CorporateGranola
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2011
- Messages
- 26
Questions for Newbie Cichlid Tank - Need Advise
My wife and I currently have a 12G planted tank with 1 electric blue betta, 2 neon tetras, 2 sunrise platys, and one clown pleco. [>1 year]
For xmas, my beloved bought us a 65G tank. With it, we are planning to do a planted Cichlid tank. I wanted to bounce some ideas off the members of this community to try to cement my plans before we start spending money on anything.
Filtration/Heating
Fluval 405
Hydor ETH300
Custom T5 HO Lighting (not kit)
Java Fern
Java Moss
24" knotty driftwood
? x Peacock Cichlid
1 x FW Eel
2 x Otocinclus
1 x Pleco
Unrelated:
You guys have an awesome community here! Many thanks to the admins and contributors for keeping such a nice forum for enthusiasts such as myself.
Best wishes, and I look forward to hearing your ideas/suggestions on how I can prepare the healthy/happy environment for my new babies.
-=CG=-
My wife and I currently have a 12G planted tank with 1 electric blue betta, 2 neon tetras, 2 sunrise platys, and one clown pleco. [>1 year]
For xmas, my beloved bought us a 65G tank. With it, we are planning to do a planted Cichlid tank. I wanted to bounce some ideas off the members of this community to try to cement my plans before we start spending money on anything.
Filtration/Heating
Fluval 405
Hydor ETH300
My calculations for GPH required for a 65G tank should be ~325. The 405 is rated at 340, so (if accurately rated) I think this should be a fine solution at a fair price. Thoughts?
My question is about the Hydor ETH300. There doesn't seem to be much consensus in the community as far as in-tank heaters versus in-line heaters go. I am partial to the in-line heaters because they don't clutter the inside of the tank and (based on what I've read) they are supposed to keep the tank water temperature more consistent. Do you guys have any preference? If so, why?
LightingMy question is about the Hydor ETH300. There doesn't seem to be much consensus in the community as far as in-tank heaters versus in-line heaters go. I am partial to the in-line heaters because they don't clutter the inside of the tank and (based on what I've read) they are supposed to keep the tank water temperature more consistent. Do you guys have any preference? If so, why?
Custom T5 HO Lighting (not kit)
I'm curious to hear about your experiences using black-light bulbs in a planted tank. My intent is to create a good environment for my plans and "enhance" the colors of the beautiful peacock cichlid males through lighting. Thoughts?
Plants & Decor
Java Fern
Java Moss
24" knotty driftwood
Inevitably we'll end up adding some other plants, but at the moment, this is all we really *know* we are going to have. The driftwood we have is amazing and will be the centerpiece of the tank. Any suggestions for cichild friendly plants that could be added to this tank?
Fish
? x Peacock Cichlid
1 x FW Eel
2 x Otocinclus
1 x Pleco
I'm unsure of the appropriate number of peacock cichlids I can safely keep in a 65G tank. I plan on buying them all very young so they grow up together and (as I suspect) have fewer territorial issues.
With regards to the moray eel, I am not settled on the specific species, but I definitely want to add one to my tank. I fell in love with one at the LFS and have my heart set on including one in my cichlid tank.
The Otos and Pleco are my "cleaning crew" and I hope they'll be able to keep the algae levels in check without too much hassle. My current clown pleco is a lazy jerk and refuses to do his job, but I still love him nonetheless.
_________With regards to the moray eel, I am not settled on the specific species, but I definitely want to add one to my tank. I fell in love with one at the LFS and have my heart set on including one in my cichlid tank.
The Otos and Pleco are my "cleaning crew" and I hope they'll be able to keep the algae levels in check without too much hassle. My current clown pleco is a lazy jerk and refuses to do his job, but I still love him nonetheless.
Unrelated:
You guys have an awesome community here! Many thanks to the admins and contributors for keeping such a nice forum for enthusiasts such as myself.
Best wishes, and I look forward to hearing your ideas/suggestions on how I can prepare the healthy/happy environment for my new babies.
-=CG=-