freshwater

[iswimnotchoke]

i want to start a freshwater tank. a 2.5 gal nano..how do i get freshwater???? i mean it isnt jsut reg water what do i add to make it fw?

 

[steven the fish]

Im confused What do you mean?

 

[aarone]

just add freshwater. Dont use RO water. Tap water is good for FW tanks. sand can be used but is often not. Why a nano?

 

[iswimnotchoke]

but like how does the water become freshwater..lol like in sw u have instant sea salt to make it sw but fw u have what?

 

[quillfighter]

You drink freshwater.... use that. it's just like saltwater without the salt.
I can't believe I'm reading this and replying

 

[rocky bottom]

WELL, if your talking FRESHWATER. don't forget to get some kind of TAPWATER CONDITIONER. to remove CHLORINE,an DETOXIFIE HEAVY METALS.
"GOOD LUCK GOOD FISHIN"

 

[therealtoddius]

You can use ro water if conditioners are added. Kent makes a produxt just for freshwater. I have also heard of people mixing half ro and half tap water to use but regular tap water is fine the whole key is to keep your Ph steady just like saltwater most freshwater fish will adapt to the Ph.

 

[iswimnotchoke]

so i just fill the tank up with my tap water??? (its unconditioned)

 

[dacia]

I've had freshwater tanks ever since '84. All you do is put water from your faucet in the tank, then add something to remove the chlorine such as AquaSafe (unless you have a well, then the water straight from the faucet should be fine).
I've never used RO/DI water for FW tanks. I suppose you COULD, but it really isn't necessary. You should also buy a bag of aquarium salt. My LFS sells 5 pound bags for a couple of bucks, and for a 2.5 gallon tank it would last a year or more! It's not the same stuff as Instant Ocean or Reef Crystals, but it does increase specific gravity slightly and helps tropical fish to breathe easier. If you want goldies, don't bother with salt unless you are using it in addition to medications.
They say to wait 24 hours before adding fish, but I always wait about 2 weeks (enough time for the cycle). It's easiest to cycle FW tanks with pure ammonia (not the yellow garbage which adds unwanted crap to your water). That way you don't have to sacrifice any poor little mollies or goldfish like someone on this website recommends to everyone.

 

[iswimnotchoke]

yes i have a little 5 nano and i was thinking of what to put in it..hermits snails of course but any kind of fish that could survive in that type of nature?

 

[ophiura]

Huh???
I hate to ask but is this a serious thread?
Freshwater fish include things like goldfish, tetras, mollies, platies, cichlids, etc....no hermits, etc. TOTALLY different than a saltwater system.
FWIW, it is NOT always good to use tap water in a freshwater tank; you should have your tap water tested at the LFS for pH and any ammonia. In Houston, for example, the water has very high ammonia levels.
Certain freshwater fish like certain pHs; and others are more tolerant. Tetra's, for example, like lower pH water (RO water can be buffered to appropriate levels). Some fish are aggressive and can not go in that tank or be mixed with others. I would suggest you do a lot more reading and research before getting into this.

 

[dacia]

Actually, you can get FW hermits. They have them at my LFS. I have also kept various snails in them as well.
I have a 5 gallon setup in my bedroom right now. It has 3 platys and 1 small plecostomus. I think as long as you stick with small fish that will not grow as large as goldfish can, then you should be fine. Remember that in FW tanks you can keep 1 inch of fish per gallon...unless you have more than the normal filtration (like on my 29 gallon tank I have 2 HOB filters meant for 50 gallon tanks and the water has always been perfect for my goldfish).
The pH should be around neutral for MOST FW fish. Plan on adjusting it if you keep cichlids, discus, or FW puffers among others. Proper pH is an excellent product for this. They offer 6.8, 7.0, 7.5 (great for goldies), and 8.2 buffers.

 

[tangprincess]

Freshwater tanks are the easiest in the world---that is, depending on which type of fish you want. Much like the SW fish community, you have your community fish (mollies, platies...), schooling fish (tetras...), semi-aggressive fish (angels, barbs...), and your aggressive fish (cichlids, some sharks....). There is really a lot out there to choose from , and most, are of course, cheaper than SW fish. In such a small tank like that, I would rule out goldfish, b/c of their tendency to produce such high levels of ammonia in tanks (especially a nano). Go with the smaller of the tetras, such as neons, or glo-lites, or skirts. If you want it unheated, you can even do guppies (the bangkok guppies are very colorful), and they breed like rabbits, but most LF's seperate the males and females, so you can buy all males if you want. I wouldn't do anything much bigger than those guys, or your tank will be more trouble than it's worth. But good luck!!! I have 7 fw tanks and 3 sw tanks. Fish are awesome!!!

 

[beaslbob]

freshwater just means non saltwater. If you have the easy fish like platties or guppies, I highly recommend you do a planted tank. Basically you use sand for substrait and add lotsa plants. The idea is to get the plants extablished before you add fish. After a week add a single fish. Good idea not to feed the fish for a week. Add a mate the third week. No filter, no circulation, no air stone, leave the top open and use common low lighting. Just use your tap water and only replace the water that evaporates. The plants filter the water and control the algae. Extremely low maintenance.

 

[ophiura]

Originally posted by Dacia
Actually, you can get FW hermits. They have them at my LFS. I have also kept various snails in them as well.

Hmmmm, I know there are terrestrial hermit crabs (which of course need a water source nonetheless and hence are sometimes called "freshwater hermits") and saltwater hermits, as well as freshwater crabs/shrimp/crayfish, etc...fiddler crabs commonly being sold as freshwater though brackish is much better....but have not heard about freshwater hermit crabs. It wouldn't surprise me if they are trying to pass certain species off as freshwater, when they will not survive in it long term.
Anyway, how big are these hermits? Are the colorful? Are the completely submerged, or is there an area to climb onto land?
But there are loads of snails available, most of which are considered pest animals because they reproduce rapidly. Some larger species of aquatic snails do not have the same reputation, but none are particularly good in a planted tank (though commonly found on the plants in the store!). I'm always battling them, but can't kill them, so put them in with bettas or other tanks without like plants.

 

[ophiura]

As for a planted tank, I think that some circulation is always a good thing, personally. Just like corals, there are low light and high light plants, so research must be done on that. Things like java fern, java moss, anubias, crypts, etc are lower light plants...but smaller leaves tend to mean higher light requirements so be careful with that.

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by Dacia
Actually, you can get FW hermits. They have them at my LFS. I have also kept various snails in them as well.
...
Remember that in FW tanks you can keep 1 inch of fish per gallon...unless you have more than the normal filtration (like on my 29 gallon tank I have 2 HOB filters meant for 50 gallon tanks and the water has always been perfect for my goldfish).

Actually it is very easy to get snales in fw. the eggs come in on the plants you buy. Snales just start showing up. It is a built in cleaner crew
Gee i guess my 10g with 30 guppies, 2 platties is really outta line. Well over the 1"/gallon rule. Especially with no circulation and no filtration. Oh yea I do have those plants

 

[bioreefer]

sorry I swin and not choke you must be OUTSIDE YOUR MIND freshwater is like listening to Ben Stine talk about Wallstreet I would ratter watch grass grow then do a freshwater!!!!!! sorry to get on a rant here

 

[chevman3171]

haha, most freshwater fish you buy are about as hardy as a carp!! Wait a second - Goldfish ARE carp!! WOAH!

 

[dreeves]

I was never able to kill freshwater fish like I can saltwater fish...how boring was that?
Actually my next tank will be a FW planted with discus'...
There's always room for one more tank...see ya later mr. piano...