hi everyone,newbie need help?

hey billy.sup kid.welcome.i'm impressed.you seem to be someone who doesn't do things half bake. now if only a lot of the other schmucks round here would be like you...well anyhow,allow me to tell you my story.i am sorta kinda a 'newbie' too in this hobby if you are to count the years like some have put up keeping fish.would you believe i've just started last December 2012?! yep.but just like you,i did my homework.i dint set up my tank until the end of January 2013. i came into the hobby while out of boredom was watching fishing vids on youtube and those fishkeeping vids kept poppin out.so i watched and the fishes that caught my attention entirely were the African Cichlids.i was amazed at their colors,their size,their attitude and how easy it was to set their tank up. so i googled and read everything i could about them.and fishkeeping in general.i was amazed that there's a whole world out there dedicated to the hobby and the many different fishes one can keep and the means to keep them.i thought fishkeeping is not for 'macho' toughies like me.haha... but how wrong i was and how glad i was for being wrong.haha..! so there,i bought a 50 gallon tank,filters,lights,sand,everything a cichlid tank would need. i've learned too how to do nitrogen cycling and how demanding cichlids can be with their water quality. i 'borrowed' from a friend 3 adult black mollies i used as the 'cycling fishes'. these fish are tough! i did a total of 6 weeks.i followed the whole cabunga to a T. and after which bought my first 4 electric yellow labs,and by the middle of March 2013 i got a total of 15 dwarf Africans all living peacefully up until this very day.matter of fact they're infront of me now.listening to the tap tapping of my keyboards.these fishes are unbelievable. they've been my main stress relievers.after a grueling hard days work running after baddies,i come home to some peace and color and these guys are more than happy to greet me home as well. and yes,i haven't lost a fish. haven't been a murderer yet to any of these beautiful creatures. all it takes is a little serious effort and a bit of patience. that's why it really kinda disturbs me that some knuckleheads here couldn't do simple researching that would've save them all the troubles. so anyway kid,that's my story.hope this will inspire you in any way. don't be afraid. you've done a good job already doin your homework. goodluck and don't hesitate to ask.we'd be glad to help.or maybe you too can help givin out advices.you're more than welcome.

oh and the mollies survive the whole cycling process,they are now back in my friend's tank.

I got started 10 years ago rescuing guppies from my fourth grade teacher who was gonna flush 'em. I was 9 and my parents have no interest in fish at all so I kind of felt my way around in the dark until I got it. Whatever you do, don't forget to properly cycle the tank. The bigger the tank, the easier to keep the fish alive (and the cooler the fish you can get). Start with freshwater; it's one less thing to worry about. This is not a cheap hobby, but it's my favorite. Here's my version of a fish keeping crash course.

Preferably at least a 10 gallon aquarium, available for $15 at any pet store. The bigger the tank, the easier it is to maintain. A good rule for small tropical fish is 1 inch of fish for every gallon, so about 5-8 fish in a 10 gallon, depending on the type. It's important to set up the aquarium, heating, and filtration 3-4 weeks in advance and put a little fish food in the empty tank each day to start the beneficial bacteria growing. This is called cycling. You need at LEAST biological and chemical filtration. A simple store bought filter rated for the size of your tank should be fine, but buy a bigger filter than necessary if possible. This allows you to keep even the messiest fish. Be sure to condition the water before putting fish in. You can buy a bottle of conditioner at any pet store and just follow those directions. You also need to condition with water changes, which should be done once a week - 10%-20%. The temp should be 72-82 degrees Fahrenheit.

You will know the tank has been cycled when water tests show no ammonia, no nitrites, and very few nitrates (which are taken care of with water changes). This is usually after 3-4 weeks. Most pet stores will test your water for free, or you can buy test kits to do it at home. Once it's cycled, you can go pick out your fish. You want active swimmers with bright colors, clear eyes, and no injuries or frayed fins. Don't buy a fish from a tank with dead or dying fish in it. Once you get your fish home, acclimate them slowly. This means you have to get them used to both the temp and chemistry of your water by putting them in a bucket with the water from their bag and pouring more and more water from your tank into the bucket. I usually do this over 2 hours or so. after that, you can add your fish to the tank. Whatever you do, don't put any of the water from the store in your tank. It'll mess up your water chemistry.

Feed your fish once a day maximum. The biggest mistake most people make is over feeding, which pollutes the water and kills the fish. Don't worry about them starving. They can go a week or 2 without food if they have to. Continue with weekly water changes and consider buying a gravel vacuum. These take out the bits of waste and uneaten food that causes problems in the tank. Do weekly water tests for the first couple months and if any fish die. You can use any decor you want, but live plants are good for the fish. Don't leave tank lights on 24/7. It's too harsh on the fish. The recommended system is 4 hrs on, 4 hrs off, 4 hrs on, 12 hrs off, repeat. It helps prevent algae growth, while still giving live plants what they need. If you decide against live plants, the lights don't need to be on at all, except for when you're showing off the tank.

Impulse purchases are the banes of my aqua-hobbyist existence. Unfortunately, they make up half my tank. If a fish dies, it's okay. Bad things happen. Fish get sick, they get hurt, they even have heart attacks. Some breeds of fish are so mass produced, they've been inbred to the point where they have so many defects that they die months after they're born. A lot of people think that fish are the easiest pets to keep but I think fish are the most expensive and hard to keep alive. Does anyone have to keep track of their dogs oxygen levels? Constant testing of the air their cats breath? No. You are the master of your fishes universe. You hold his life in your hands with nearly every decision you make from fish food choices to whether you want to do a water change today or tomorrow. Listen to experienced fish keepers.

Also, a lot of people think that the pet store employees don't know anything, and that's true sometimes. But many of the people in the fish department have multiple successful tanks. Make sure you're talking to someone actually in the fish department and not the 17-year-old cashier. Instead of asking for a specific product from an internet article, explain your situation. Whether you have a problem with your tank or just want to talk tank improvement, they want to talk to you. After a couple minutes, you can tell if this is someone who knows what they're doing, or someone who's trying to sell you expensive and unnecessary stuff. Ask them if they've ever experienced a similar problem and how that turned out, or about how they feel about a specific product. The most honest ones won't be afraid to tell you even negative opinions. You also know you have a great employee if they refer you to another store for something they don't carry, or even something that's cheaper elsewhere.

If you can avoid it, don't balance you PH with chemicals. Once you do, your tank is forever dependent on them.

Best of luck to you!