Filter And Planting Advice

[damanax]

I'm possibly getting a free, brand new 38 gallon tank (funny story

 ), 36-inch length by 12-inch width by 20-inch height. As it will be the biggest tank I've ever had I have a couple of questions.
 
Does anyone recommend any particular filter for this size tank? 
 
I was thinking of just using silk plants but if I decide to go for real ones, what kind of light would I be after? The plants I'd have access to are vallis, baby tears, anubias and micro sword. I'm using root tabs, liquid ferts and flourish excel in my 17 gallon tanks but I'd prefer to not use any CO2 in the 38.
 
What's a good algae eater for a tank this size? No snails or shrimp as I can't get either. It will be a tropical tank.
 
Thanks 

 

 

[BerryAttack]

well i find that if you want a planted tank, i would dirt it, and i use "homemade"  lamp lights, with flouresent light bulbs.. around 1/4 the cost of getting the better looking lights, which IMO work the same.
with the dirt substrate.. remember to cap it lol, it'll do wonders to your plant environment, and your plants will flourish! oh and don't cap with sand.. 
 
i would recommend an external filter, even though they are move expensive, in the long run you save.. (don't need to continue to buy filter, cartridges just rinse in aquarium water when doing a water change, and boom all good to go)
 
for an algae eater, i would say you can get Siamese algae eater, they are school fish, so multiple ones would be good, but they cannot just survive on algae alone, they need pellets.. or you can get a bristle nose pleco.. they are very good.

 

[damanax]

Haha I don't like sand in my tanks so I definitely won't be capping with it 

  Good tip about the lights. I was a little scared of looking up prices for the larger lights, especially considering how much the lights for my 17 gallon tanks cost 

 
That makes sense. Is there any particular external filter that you'd recommend? I've never had one before and don't really know what I'm looking for.
 
I don't think they've ever stocked plecos at my LFS. I think they might have SAEs sometimes though so I may have to look into them