Carson has wanted pets for a while now but I simply do not have the time to be walking dogs or calling cats when I get home from work (meany bum, I know!) so I persuaded him that fish were the way to go!
I am not going to lie though, I haven't the first idea about fish - even goldfish. All I did know is that I did not want a bog standard plastic bowl with one solitary fish and his castle home. I was thinking the fish could amuse Carson and the tank could add a bit of style to my, otherwise boring, living room.
Two birds, One stone :-D ...(ok, two fish, several stones!)
I was very excited to learn I had the opportunity to collaborate with Swell UK in setting up my very first aquarium.
As the UK's leading retailer of aquariums and pond products,
swelluk.com, offer an incredible range of equipment suitable for any level of expertise and I was confident in the advice provided once I enquired about my needs, bearing in mind I was a total novice. I did have the opportunity to go for a tropical aquarium if I liked, however I'd bigged up goldfish so much that there was no going back from this from Carson's point of view.
So, firstly, I learnt that goldfish can grow to be quite sizeable (who knew?!) so to ensure I plan for the future prior to choosing my size and type of tank.
With this in mind, I opted for ....
... the astoundingly stylish
Fluval Edge 23L. Small and sleek enough to not need a specific table or stand, but large enough to house 2 goldfish with an incredible 360 degree view.
What a beautiful piece.
Retailing at £99.99 it is the world's first cube aquarium measuring a mere 43cm in length. A retractable LED lighting system allows for 3 moody settings: no light, white day light and a stunning blue night light. The set back base gives the grand illusion of a floating tank, plus the hood hides the filtration system so no obvious gadgety bits on show. The entire aquarium is stupendously classy. That alone, before we even chose fish and bit/pieces, was enough for me. (A bit like buying a perfume for its' bottle not its' contents!)
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L-R CLOCKWISE: FILTRATION SYSTEM PUT TOGETHER, EXTRAS INCLUDED TO SET UP TANK, GRAVEL WE CHOSE, THE FLUVAL EDGE 23L TANK BOX. |
SETTING UP MY AQUARIUM
(For newbies, like me!)
Tank: I thought filters and pumps etc meant serious knowledge was required. I had my Dad on hand in case I got stuck! Honestly though, this was a 3 step process that Carson could have done himself.
The instructions were simple to follow and the box even had the images to follow, eradicating the need to actually read if you didn't want to.
There are 2 plugs with this tank - the filter pump and the lighting system, so remember that for when you're thinking about where to place it.
Decor: We opted for a green and white coloured gravel and required 1.5 bags of this to cover the base of the tank by approx. 1 inch. Give it a good rinse first remember!
In keeping with the green/white colours, we purchased 2 weighted 'fuzzy ball' decorations and 2 artificial, and taller, 'plants'. One that stays still and one that looks very realistic as the fish swim around them, the 'leaves' elegantly swoosh from side to side.
Introducing the fish: Carson chose a Shubunkin goldfish called Angela and a Comet goldfish called Blake. We kept them in their bags of water for a good 1.5 hours whilst we were sorting their interior design!
The tank came with an algae prevention pouch, which simply sits on top of the filter, and two bottles of solution. One to dechlorinate the tap water to make it safe for the fish to live in and one to start the nitrogen cycle (basically, allowing the bacteria required to eat fish waste to grow).
Once the correct amounts of solution were put in the water, we placed the fish (still in their bags) through the hole at the top - to get them used to the temperature of their new water. After 30 minutes of doing this, we simply emptied them gently in to their new home and watched.. and watched. Mesmerising, are fish!
When introducing fish to an unestablished tank it is so very important to continue adding the solutions which assist in establishing the nitrogen cycle over the course of their first three days, else risk waking up to belly up pets. You must also feed them as little as possible, which reduces the amount of fish waste produced, thus speeding the cycle up.
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FINISHED PRODUCT COMPLETE WITH FISH, DECOR AND DAY LIGHT 'ON' |
I am now at the end of the 3rd full day and my fish are alive and swimming (yay!). The water is a little cloudy at the moment but I'm of the understanding that this is normal at this stage and will (should) rectify itself any day now.
The Fluval Edge 23L is advertised as suitable for tropical tanks, however please bear in mind that a thermostat is not included so you would need to purchase that separately if you decided to have a tropical aquarium.
For coldwater fish though, you have all you need in one ultra-stunning compact product. The gentle trickling sound of the water aeration process is calming and relaxing to say the least. The lighting adds mood to any given room at any given time. The cuboid make-up is definitely the highlight of this product. Talk about aesthetically pleasing - wow!
Swell UK offer all you need in one place, with a lowest price guarantee, free next day delivery on orders placed before 2pm and over £50, and 60 day returns. Advice is on-hand if need be and you can be confident that you are dealing with a leading UK retailer that specialise in their field.
I couldn't fault my experience. From the choosing of my item to the finished final product, I am thrilled. I intend on writing another post in a few months and let you know how the water changes are going, along with the (hopeful) survival of Angela and Blake!
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Nightlight |
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Daylight |
SPECIAL OFFER: I have been given a very generous discount code for you all. Swell Aquatics and Swell Reptiles - spend a minimum of £25, you will receive a 10% discount off of your first order by using this code: SWELL10. Let me know if you take the leap!
If you've not had an aquarium before and are thinking about doing it now, or perhaps you are a beginner thinking a plastic fish bowl is about all you can manage... just do it. Best decision ever.
Do you have an aquarium? Is there anything I should be careful of moving forward?
DISCLAIMER: I WAS SENT THIS ITEM FOR THE PURPOSE OF REVIEWING THE PROCESS OF SETTING UP AN AQUARIUM. THE FLUVAL EDGE 23L WAS SUPPLIED FREE OF CHARGE FROM SWELLUK.COM. ALL OF THE ABOVE IS BASED SOLELY ON MY EXPERIENCE AND HONEST OPINIONS. I WAS NOT PAID TO WRITE THIS POST.