New FW setup, a lot of planning help needed

[Neuve]

Ok, so now that Im totally convinced on getting a larger tank, here's the thing.

I want to use sand, have it already.
What kinda filtration should i get?
Will I have to syphon or net all the waste?
Ive seen on many aquariums that their sandbed is covered by a brownish thing. Diatoms, I think. Can I do something to avoid that? Or is it just a SW issue?

I want to have live plants too. Should I reconsider substrate? or should I use some laterite as Allivymar does?

Im open to all of your comments, and im not buying anything until im shure im getting the best out of it.

TIA
Pato
(BTW I have neumonia so im not able to respond daily becuz my computer is on the cold part of my house and its not really god for me to be here for long periods of time, but be shure ill get back at you)

Oh and the new layout is cool isnt it?
I like it a lot

 

[Bearfan]

Comments:

1. What size tank?
2. If you want live plants, the sand is not so good. Laterite is the preferred method.
3. Sand is a pain to clean in the FW world. In the SW world it acts as a filter due to the live bacteria and creatures. Not so in the FW world.
4. The brownish is algae, which can be handled.
5. Filtration will depend on the tank size. I love my emperors.
6. You will end up siphoning off the waste with your water changes.

 

[Electrobes]

1. also what size tank?
2. I used shultz aquatic soil (more like gravel), you get a big bag and its super cheap, got it at wal-mart for like 5 bucks.
3. Agree with bearfan majorly on this.. you do not want sand.. its a MADD pain in the a$$ for a freshwater tank with plants.
4. Algae can be dealt with like bearfan says, using snails, fish, etc. The algae you want to be careful and get at early is green hair algae which is a nightmare to freshwater people, was to me when I have a super planted 10 gallon and 29 gallon.
5. I used and am currently using an Filstar XP3 which worked great, kept the water nice and clear and gave me no fuss.
6. Its as bearfan says, but if your tank is large enough I would get a python... most helpful thing on the planet, plus it makes cleaning AND water changes VERY easy and clean to do, plus easy too.

 

[AJ]

Brownish growth is diatoms (or brown algae) - happens frequently in FW and SW. Generally just occurs with new tanks.

Wouldn't recommend sand for a FW tank.

Filtration depends on the size of the tank. I am partial to running a couple filters in bigger tanks.

 

[Allivymar]

I see most of the folks here not recommended sand substrate, but let me throw my 2 cents in.

I have sand in 2 of my 3 FW tanks (the 2 planted tanks) and I LURVE it! Theres a layer of laterite in both tanks as well, which is doing wonders for my plants (both tanks are planted). I'm using Tahitian Moon sand; I wanted black sand, and the Eco-Complete is actually grey. I have absolutely no problems with it; the only semi-negative is, because the sand is a true black, poo shows up pretty clearly on it. But I gravel vac a small amount weekly with a small diameter siphon and its gone (the small diameter siphon is more useful with sand as its powerful enough to pull up detritus, but will leave the sand in the tank).

Laterite is not a substrate in and of itself, unlike flourite. It needs to be used with a substrate else you'll wind up with an extremely cloudy tank.

You'll also need to consider lighting and possibly CO2 Nueve; if you decide to use CO2 you'll want a filter that gives a minimum of surface agitation; else all the CO2 will blow off.

This is my "official" planted tank with the black sand: http://www.myaquaria.com/gallery/Allis-planted-10g/planted_11_9_03_1 and this is what was going to be the planted Ram tank; the plants are growing well, but the rams are gone: http://www.myaquaria.com/gallery/Allis-planted-10g/planted_25_12_15_2

 

[Neuve]

Tank size, i was thinking custom measures, to get more or less 240L/70Gal

For lightning id shurely have to go do it myself, but maybe I could find something already made.

For filtration i was thinking of getting a fluval; here in mexico I havent found any emperor's or penguin filters, also looked for biowheels and didnt found nuttin, but if you really reccomend me some stuff, maybe i could get it via internet.

As to CO2, I've never really looked into the CO2 systems but as i said, im open to everything since i wanna get everything covered.

So as for sand, it would be better if I kept it for a SW aquarium, because of it being so-like-powder

 

[Neuve]

By the way, thank you all!! YOuve been gr8

 

[Bearfan]

BTW, on the python filter, since I use a water filter (not RO/DI, just a two chamber filter to get the rough stuff out that was in my house when I moved in), I went to home depot and bought some tubing and fittings to make my own for about $5 compared to the python's absolute sticking it to me.

 

[Neuve]

Do you have some picks? Maybe I could build us one of those. I really like the whole DiY idea. ¿How'd you do it?

Any brand names for CO2 systems?