New tank format decided...now for ideas.

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Jchillin

Jchillin

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After debating and thinking and debating and thinking, the decision on the size and type of tank has been made.

It will be a 75 gal FW tank.

That being said, I've recieved suggestions on making it a planted tank. I would love to do this however, the problem with this is that it conflicts with the other problem I currently have.

The purpose of getting another tank is due in large part because of my current stock. I really don't want to part with either my angels (the three musketeers) or my sailfin pleco (Mr. Cliff Gibbiceps).

So, let's begin by putting the thinking caps on with suggestions on how to keep everyone happy (of course, this includes the family).

Now for my personal rant: I wanna cichlid community! (Disregard this please).
 
LOL. I always disregard your personal rants Jchillin. :lol: :lol:

Will you be replacing the 30g, or is the new tank in addition to?
 
Such a baby.. I don't see why you adults dont just go out and get one.. If i was working id come home with a new tank every week<3 then have animal control be called on me because id be sleeping outside on my own porch.. and yeah.. that would be me on cops. " Their my animals -- woman in underwear and a wifebeater thrashes --" okay.. maybe not that far but still..>.>
 
Well, here's my suggestion:

Since you've already got angels and your sailfin whom you'll be moving, I would stick to the SA theme. I would start looking for nice big pieces of driftwood for starters.
Plants: Amazon swords (2 or 3), and some java fern and anubias. All hardy plants that will probably be left alone by your fish.
Fish: Again, since your in SA, get yourself some keyhole cichlids (Hey, they are great fish!!!), maybe 4-5. And then a nice school of 20-30 small tetras.
Not too many species of fish, but bigger groups of the same specie, much more fun IMO.

Good luck deciding! :wink:
 
I like Bilsgate's idea. Keyholes are wonderful fish that would go fine with what you already have, and you could get a mess of schooling fish.
 
Looking up "keyholes" and can't seem to locate them. Any info will be appreciated.

*Note to Rach: Adults have numerous problems. One of many is to cooperate with each other on what the home should look like and what can and what will be in it. :D
 
Great links Thomas! I think I saw one of your keyholes somewhere in there :wink:

*Get off your butt and finish that article :wink:

I also checked out the anubias, swords and ferns...not a bad assortment and they seem hardy enough for even someone such as I who doesn't possess anything near a green thumb. The good news is that my wife is and seems to be in favor of em (hence the planted tank suggestion, which wasn't mine...but alas, I rant...disregard it).

Any one else care to chime in?
 
Ok, here's my take. Might be multiple posts cause my puter reboots every five minutes. First, excellent idea on the SA theme. Second. Lots of decisions. Third, Anubia's arent native to SA from what I've read.. but I have one anyway.
 
I also love the angels. I'll have to look up keyholes since I'm not sure what they might be. However, one thing I will tell you is that I ruined my tank. I had a nice peaceful tranquil tank with the angels and a few odds and ends It was a slow moving tank. Then came the white fin tetras and other tetras and it turned into a circus. Tetras are nice no doubt, but they are hyper compared to angels. I don't recall you mentioning tetras, but just a heads up.
 
The current plan is to leave my current tetras in the 30. The black angels in my sig are black widow/black skirt.

I'd hate to ruin a perfectly good tank with odd behaving varieties but I can understand the temptation to add fish.

The ideal tank would be colorful and actively moving at around the same speed. My tetras occassionally get into the nip and chase game with each other but have always left everyone else alone for the most part.

Thanks Tom (BTW, your tank is exactly the theme I'm going for).
 
From what little I've just read of the Keyholes, they look like they'd fit in nice with Angels. When I regain control of my tank I'll be looking to add a few of the keyholes as well.

I like the idea of the driftwood. I have several pieces in my tank with java moss growing on a couple of the pieces.

The thing about the tetras, a school of them would look very nice in the same theme tank. I want to get a school of silver tetras. however, I just don't think the active school goes well with the slower temperament of angels. IMHO.

From what I've heard and been told by the LFS a lot of the SA ciclids, like Jack Demseys, convicts, etc, are not community fish. I haven't had any of them since college, though it seems the room mate had a convict in my community tank and nothing turned up missing.

I think you now need to pick a temperament for your tank. You have the theme, but do you want calm and tranquil or busy busy busy? Sounds like you are leaning toward a tranquil tank. I think I posted a message back when I added the White High Fin Tetras that I ruined my tank by adding them.

Before the tetras we had three angels, a pleco, two siamese AEs (not natvie to SA), and an otto or two. Sort of under stocked.

Oh hey, Blue Rams. Second favorite fish now. Haven't much experience with them, but they are native to SA and beautiful fish. Sort of shy, stays at the bottom a lot. I'd take a look at them. That might make a nice tank. Angels, Keyholes, Blue Rams. Will have to read more on the Keyholes though.

If you come up with any cool native plants, let me know. I've been looking for some and have sort of strayed from the native species with the java moss and anubias.
 
Well, nothing wrong with the SA and Pacific plants as far as I can see. I'm looking for plants that are hardy and don't require a ton of lighting or CO2 injections (a little fert and some native NO3 types).

I've been looking at the aquarium plants site...very nice. I'll post a couple that I've found for you to take a look at.
 
Then by all means go for some anubias, coffeefolia or nanna, I believe. Beautiful plants that don't require a lot of nutrients or high light. I haven't read all the thread yet do to system crashing, but if you are going to have live plants, you really need to get good lighting. I don't have CO2, and I don't think you will need it at all if you don't go too high with the lighting wpg that is. I forget right off the top of my head what my wpg is, I think it's about 2. In any case, it's in the low level range. If you are interested in PC lighting, I got my DIY kit from AH Supply and am very happy with it. The problem with some stem plants is that they are fairly high maintenance, as in pruning them on a regular basis.

One of the live plants site was going to offer a SA collection about a year ago but I lost track of it. Would be interesting to see what they have in the collection.

Is that 10g for the NEW granddaughter?
 
Like everone else said i would go with a SA theme, planted tank, keyhole cichlids, angels, yoru pleco, some dwarf cories, and some nice shcooling tetras.

Im jealous anmd best of luck with the tank :)


:)

JMHO
 
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