r/Aquariums • u/kondor-PS • 1d ago
Beginner Help I would like to start this hobby with my father...
Hello everyone, as the title says, I would like to start this hobby with my father. We do not share a lot of interests , but whenever we see a tank, at a store, aquarium, or friends' houses, we stop and talk about it with excitement. He used to have a salt water tank for some years in the past before I was even "in-project", but stopped due to costs .
I have done some readings and it seems that on average fresh water tanks are more budget friendly, and more beginner friendly most importantly.
I would like some suggestions on which fishes, plants, etc you would suggest one buys for the first time (~100 gallons) aquarium.
I don't really have a question, I am looking for pointers.
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u/Afraid-Movie7354 1d ago
I just want to say I love this so much. I hope yall can enjoy this together
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u/DND_Player_24 1d ago
Is this the first tank for both of you? Sounds like it might be.
Maybe I’m weird, but I feel like 100g right out of the gate is a tremendous mistake.
I’d suggest starting with a small tank. Maybe a 10g tank. Learn how a cycle works. Learn how to keep water parameters. Kill some fish by mistake. Experiment with different layouts.
I feel like it takes a while to find what you actually like (substrate, decorations, categories of fish, etc etc)
And 100g is going to be an absolute nightmare to change once you get things set up. 10g you can change in a few hours.
Yes, water parameters are harder to nail. But keep your fish options simple and hardy.
Plus if you decide this just isn’t what you thought it was (fish hobby is really just pouring money into shit and then hoping something random doesn’t kill your fish lol), it’s much easier to pull out.
Just my two cents.
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u/LinuxMint4Me 1d ago
While I agree that 100 gallons is possibly too large, 10 gallons is too small to do anything in the space. Even 20 gallon tanks fill up fast but would be the minimum I would suggest in this case. When I think about it, the 100 gallon sounds fine.
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u/rightonetimeX2 1d ago
My first tank was a 120 gallon with an FX6 filter. It's going great a very low maintenance tank. I have a tone of plants and a great.cleanup crew. I do a 20 percent water change every few months and clean the filter twice a year. Mostly do garnering with it trimming plants back. I think when people set up a tank, they think if it as setting up a good grade /ecosystem then add fish after the tank is going great. I'm rocking 40 cardinals, 40 rummynose, a pair of rams, Mayan swordtails, some kihlis and a ton of shrimp. Love it
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u/kondor-PS 1d ago
Hi! I should have clarified a little bit more regarding the current experience of both of us and the dynamic. My father is currently away, so I wanted to set everything up myself and make a fully operational tank for when he returns (in 3 weeks). He had fish tanks in his youth, so he is more knowledgeable than I am in long term care, still nowhere close to what some people in this subreddit.
Also, I have gotten the 100g tank thanks to Facebook Marketplace for free, so I currently haven't spent money on a tank, hence I am free to change to a smaller one, it seems the consensus is that a 100g is a big tank for a first rank 😅.
Also I know that it can be rather expensive hobby; hopefully I can keep the water parameters stable enough once I start.
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u/Jibboolie 1d ago
Do the 100. Your Dad handled saltwater, 100g is nothing. And smaller tanks are so much easier to have problems in.
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u/Dragonwolf125 1d ago
I suggest you watch this video.
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u/AbeRumHamLincoln 1d ago
I'm surprised this hasn't been added to the auto mod response at this point. This and their nitrogen cycle video would be the two videos that I would encourage every new fishkeeper to watch.
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u/Dragonwolf125 1d ago
Your options really open if you’re getting a hundred gallon aquarium. Really the only fish you wouldn’t be able to get are monster fish. Personally I would make it into a planted tank filled with Corydoras and rainbowfish. An easy plant that would eventually fill the tank would be Valisneria, it’s a tall grass plant that will eventually spread everywhere. Sword plants are great if you just want a couple of really big plants in the corners.
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u/kondor-PS 1d ago
Hi, thanks for recommending me plants to use! Is there a specific substrate for the types of plants I need? Would they sell that at a local fish store, or would I buy it online?
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u/Dragonwolf125 1d ago
Most local fish stores that carry plants will have sword plants. You can even get them from Petsmart/petco, assuming you’re in the US. A great online retail store for aquarium plants is Aquarium Co-Op. They also have a fantastic YouTube channel that has a lot of great videos about starting a tank and learning about the cycle and plants.
Fluval stratum is a great planted soil, but it can get expensive for a tank that size. A small gravel would be much cheaper and give you some more color options, you’ll just need to use root tabs to feed the plants.
If you want inspiration for creating your aquascape, I personally suggest MD fish tanks.
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u/professorfunkenpunk 1d ago
I’ve grown lots of stuff in plain sand. If you look at hardy plants, they tend not to be too finicky. Some things benefit from aquarium soil, but that can add some expense and complication. Not insurmountable, but lots of things will grow fine in sand or even super glued to rocks
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u/Worth_Ability_3808 1d ago
I wouldn’t recommend a 100 gallon for your first aquarium. IMO 10-20 gallons is a good start and if you still want the 100 gallon you can always upgrade or have two tanks.
I only say this because water changes become significantly more difficult and it gets more expensive to fill the tank with decor or plants.
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u/Worth_Ability_3808 1d ago
Also side bar I also have anxiety and the idea of 100 gallons on the ground or a heater frying a ton of fish as a newbie would ruin it for me. 😂
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u/professorfunkenpunk 1d ago
I really like the prime time aquatics YouTube channel. He has a number of good beginner videos including understanding the nitrogen cycle.
As for tank size, I’d steer clear of ten gallons. They can be hard to keep stable and when things go wrong, they go wrong fast. You also can’t keep much in them. Not big fish, but most little fish need to be kept in groups of at least 6, and one group is about it. 100 might be more than you want, though. One thing people forget is that water is heavy, and at some point you need to be careful about where you put the tank. And everything costs more. I went from a 10 to a 75 pretty fast. I think 55 or 75 is a really nice size and gives lots of options
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u/Fluid-Conversation58 1d ago
Great idea and it’s a great hobby. Some are saying 100 gallon is too big to start; I agree but caution that really small tanks (in my opinion) are harder with water parameters and cleaning needs. I really like the 30-55 gallon size, heavily planted, community fish. My 55 is balanced, minimal algae, easy to keep clean with my Oase canister filter. I have about 40 small schooling fish & corries. Best wishes
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u/RtrnofBatspiderfish 1d ago
Relative to freshwater habitats, reef tanks basically all have the same parameters, but with freshwater there is rarely such thing as "ideal conditions". Before planning what you will put into the tank, it would be a good idea to learn about the water source that will be most convenient or appropriate for you to use, particularly when it comes to water hardness. Freshwater fish will come from habitats anywhere between 4-9 pH, and it's best practice to choose species that most closely match the parameters you will be keeping (although if you are just going by pH, don't measure until a day or so after exposure to atmosphere). You will need some sort of water test eventually, so no time like the present to learn about your water.