Hi all,

I bought the kids their first fish tank Monday past.

I’ve filled it with water, added de-chlorinator & filter aid+ and been running it with the filter on since.

We are planning on getting fish next week sometime.

I’m getting annoyed with the noise coming from the very small filter.

Tank is 17L.

Filter is an API size 1.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,

Alan.

Is it an internal or external filter? Is it buzzing against the glass or hood? Or is the motor noisy?

Internal.

It does rest on the glass, but when you pull the cable slightly to move it off its only very slightly quieter.

Noisy motor I think….

Yo.

Pop into the shop and ask them if it’s normal, we can’t hear it!

In case you don’t already know, you’ll need to add the fish slowly.

A kids tank mix that worked well for me when I worked in Pets at Home was 2 rising to 4 Danios, maybe a Platty as well after a month or so, a couple of Amano shrimp and a snail. A little pond weed added after a month should grow well.

Took it back to the shop on Thursday, but it didn’t seem as noisy in the water he submerged it in – sods law….

A rattling sound is often a sign of air trapped in the filter impeller.

DO NOT ADD THE FISH NEXT WEEK. The tank will not be cycled until around a month

DO NOT ADD THE FISH NEXT WEEK

Really?

The shop said 7 – 10 days.

While you don’t have any problems with the tank yet, read this as it gives a good introduction to the process that you’re trying to establish in the tank. A symbiosis.

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=4201

And Platy’s and Danios are way too big for a 17litre tank. You should be looking at nano species like Emba Tetra, Galaxy Rasbora and even a few Male Endlers (Guppy like). Danios and especially Platy’s will get too big and create a fair bit of waste so will clog your filter very quickly. In terms of a clean up crew try some red cherry shrimps, they hardly add anything to the bio load so you could stick a few in, they will breed if conditions are ok as well.

Also don’t forget the partial water changes once a week, 20 to 30 percent. Make sure you add water treatment to the fresh water you put back in to neutralise the harmful chemicals. Fish tanks can become an obsession, my daughters (read mine) 35litre tank is now full of live plants, a nice community of Ember Tetras and Galaxy Rasboras and loads of red cherry and crystal red bee shrimp. I’ve also added a pressurised CO2 injection setup for the plants!

Hmmm, I guess, but Danio are at least hardy, so maybe a couple then.

I have Galaxy Rasbora too, in my 150L, but they’re not really beginner fish are they?

Danio are certainly hardy but defo too big for a small tank, I know because I had some in a 10lt Fluval Spec tank once! I have never struggled to keep Galaxy Rasbora to be honest, they do like some cover but they are fairly hardy and are a lovely looking and lively fish, if kept in numbers. There has certainly been a big rise in smaller nano tank sales but often people rush to put in larger fish that require more room to swim, a quick google search of nano tropical fish will give a good idea of what to stock. On the other hand if you listen to the majority of seasoned tropical fish keepers you shouldn’t keep any fish in a tank less than 60cm long!

Can anyone link to a beginners guide?

Got my first tank early this year 15ltr biorb flow and 6 white cloud mountain minnows. They are pretty hardy have only lost the runt. I thought 15 was big but soon moved to a 45ltr ( even this seems small once you add plants etc)

I’m still trying to remove my snail infestation courtesy of a shop bought cabomba 🙂

@cheeky

Clea Helena 😉

@thorpie I think you’re right, TBH I didn’t really take in the size of the tank, probably because I used to refuse to sell tanks less than about 30l. I actually have 6 Galaxy, they love my big tank! WCMMinnows are lovely indeed.

@CaptJohn
Try using google search on the Practical Fishkeeping website. The article on new tank syndrome I posted above is good reading to help understand the most common issue, getting the symbiosis established.

With regards to snail infestations you can trap them in a snail trap but the best thing I have found to control them is red cherry shrimp! They breed fast, look pretty, don’t add much bio load and out compete snails! Snail population is next to nowt with a big group of shrimps in my tank.

DO NOT ADD THE FISH NEXT WEEK
Really?

The shop said 7 – 10 days.

i agree. wait a bit longer so that the water can cycle itself through the filter properly. get a small sample ot the water in a clear plastic bag and take it to the shop and ask them to test it for you. this is usually free of charge and they will able to tell you when the water is definatly ready for fish to be added

You can’t cycle a tank without adding fish or adding ammonia. The only reason you let it run a couple of days is to filter dust out and be sure the equipment works.

Not completely true but yes ultimately you need fish waste to help create nitrifying bacteria. Putting in some fish food and letting it rot a bit can kickstart things even some ammonia if you can get hold of it. Just make sure you test the water parameters before adding fish and stock up slowly.

Right again 🙂

even some ammonia if you can get hold of it.

Urea will quickly convert back into ammonia. Although if you are going to pee in your aquarium to kick off the nitrogen cycle I would suggest it’s done in quantities which reflects not much more than what is likely to be provided by fish. But that would do it – nitrifying bacteria can’t survive/thrive on just water.

You can’t cycle a tank without adding fish or adding ammonia

+1
Fishless cycle all the way

To the OP, bet you wish you never mentioned the filter now! It’s not as hard as it might sound though, just don’t rush things.

Galaxy Rasbora

in

big tank.

Right Click > Open In New Tab 🙂

Advice above is correct. Fishless cycle with an ammonia source is by far the best option. However If you’re not going to do a proper fishless cycle then use tetra safe start, seachem stability or Dr. Tims one&only.
These are the same product essentially (licensed patent I think) and the only ones known to work.

The fish shop have given you bad advice this far, so do your own research as much as possible. They mostly do, especially “pets at home” type places.

Visit tropicalfishforums.co.UK for good advice would be my suggestion.

Get your self an api freshwater master test kit. The test strips are worthless.

Oh and add elodea/egeria to the tank, it is a bulletproof plant and will take up ammonia and nitrite in case the filter is not doing it’s job properly.

agree with what others have said (can we have a fish tank thread?)

although personally your kids will be wanting fish. So get them a couple of tetras and see how things go. Its very easy to over populate a small tank so be careful as youll soon end up with 190L (yes it happened to me)

An API master kit is in my mind the best way to look after your tank. You’ll be doing a lot of water changes with a 17l though so dont skimp.

I keep meaning to start a fish tank thread… But our tank is a bit run down as we’re leaving the country in a few months 🙁