New tank - best pumps, filters, etc?

[Viewfinder]

Hi all,

So I finally managed to cycle the Baby Biorb. Thanks for all the advice. The day after I picked that up I realised that I had the bug and that the pretty 15l orb just wasn't going to cut it.

So... I have today got my hands on a second hand Juwel -woo hoo!! It was grubby but has scrubbed up a treat and I'm really excited at the prospect of putting it all together. However, I need help again from all you experts out there.

It is intact with lid. No bulb and wiring looks a bit iffy (the bluetack was a bit of a giveaway!) but I think I can resolve the wiring problem. I am aiming to keep a few orandas. The tank is 120 litres so now for the questions:

1. How many orandas can I keep in a tank of this size?
2. What is the best pump for this tank (bearing in mind I would prefer to keep everything in tank)?
3. As above but for filter?
4. As above but for bulb (it will take a single long one)?
5. Can I adapt the lighting to something better than a fluorescent tube?
6. Am I better off with real or plastic/silk plants as I'm really not keen on the green slime that I recall from a friends tank when I was a kid!

I have tracked down a few Juwel instruction manuals and they all suggest that I don't need to lay polystyrene under the tank. Thoughts anyone?

I plan to perform a fishless cycle as this worked really well for my Biorb. Will keep you all updated on progress once I have sourced what I need and set it all up.

How exciting!!!

VF

 

[BigJim]

1. 1-2 orandas
2. I'm not sure what you mean by pump. An air pump isn't necessary. The surface agitation oxygenates the water.
3. I really doubt any internal filter will be enough to keep a goldfish tank clean and healthy. I would look at an AquaClear 110 HOB if you don't want to go the canister route.
4. If you're not keeping live plants, most any light will do. I like the daylight spectrum bulbs. Most household bulbs give the tank a nasty yellow cast, but the daylight bulbs are much more blue.
5. You can, but there's really no reason if you're not keeping live plants. Low-power LEDs are an option.
6. Define better. Fake plants don't require any maintenance, but live plants add a lot to a tank. It's really up to you. Live plants require more light and more work. Remember that goldfish will eat most plants.

If the tank has a rim, there's no need for foam underneath. If it's rimless so the entire bottom panel contacts the stand, I'd think about foam.

 

[jsoong]

1. Surface area & filtration is going to be the limiting factor. That is a ~ 33 gal tank. <Considered small for goldfish.> 2 Orandas will be very doable. If it is a shallow tank <Actual tank dimesions will help> & you have good filtration, then 3 might work.

2/3. You need really good filtration with Orandas. An internal filter is probably not be adequate. A small canister with good water turnover is a much better choice. Generally 5-10x per hour water turnover is ideal. <ie. 600-1200 l/hr> This is much higher than the usual filter manufacturer's recommendations, but most find that over-filtering goldfish tank (& other tanks for that matter) makes for a much healthier tank. With a good filter flow rate, you won't need an air pump.

A good small canister is the HOT Magnum (Marineland, 250 gph ~ 1000 l/hr). <I use that for my 10/20 gal QT.> Also a small Ehiem, Filstar XP1, or a small Fluval.

4/5. If you are not growing plants, there is no need to get higher powered light. Just get a Daylight full spectrum bulb that will fit your fixture for a nice bright look. <More light will grow algae.>

6. Silk plants - Plastic can have hard edges which can tear goldies' delicate long fins. Live plants if you are game for a challenge.

Finally, you should seed your new tank from the Bio-Orb so the cycling will be short & painless.

 

[Viewfinder]

Thanks for the help. Tank dimensions are 100cm wide, 30cm deep and 40cm high. I will have a look at the canister type filters but don't have an obvious space for one.

Good tip with using the Biorb to seed the new tank, thanks.

VF

 

[jsoong]

That is a standard depth tank, so has more surface area than the standard 33's in NA. You can prob do 3 Orandas if you have good filtration & tank maintenance. Of course, stocking less will make the tank more forgiving.

It is not too difficult to hide a canister, as you can place it anywhere & just run hoses to the tank. Typically, the canister is placed in a cabinet under the tank, but you can also put it anywhere handy next to the tank. The HOB Magnum is designed to hang on the tank, and takes only 4" or so of space behind or to the side of the tank.