Hi,

I have quite a few questions. I am a newbie and wanted to keep a monster fish.
I am doing a research/reading anything i could learn about fish keeping in this forum
But i might missed some guidelines so here are my questions.

My temporary tank is 80g and i am planning to keep silver arowana. I know it will outgrow sooner or later but i know i can save my money before it happens.

There are acronyms that i need to understand. (pH, ppm)

I know ammonia and nitrites should be at 0 ppm. What if my readings were 0 ppm on both how can i maintain it to be like that?

I have read water changes affects nitrates. Does it increase/affects ammonia and nitrites reading when doing a water change?

I also read that when doing a water change i need to put some salt in it. How much salt should be put? and it is okay to put salt when the fish is already in the tank?

How many times and what percentage of the water should i change in a week when ammonia and nitrites reached 0 ppm?

And how many times per week should i check for my readings?

I know temperature affects the health of the fish. What should be the recommended temperature in C and F?

Also if the temperature is below or higher what is the recommended step? put ice when its too hot and change water if its cold?


I hope someone answer my questions.
Thanks in advance.

 

[TTTT]

My temporary tank is 80g and i am planning to keep silver arowana. I know it will outgrow sooner or later but i know i can save my money before it happens.
Advice: Don't get a fish until your sure you'll be able to get a tank big enough for it

 

[syntaxx]

yes i know.. this time i don't have a fish yet.. i just wanted to know the cycle basics and need to know.. except the fish sizes

 

[Bderick67]

Start by learning the basics of the nitrogen cycle. Here is a link http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm

Silver aros grow rather quickly and will out grow your 80g with in a year. Within 18 months it will need to be in at least a 180g (6x2x2') tank. Figuring that with proper care the silver aro will get well over 30" in length and eventually should be kept in at least a 300g (8x2.5x2') tank.

 

[Burtess]

My temporary tank is 80g and i am planning to keep silver arowana. I know it will outgrow sooner or later but i know i can save my money before it happens.
It will outgrow it sooner.... within a few months.

There are acronyms that i need to understand. (pH, ppm)

pH = hydrogen potential, a measurement of how acidic or basic something is. Normal water sources will have a pH of 6.5 - 8. It is best not to alter your pH (especially if you are a beginner), your fish will get use to the pH of your water, the important thing is that it is stable.

ppm = parts per million - a measurement of concentration. Other units you may see are mg/L (same as ppm).

I know ammonia and nitrites should be at 0 ppm. What if my readings were 0 ppm on both how can i maintain it to be like that?

In a cycled aquarium, your beneficial bacteria in your filters will maintain this.
If your tank is new, your readings will also be 0 for ammonia and nitrite, but as soon as you add fish, they will rise. This is why you cycle a tank (google "fishless cycling", this is the best way, or you can do it with cheap feeder fish).

I have read water changes affects nitrates. Does it increase/affects ammonia and nitrites reading when doing a water change?

Water changes dilute nitrates. In a cycled tank water changes will not affect ammonia or nitrite (they should always be 0ppm).

I also read that when doing a water change i need to put some salt in it. How much salt should be put? and it is okay to put salt when the fish is already in the tank?

This is a hotly debated topic. You do not need to add any salt. I do not. I only use salt when treating certain illness.

How many times and what percentage of the water should i change in a week when ammonia and nitrites reached 0 ppm?

You can set your water change schedule and amount by checking nitrates. Try to keep your nitrates under 20ppm if possible (max. 40ppm).

And how many times per week should i check for my readings?

Until you work out your water change schedule you should check a couple times per week. After you figure out how much water to change at a time and how often you have to do it to maintain less than 20ppm nitrates, you can check it periodically. If your fish are not acting normal, you should check all water parameters right away.

I know temperature affects the health of the fish. What should be the recommended temperature in C and F?

This depends on what type of fish you are keeping. Normal tropical temperatures are from around 78F - 82F (26C-28C).

Also if the temperature is below or higher what is the recommended step? put ice when its too hot and change water if its cold?

A heater will keep your temp. up to your set point. If you get too hot, a fan blowing across the open top (do not do this with an aro, they will jump out) or floating frozen bottles of water.


HTH,
Burt

 

[Ang]

My temporary tank is 80g and i am planning to keep silver arowana. I know it will outgrow sooner or later but i know i can save my money before it happens. - not a lot of money. they grow FAST!!!

There are acronyms that i need to understand. (pH, ppm)
PH- get a PH test kit. If your PH changes drastically - your fish could go into shock and die. Good to always keep an eye on PH. Most tank grown fish do fine in a wide range of PH. But i try to keep mine around 7. Its when it shoots up or down, and doesnt remain consistent then its a problem.
PPM - Parts Per Million

I know ammonia and nitrites should be at 0 ppm. What if my readings were 0 ppm on both how can i maintain it to be like that?
Water Changes. At LEAST 25% each weak. Siphon the gravel/sand until the water level goes down 25%. Replace lost water with dechlorinated water at the same temperature.

I have read water changes affects nitrates. Does it increase/affects ammonia and nitrites reading when doing a water change?
Yes. refer to above answer. It also affects Nitrates by making them go down. Which is good.

I also read that when doing a water change i need to put some salt in it. How much salt should be put? and it is okay to put salt when the fish is already in the tank?
You do not need salt. Aquarium salt in freshwater tanks is mainly used for treating disease/stress/or healing of wounds. I added Kosher salt which is basically the same thing, to my tank when my Oscar bumped his head and lost some skin. I put the salt in a container, added hot water to dissolve faster, then slowly poured the salty water into the tank. Its best to use 1 Tbsp/5 gallons unless you have sensitive scaleless fish then 1 Tbsp/10 gallons should be used.
But unless you have a problem, you dont need salt.

How many times and what percentage of the water should i change in a week when ammonia and nitrites reached 0 ppm?
25% - 50% per week. I will alternate. 25% one week and 50% the next. The longer you go without a water change, the more you should remove. Make sure to dechlorinate new water

And how many times per week should i check for my readings?
Once a week until you're more experienced, then when your tank is well established and you are comfortable, you will know if something is wrong just by observing your fish. But its still good to check every few weeks

I know temperature affects the health of the fish. What should be the recommended temperature in C and F?
Tropical fish need between 76-82 degrees. It should not go up or down to often. It should remain as stable as possible.

Also if the temperature is below or higher what is the recommended step? put ice when its too hot and change water if its cold?
I live in San Diego. We dont have A/C. My tank has been up to 88 degrees. I used a liter soda bottle with water in it and freeze it solid. Then i'll throw that in my tank.
If your water is too cold, just raise the heater by a notch. Its important not to change the temp too rapidly


I hope someone answer my questions.
Thanks in advance.

 

[syntaxx]

thanks for the response Ang anad Burtess it will help me a lot.