New 60 Gallon (Now 40b) Build!!

[skywhitney]

So I finally got the go ahead from the wife to get a bigger tank, Yay! I'm getting a 60g in the next couple of weeks so I wanted to start asking some questions since I've never had anything this big before. I'm looking for suggestions / help with plants and stocking.


I plan on doing a planted tank, right now I know that I will by putting in some:

• Glossostigma
• Dwarf Sag
• Java Fern

I currently have a fair amount of Java Moss and a ton of Anacharis but i'm still debating whether i want those in the new tank of not. kinda leaning toward no.


The Fish stock that i currently have will be moving in there and includes

• 4x Neon Tetra (I lost 6 due to Ich a couple months ago)
• 2x Peppered Cory
• 1x Clown Pleco

I'm thinking that I would love to have an angel fish as my centerpiece..

Advise and Suggestions are welcome! Thanks in advance!

 

[skywhitney]

Just recieved this stuff! Woohoo!

Edit: just got some DW also!

 

[absolutangel04]

Hooray for bigger tanks!
Are you keeping your old tank too, or totally replacing it with the new bigger tank? Just asking because it would be a good idea to use the old tank as a qt if possible.
Just so you know, its pretty common for adult angels to eventually eat neons. If you raise the angel with the neons, then some people have luck keeping the combo together, but others still end up with no neons. So, its a gamble, but its up to you if you want to try it.

 

[skywhitney]

Hooray for bigger tanks!
Are you keeping your old tank too, or totally replacing it with the new bigger tank? Just asking because it would be a good idea to use the old tank as a qt if possible.
Just so you know, its pretty common for adult angels to eventually eat neons. If you raise the angel with the neons, then some people have luck keeping the combo together, but others still end up with no neons. So, its a gamble, but its up to you if you want to try it.

As of right now i'm planning on keeping the old tank as a qt since i have a complete setup.

well the neons have kinda grown on me so i probably don't want to put them in there knowing they might be a to go meal. Maybe i'll rethink the angel lol.

 

[absolutangel04]

You can try looking into dwarf angels (Leopold's angel). They are a fair amount smaller than regular angels, but they are also pretty feisty so you have to be a little careful about tankmates. But, they can be hard to find. I also suggest looking into gourami species to see if you like any of them.

 

[skywhitney]

. I also suggest looking into gourami species to see if you like any of them.

The Paradise Gourami seem really pretty. Know anything about them?

 

[absolutangel04]

Jetajockey has bred them before, so he knows way more about them than me. They are really cool though, and very pretty. I suggest PMing him for more specifics about them.

 

[skywhitney]

Thanks! I'll do that, I think those would be a good centerpiece fish

 

[skywhitney]

so what would be the best substrate for a planted tank? I'm currently using flourite but its just so freaking expensive. I found 20lbs bags of Eco-Complete for half the price, Is it worth it?

fyi I don't want to do a dirt tank.

 

[absolutangel04]

I personally have just used gravel in all my planted tanks. I am not sure about the flourite or eco-complete. I know some people on here like eco-complete though.

 

[skywhitney]

I personally have just used gravel in all my planted tanks. I am not sure about the flourite or eco-complete. I know some people on here like eco-complete though.

I was thinking about doing a mixture of an enhanced substrate along with a regular gravel. How large or small should the regular gravel be?

 

[absolutangel04]

Hopefully somebody else will be able to chime in here, because I do not know the answer to that!

 

[Gboy66]

I was thinking about doing a mixture of an enhanced substrate along with a regular gravel. How large or small should the regular gravel be?

Well dont you want it to match up, and blend in? Maybe eco complete on the bottom, and a reguler black gravel on top of the same size? Some people use white sand in top

 

[George9]

I was thinking about doing a mixture of an enhanced substrate along with a regular gravel. How large or small should the regular gravel be?

If you were going to mix it, I'd do what gboy said. Maybe Eco complete (or whatever) on the bottom and then get some smaller gravel for the top layer. But that probably won't look too good, do you want it to blend in?

 

[skywhitney]

If you were going to mix it, I'd do what gboy said. Maybe Eco complete (or whatever) on the bottom and then get some smaller gravel for the top layer. But that probably won't look too good, do you want it to blend in?

yeah I'd want it to be blended. A 3:1 mix of eco to gravel? If I get black Eco and black gravel don't you think it would match pretty well?

 

[skywhitney]

so i got 11 new Neons from the LFS today and about half of them have about 2 spots of Ich each that I didn't see before i got them...well at least they're in a qt...

 

[skywhitney]

I have 3 peices of DW that i am getting ready to put into the new tank. When i tested the water they were soaking in to see what the PH was it had crashed to 6.4 (comes out of the tap at 7.6). Is there an easy way help alleviate this crash?

 

[skywhitney]

Got my tank!! (Notice the size comparison)

 

[George9]

Got my tank!! (Notice the size comparison)

Yay! Can't wait to see that baby all fired up!

 

[skywhitney]

Yay! Can't wait to see that baby all fired up!

I'm determined to at least have it partly filled up and the scaping done tonight....we'll see if i actually make it!