Hi, I was hoping some of you here could help me. This is the largest tank I have ever had. For my birthday, my husband got me a new 46g bowfront tank and stand. It's beautiful! Huge too, much larger than I thought. It is currently in the tub, filled to the brim, checking for leaks, 6 hours so far so good. I would like some advice on filtration, lighting and the transfer of my current tank. I am looking for the best, quietest equipment. (Please give all opinions and suggestions, but I am on a budget). Please give valid reasons for your suggestions. Thanks in advance.
Anyway, since I keep getting conflicting info from what I read and whom I speak with, I thought I'd ask the folks who actually have experience. AA folk. Thus I can use the information and decide on what to do. I'd love to get it set up soon, it is blocking my hallway, and well now..., my bathtub
My little tank (10g) has the following inhabitants who need to be transferred to the big boy tank.
1- 4" chocolate Pleco
2- 3" iridescent gourami's
2- 1" guppies
2- 1.5" algae eaters
1- 1.5" male betta
1- 1" female betta
1- 1" mystery snail
1- .5" mystery snail
3- 1" ghost shrimp
Well planted, thriving. (Starting to look like a jungle. Lots of natural daylight, algae blooms once, but not a problem in 7 months
2.5" deep layer of thumbnail sized, natural riverstone pebbles. This tank runs an undergravel, an hob, and an internal Shark filter. My biggest fear is losing one of my babies due to the transfer, but they really have outgrown their home. However everyone is happy and healthy. This is a huge jump in space for them, I hope it doesn't freak them out too much. I also have some large rocks, slate, stones, and shells in there.
I was planning on transferring all the decor, including plants and rocks, etc to the new tank. Of course I will need to add more river stone to get to the 2.5" depth. (I already have them.) I know that transferring these items will help establish the biological filter faster. I also planned on running their old filter along with the new one for a few weeks. I have bought two large, pre-soaked and colonized, pieces of african driftwood from a trusted lfs to go in the tank as well, this should help too.
I do not want to take 6-8 weeks to do this. I was also planning on using as much of the original tank water as possible. But if I do this, I have to move the kids immediately. What if I used just a few handfuls of current gravel and move some of the large rocks and shells to the new tank along with the new driftwood, would I then be able to safely add the water and kids to the new tank in say, a week? Please advise. Should I use something like Stress Zyme - a biological filter booster?
Regarding lighting:
This new tank however will not be going in the location of the current tank, it is far too large. It will have to go in the same room but directly across the room. Here it will get very little direct sun, some natural light, but not nearly as much as it currently does. Thus, - plant lighting questions. The tank came with an "eclipse natural daylight" fluorescent bulb 36" length. No other indications on the bulb. I really like my plants and wonder what would be best for them and the fish.
Regarding filtration:
All my tanks currently have undergravel filters except my 5g bow. I like the open clean look of that, but worry they do not get enough filtration. With the amount of decor and plants, I should be able to hide the lift tubes fairly well, (in the current tank I can not see them). I do like the bubbles from the ugf. I also have an hob on each tank and either a dirt magnet, internal jet type filter, or corner filter in each tank.
I was wondering if I need the undergravel filter, if it would help or harm - I have never had a problem with them in the past, and used them years ago as well, when they were the biggest thing since sliced bread, but I know they are not the only filter the tank would need. I have never trusted them to that task alone.
I was wondering about heating, should I use 2 smaller heaters, one on each side? The same with hob filters? 2 smaller ones, - one on each side? Or just one large of each relatively in the middle? Should I go with a canister? Never used one before, only recently been looking at them, so expensive... Or something else? Help!
My current acquisitions are: (can return only for store credit, wish I had know that prior to purchase)
1- 200w Theo heater by Hydor
1- 36" undergravel filter, 3 lift tubes, capacity for 4. UGFiltration will not be in the bow area.
1- Aqua Clear 70 hob filter (for 40-70g tanks)
1- Aqua Clear 102 powerhead - had this, clean and works, is it necessary?
