Hello wonderful people of AA! I have very much appreciated being able to lurk this forum for the last two weeks while I prepare myself for the adventure that is aquarium ownership.
I'm still a long way from considering fish as I need to complete my setup and then go through the fishless cycling so we can cross that bridge when we get to it.
In the meantime I'd like to make sure I have all the necessary equipment on my list of things to obtain. So far I am considering:
1) API F/W Test kit
2) Aqueon Aquarium Water Changer - 25 Feet
3) Marina Floating Thermometer with Suction Cup
4) Aqueon 06107 Pro Heaters Submersible Aquarium Heater, 150-Watt
5) Hydor Prime 20 Filter (came with 2nd hand tank I bought)
6) 48" 40watt fluorescent light (came with tank)
The way my tank is setup it's visible from all sides and I'm very fussy about the aesthetics. What optimisations can I make to my equipment list that will minimise things hanging around the edge of the tank? The canister filter is not ideal for this reason as there are the inlet and outlet tubes, but having said that it's a pretty decent filter from my research. Similarly, the heater is another eyesore. Does anyone have any experience with tanks viewable from all angles and suitable equipment for them?
Considering the tank size do i need any additional circulation such as a pump or air stone? I like the idea of a couple air stones but all the ones I've seen look tacky; any recommendations?
I saw some other good threads on plant recommendations so I won't ask that here, but I've not seen much regarding substrate recommendations. Is it a case of as long as it's aquarium suitable then it's irrelevant which direction you go?
Thanks for the help!
I'm still a long way from considering fish as I need to complete my setup and then go through the fishless cycling so we can cross that bridge when we get to it.
In the meantime I'd like to make sure I have all the necessary equipment on my list of things to obtain. So far I am considering:
1) API F/W Test kit
2) Aqueon Aquarium Water Changer - 25 Feet
3) Marina Floating Thermometer with Suction Cup
4) Aqueon 06107 Pro Heaters Submersible Aquarium Heater, 150-Watt
5) Hydor Prime 20 Filter (came with 2nd hand tank I bought)
6) 48" 40watt fluorescent light (came with tank)
The way my tank is setup it's visible from all sides and I'm very fussy about the aesthetics. What optimisations can I make to my equipment list that will minimise things hanging around the edge of the tank? The canister filter is not ideal for this reason as there are the inlet and outlet tubes, but having said that it's a pretty decent filter from my research. Similarly, the heater is another eyesore. Does anyone have any experience with tanks viewable from all angles and suitable equipment for them?
Considering the tank size do i need any additional circulation such as a pump or air stone? I like the idea of a couple air stones but all the ones I've seen look tacky; any recommendations?
I saw some other good threads on plant recommendations so I won't ask that here, but I've not seen much regarding substrate recommendations. Is it a case of as long as it's aquarium suitable then it's irrelevant which direction you go?
Thanks for the help!