Newbie with a complete 120 tank needs help

[Cmoazz]

Hey what's up everyone?

Like the title says I have a 120 gallon tank that I bought probably close to2 years ago and never set up. I'm thinking I need to get it going! Let me post what I have.

It it a 120(60 X 18 X ~26) with
-60" dual lights
-Glass Tops(one side broken)
-Stand with 2 doors
-2 Rena XP3s w/some replacement filter pads
-Emperor 500
-2 Large Pieces of Drift Wood
-2 Large Fake Plants
-120 pounds of black gravel
-2 300w(I think) visi-therm stealth heaters
-1 Large Magna Float

My plans for the tank are;
live plants
newts/salamander
dwarf frog
dwarf turtle(not sure if this exists lol)
probably more small/dwarf animals a snake/eel would be cool
I'm sure I'll come across some fish I want too

So... that's all I'm thinking for now. Not even sure if those are all friendly together either I'd appreciate any tips I can get. Also I'm sure I'm missing some equipment so please advise me on what else is needed. I know I need a ph kit, any brand I should look for?

Thanks all!

 

[mommytron]

i can't give you any tips on the stock you want for it. but as far as test kits go, you're going to need one for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates as well as ph since you will be cycling your tank. go with the API freshwater test kit, it includes all four of them. it is around $35 most places but totally worth it. other than that, sounds like you have just about all you'll need...i'm by far no expert so someone else will have to chime in for filter sizes, etc. good luck and welcome to AA!

 

[Cmoazz]

Thank you so much, I wrote it down!

I also see that python thing, guess I need that too for water change eh?

By the way, I don't know what cycling is lol. Let me read some of the stickys I guess ;D

 

[Cmoazz]

Wow that fishless cycle sticky was terrific!!

 

[taylorodw]

You don't need a python, you can use anything from a cup to a 5 gallon bucket and take the water in and out by yourself... but especially with a 120 gallon, a python would certainly help.

Now newts, salamanders, and turtles are not the usual fare around here, but I assume they need dry land as well, at least that was the case when I had a turtle. So that makes your job a bit more complicated. I know one popular arrangement is to have a kind of sloping hill, with the substrate (gravel in your case) about 1-3" deep on one side, and rising up above what you want the water level to be.

I know the technical name for that is a paludarium. I don't know much about setting it up, but maybe this will help...
Paludarium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia