[MWBradshaw]

I just purchased a 36 Gallon Bowfront from a LFS and I'm very excited about it. I had fish when I was a kid and I loved it. I currently have a 20 Gallon Long terrarium which is housing 3 tree frogs, a toad, and a frog tadpole. It's been a lot of fun but now I've decided it's time to follow through and a want I've had ever since I was a young child. As a kid I always wanted two things: a wet/dry terrarium for amphibians and reptiles (CHECK) and a fish tank with native MN fish species. Now I know a lot of people think it's illegal so I've attached the legal statement from the fishing regulations of MN. I plan to catch a couple real small yellow bullhead (non-game species) from a nearby pond and then the rest of what I put in the tank will be bought at a LFS about 20 minutes away. They sell all kinds of native species there !!

From Pg. 10 of the 2010 Minnesota Fishing Regulations:

Transport of fish for display in a home aquarium is legal under the following conditions:
– Game fish purchased from an authorized licensee transported with the necessary documents (such as a sales receipt).
– Anglers 16 or under may transport legally caught largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, rock bass, black crappie, white crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, green sunfish, orangespotted sunfish, and black, yellow, and brown bullhead. No more than four of each species may be transported at any one time, and any individual fish can be no longer than 10 inches. At no time may water from infested waters be transported. (See DNR Web site)

Now this is what I currently have for the tank (going to change soon):
Filter: Aqueon Power Filter 30
Heater: Aqueon Submersible Heater 200w
Lighting: Deluxe Full hood with a 17w T8 24" bulb
Substrate: MTS (hopefully) capped with Flourite original

I plan to have a bullhead or two and a couple crawfish to inhabit the bottom layer of my aquarium and then a few bluegill/sunfish, crappies, and maybe a perch. I really want to find some nice driftwood and then add plants and rocks accordingly. The MTS should have enough ferts so I won't have to add any but I am thinking of getting a better bulb or two. Maybe Glo brand?

This is what I have so far.........Can't wait to get er up and running!

I plan to start getting this project underway soon! I just gotta find some plants/driftwood first. So I'll keep updating.

 

[RipariumGuy]

I have always wanted to do a tank like this! Do you think that the tank is a litte under filtered or over stocked? I cant wait to see how it turns out.
Jake

 

[MWBradshaw]

I have always wanted to do a tank like this! Do you think that the tank is a litte under filtered or over stocked? I cant wait to see how it turns out.
Jake

I'm not sure, that was one thing I was kind of worried about. I don't know much about filtration. I got a filter recommended for my tank size but do you think I'll need a second filter? I have the room but I just wasn't sure it was necessary for this size and I wasn't going to spend the money without knowing forsure. I planned on having about 4-6 small native fish and maybe 2 crawfish.

 

[Noahma]

If you are going to do plants, you will need to get a better light. I have the same tank, and the light fixture was just not enough. Coralife sells a 30" dual T5-NO fixture that fits the tank very well. big Al's has them

 

[MWBradshaw]

If you are going to do plants, you will need to get a better light. I have the same tank, and the light fixture was just not enough. Coralife sells a 30" dual T5-NO fixture that fits the tank very well. big Al's has them

Thanks for the tip!! I appreciate it, so is it pretty necessary to run dual lights for live plants to do well then?

 

[Noahma]

moreso the right intensity light. The fixture I have gives just enough to get all low lights, and a pretty good amount of mid light plants to grow well without any algae problems. Anything more intense and I have an algae problem lol.

I replaced the plastic top with a glass top, and then the light fixture. works great

 

[MWBradshaw]

moreso the right intensity light. The fixture I have gives just enough to get all low lights, and a pretty good amount of mid light plants to grow well without any algae problems. Anything more intense and I have an algae problem lol.

I replaced the plastic top with a glass top, and then the light fixture. works great

If I were able to find a 30" fixture would it fit in the place of my other one? Like if I kept the plastic top, atleast while I get this tank going? I ask because you said you have the same aquarium.

 

[Morainy]

Hi MWBradshaw,

I'm setting up a 36 gallon bowfront right now, too. Looks like the same tank. The light that came in the hood is only 20 Watts, regular flourescent. I like to have at least one watt per gallon, so I ordered a Coralife fixture from BigAlsOnline.ca It has 2 18 Watt T5 bulbs in it, one at 6500 K and one at 10,000 K.

I am wondering the same thing -- is it going to fit on my tank? I will let you know as soon as it arrives. If you send me a PM, I will be able to send you the information when the light arrives next week. Otherwise, I will forget which thread this is, once it has dropped off the opening page!

However, I think that some pet stores (like Petcetera) sell a double strip light fixture that is the same size as the single strip. Is your light strip removable from the hood? (Mine is, it sits on a strip of glass) If so, you might be able to get the double light strip from Petcetera. It costs less than the Coralife fixture. All of these things are much cheaper in the States, too, than in Canada.

