Upgrade Questions

[smithw14]

Hey everybody -

I have some questions. I have recently been offered a 55g aquarium w/ pine stand, natural finish with 2 doors - $100.00

I am pretty sure this is a good deal. Tank is 13 x 29 x 48.5

I will be upgrading from a 20 gallon tank, and plan on keeping the 20g, so I'm keeping everything in there in there.

Tank comes with nothing else. No hood, no nothing. It was previously used as a fish tank, and has only been in storage for a few weeks. Owner has no room for it in his new location.

So I am going to have to start from scratch with this tank. Bear in mind I am upgrading from a 20g, although I have had 29g in the past. So this is a rather big upgrade.

So I guess I am going to need filters, hoods, lights, substrate, heater, and most importantly, decor!!!!!!

I have been reading up on filters, and I think what I want is two power biowheel filters. I can't afford the wet/dry filters, and I have a crayfish, so an underground won't work. I suppose I will go ahead and get two. Alrighty - here is what I have gathered about filters thus far from reading other posts:

Stay away from whisper. AC110, Emperor 400 are good ones.

So any other suggestions? Should I get one power filter and one of some other kind? Here's the deal, I'm a college student on a college student budget. Please bear that in mind. (in other words, give me the best for cheap!!!)

Okay, on to Aquarium heaters. I have thus far found less info on this. I was looking at a Rena Cal Top Light Excel Heaters - 300 watts. Are these okay? I see some people get two. Can I please just get one?! (ha ha, again, the no money factor) I've read some strange posts about Oscars running into them or something. How stupid. Will this one be okay???

Substrate. Okay - so i read somewhere of somebody putting sand then rocks. How does that work??? Especially when using a siphon to clean the rocks. Should I just go with rocks? Whats the rock to water ratio?

I also need decorations, which I'll find somewhere.

Okay - now a hood and lights. I suppose on this 55 I will need two hoods correct? Where do I find a cheap good hood, with all the right holes and space and whatnot for my filters and heaters and whatever else I need to put in there?

Okay - I think that's it. I have everything else I need or know how to get as far as chemicals, etc.

Thanks for your help.

-William


OH, did I mention I am moving 1800 miles across the country in a year?! Ha ha!

 

[chotie]

I am pretty sure this is a good deal. Tank is 13 x 29 x 48.5

it is.

I have been reading up on filters, and I think what I want is two power biowheel filters. I can't afford the wet/dry filters, and I have a crayfish, so an underground won't work. I suppose I will go ahead and get two. Alrighty - here is what I have gathered about filters thus far from reading other posts:

you want an xp2 or xp3 cannister filter. you will be happier. trust me.

Stay away from whisper. AC110, Emperor 400 are good ones.

if you really want HOB then yes, both are very good.

So any other suggestions? Should I get one power filter and one of some other kind? Here's the deal, I'm a college student on a college student budget. Please bear that in mind. (in other words, give me the best for cheap!!!)

i spent more on 2 emp 400 + a couple of months supply of filter cartridges than 1 xp3 with all needed filter media.

Okay, on to Aquarium heaters. I have thus far found less info on this. I was looking at a Rena Cal Top Light Excel Heaters - 300 watts. Are these okay? I see some people get two. Can I please just get one?! (ha ha, again, the no money factor) I've read some strange posts about Oscars running into them or something. How stupid. Will this one be okay???

stealth heaters are good also. never used the rena ones.

Substrate. Okay - so i read somewhere of somebody putting sand then rocks. How does that work??? Especially when using a siphon to clean the rocks. Should I just go with rocks? Whats the rock to water ratio?

rock as in gravel? depends on how big of a substrate bed you want. for a 55g, 25lbs of gravel is fine. one thing to consider: having a gravel substrate will always be dirtier than a bare bottom tank. lots of food and waste can get trapped in the gravel thus increasing health risk. (i have a 1/4 gravel bed by the way). pool filter sand is very good as well. research into that.

Okay - now a hood and lights. I suppose on this 55 I will need two hoods correct? Where do I find a cheap good hood, with all the right holes and space and whatnot for my filters and heaters and whatever else I need to put in there?

you can get two glass covers and two strip lights. you can check bigalsonline or do a google search for drfostersmith. both are relatively cheap.

