Too Many Ideas, Not Enough $

[Aphotic Phoenix]

Darn MTS!!!

I've got a 20 gallon long sitting empty on it's stand...

What I WANT is to go full out with a soft-water planted tank with apistos: i.e. high grade light system, cannister filter, enriched substrate, pressurized CO2, RO/DI, etc... but my current budget really doesn't leave me much in terms of pleasure spending / saving. Yet, this empty tank sits there teasing me with it's potential...especially considering I have a cheap spare hood, and could easily switch-out one of my HoB's (which would be over-rated for the tank, and is on the main as a back-up) for an insta-cycled tank.

It would be a shell-dweller setup, thus I'd just need: heater, substrate, shells (plus a replacement for the stolen back-up filter)...and of course: fish! Much smaller pricetag obviously, but then I wouldn't get to experiment with the pleasures of aquatic gardening.

Or I could still go with the apisto option, but go with species that are more tolerant of harder water. (My main tank is already using altered water chemistry so I have experience with maintaining that) Go with fake plants, simple substrate, and upgrade things later. Unfortunately that's such a mess to do, and is the main reason I don't upgrade the main tank I have now.

So conflicted! Any thoughts or opinions?

 

[shelaghfishface]

a lot of that stuff you can do DIY, invcuding cannister filter,lighting. the co2 as well probably,with a fire extinguisher, plants you can ask on here for,

if your going to do it with fake plants and cheap gravel, your not going to be happy are you?? so have a look through the hardware part,and the planted tanks part and see what you can do

2nd best is never an option

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that US fire extinguishers are threaded in the opposite direction? Most likely doesn't make much difference...would just have to make sure I'm getting compatible hardware. Still, considering the tank size it does make me more nervous about accidental overdosing.

Really one of my big factors is geographical location...selection in this area is so poor for aquatic plants, fish, and equipment that I'd either have to drive 100-200 miles round-trip, special order (which only allows me to choose off the transhippers list), or pay for deliveries which is not only pricey, but risky as most couriers drop my orders off at the neighbors house 85% of the time.