Setting Up A New Tank

[Annagh]

Hi, I've recently bought a new 6ft/300L tank (have wanted a big tank for ages), and will start to set it up as soon as my dad has finished the base and lid. I want a tropical tank with live plants and am thinking a mixture of substrate, sand, gravel and larger pebbles. Should I get a biological filter - I know nothing about them, just that I have to take them out if I medicate the tank. Is this viable? Also, in a much smaller tank I have a silver dollar and plan on putting him, plus some friends into my new tank. I would like it to be populated with small to medium fish, some schooling plus loners. Has anyone got any suggestions both for the fish and the plants? I would like to be able to breed so want to set up good conditions for breeding, but have no idea where to go with this. Thanks, Annagh

 

[Tessla]

Well for starters, you'll want to keep your silver dollar with a school of other silver dollars, each one of those will get to six inches so you've got quite a lot of fish right there. If you end up keeping the silver dollar with some friends, that kind of kills the small to medium fish idea, though you could still keep some smaller fish in there. Check out gouramis if you're looking for a loner sort of community fish, either keep a single male or one male with two females. You've got a lot of options for bottom feeders, check out some loaches, corydoras, smaller plecos, other catfish or all of the above. Most loaches and all corydoras both like to be kept in groups of at least 5. If you plan on breeding anything, you'll want to keep a species only tank and figure out the breeding requirements of your particular species, if they'll breed in aquaria at all. You'll also want space to house all of the fry, I really wouldn't recommend it.

Sand, gravel and small pebbles will work fine for substrate, most bottom dwellers will appreciate a sandy substrate and I find it to be easier to clean than coarser substrates. A lot of hardy plants will do fine in these substrates but if you really want to get into a heavily planted tank, you may want to look into special substrates. Sounds like you've never done live plants before, I'd suggest starting with a few easy plants like java fern, java moss, anacharis, anubias and cryptocorynes. They all have their little quirks, but will do fine in most conditions. Check out the planted section for more info on planted tanks.

I'd suggest looking at a canister filter for a tank of your size, it will have space inside for biological filtration media (often ceramic or plastic "bio-balls"), mechanical filtration media (usually sponges or filter floss, can also double as biological) and chemical filtration media (as needed). You'll also probably want to look at doing a fishless cycle or borrowing filter media from an old tank to clone your new one.

 

[Annagh]

Well for starters, you'll want to keep your silver dollar with a school of other silver dollars, each one of those will get to six inches so you've got quite a lot of fish right there. If you end up keeping the silver dollar with some friends, that kind of kills the small to medium fish idea, though you could still keep some smaller fish in there. Check out gouramis if you're looking for a loner sort of community fish, either keep a single male or one male with two females. You've got a lot of options for bottom feeders, check out some loaches, corydoras, smaller plecos, other catfish or all of the above. Most loaches and all corydoras both like to be kept in groups of at least 5. If you plan on breeding anything, you'll want to keep a species only tank and figure out the breeding requirements of your particular species, if they'll breed in aquaria at all. You'll also want space to house all of the fry, I really wouldn't recommend it.

Sand, gravel and small pebbles will work fine for substrate, most bottom dwellers will appreciate a sandy substrate and I find it to be easier to clean than coarser substrates. A lot of hardy plants will do fine in these substrates but if you really want to get into a heavily planted tank, you may want to look into special substrates. Sounds like you've never done live plants before, I'd suggest starting with a few easy plants like java fern, java moss, anacharis, anubias and cryptocorynes. They all have their little quirks, but will do fine in most conditions. Check out the planted section for more info on planted tanks.

I'd suggest looking at a canister filter for a tank of your size, it will have space inside for biological filtration media (often ceramic or plastic "bio-balls"), mechanical filtration media (usually sponges or filter floss, can also double as biological) and chemical filtration media (as needed). You'll also probably want to look at doing a fishless cycle or borrowing filter media from an old tank to clone your new one.

Hi Tessla,

Thanks for your input, I've looked at the sites you've mentioned, although not throughly, I didn't realise there were so many bottom dwellers that are so interisting. I lile the look of the Khuli loach, I might get a few of those. And was very impressed with some of the ideas in the plant section. I think I've given up on the idea of breeding, too complicated for me at the moment and it dosen't sound like I have the right equipment. I do like the idea of about 5 silver dollars, I love my silver dollar, the way he moves and darts around really giving movement to my tank. I might see if I can find another schooling fish to go with the dollars, maybe a bit smaller, was thinking something like danieos, (any other suggestions welcome) along with the occasional burst of colour with a gourami, and or betta. What do you suggest, am still waiting for my dad to finish the base of the tank, can't wait to get fish in there. Have been looking at the fishless cycle too, might have to wait for my fish!!!

Cheers Annagh

 

[Tessla]

One thing to mention if you do go planted: silver dollars and tons of other fish love to munch on plants. The gorgeous planted tank pictures that you see in the planted section usually house small schooling fish, maybe some shrimp and otos. Herbivores rule out delicate plants and you'll never have an immaculate tank, but you can still try things like anubias and java fern which are rarely munched on or some fast growing stems like anacharis. I love my herbivorous fish and my live plants, but my tanks rarely look particularly spectacular.

I'd avoid bettas unless you go for females, and then they should be in a group of at least 5 to spread out agression. If you go for gouramis, go for only one species and get a male with two females or a single male. I wouldn't suggest mixing bettas and gouramis unless you get a very different species of gourami like the kissing gourami with a few bettas. Danios or other small schooling fish should be fine, but it's always better to keep a single large school of the same species rather than a few smaller schools. They can also be very nippy, so avoid things with long fins (like male bettas and some gouramis). Personally, I'd go for a larger group of dollars with a larger group of different colored female bettas or a trio of gouramis.

Kuhli loaches stay very small and are very shy. They will require a sand substrate as they dig and prefer to have lots of hiding spots. If you don't set up the tank for them and keep a large group, you probably won't see them at all. I currently keep four in a ten gallon with bogwood and lots of plants, mine come out all the time and are very active but if anything makes them feel insecure they will hide. Smaller botias like the zebra loach and the zipper loach will be out and about more than the kuhlis, especially in a large tank.

Fishless cycling is an excellent idea, if you can, jumpstart it with some mature filter media from another tank so that it goes faster.