Setting Up A Rio 125

[phoebechicken]

Hi
I'm hoping to set up a Rio 125 aquarium and have been doing lots of reading over the past few weeks in preparation.
I have a few questions about things that I need to make sure of before I get going..

1) I plan to do a fishless cycle. Should I have the plants and bogwood in place before I do this?
2) How do I dechlorinate the tapwater?
3) Can someone recommend a cheap but reliable test kit, preferably one that will last for ages? I think someone linked to one on Ebay but I can't remember where I saw this now..
4) Does anyone know if the filter on the Rio 125 is an under-gravel one or not? If not then I pressume it doesn't matter whether I use gravel or sand?
5) I think I'd like a piece of bogwood with ferns attached to it.. can you buy these ready-made or would I have to somehow convince the fern to attach itself to the wood?

Thanks in advance, I look forward to participating more when I get my aquarium set up

 

[Jimb0b]

1.I put em in after it when you do a water change don't want things complicated by outside factors but i don't think it matters either way.Soak your bogwood anyway while it's cycling it can make water all brown.
2.Buy dechlorinator from your lfs
3.again check with your lfs,if he's descent he'll give good advice and the best test kits,if he's useless then you'll find out.
4.It's an internal biological filter knowing juwel not an undergravel one.Mine came prestuck with sealant in a corner just add filter pads and pop your power head on and it's good to go.
5.Bogwood with a plant attached can be bought but it's pretty easy to do it your self with some cotton and your plant of choice.Theres posts on this in the planted forum like this one

 

[Jimb0b]

3. i think it may have been the API master test kit you saw link to.

 

[phoebechicken]

3. i think it may have been the API master test kit you saw link to.

thanks, I think you might be right.. I remember it being £15.99ish and there are lots in that region. Thanks!

I'll have a look at the planted forum. It's all so complicated at this point but I can't wait to get going

 

[DevUK]

4. On the rio line of tanks there is a black plastic box in the corner (stuck in place though it can be removed). it contains various filter pads for mechanical and biological filtering, and a power head (submersable pump) which draws the water through the filter pads.

I decided to get rid of mine in my Rio 180 and replace it with a nice external canister filter, but as this is your first tank I'd stick with the rio filter and live with it for a while

5. Yep, use cotton thread and tie the fern onto the wood (spreading the roots out a little) and it should latch onto the wood after a month or so. You can then remove the thread and it should stay put Same goes for mosses and any other plant that can be attached to wood. Just tie it securely but don't damage the rizhome (thick stem like part where the roots grow out of).