My Newest Project

Hi all I have decided to start with my new project this weekend, it is a 190cm x 60cm x 80m. It was standing in my yard for about 3 months now an I could not decide what I wanted to do with it but I have now made up my mind, it is going to be my first real planted tank.

I have started to paint the back of the tank with a blue gloss enamel from Dulux ( the out side of the tank...:bigsmile I have had sliders made out of 6mm glass I just have to go and collect them from PG Auto Glass.

The fish that I am considering are as follows:
8 Angels
16 Corries ( Panda and Albino and maybe pepper)
20 or 30 neon's
1 Siamese Fighter
6 butterfly Plecos
I am also considering adding about 6 or 8 Discus as well but I am not sure if this will work. and a few Kribs that I have?

I am not sure if this will be a good idea to add Kribs so your input will be appreciated.

As for plants I am not sure what I want and what is on the black list so I have to be very careful with that as well.
any advice on what to plant?

I have decided to build a decent canopy for the tank out of wood so that I can mount enough light for the tank
the lights that I was considering would be 2 marine blue lights 2 "red" lights and 2 or 4 daylight "white" lights all at around 1.6m long?
would this be sufficient? sorry I don't know the proper terms use for the lights I am a bit doff when it comes to all this stuff...lol :wondering:

this tank has a built in filter so I was considering using that or to remove it and add a sump to the tank setup what you guys think?

I will be adding Pics of my progress as soon as I am able to, so please comments
thanks

 

I'm feeling a little green with envy... that's a stunning tank setup you wanting to do...

With regards to your fish... not sure if any Discus will be able to go in that tank.. I'm not clued up on the water they require and what companions they prefer. From what I've read, they don't make good community fish.

Be careful of mixing Angels + siamese. The Angel attacks the siames fins.
Be careful of mixing Ange + neons. If you add them all together, they will be fine. If you add small neons when the angels are big, they chow them
My Siamese also chowed my neons.

My suggestion: loose the siamese... and buy the Angels and Neons all together when they are all small.

Plants are brilliant idea... can't help there either on what to get. I would suggest getting a fine silca sand as the substrate as the plants love this. I have a VERY VERY fine silica sand, (Finer than sea sand and play pen sand) and my plants THRIVE as well as the Corys dig it too.

 

Were can I get this very,very fine silica sand all I have is plane silica sand (pool fiter sand).

 

I knew you would ask that.

Actually, I don't know. I got mine through our company. I'm in the buiding industry, and we use this sand from a compay called All Sands (I think that's their name) in germiston. Only problem is they only sell 1 ton minimum.

 

Playpen sand - but ensure it is not chemically treated or has salt added ...

Toy / Educational stores and even some garden shops ...

 

i use the playsand from i think it was either reggies or toys r us. Its washed but trust me you have to wash it again. Its about R40 for 20kg. So far i havnt had any problems

 

Thanks guys I will go and find out about that but for now I have to get the tank ready before I add any subtrates.... I will show you guys what I mean as soon as the painting is done and dry.

 

I have finally put the last coat of paint on so I am just waiting for it to dry and then the hard work starts.
Here are a few pics so that I can show you what the tank looks like....


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This is were I patch the tank because it had a crack, I patched it on the inside as well.


This is the filter side but as you can see there is no hole for the return pipe to go in so I will have to make a plan..:idea:

 

looking interesting so far, waiting to see what it becomes...:smile:

 

I can't wait to finish it but my budget does not allow it so I will be taking my time on this one but it will be interesting to watch how it develops

 

what kinds of fish do you keep in all the other tanks you have?
cant you stock from them?

 

Yes I already have 16 Widow I think tetras and a few Kribs and 3 Angels and a few Danios that are in different tanks. so I have a few to start with but yes I would like to get a good comunity tank going no fin nipping and so on....

 

odd, slojo bought soem neons and angels the other day, and his kribs attacked both types, even ate the neons... yet you have all three in combination as well, do they get along??

 

I have Angels and widow tetras with about 4 kribs in a 1.2m tank and as far as I can see they don't bug each other at all. but I must say I added 10 neons to the tank 2 weeks ago and after 3 days there were no more neons I think the kribs ate them.... I also had a siamese fighter in with them all and had no worries but he died a few days ago... don't know why.

 

Butterfly Plecos as in Hillstream Loaches? Think again. They prefer colder temps and lots of flow

 

O ok Is there any type of pleco that will be able to into this tank but does not grow to big?

 

The Hillstream loaches aren't Plecos at all, so they're not really algae eaters like the Plecos. Maybe try get some Siamsese Algae Eaters or Otocinclus. There are some smaller types of Pleco and Ancistrus that might work though.

 

Hi Gareth
Why don't you try pecoltia or Hypancistrus The stay small and are beautifull sadly quite pricey. But if you breed!!:bigsmile::bigsmile:
You just should not mix them they all hybridise.
If you have lots of plants Farlowella or Sturisoma, small, lively, not agresssive.

 

Hypancistrus


pecoltia


dont think i've ever seen either of those in LFS hereabouts...

I've seen whiptails

at petstop, they pack up a driftwood log like its the spot to be seen, lol

 

Try Riversand from the Nursrey