New tank questions

[russrimm]

OK, starting a new thread with more questions, I think my other thread died.

New 65gal aquarium came with a Penguin 300, UGF, gravel, rocks.

Throwing away the UGF. Is the Penguin 300 going to be sufficient? If not, what filter do ya'll recommend? Thinking about getting various cichlids, but not an oscar.

300w heater sufficient? Which brand and where's cheapest? Big Al?

How do I remove hard water stains/calcium deposits from glass? Is it safe to clean the outside with Windex with no water or fish in it yet? Is soapy water bad on the inside even if you rinse it well?

Do I need to go buy 65 gallons of RO water now?

How much gravel am I going to need since I chucked the old? Or is sand better? Can I re-use the big rocks and chunks of slate it came with without doing anything to them?

Thanks all.

 

[chasgood]

I would get a second filter. Maybe a AquaClear to go with the Penguin. Or if the fish you get are messy maybe a canister.
Not sure but think a 300watt heater is fine.
Saltwater or some vinegar to get the hard water stains off. Rinse rinse and rinse again.
Windex is fine for outside glass.
You need to do some exiperments with RO to get the ratio right. On a small scale try a 4 parts tap to 1 part RO ratio for starters. After 24 hours test for ph,dh and kh. If that isnt enough try 3 to 1 and then 2 to 1 till you get what you want.
Gravel at about 1 pound per gal of water. Type depends on if the fish you get and if they dig or not.