 

[Cinder]

First suggestion is to go to ebay and look for the things you need there.
I have seen the 'what heater to use' question before on another site and most people agreed that a WalMart heater is as good as any other. (If you're on a budget then that's a good solution.) I have used the WalMart as well as another more expensive brand and thus far have found both to work equally well. (Granted - I've only had the aquariums since Dec. 05 so not a long time of experience.) I have only one on my 55 gln. and feel that it is fine. However, I am home every day (fulltime mom) so I keep a close eye on things. The issue with a bigger tank and heaters is that if you use two you have less chance of a disaster if one quits working (either in the open or close position) as you have the second one still functioning. If you have fish that you are concerned about breaking your filter they sell covers to go over the heaters to protect them.
I also highly suggest a cannister (Fluval or Eheim) filter (again check ebay) if you can find anyway to swing it. If you are going to have to go with the HOB filters I would suggest two different types and yes ACs are considered tops (it's all I would use if I was getting a new one).
For substrate generally gravel is used but sand can work (when you clean it you just hold the vac above the surface. You also have to either manually disturb the sand weekly or get some Malaysian Trumpet Snails or a burrowing loach to keep it from developing dangerous pockets of gases.)
If at all possible go with live plants. You can do even a low light tank and grow Java Moss, Java Fern, Anubias and some crypts and your fish will love you for the real plants. Live plants also help keep your water quality up.
I'm not sure about the hood but I would think that building one yourself (if possible) would be the cheapest way to go. However, that would mean you would have to have tools, etc. so that may not work in your situation.
Hope some of this helps. Good luck.

 

[JeffreyL]

tank

Congratulations!!!! Sounds like you are well on your way to Multiple Tank Syndrome!!! One of the nicer obsessions available. lol Just my two cents on filters, but I would go with the aquaclear. I have an emperor 280 and an aquaclear. The emperor is good, but the filter media choices are more limited, you are stuck with 2 slots for media, and honestly the bio wheel is over rated. It adds some to the good bacteria colony, but the filter media and substrate still supports most of it. The aquaclear is much more adaptable, and mine is quieter. Plus it is cheaper!!!!!! If you have a Petsmart nearby, go online to petsmart.com, print out the page of a filter or heater you like and the store should honor that price. Cheaper and no shipping!!! Plus if you have any problems, no return shipping. lol Good luck and have fun!

 

[malkore]

*edit*

Post has been moved to FW getting started after speaking with another Mod.

 

[JustOneMore20]

Can I please just get one?!

Yes, I only have one 250w heater in my 55g and it keeps the temp steady. I have a Visi-therm Stealth and I love it.

I have an AC70 on my 55g. The current is very strong, even when turned down all the way (you can adjust them). I am going to be setting up another 55g when I get all the equipment together (i'm a college student also). I just bought a Rena XP3 and I'm going to run it on my current 55g to build up bacteria. So far I like it. I've had it for 3 days though. It came with all the media I needed, except the Bio-balls. The filter was about $100...a little expensive, but well worth the money.

Sand is an alright substrate. If you decide to go with sand, I'd get the pool filter sand. Its a little bigger grain. Small grain sand tends to compact and make anaerobic pockets which could be deadly to your fish. You'll have to run your fingers through it or use a hanger. I like smaller gravel, 2-3mm. Thats also good for plants. I think you can get the small pea gravel in the garden section at Walmart, and maybe at some hardware stores cheaper then you can get it in the fish section.

For a hood, I'd get a glass top (All-Glass and Perfecto make glass tops). On websites (such as Drs. Foster and Smith and That Pet Place) they just say they are 48 inches. You have to make sure you get the one that is 2 pieces, for a 55g with a center brace. If you don't plan to have live plants, I'd just get a 48 inch fluorescent light fixture.

Here is a single fluoro light fixture. It looks like a pretty cheap one. Its made by All-Glass, which your tank may be made by (both of mine are).

You could try to find 2 full hoods, but they will be expensive. Full hoods are usually more expensive then just getting the glass tops and a light fixture.

You don't need 2 strip lights...they make the 48 inches long.

 

[smithw14]

Thanks for your help everybody! I really appreciate it! I ended up getting a Filstar XP3 canister filter, bio chem stars, polyester floss, a visi-therm deluxe 300w heater, a 48" x 13" glass canopy, an all-glass single deluxe strip light 48" (black).

I picked up the aquarium yesterday. Its dirty and is going to need a good cleaning, but its nice - and the stand as well. I'm very pleased. OH, and the guy game me an underground filter to go with it. I"m not sure if I want to use it though. I have a crayfish that likes to dig. I wonder though if I provide enough gravel substrate so he can dig a little but not be disturbing the underground filter. Also the guy told me that once you hook up the two spouts or whatnot, it spews out water pretty fast and it sometimes can be too much water movement in the tank. I would also think it would be noisy. So I'm not sure what I'm going to do with that.


It is going to take forever to fill this thing up!! And I live in an apartment so I dont have access to a hose to clean this thing out - going to have to do it by hand.

Does it matter what chemicals I use to clean it out as long as I just make sure they are all washed out before I add the tank water?

I also need to get some gravel substrate. I want to go with a dark blue, I don't think that there is any gravel out there that is a natural blue color, so I am conflicted because I dont want the color to chip off over time or when I vacuum the gravel. What to do...

So, anyway, I think all I have left to get is gravel, decorations, plants, and a cool background.

I have some questions about how to best cycle the new tank, since I am putting the oscar, the gourami, and the crayfish in the new tank, but leaving the angel fish in the old tank. But I am going to post my cycle question in a new thread.

Thanks again for all your help!

-William