Thank you so much, any and all suggestions will be appreciated. Please give brand, size and if you have it estimated cost of your suggestions (budget thing) and if you know, maintenance costs... (ie: weekly, biweekly, monthly changes needed).
Thanks again.
Anyway, since I keep getting conflicting info from what I read and whom I speak with, I thought I'd ask the folks who actually have experience. AA folk. Thus I can use the information and decide on what to do. I'd love to get it set up soon, it is blocking my hallway, and well now..., my bathtub
My little tank (10g) has the following inhabitants who need to be transferred to the big boy tank.
1- 4" chocolate Pleco
2- 3" iridescent gourami's
2- 1" guppies
2- 1.5" algae eaters
1- 1.5" male betta
1- 1" female betta
1- 1" mystery snail
1- .5" mystery snail
3- 1" ghost shrimp
Well planted, thriving. (Starting to look like a jungle. Lots of natural daylight, algae blooms once, but not a problem in 7 months
2.5" deep layer of thumbnail sized, natural riverstone pebbles. This tank runs an undergravel, an hob, and an internal Shark filter. My biggest fear is losing one of my babies due to the transfer, but they really have outgrown their home. However everyone is happy and healthy. This is a huge jump in space for them, I hope it doesn't freak them out too much. I also have some large rocks, slate, stones, and shells in there.
I was planning on transferring all the decor, including plants and rocks, etc to the new tank. Of course I will need to add more river stone to get to the 2.5" depth. (I already have them.) I know that transferring these items will help establish the biological filter faster. I also planned on running their old filter along with the new one for a few weeks. I have bought two large, pre-soaked and colonized, pieces of african driftwood from a trusted lfs to go in the tank as well, this should help too.
I do not want to take 6-8 weeks to do this. I was also planning on using as much of the original tank water as possible. But if I do this, I have to move the kids immediately. What if I used just a few handfuls of current gravel and move some of the large rocks and shells to the new tank along with the new driftwood, would I then be able to safely add the water and kids to the new tank in say, a week? Please advise. Should I use something like Stress Zyme - a biological filter booster?
Regarding lighting:
This new tank however will not be going in the location of the current tank, it is far too large. It will have to go in the same room but directly across the room. Here it will get very little direct sun, some natural light, but not nearly as much as it currently does. Thus, - plant lighting questions. The tank came with an "eclipse natural daylight" fluorescent bulb 36" length. No other indications on the bulb. I really like my plants and wonder what would be best for them and the fish.
Regarding filtration:
All my tanks currently have undergravel filters except my 5g bow. I like the open clean look of that, but worry they do not get enough filtration. With the amount of decor and plants, I should be able to hide the lift tubes fairly well, (in the current tank I can not see them). I do like the bubbles from the ugf. I also have an hob on each tank and either a dirt magnet, internal jet type filter, or corner filter in each tank.
I was wondering if I need the undergravel filter, if it would help or harm - I have never had a problem with them in the past, and used them years ago as well, when they were the biggest thing since sliced bread, but I know they are not the only filter the tank would need. I have never trusted them to that task alone.
I was wondering about heating, should I use 2 smaller heaters, one on each side? The same with hob filters? 2 smaller ones, - one on each side? Or just one large of each relatively in the middle? Should I go with a canister? Never used one before, only recently been looking at them, so expensive... Or something else? Help!
My current acquisitions are: (can return only for store credit, wish I had know that prior to purchase)
1- 200w Theo heater by Hydor
1- 36" undergravel filter, 3 lift tubes, capacity for 4. UGFiltration will not be in the bow area.
1- Aqua Clear 70 hob filter (for 40-70g tanks)
1- Aqua Clear 102 powerhead - had this, clean and works, is it necessary?
Thank you so much, any and all suggestions will be appreciated. Please give brand, size and if you have it estimated cost of your suggestions (budget thing) and if you know, maintenance costs... (ie: weekly, biweekly, monthly changes needed).
Thanks again.