i first got into keeping fish/shrimp a year ago, and really got hooked on it...
actually...what I really enjoy isn't the fish, but more scaping the tank with stone, wood, plants..etc....it is like making little art project

Also, it is very exciting to see your fish or shrimp start having babies and the population grow from 10 -> 20 -> 40+!

you can see some of the things people do to their aquarium here ->http://www.aquatic-eden.com/2007/10/...st-top-10.html

If you know what you are doing...it really doesn't cost that much to get a nice planted tank..

Tank (3 - 10 gallon): $10-$15
Basic filter: $20-$30
Substrate/gravel: $15-$30
Natural Decoration like stone & wood: $30-50 at the fish store, free if go pick them up yourself outside
Lighting: $20 if you get your own clamp on fixtures & fluorescent bulb. $50-$100+ if you get the ones that are make specifically for aquarium.

Fish or Shrimp: $20? really depends
Plants: $30-$50? Will be much cheaper if you get it from other hobbyist

so...if you shop carefully, you get get everything setup <$100.
I've setup 3 planted tank from 3gallon-6gallon from $50-100 each.

If you are looking for small tank (<10gallon) -> I think fresh will be A LOT easier to maintain. The only real maintenance you need to do on either type is water change.
With fresh, all you need to do is suck the water out into a bucket and put water back in with a few drop of chemical (to get rid of the chlorine) Typically it takes no more than 5 minutes in a 10 gallon...

Saltwater is completely different since you have to mix the salt and match the salinity. and if water in the tank evaporated, you have to add back distilled water to keep the salinity consistent.
With the big saltwater tank (40gallon+), they change water only a few times a year so it is not a big deal. With a small setup <10 gallon, you probably have to do it every few weeks.

You should never change the all the water at any given time.

With salt water tank you can have a pretty sufficient self-sustaining tank. The smaller it is the less self sufficient it will be. It's all about building an ecosystem that can essentially support itself.

lol im a lazy ass so i change my water like once a month on my 2.2 gal and 5.5 gal, like.. i leave just enough water so the fish can barely swim, so like.. 90% of the water! haha

they've been good for over a year so far. i let the water that im gonna use sit for a few days. i don't use any medication or dechlorinating things.

when blue green algae appears i use anti bacterial medication, if ich ever appears (only once when i forgot to change the water for like almost 2 months), i use this green parasite killer.

cycling is hella important ;)

hey guys,

there is a VAHC meeting/auction coming up.

11th Annual Monster Aquatic Auction
The Vancouver Aquatic Hobbyist Club

11th Annual Monster Aquatic Auction
Saturday November 15, 2008.

in the school gym of St Pius X School Gym
1150 Mount Seymour Road, North Vancouver

http://www.fishopolis.com/VAHC/meeti...lauction08.cfm


everyone is welcome to attend to bid on items via auction style. only registered VAHC members are able to sell items, so you'll have to go early to register.

great way to pick up some plants/stock/equipment. anyone interested in going?. i'll be heading there around noon

10am is too freaking early.. even noon is pushing it for me lol


RS pre-meet?

^^^ Bahh I can't check it out! No money. Just dumped a load of cash on my new set up :(

wow thats hella far... i'll just buy from bca members

no one interested at all?

too bad... actually a good place to pick up stuff for pretty damn cheap

^
what's your definition of cheap?

like asia cheap?

or ... like... just "cheap" for vancouver

I went 2 years ago. The raffles werent that bad. I saw some rare plants there and they went for decent prices. This was before Pets Beautiful could order in a whole bunch of rarer stuff. Used equipment went reallly cheap like filters and heaters could be had for 5-15$. I mean hell I bought some as back ups and sure enough some of my stuff failed and I used the back ups to power the tank till I went to the shops in the morning to replace it. The place is crazy if ur into Killies and Guppies, alot of those livebearers there.

well its all auction style with a minimum bid right, so it varies. plus more than likely there will be bettas there ulic ;)

there was a whole 30g setup worth at least 150 that sold for $70-90
even saw a 30g tank go for $5

u guys missed out on lots of good stuff, i went 3.5 hrs late too so i missed out on lots ....

<-------- has RO filter, doesn't wait to age water. lol
also handy for those weeks when our water turns to crap and we're supposed to boil water.
I'm really lazy with water changes... haha.
my 5 gallon gets a 3 gallon change whenever I get bored. No one seems to care. random plants in it with guppies and white clouds, 10 bamboo sticks too.

I think a beginner would be good with a 20 gallon.
Enough that mistakes can be made without crashing the system and no too big.

granted I started on a 10......

I just started out with the whole Fish bizz.

i ACTUALLY just changed the water in my tank.

My setup was pretty afortable in my opinion.
And it was in an area where i needed to build my own tank beacause of the shelf it was going in to.

15G Hagen tank -$30
Wisper Filter - $15
Air pump- Free + Airstone ($1)
Fake plants - $15
Black Gravel - $26
Stealth heater - $30
Tree stump - Free
Water Treatment and stuff - $34
Magnetic Cleaner - $11

And of course the Fishies

Overall i'm quite happy with it.

Just got to do your research, Aquascaping is alittle more harder since you need to maintain it well or the plants will die Proper sunlight, fet, oxygen etc. best of luck.

Make sure to cycle your setup before you ad any fish.

Thanks(Y)
I did that already, fishes look pretty happy. Thanks for the advice. I'm on BC Aquaria as the same username. :)

Lets see some fish set ups

give this person some ideas.

I just started my new 33g long. Gotta scape it...

also on BCA with the same SN.

i'll post up my tanks tmw, dunno where camera went.

This is kinda my first aquarium...very simple and only 3 gallon. I grew the plant from a few stems to a full carpet in about 3 months.
Total for this setup including the shrimps and plants ran about $70
http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/q...6/DSC07596.jpg

Another tank I was gonna plant but never got around doing it...
http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/q...Sept132008.jpg
those few branches of wood cost more than the tank + filter + substrate + light combined. :cry:

^ Wow thats really good as a nano tank. I think thats HC in there? I cant get that plant to grow properly, well as dense as yours anyways.

My tank as of today:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3251/...9844d954_o.jpg

nice tanks guys, thats HC for sure. are you guys selling any HC?... its taking too long for mine to fill in i am very inpatient.... and i still cant find my camera lol

if anyone is looking for a cheap and bigger tank, im selling my 50g tank dimensions are 48in long 12in wide and 20in deep, for 40bucks come take it away need room for my new tank!

heh heh represent!

Wow, i'm jealous of your guys tanks. They all look so nice. My first time owning fishies failed on me badly. :( Now i have a 30 gallon tank around doing nothing lol. I wanna put my tank in my room but the oxygen pump or w.e was too loud =\