I have an Aquaclear 70 running on my tank, but so far no tank inhabitants or plants. The Aquaclear 70 is somewhat noisy. If you find that your filtration is inadequate, you can always add a sponge filter later.

Maybe I should take some pics and start a journal, too. Thanks for the inspiration.

 

[Noahma]

If you ordered this light http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU...5/cl0/coralifefwt5aqualightdoublestriplight30

then yes, it will fit on the tank itself. The hood that comes with the tank will have to go though, the glass area for the standard light is not wide enough, and will leave dark spots inside the tank. You can get the versa top (glass) which will let you take use of the full width of the tank. Remember with the T-5 lights, the watt/gal. does not work. The lights are more efficient than the old T-8.

 

[MWBradshaw]

If you ordered this light http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU...5/cl0/coralifefwt5aqualightdoublestriplight30

then yes, it will fit on the tank itself. The hood that comes with the tank will have to go though, the glass area for the standard light is not wide enough, and will leave dark spots inside the tank. You can get the versa top (glass) which will let you take use of the full width of the tank. Remember with the T-5 lights, the watt/gal. does not work. The lights are more efficient than the old T-8.

The only problem with glass canopies is that we have bowfront aquariums. So wouldn't those standard versa tops not fit?

 

[Noahma]

The only problem with glass canopies is that we have bowfront aquariums. So wouldn't those standard versa tops not fit?

They make one specifically for the bow front tanks. I have one on my 36 gal.
Aqueon part number 29603 and upc code 015905296038

My LFS usually has to order them, but they had a couple of the 36 kits they sell that had one.

 

[MWBradshaw]

Yeah I was able to find some online, thanks! But shipping was like 30 bucks, rip off, so I'm going to see if I can find any locally here in MN.

 

[Noahma]

Yeah I was able to find some online, thanks! But shipping was like 30 bucks, rip off, so I'm going to see if I can find any locally here in MN.

HOLY! I did not realize shipping on something like that would be that high lol the box was pretty small. I bet a LFS can get you one without that much in shipping lol.

 

[MWBradshaw]

HOLY! I did not realize shipping on something like that would be that high lol the box was pretty small. I bet a LFS can get you one without that much in shipping lol.

Yeah I plan to go where I got the aquarium from with the part number that you gave me, I double checked it on the Aqueon website! I hope that they can order it for me, otherwise I'll be stuck paying around $60 bucks for an item that's around $30. That just doesn't seem right....

 

[Noahma]

Yeah I plan to go where I got the aquarium from with the part number that you gave me, I double checked it on the Aqueon website! I hope that they can order it for me, otherwise I'll be stuck paying around $60 bucks for an item that's around $30. That just doesn't seem right....

Some LFS around your area should be able to get it. Especially if they carry other Aqueon products.

 

[knm<><]

I plan to have a bullhead or two and a couple crawfish to inhabit the bottom layer of my aquarium and then a few bluegill/sunfish, crappies, and maybe a perch.

You do realize that these fish do not stay small and a 36gal will not be adequate to keep them in when they mature, right? Maybe you should look into keeping something smaller in this tank. (not trying to kill your childhood dreams, just give some info to think about)

 

[MWBradshaw]

You do realize that these fish do not stay small and a 36gal will not be adequate to keep them in when they mature, right? Maybe you should look into keeping something smaller in this tank. (not trying to kill your childhood dreams, just give some info to think about)

Yeah, I spend a lot of time fishing, so I know the mature sizes of all of these fish, but these fish are very small when they are juveniles and fry (which is what my LFS sells). I am, however, interested in the rate these fish grow. Once they outgrow my aquarium I have a friend's pond which they will go in. Once these native fish are out, I plan to re-evaluate my tank and start it up again with a lot of species I've seen/read about on here. I figured these native species would be good to start with since I'm new to this and some of them are very hearty.

 

[MWBradshaw]

Some LFS around your area should be able to get it. Especially if they carry other Aqueon products.

I went today to the LFS where I purchased my aquarium and asked if they could order the glass top from Aqueon and they said that they couldn't make "special" orders. LAME :icon_mad: The only ones for a 36 bow front I can find online are like $30 which is fine but then shipping is about $30 as well. I do not want to pay $60, if I don't absolutely have to.

 

[AquaNorth]

It's good to see a fellow Minnesotan on here. I used to know a guy who had a large display tank with Mn. native fish. He said it is hard to find compatable species do to there predatory nature. What natives are you planning on? Good luck please post pictures when you introduce them.

 

[Aubzilla]

You could call other semi-local stores to see if they can order. You'd have to drive, but it'd still be less than $30 in shipping.