It All Begins... Again

[c-dub]

I just got my new (2nd hand) 4x2x2.
So now I have my AquaStyle980T and this tank.

Let the fun begin... stocking ideas people?

 

[Wills]

Thats dead nice! I dont usually like the bare stands like that it looks great!

As for stocking Id do cichlids Severums + Geophagus = Win!

 

[ian]

yeah, agree with wills on the stand, my missus would go for that!

as for stocking, what about a Tang Cichlids.

 

[c-dub]

Thanks guys! I need to get 2 x 300W heaters and then a new set of lights... the ones that with it is a dirty old steel number with paint flaking off it... Dont want my fishes to eat flakes of paint! Im' gonna go with one of these i think:

http/cgi.ebay.com.au/4FT-AQUARIUM-LIGHT-PL-4X55W-BY-AQUATHRIVE-CLEARANCE_W0QQitemZ150419235400QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Pet_Supplies?hash=item2305af6248

As for the fish... I have never had cichlid's before all I've had is community fish e.g. livebearers, bettas and gourami etc. etc. so I don't know how I'll go!




Edit:

I've treated the water now gotta cycle... Some weird looking oily stuff on the surface of the water when I look up from underneath. I'm a bit worried about that. That's the worries of buying 2nd hand stuff I guess!

 

[ian]

have ya whacked some carbon in the filter? i'd probably add carbon every 3/4 days for the first few weeks. I bet you're well chuffed with it!

 

[c-dub]

Yeah I did the filter is a Fluval Submersable Plus 4 or something... never dealt with a submersable before so I'm a bit doubtful of it. Wasn't even quite sure how to set it up right.

I pulled it apart and gave it a good clean. There were 2 sponges in each side so I just jammed some of the wool stuff in there with some crushed carbon in the very middle. Hope it works!

 

[ian]

i'd probably think about running an external along with the 4 plus, with the volume of the tank. Isn't the 4 plus for tanks of 200l?

 

[c-dub]

i'd probably think about running an external along with the 4 plus, with the volume of the tank. Isn't the 4 plus for tanks of 200l?

Not sure, when I googled it... they said it was for a "4 foot tank" but yer who knows.

 

[kaivalagi]

I would definitely go with a fairly large external filter, I am about to order a 5x1.5x1.5 and will be running 2 x tetratec ex1200 filters, one is already running on my 125L and the other is waiting, but one would be enough as these are bigish filters. With an external you could also use a 300W hydor external heater (inline on the input from the filter) that way nothing is in the tank other than the in and out pipes. Just my preference though and by no means the only way.

As for fish you HAVE to go for cichlids, you wont regret it

 

[c-dub]

I would definitely go with a fairly large external filter, I am about to order a 5x1.5x1.5 and will be running 2 x tetratec ex1200 filters, one is already running on my 125L and the other is waiting, but one would be enough as these are bigish filters. With an external you could also use a 300W hydor external heater (inline on the input from the filter) that way nothing is in the tank other than the in and out pipes. Just my preference though and by no means the only way.

As for fish you HAVE to go for cichlids, you wont regret it

Mother of god, I'm gonna have to take out a mortgage for all this hehehe.
Any good examples? eBay links to some nice filters + heaters?

 

[c-dub]

http/cgi.ebay.com.au/Hydor-ETH-300-EXTERNAL-In-Line-HEATER-300w-New-Product_W0QQitemZ250218622335QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a42312d7f

ahhhhh i see great idea... shame it's only in the US though...
will have to look around in Australia's LPS.

 

[c-dub]

http/www.aquariumproducts.com.au/catalogue_products.php?prodID=3236&catID=7

100 bucks.

Says suits 300 litres? Meh it should be alright. Gotta start saving up darnit I need an external filter as well and I want a new light unit.
I'm looking at about 500-600 bucks!

 

[T1KARMANN]

when you looked at the spec of the filter it said 4ft tank but thats for a 15inch wide tank

yours is double that size

i would think about a exturnal filter

 

[kaivalagi]

http/www.aquariump...ID=3236&catID=7

100 bucks.

Says suits 300 litres? Meh it should be alright. Gotta start saving up darnit I need an external filter as well and I want a new light unit.
I'm looking at about 500-600 bucks!

You may well be able to find stuff second hand, for filters I recommend the tetratec ex1200, but I think the Fluval fx5 (very big external filter!) and all the Eheim filters have a good rep. I don't think the smaller Fluval ext filters are all that though from what I have read.


I paid new in pounds as follows:
300W hydor heater - £35
EX1200 ext filter ~ £90

You don't have to go this route with equipment, a cheaper option would be internal heater (£15?) and a second smaller external filter such as a ex700 (currently around £70)...but spending the extra money is worth it for the long term IMHO

 

[c-dub]

http/www.aquariump...ID=3236&catID=7

100 bucks.

Says suits 300 litres? Meh it should be alright. Gotta start saving up darnit I need an external filter as well and I want a new light unit.
I'm looking at about 500-600 bucks!

You may well be able to find stuff second hand, for filters I recommend the tetratec ex1200, but I think the Fluval fx5 (very big external filter!) and all the Eheim filters have a good rep. I don't think the smaller Fluval ext filters are all that though from what I have read.


I paid new in pounds as follows:
300W hydor heater - £35
EX1200 ext filter ~ £90

You don't have to go this route with equipment, a cheaper option would be internal heater (£15?) and a second smaller external filter such as a ex700 (currently around £70)...but spending the extra money is worth it for the long term IMHO

Yeah I think I'd need 2 heaters though, so by the time I did that it would nearly cost the same as the external heater.