Hello

[ClarkyBoy]

Hi new member with an interest in setting up a new tropical freshwater tank. I'm doing loads of research all over the web and via books but nothing beats having a group of people to ask advice of and bounce ideas off of, so please bear with me if I say anything too stupid!

I've been looking at tanks around the 200l mark, the oak incased ones from Maidenhead Aquatics but these are a little too much for our flat so the slightly less conspicuous Fluval 180 Vicenza is looking favourite: http/tinyurl.com/c3cp3pe

This comes with an external filter which I prefer from an ease of maintenance and aesthetics point of view but I can't find any information on the merits or detriments of internal and external filters.

I'd like the tank to be a community tank planted with real (not plastic) plants with a scattering of rocks and some bog wood to try to make it look as natural as possible. Plants, I'm still to research so suggestions are welcome! Also I'm confused on CO2 systems and whether I'd need to consider them!

In terms of stocking I was thinking that Cardinal Tetras, Danios and Corys (Pygmy or Bristlenosed?) would be a good starting point but I'm very unsure of quantities and timescales for stocking.

Because of the Corys I was hoping to go for a sand substrate but I've read differing reports on ease of maintenance and toxic gas release. I'm also unsure if aquasoil is the best option to encourage plant growth under the sand or whether the sand is enough on it's own.

Basically I'm looking for a little bit of guidance so I can plan my strategy and to reassure myself that I'm not barking up the wrong tree. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks for reading.

Clarky

 

[chigwellhammer]

Welcome to the forum mate And good luck with your tank

 

[crazyforcordoras]

You are looking at a 52 gallon tank. I dint now liters to gallons well, so i hadto search it. You could put a good 12 cardinal tetras, 10 zebra danios, and 6 cories. I like pepperedcories, pygmy cories are to small for anything more than a 20 gallon. I am currently setting up a 1.5 gallon natural tank. Sand, plants and some driftwood. You dont need co2 injection, it does help though. Soynds like a cool tank to me.


*sorry about typing errors, i am on an ipad.

C

 

[fluttermoth]

to the forum.

This comes with an external filter which I prefer from an ease of maintenance and aesthetics point of view but I can't find any information on the merits or detriments of internal and external filters.

The only advantage, IMO, to internal filters is that the tank is 'self contained'; in every other way externals are preferable; ease of maintainance, space for media, flow rate, etc, etc.

I'd like the tank to be a community tank planted with real (not plastic) plants with a scattering of rocks and some bog wood to try to make it look as natural as possible. Plants, I'm still to research so suggestions are welcome! Also I'm confused on CO2 systems and whether I'd need to consider them!

I wouldn't worry about CO2 at this stage. There are plenty of easy to grow plants that don't need CO2 or extra fertilisers; that can come later, with more ambitious set ups, if the plant bug hits you. Keep it simple to start with

In terms of stocking I was thinking that Cardinal Tetras, Danios and Corys (Pygmy or Bristlenosed?) would be a good starting point but I'm very unsure of quantities and timescales for stocking.

Bristlenoses aren't corydoras, they're a small plec Danios and cardinals aren't very good tank mates; the cardinals like it quite warm while the danios prefer cooler water (they even do quite well in unheated tanks). If you do a fishless cycle (which nearly every member of this forum recommends), you can add all your stock, more or less, in one go; that's one of it's advantages, apart from not compromising your new fish's health with elevated levels of ammonia and nitrite, as you would get in a fish-in cycle.

Because of the Corys I was hoping to go for a sand substrate but I've read differing reports on ease of maintenance and toxic gas release. I'm also unsure if aquasoil is the best option to encourage plant growth under the sand or whether the sand is enough on it's own.

Always go for a sand substrate if you want cories, loaches or any fish with barbels; they much prefer it as it's part of their natural behaviour to root through the substrate with their noses, and they can't really do that with gravel. Sand is really, in some ways, easier to look after than gravel, as all the poo and any uneaten food sits nn the top where it can be seen and removed, rather than sinking into the gravel to go off! The 'toxic gas' is, in most people's opinion, not a problem. It is true that you can get anaerobic areas of sand that produce hydrogen sulphide if it's not turned over, but it oxidises as soon as it hits the water and becomes harmless. I've never had it happen in any of my tanks.

Basically I'm looking for a little bit of guidance so I can plan my strategy and to reassure myself that I'm not barking up the wrong tree. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

The very best thing you can do it read up on fishless cycling and the nitrogen cycle in our beginner's resource centre (the link is in my sig). In a very real sense, we don't keep fish at all; we keep water and bacteria, and that looks after the fish!

 

[ClarkyBoy]

Wow

I make a post go to lunch and I get a response like this, thanks guys for taking the time to read and comment I really appreciate it!

Loads of good info to work with and some homework!

Once again thank you.

Clarky

 

[Em29]

Everyone is very helpful here Clarkyboy - and always has a solution to a problem.

 

[crazyforcordoras]

So true.