Woo!! Bigger tank!!!

[2cvbloke]

And the official measurements are 2x2x2 (feet that is), so it's a cube, comes with all the gubbins that it needs, and it's mine for free!!!

As I'm rubbish at converting measurements into volumes, what gallonage and litreage is it? Thanks!!!

 

[rich311k]

60 gallons. Congrats!!

 

[2cvbloke]

60 gallons. Congrats!!

8O

Really??? Cor!!! I really can't wait to get it now!!!

I can have some proper fish in it now!!!

 

[JustOneMore20]

You still have to be careful what you put in it, as some fish need a longer tank. It would make a nice community tank, but be aware of the sizes of fish you stock it with.


Congrats on the new tank!

 

[timbo2]

Free is always good!

 

[2cvbloke]

You still have to be careful what you put in it, as some fish need a longer tank. It would make a nice community tank, but be aware of the sizes of fish you stock it with.


Congrats on the new tank!

They could always learn to swim in a circle...

So what fish could I put in it then?

Free is always good!

It is isn't it?

 

[theotheragentm]

A great schooling fish that are inexpensive are Harlequin Rasboras. Corydora Catfish are great bottom dwellers.

 

[JustOneMore20]

Most tetras would be fine. I'd stay away from the larger ones (like Congos or Buenos Aires) and active ones (like Blue Tetras) as well as the more active and larger Rainbowfish.

Any of the smaller tetras, rasboras (Harlies are a great choice), and small Rainbowfish (Threadfins, the Blue-eyed species) will work. I'd choose 2 schools and then get a school of Cories for the bottom. A small-medium sized gourami would work for a centerpiece as would a pair of dwarf Cichlids....or you could go with both.

Planting the tank would be great, but it may be hard to find good lighting for a cube tank like that. Wouldn't hurt to look around though, if you wanted to plant it.

 

[2cvbloke]

Planting the tank would be great, but it may be hard to find good lighting for a cube tank like that. Wouldn't hurt to look around though, if you wanted to plant it.

The tank's coming from a former fish breeder, so I'm sure it's well equipped (so I'm told!!!)!!! But I was wondering what those Blue Actinic (sp?) fluo. tubes do? Are they OK on a normal tank for, say, simulated moonlight?

As for the fish, I'll have to decide on that when I get the tank, but I will definately be planting it up, assuming I can find a sand stockist, as the place where I got my black sand no longer keeps it as they can't seem to get any more in, which I find rather odd!!!

 

[Sidi]

Actinic lights are fine for your tank, and they will bring out amazing colors in some fish. They are almost worthless for plants though, so if you want to grow plants you'll have to add better spectrum lighting. They may make the tank look too harsh and blue, however.

The most common use of actinic lights is in saltwater reef tank. They're best for bringing out the color, and growing coral (they're just right for the commensual algae in corals).

Edit: They'll probably be way too bright for moonlight, but you could replace the bulbs with something like 6700k (some prefer higher) for not too much money. If there's too much lighting, however, you might be better off sticking with the actinic (or just removing the bulb) to keep algae growth down.

 

[2cvbloke]

Actinic lights are fine for your tank, and they will bring out amazing colors in some fish. They are almost worthless for plants though, so if you want to grow plants you'll have to add better spectrum lighting. They may make the tank look too harsh and blue, however.

The most common use of actinic lights is in saltwater reef tank. They're best for bringing out the color, and growing coral (they're just right for the commensual algae in corals).

Edit: They'll probably be way too bright for moonlight, but you could replace the bulbs with something like 6700k (some prefer higher) for not too much money. If there's too much lighting, however, you might be better off sticking with the actinic (or just removing the bulb) to keep algae growth down.

I'm confused now...

So, I guess Blue Actinic lights are brighter than I thought they were then? Basically the idea is that I just want the tank to have simulated moonlight so the fish are not totally in the dark when the main "Daylight" goes out, and so there's still some light to see the fish...

Also, do UV Blacklights make fish glow?

 

[2cvbloke]

Here is what may seem like a stupid question...

How in the heck am I going to fill the tank up???

I've read that most standard garden hosepipes contain fungicides which can be harmful to fish, using 2x 2 Litre fizzy drinks bottles would take a looooooong time (took about 1/2 an hour to do my little tank that way!!! Good excercise though going up & down the stairs with 2L of water in each hand!!!), and also the only bucket I have is out in what I found to be the old Outhouse (still with a toilet fitted!!!) is extremely dirty so I wouldn't want to use that!!! So, what's the best way to fill a 60G tank (bearing in mind I have a limited amount of money at the moment!!!) without breaking my back?

Admittedly I used a garden hose to fill my mum's big tank up, but that was using a hose that was about 3 or 4 years old so I assumed the fungicides would have leached out over the years by now, and the tank was left for a month before I even started adding things to it (as in substrate, ornaments, plants and of course the fish), and the inhabitants have showed no signs of illness since they were moved into the tank...

 

[fish 'n' fries]

Personally I'd buy two 3 or 5 gallon buckets (depending on your strength). Not too expensive, toxin free, only 6 trips up the stairs--plus you'll need something for water changes anyway. But I'm old school. Lots of folks will say a python. They're more expensive (although I belive there's DIY instructions in the forum).

 

[2cvbloke]

Personally I'd buy two 3 or 5 gallon buckets (depending on your strength). Not too expensive, toxin free, only 6 trips up the stairs--plus you'll need something for water changes anyway. But I'm old school. Lots of folks will say a python. They're more expensive (although I belive there's DIY instructions in the forum).

Sounds ok, I guess, and as for a python, I could probably pick one up off ebay pretty cheaply!!! Plus you can't gravel-vac with a bucket!!!

Anyway, I've not been too well over the past week so I haven't done a thing tankwise (or anything really!!!), except for keeping my little tank ticking over until I get some occupants for it (may get the stowaway snail out of my mum's tank and pop it in mine), and I still haven't got the big tank yet!!! Ah well, some day!!!

But I really really really can't wait to get the tank in my house and filled up and set up and planted and populated!!!!

If I had internet access at home I could even setup a tankcam using a decent camera connected up via a USB video adaptor and then somehow streamed onto the 'net!!!

 

[verucaproduce]

Plus you can't gravel-vac with a bucket!!!

I am glad somebody told me. I have been gravel-vac'ing with a bucket for years.

 

[2cvbloke]

I am glad somebody told me. I have been gravel-vac'ing with a bucket for years.

By dipping it in the tank to remove water??? 8O

Or have I missed something???

 

[verucaproduce]

No silly. With a gravel vac and bucket. No python here.

I see what you mean. The bucket alone would be hard. LOL

 

[2cvbloke]

No silly. With a gravel vac and bucket. No python here.

I see what you mean. The bucket alone would be hard. LOL

I'm confused.... :?

I thought a Python was a gravel vac??? 8O

 

[verucaproduce]

A python is a 'water changer' - no spill clean and fill.

A gravel vac is just a gravel vac.

 

[Gundy]

How does a python refill tanks? I was reading about one at the LFS the other day and it said it refilled directly from the sink to the tank. Wouldn't that put chlorine(untreated) water directly into the aquarium?

Say you do a 25% water change, do you treat the rest of the water in the tank and then put the hose of the python in the tank and fill it that way?