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Considering putting two more tanks up ( LOL-my wife is gonna divorce me before Im done :icon_redf
)
I am going to lean on you for knowledge and in return I will do the same after I have gained some usable knowledge.
I want one of them to be a VERY nice tank because it will be in my living room beside my fireplace. With your help I would like to make it a tank worthy of a journal on here. Thanks in advance.
Requirements ;
I have a 36" length limit. Im thinking 30 or 50 gallon. 38,45 and 65 would be too tall.
I can afford most things that are top of the line but I dont have an endless budget-nor do I want to throw away money.
I want it to be a planted tank, so that limits stocking options--I also will have a large Rainbow Shark going into this tank to further limit stocking.
I dont know anything about CO2 and Im kind of intimidated by something that could kill all of my fish at once with no real warning.
I do not have plumbing near the tank location, all water changes would be done via a Python and buckets.
Im not sure how much weight my floor is capable of holding gracefully. I can get under the floor in the crawl space and reinforce it if I need to.
I will be building a custom stand for it to sit on--above it will be a book shelf. The shelf is adjustable so I can move it up or down.
I want the lights to be at tank top level--not elevated.
Canister filter-no room for a HOB filter. Two for a 50 gallon?
I assume I will need a power head or two for a 36" long tank.
So, I need suggestions for equipment purchases so I can try to avoid the pitfalls of buying CRAP that I dont need or will be unhappy with.
Filter(s) ? I have a Fluval 205 in my 29--and I like it so far. No room behind the tank for a HOB--has to be a Canister. Im thinking I want to hide the equipment as much as I can in this tank--so Lilly pipes may be somthing I do to try to get a cleaner look--input on those?
Powerheads? No clue here--I assume I would need one to increase circulation in a tank that size.
Stocking suggestions? ( 7.2-7.6 is my normal pH range in my tanks--normally more to the 7.6---tap water-I will test the GH and KH tonight and report back. I have a test kit, just havent tested it yet. ) I dont want to change the water more than once a week and no more than 50% at that point. I will have 2 29 gallon tanks and a 30 or 50 gallon tank to maintain along with all of my other duties--that will be more than enough to keep me busy. Rainbow Shark will be going into this tank. I dont like Discus and not real fond of Angels-not that either of those would be a good fit in this tank--just saying. I do like almost all Cichlids--but lots of them eat plants and/or require different water than I will provide. I dont want to have to raise food for my fish. Frozen or freeze dried is fine though. I like Corydoras, Nerite snails, Barbs ( thinking about a school of Tiger Barbs, Albino Tiger Barbs and Green Tiger Barbs, brightly colored Tetras, Cichlids, Cherry Red Shrimp, Bamboo Shrimp, Amano Shrimp, Rasboras of almost all sorts etc. I dont want a fish tank full of fry that wont be eaten-but Im alright with some live bearers to feed the other fish.
Lighting? Enough light for healthy plants, but not enough for healthy algae?? Is that possible? LOL. Lights have to be able to sit on top of tank/glass lid.
Substrate? ( I want to do everything I can to have good plant growth and minimal struggles with algae--see a theme here? :confused1
CO2 equipment? If I can have good plant growth without the CO2 I would prefer it. So far Ive seen decent growth in my 29 gallon with standard gravel, one T8 bulb, no CO2 and EI dosing with swords, Anacharis, Crypts, and Wisteria. My swords are short and squatty and my Wisteria is touching the surface--thats a different conversation though.
Heaters? I like the Stealth line of heaters--any other suggestions?
Anything else I am forgetting?
The other tank is going to be a 29 gallon--basic copy of one I have already, just with more filtration and better lights. It will be replacing a 10 gallon tank in my spare bedroom. It will house a male betta and lots of plants and some Corydoras and snails. It will be pretty boring.
I am going to lean on you for knowledge and in return I will do the same after I have gained some usable knowledge.
I want one of them to be a VERY nice tank because it will be in my living room beside my fireplace. With your help I would like to make it a tank worthy of a journal on here. Thanks in advance.
Requirements ;
I have a 36" length limit. Im thinking 30 or 50 gallon. 38,45 and 65 would be too tall.
I can afford most things that are top of the line but I dont have an endless budget-nor do I want to throw away money.
I want it to be a planted tank, so that limits stocking options--I also will have a large Rainbow Shark going into this tank to further limit stocking.
I dont know anything about CO2 and Im kind of intimidated by something that could kill all of my fish at once with no real warning.
I do not have plumbing near the tank location, all water changes would be done via a Python and buckets.
Im not sure how much weight my floor is capable of holding gracefully. I can get under the floor in the crawl space and reinforce it if I need to.
I will be building a custom stand for it to sit on--above it will be a book shelf. The shelf is adjustable so I can move it up or down.
I want the lights to be at tank top level--not elevated.
Canister filter-no room for a HOB filter. Two for a 50 gallon?
I assume I will need a power head or two for a 36" long tank.
So, I need suggestions for equipment purchases so I can try to avoid the pitfalls of buying CRAP that I dont need or will be unhappy with.
Filter(s) ? I have a Fluval 205 in my 29--and I like it so far. No room behind the tank for a HOB--has to be a Canister. Im thinking I want to hide the equipment as much as I can in this tank--so Lilly pipes may be somthing I do to try to get a cleaner look--input on those?
Powerheads? No clue here--I assume I would need one to increase circulation in a tank that size.
Stocking suggestions? ( 7.2-7.6 is my normal pH range in my tanks--normally more to the 7.6---tap water-I will test the GH and KH tonight and report back. I have a test kit, just havent tested it yet. ) I dont want to change the water more than once a week and no more than 50% at that point. I will have 2 29 gallon tanks and a 30 or 50 gallon tank to maintain along with all of my other duties--that will be more than enough to keep me busy. Rainbow Shark will be going into this tank. I dont like Discus and not real fond of Angels-not that either of those would be a good fit in this tank--just saying. I do like almost all Cichlids--but lots of them eat plants and/or require different water than I will provide. I dont want to have to raise food for my fish. Frozen or freeze dried is fine though. I like Corydoras, Nerite snails, Barbs ( thinking about a school of Tiger Barbs, Albino Tiger Barbs and Green Tiger Barbs, brightly colored Tetras, Cichlids, Cherry Red Shrimp, Bamboo Shrimp, Amano Shrimp, Rasboras of almost all sorts etc. I dont want a fish tank full of fry that wont be eaten-but Im alright with some live bearers to feed the other fish.
Lighting? Enough light for healthy plants, but not enough for healthy algae?? Is that possible? LOL. Lights have to be able to sit on top of tank/glass lid.
Substrate? ( I want to do everything I can to have good plant growth and minimal struggles with algae--see a theme here? :confused1
CO2 equipment? If I can have good plant growth without the CO2 I would prefer it. So far Ive seen decent growth in my 29 gallon with standard gravel, one T8 bulb, no CO2 and EI dosing with swords, Anacharis, Crypts, and Wisteria. My swords are short and squatty and my Wisteria is touching the surface--thats a different conversation though.
Heaters? I like the Stealth line of heaters--any other suggestions?
Anything else I am forgetting?
The other tank is going to be a 29 gallon--basic copy of one I have already, just with more filtration and better lights. It will be replacing a 10 gallon tank in my spare bedroom. It will house a male betta and lots of plants and some Corydoras and snails. It will be pretty boring.