How to start my tank

[NASCAR_Dave]

Hello all, this is my first post, and I am the owner of a 135g Oceanic aquarium I bought last weekend (used) and am currently building the stand for it (I found a lot of good DIY plans for stands here!).

I would like to ask what y'all would suggest for use as gravel for my tank. I have a buddy with the same tank that is housing Malawi Cichlids and I am thinking of doing the same (but maybe doing South American). He is using Fiji sand and it looks great, but since this is my first tank and I understand it is harder to clean and all I would like something perhaps a bit safer. I have read some posts here and there about it, but I would like to hear what y'all would recommend for Cichlids and how much I might need for a 135g? Thanks, and I am looking forward to this new hobby! A lot to learn!

 

[Bearfan]

Sand is a pain in the rear to clean for FW fish. With FW the substrate doesn't matter as much unless you are planning on planting it heavily. I would chose the gravel of your liking and go with it.

 

[ferret]

Not entirely true, Bearfan. Substrate doesn't matter as much in a filtration sense as in SW, but instead matters more for planting (as you said), and some fish behaviors. There are many fish that constantly dig or burrow and need specific substrates as such.

My personal choice would be a fairly fine river pea gravel mix. Something with rocks/gravel no bigger than 5mm. Since you're looking at SA cichlids, this would provide a substrate that could be dug in yet still be somewhat heavy, especially if you had anything you wanted to bury (Ornaments, plants, etc). Though a lot of SA cichlids will promptly dig anything you bury up and play with it.

 

[Bearfan]

True enough, but I have found that most aquarium gravels work fine in any fish only instance. Then again, I pretty much only use pea gravel.

 

[tkos]

The only reason I get scared of snad is that it can form anaerobic gas pockets which could lead to fishy deaths if released. But if your fish choice includes diggrs then you would probably be fine.

 

[NASCAR_Dave]

If I were to use sand, would it cause filtration probems or make it too hard for a newbie to clean? And what type of sand would be best? I must admit I prefer the gravel idea as I am more familiar with it and it seems less expensive.

 

[Fruitbat]

NASCAR_Dave...

In my personal experience I've found that sand and South American cichlids don't mix. MANY of the South American cichlids are serious earth-movers and will dig and re-arrange your tank to fit their needs. If the substrate is sand then they're likely to keep it stirred up quite a bit. I suggest you go with standard aquarium gravel. You probably aren't going to be doing a whole lot with live plants because, again, your SA cichlids will happily undo any landscaping you attempt. There are plenty of realistic-looking fake plants that you can easily push back into the gravel after your cichlids uproot them.

 

[screaminbuckeye]

Cichlids are serious diggers. I have gravel in my tanks and sometimes they even pick up the gravel and move it to the opposite side of the tank. Sand is a bit more problematic to clean but I have a 20 gal with sand because I have a freshwater eel.

 

[NASCAR_Dave]

Thanks for the replies, all, I really appreciate the advice .

If I switch gears and lean towards the Peacock variety of African Cichlids, should I consider sand for them? My reading on the topic at cichlid-forum (I think that's where I found it) suggests that sand may be the way to go for them, but I don't know if gravel wouldn't work just as well. I read that they have a habit of inhaling the sand and filtering it through their gills, so coral and sharp-edged gravel could be a real problem for them. Anyone have any ideas?

BTW, I cut the major lumber pieces for my stand last night and will work on the tenons for the legs tonight, hopefully. I am hoping to have the cabinet done by Sunday and can start to fill the tank Sunday afternoon/evening if I can gather the substrate I will eventually use. Seems a lot of aquarium places are closing up in my area. I will have pictures on my website and I will try to add a link from here to there so y'all can see how it comes out.

 

[BrianNY]

Hi Dave, Good luck with the tank. Did you check for leaks yet? Could save you lots of problems in the long run.

IMO, choosing the correct substrate is the most imoprtant thing to do. Especially in a tank as large as yours because to change it later would be a pain in the $$$.
I've a 125 gal planted tank and spent more time researching the substrate than anything else.

My advice since you want cichlids is to go with a fine grain size gravel. You don't want anything so large that any uneaten food can easily find it's way between the grains.

Are you planning on getting a python?

 

[NASCAR_Dave]

Thanks, BrianNY, I am trying to research as much as I can before making a decision. A friend here has used the CaribSea Aquaramax .2-1.2mm sand and he really likes it; he is suggesting I use that, but it seems like most everyone recommends gravel (I am open to ALL ideas ).

I am going to order the Python and some heaters today.

When i picked up the tank it was full of water and had fish in it. I gave the fish (African Mbuna's) to a friend, but there were no leaks there and I will fill it up this weekend when I clean it and check then. Thanks for that suggestion, after the move to my house I guess it could develop leaks?

I have two Emperor 400's for the filters, but I am thinking that down the road I would like to get something to go inside my cabinet, underneath the tank. For now I guess I will keep the 400's.

Getting pretty excited about getting this puppy set up...I feel like a little kid at Christmas.

 

[BrianNY]

Cool Dave. I'd add a cannister filter to that anyway. I like the Fluval 404 because it's so easy to clean. Heaters. (2) 250 watt should do the trick. I got the filters and heaters from bigalsonline. They by far have the best prices IMO
HTH

 

[NASCAR_Dave]

Brian, I ordered 2 200W heaters as I placed the order before I saw your post; I can replace them later if they don't do the trick, however, my wife is a cold-natured person and she keeps the house on about 78 degrees. BTW, what is a suggested water temp for the cichlids?

If I get a Fluval, does the piping for that just hang over the back of the tank? I don't have to drill the tank for that to work, do I?

 

[NASCAR_Dave]

Brian, I ordered 2 200W heaters as I placed the order before I saw your post; I can replace them later if they don't do the trick, however, my wife is a cold-natured person and she keeps the house on about 78 degrees. BTW, what is a suggested water temp for the cichlids?

If I get a Fluval, does the piping for that just hang over the back of the tank? I don't have to drill the tank for that to work, do I?

Sorry for the double-post, I don't know what happened

 

[NVR2TAN]

I am just starting out. We bought a 10 gallon tank for my 4 year old son. And I have a question. Do you need a filtration system & a pump or can you just have a filtration system???

 

[platylover]

If you have a hang on back filter for your tank, then you don't need an air pump. THe filter outlet should be enough surface agitation for the aquarium so have a proper gas exchange. The air bubbles caused by the air pump and air stone, for example, doesn't put the oxygen in the water, it is the surface agitation the air bubbles cause that does that.

I run a penguin 125 on a 20 gal high tank, which I love, but I think that you can use a penguin mini for a 10 gal tank. There are a lot of other manufacturers and models of HOB filters, but I have only owned the Marineland penguin 125 filter so I can only speak for that kind of filter.

HTH!

 

[NASCAR_Dave]

Pictures of stand are up

I uploaded a few pictures of the stand I have nearly completed - they are in my Member Gallery. It is pretty stout, I hope it will hold all the weight! I skinned it with beaded-pine wainscotting to match the walls in my great room. Need to stain it and add some doors (doors take me a little while to make, but I figure I can still use the stand without them for now).

Wish I hadn't brought it in the house yet, though, since I still have stain and lacquer it!