Question: Finally Getting a Tank!

[Carl]

I've been waiting and looking for ages for a cheap tank and I've finally found one! hopefully if the seller keeps their word that they will save it for me I will be picking it up on Saturday

now it needs a bit of a scrub and I've looked online and it appears that you should only use plain water baking soda (I assume they mean Sodium bicarbonate?) and white vinegar will this be okay for Axolotls as well the tank measures 30" x 15" x 12" and I was planning to buy a 15kg bag of play sand from Argos will this be enough for a 1" layer on the bottom?

also I'm going to get some live plants on eBay as they look quite good value compared with pet shop prices however most of the sellers state that the nurseries where there plants where grown may have used a copper solution to rid the plants of hitch-hikers will vigorous washing be enough to clean them of the copper?

Many Thanks

Carl

 

[StewRat]

I can only comment on the Argos play sand question.

I have a 48 x 12 x 12 (inches) tank and a single bag of Argos play sand was more than enough to give a good base. Mine isn't a uniform 1" deep everywhere, but I don't think it has to be (1" is max before gas pocket issues crop up) - and I have about 30-40% of the bag left anyway.

Short version = tons

 

[Carl]

Cheers StewRat =]

 

[Carl]

Well I got the tank to today and I'm well chuffed! it has some scratches and all four of the bottom corners are chipped but I've been told it's water tight and so far with it half full it is! but I'm going to get some aquarium safe sealant in the next couple of days and fill in the chips on the outside but for £15 it was a bargain

 

[Boo Penguin]

How exciting, I must admit I personally love having my axi in a bigger tank (and I'm fairly sure she shares my opinion)

I had a 20kg bag of play sand when I got my tank (its a 3 foot) and I only used a tiny bit to give a small layer and thus far its been really good. Plus its lovely white river sand and she leaves little foot prints in it cause its a super fine layer... which is adorable.

 

[Carl]

Plus its lovely white river sand and she leaves little foot prints in it cause its a super fine layer... which is adorable.

That does sound totally adorable

 

[Carl]

Here's a photo of my tank setup, the filters not on the side I want at the moment as the extension lead isn't quite long enough...

 

[Morrison]

I like it. I would add some more hides in it.

 

[Carl]

I like it. I would add some more hides in it.

Oh I haven't even begun i've only so far got some plastic plants in which I got in an eBay auction a few months ago (another bargain 7 for £5!) and I'm also going to put some live ones in there and I also just got some Amazon frogbit to float on the surface and I will probably make a slate hide up and might put a piece of PVC pipe in

 

[Morrison]

Sounds cool. Can't wait to see it

 

[Boo Penguin]

NICE!!! You'll have to stir up the sand to stop it going bad.

Oooh for hides I would highly suggest and teapot, they look great!!! I've got one in my tank and my axi loves it ( or she did... she's too big to fit inside properly, so I'll have to get her a bigger one)

 

[Loobylou]

£15 for a tank isn't bad....

Best place I've found to go are local tips, most of them sell items that others throw away, and there are usually tanks. I brought a 3ft from our local tip for £4. I popped up there the other day and got another quarantine tank for £1, but it's only tiny (about 1' x 10") but it's perfect for quarantining bubs, guppies and shrimp.

Edit: Also Gumtree has some bargains! I got a 4ft x 1.5ft tank from there for £50, but as it was a full set-up I sold all the stuff that I didn't want and in the end it cost me around £10! Someone on there the other day was giving away a fluval edge...

 

[Carl]

£15 for a tank isn't bad....

Best place I've found to go are local tips, most of them sell items that others throw away, and there are usually tanks. I brought a 3ft from our local tip for £4. I popped up there the other day and got another quarantine tank for £1, but it's only tiny (about 1' x 10") but it's perfect for quarantining bubs, guppies and shrimp.

Edit: Also Gumtree has some bargains! I got a 4ft x 1.5ft tank from there for £50, but as it was a full set-up I sold all the stuff that I didn't want and in the end it cost me around £10! Someone on there the other day was giving away a fluval edge...

Wow that's incredible!I never thought of going to the tip

 

[Carl]

Well I bought some Amazon Frogbit to go in my tank yesterday and it arrived today! so thats nicely floating on top but it's going round and round... is that okay?

also my Eheim filter has this thing in the box which fit's on top, what the heck is it for?

 

[Carl]

okay worked out what it was for, adding bubbles!