madasafish
Aquarium Advice Addict
Ah IC!
It's probably the fact that you live in Canada that limits your selection. I'm assuming (probably not entirely correctly) that the stores stock All-Glass (R) aquariums less up there. Is this right? Do you happen to remember off the top of your head the manufacturer of these tanks? Is it perfecto, All-Glass etc?
Also, are you converting to gallons for us from liters, or are these tanks' capacities marked in gallons?
I've given you a hard time over selection not realizing that the three you narrowed your choice down to are in fact your only real choices! Sorry about that. Of the three, I would support the 54. I'd take depth over excessive height any day. And Holly is right that a deeper tank is nice for tiering your plant types (microswords, banana plants etc. at the front, amazon swords, java ferns in the middle, cabomba, pennywort, moneywort, vals at the back.
**Go for the 54.** If your LFS offers it and has the appropriate parts (glass tops) then I think you're doing the right thing. As you'll probably want extra light, a standard light fixture won't be enough (sorry if I said it was before... I forget). You'll want ~150 watts of light (roughly 3 watts per gallon). Oh, right. AlliV said that... Also, you'll want natural-spectrum light bulbs to accompany these fixtures.
I can remember quite vividly how it felt thinking about these abstract shapes when I was surfing the web, especially Ebay looking for my *big* tank. I kept on thinking to myself "but how big is it really?" No amount of measuring out with my tape measure prepared me for the 55! It is huge and wonderful. I love the tank.
*One last caveat.* Brian is right. You're going to have invest a fair amount of time and money in this tank to make it *planted*--the reef tank of FW aquarists
. Your light fixture and bulbs will be costly, as will the 2-3 bags of fluorite substrate or laterite. You can go with large DIY CO2 injectors or get a mechanical one online with CO2 cartridges. But don't allow the expense to put you off. Having a successful planted tank is an absolute blessing. My small 10 planted is the tank ppl look at most when they come by. The plants are so soothing and beautiful!! Just want to make sure you know what you're getting yourself into. It's worth it!
(P.S. I'm thinking of eventually converting my 55 into a planted tank. Just can't afford ATM!!)
HTH.
It's probably the fact that you live in Canada that limits your selection. I'm assuming (probably not entirely correctly) that the stores stock All-Glass (R) aquariums less up there. Is this right? Do you happen to remember off the top of your head the manufacturer of these tanks? Is it perfecto, All-Glass etc?
Also, are you converting to gallons for us from liters, or are these tanks' capacities marked in gallons?
I've given you a hard time over selection not realizing that the three you narrowed your choice down to are in fact your only real choices! Sorry about that. Of the three, I would support the 54. I'd take depth over excessive height any day. And Holly is right that a deeper tank is nice for tiering your plant types (microswords, banana plants etc. at the front, amazon swords, java ferns in the middle, cabomba, pennywort, moneywort, vals at the back.
**Go for the 54.** If your LFS offers it and has the appropriate parts (glass tops) then I think you're doing the right thing. As you'll probably want extra light, a standard light fixture won't be enough (sorry if I said it was before... I forget). You'll want ~150 watts of light (roughly 3 watts per gallon). Oh, right. AlliV said that... Also, you'll want natural-spectrum light bulbs to accompany these fixtures.
I can remember quite vividly how it felt thinking about these abstract shapes when I was surfing the web, especially Ebay looking for my *big* tank. I kept on thinking to myself "but how big is it really?" No amount of measuring out with my tape measure prepared me for the 55! It is huge and wonderful. I love the tank.
*One last caveat.* Brian is right. You're going to have invest a fair amount of time and money in this tank to make it *planted*--the reef tank of FW aquarists
. Your light fixture and bulbs will be costly, as will the 2-3 bags of fluorite substrate or laterite. You can go with large DIY CO2 injectors or get a mechanical one online with CO2 cartridges. But don't allow the expense to put you off. Having a successful planted tank is an absolute blessing. My small 10 planted is the tank ppl look at most when they come by. The plants are so soothing and beautiful!! Just want to make sure you know what you're getting yourself into. It's worth it!(P.S. I'm thinking of eventually converting my 55 into a planted tank. Just can't afford ATM!!)
HTH.
