Getting an aquarium shortly, what other equipment do I need? - Equipment

Rastan71 · 10-31-2009, 08:20 AM

I have narrowed the aquarium down to 2 choices. Either a 46 gallon bow front or a 58 gallon 30" w, 18"d, 25" h, since these are the 2 best local options for the space/price I am looking for.

It is going to be mainly for fish, but I want to have it very well planted.

I have decided to go with an Eheim classic canister filter since I can get the 2213 which is rated for 66 gallons for $69 from Petsmart online.

I also know I'll need a heater, better light bulbs and substrate. And I think I'll just get some excel for my plants for now and save doing the CO2 until later.

Should I also add a power head or something else to add current besides my filter? Or will my filter provide enough current?

I would appreciate any suggestions or comments. I want to make sure I take my time and buy the right stuff.

davemonkey · 10-31-2009, 08:30 AM

That filter should provide teh current you want unless you go heavily planted. Then the plants will block water flow to certain areas and you might need a power head to get to the 'dead spots'.

Try to shoot for 1.5 to 2.5 watts per gallon and stick with low to medium light plants. (Just my opinion. ) Otherwise you may find yourself running into a "must have CO2" situation.

Avi · 10-31-2009, 09:21 AM

I have a heavily planted 58-gallon. I have two Eheim 2217's on it and also a Mag5 driving my CO2 unit. I have the returns high up so there's no problem with taller plants.

IMO...you should get the larger of the two tanks your considering because the more room the better and the 2213 isn't enough for a heavily planted tank unless you have a very small number of fish in the tank...a minimal number. So, it you don't want to be limited to a small handful of fish, then go with one 2217 or two 2213's as a very minimum.

Rastan71 · 10-31-2009, 09:57 AM

Thank you both for your input.

Well, the bigger aquarium has more gallons, but a smaller footprint and is more vertical so I figured the 46 gallon bowfront would actually give me more room to play with.

I think I might go for the 2213 to start with since I don't have a whole lot of plants right now so it won't start off heavily planted. But it does look like by both of your opinions that eventually the 2213 will not be enough, but I guess I can always add another filter or power-head as the plants spread out or I add more plants.

I do have the wife-factor to consider when it comes to cost and size.

But it keeps me from going crazy and getting in way over my head.

BTW, what dictates a 'must have CO2' situation? Is it when algae starts to take over due to excessive light or is it when the light situation demands co2 for the plant health?

niko · 10-31-2009, 09:58 AM

Rastan,

You are better off getting the 58. It's a wonderful size tank. The bowfront tanks look cool but square ones stand the test of time better - they just look better in the long run.

It will be a good idea to add a powerhead to the tank to help with the flow. The canister filter rating is completely misleading. The water flow will probably be 3 times less than what you need. Every canister filter is rated like that.

Get the best light you can. But without CO2 forget the grand ideas of having lush plants. It can happen but only after many months of waiting for the tank to establish. Excel is no substitute for real CO2.

Your best bet is to do a moss only tank. Not even Java Fern. Very few plants do well without CO2 in a newly established tank. Mosses are the best choice.

Run your light as little as possible. Only when you are home. Don't run it 10 hours a day.

And get CO2 as soon as you can. It makes all the difference in the world.

--Nikolay

Rastan71 · 10-31-2009, 10:44 AM

Thanks Niko.

So go for the 58 even though it has a smaller footprint? It is 30" long rather than 36" with the bowfront. Actually, my wife would like the smaller wall-space and it would be easier to build a frame for than the bowfront. To save some money I plan on just building a real heavy-duty stand and paint it to match the aquarium. I have access to free lumber and saving money and building my own stand will allow me to apply the money into other areas in the aquarium.

It will also save some money in the amount of substrate I need.

I appreciate all of you guys sharing your knowledge since this is my 1st aquarium I will be getting and planning from the start to keep plants alive.

Avi · 10-31-2009, 11:19 AM

I would suggest that you do some reading about the different methods of keeping a planted tank. If you're limited by funds or otherwise, then take niko's advice regarding approaching the planted tank in a "low tech" way. Do some research on that around these forums because there are a lot of people that do it that way. My own personal preference is more high tech (higher lighting, pressurized CO2, estimative index dosing, etc.) but it is more expensive in the initial startup so maybe low tech is more suitable for you right now. My point is, though, that you should make a decision on which approach to take...learn about it...and do it within the "guidelines" for the method you choose...otherwise, it's almost assured that you'll be running into one algae battle after another.

oakleyhoma · 11-05-2009, 05:05 AM

you can do low tech with more than moss if you keep your light at about 2 wpg and use excel. The more light, the more risk of algae getting an upper hand. You can do crypts, java fern, anubias, and my sunset hygro does well. You may need a cleanup crew - Otocinclus work well. And don't place the tank in direct sunlight!