Ste
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Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
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I ended up going for a Fuval Roma 125 litre tropical tank
LINK HERE
Got it on special offer in pets at home for £181
Built the cabinet and sited it tonight then tomorrow I'll be washing the gravel and filling the tank.
Hopefully this time next week I'll have collected my fish from the local aquaria.
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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Cosmo
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Registered: 29th Mar 01
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Doubt that will of cycled within a week tbh mate!
Nice looking tank though, what you going for in it?
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Ste
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Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
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I'll test it in a week and see if it's fit. The instructions for the water treatment say 7 days so was just going from that.
Species wise, I'm not 100% yet. I really like the idea of crabs but I'm going to speak to the bloke in the shop about the cohabitation issues with them.
I'll probably just buy some colourful cheap tropical fish for my first few months as I'm a noob to keeping indoor fish. Once I have a bit of experience and get into the water cycling/cleaning routine I'll venture into something more exotic.
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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Cosmo
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Dont use that water treatment crap, will take you forever to cycle it and will often just give false readings.
Throw in a few uncooked prawns, they'll give you a massive ammonia spike and kick start the cycle.
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chloe16v
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Registered: 29th Nov 07
Location: Rotherham
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should have got a marine tank tbh 
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Ste
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Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
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I can convert this one to marine tbh, but as a noob, i'm starting with fresh water.
Cosmo, I've read that you can cycle it faster usig some borrowed bacteria. Have you got a bit of filter media you can lend out for a few days??
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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Cosmo
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quote:
Originally posted by Ste W
Cosmo, I've read that you can cycle it faster usig some borrowed bacteria. Have you got a bit of filter media you can lend out for a few days??
I havent any tanks up and running at the moment mate or would of done, my big tank Im currently setting up isnt at a stage where its filled up and cycled 
A massive ammonia spike from some prawns will kick it off straight away and should get it there or there abouts within a week. The stuff in a bottle wont as the bacteria is not free floating in water so its impossible to bottle!
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Brett
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Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
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I've got a Fluval Roma, don't think it's as big tho.
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Ste
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Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
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Had a good read through some guides on fishforum and that method seems to be frowned upon. One guy uses a net of shrimp. The most popular seems to be administering pure ammonia daily and measuring the levels. after a week or two when it is right, start off with a couple of fish, then build it up as the ecosystem develops.
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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Ste
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Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
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quote:
Originally posted by loafofbrett
I've got a Fluval Roma, don't think it's as big tho.
You must have the 90 litre model then.
I was lucky as that one was in my budget untill I found this 125 litre one in Pets at home cheaper than the online prices of the 90!
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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chloe16v
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Registered: 29th Nov 07
Location: Rotherham
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ste, i wouldnt convert a trops tank into a marine tank, im not saying it cant be done but i personally wouldnt do it
when i set my first trops tank up and im going back afew years here, we use to just stick a fish or 2 in the tank to get it going, something like mollies or guppies, i wouldnt use any shampoos or treatment for the water as there really isnt any need for it
some people will tell you to only use RO water but there is no need for that either,
i know some people will disagree with me here but i never had a problem at all and was always over run by breeding fish 
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Ste
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Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
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I thought about filling it with spring water from tesco. Still got to get a seive to wash my gravel first though
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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chloe16v
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Registered: 29th Nov 07
Location: Rotherham
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a seive? lmao, chuck it in a bucket and stick it under the bath tap
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Ste
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Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
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The seive will remove more dust tbh and make it less cloudy.
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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Brett
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Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
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Never sieved it myself either. Just stuck all the stones in a bucket, filled with water, emptied, filled with water, emptied, and so on until water was clear.
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Ste
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Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
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Yeah, but I don't have a decent bucket handy either. Seive has now been purchased from Tesco so I'll rinse it in the morning when I get in and fill the tank up.
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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Cosmo
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Registered: 29th Mar 01
Location: Im the real one!
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Ive cycled tanks upwards of 250 gallons using a few prawns in an old pair of (my) tights.
The whole point of a cycle is to get the initial ammonia spike and then allow the bacteria to feed on this and colonise your filter media, so it does no harm using the method I suggested. Its certainly better than anything in a bottle, using some sacrificial fish, or anything like that.
RO Water, bottled, etc. wont help at all. In fact you have no problem with tap water initially anyway even without removing the chlorine, as over a few days it will of dissipated anyway.
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drunkenfool
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Registered: 7th Feb 03
Location: Hereford Drives: Audi R8 V8
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Cosmo, I'm being lazy and not looking at your profile but do you have MSN? I bought a 500l tank off ebay, cabinet, 3 months old, heaters, lights, gravel, etc etc for £160 so I will be setting it up soon in a few months when I move again. I will def be after some advice!
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Ste
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Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
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fishforums.net is full of advice for beginners.
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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drunkenfool
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Registered: 7th Feb 03
Location: Hereford Drives: Audi R8 V8
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I've got loads of experience with ponds and koi, water parameter testing, water changes etc etc. Do you think it would be far too ambitious to start off with a marine setup?
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Ste
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Registered: 5th Mar 03
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia
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Probably not, it's more to do with the care you are willing to put into it than any particular skill. A decent aquarium can show you the differences between the two.
I would rather lose by a mile because i built my own car, than win by an inch because someone else built it for me.
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chloe16v
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Registered: 29th Nov 07
Location: Rotherham
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quote:
Originally posted by drunkenfool
I've got loads of experience with ponds and koi, water parameter testing, water changes etc etc. Do you think it would be far too ambitious to start off with a marine setup?
defo not why dont you have a read up on this site http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/ it will give you all the info you will need, to set up a marine tank though you will need a skimmer
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Cosmo
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Registered: 29th Mar 01
Location: Im the real one!
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Get yourself a planted tropical tank, dont piss about with a shitty looking marine one!
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danzx2
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Registered: 5th Jul 07
Location: Somerset
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This is mine from 2 years ago. Looks a right sorry state at the moment. Need time to empty and clean it.
[Edited on 02-10-2009 by danzx2]
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alan-g-w
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Registered: 9th Nov 07
Location: Glasgow
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What's the difference between a marine and tropical tank?
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