new 3 foot tank

[claireroe]

hi , i'm expecting delivery of a new 3foot tank . I'm thinking of using sand instead of gravel , does it go really cloudy ( planning on using play sand from argos ) ? and I'm thinking of doing a fishless cycle but don't know where to get ammonia from . Also i want to keep some guppies , neons and angels , what numbers of each would be advisable in a 3 foot tank ? ( thanks in advance , you helped me out so much with my first tank )

 

[The-Wolf]

yes playsand from argos is a good choice, try not to go much over 2" depth, this will stop anerobic bateria growing and causing futer problems. you need to wash the play sand quite a lot, this is what happens if you don't (click thumbnail for lager view)
If pool filter sand is in your budget, I'd go with that as it requires very little, if any, washing.

for pure ammonia in the UK, I've heard of people getting it from Boots superstores (not small high street ones) or Robert Dyas. You need to make sure it is 100% pure, with no other addatives, look in the cleaning products aisle.

guppies and neons is a good choice, and in that sized tank you could have 6-8 of each.
An angelfishs' natural food are neons, so it might not be a good idea to keep both together, although some people have with no problems, the risk is yours to take.
Neons are also a sensative fish, so wait untill the tank is matured (around 8 weeks after cycle) before adding them.

Good luck and lets see plenty of pics

 

[houndour]

I'm using Kleen Off for my source of ammonia. I got it from Robert Dyas. Asked them for Kleen Off and they knew what it was.

I used playsand from B&Q and it seems fine. I've been told to give it a prod every now and then so it doesnt become stagnant.