Hi! I will be moving into an apartment in a university in China in one month for a new job. I am soooo excited. Especially since this job has the potential to have me stay put for at least 3 years, which gives me enough time to think about putting up a nice tank.
Background: I am not into putting time into tank maintenance so I spend a lot of time thinking through the setting up process. What that has meant in the past is significantly overfiltering the water, putting a drain in the tank, a little extra gravel on the bottom, auto fish feeders, etc. I have had as many as 5 tanks at one time, and once had a 135G tank. Even with the 135 I was not spending more than 15 minutes a week on the tank and had a very stable tank.
I want to get into plants because it often increases the aesthetic value of the tank (one of the reasons why I have a tank is for conversation purposes) I also hope it will help me find a way to better take care of the water - let the plants help clean the water. That said, I want to spend some time to become knowledgeable about plants, to be able to design a good set up so that I will still be putting in relatively little time each week to take care of it. I want to learn not only how to keep plants alive in a tan but also how to get them to reproduce (read: save $$) Also, the area I live in has occassional power outtages. I am hoping that a well planted tank will help keep the water quality more consistant when the electricity goes out. I plan to install a battery powered air pump - want to find some way to put this on a timer so it only comes on in the evening.
The Result: The tank will be a community tank. I want the rear 3-4" of tank space to be densely planted the whole width of the tank to create a forest effect. I think I will have enough $$ to start out with a CO2 setup (not DIY).
Questions:
1. Is it better to start the tank as a planeted tank and then, after the plants take root and seem to be doing well on their own, introduce more fish? Or should I start with the fish and add plants a few at a time?
2. In addition to the show tank I will have a small hospital tank for the fish. I am also thinking of finding a plain tank to use to to quarantine new plants, as well as to focus on raising plants. I want to raise my own, not only to save $$ but to become proficient taking care of them. Is it OK to use water taken from the main tank in water changes to use in these 2 tanks? My objective is to keep the water chemistry pretty consistant across the board.
Background: I am not into putting time into tank maintenance so I spend a lot of time thinking through the setting up process. What that has meant in the past is significantly overfiltering the water, putting a drain in the tank, a little extra gravel on the bottom, auto fish feeders, etc. I have had as many as 5 tanks at one time, and once had a 135G tank. Even with the 135 I was not spending more than 15 minutes a week on the tank and had a very stable tank.
I want to get into plants because it often increases the aesthetic value of the tank (one of the reasons why I have a tank is for conversation purposes) I also hope it will help me find a way to better take care of the water - let the plants help clean the water. That said, I want to spend some time to become knowledgeable about plants, to be able to design a good set up so that I will still be putting in relatively little time each week to take care of it. I want to learn not only how to keep plants alive in a tan but also how to get them to reproduce (read: save $$) Also, the area I live in has occassional power outtages. I am hoping that a well planted tank will help keep the water quality more consistant when the electricity goes out. I plan to install a battery powered air pump - want to find some way to put this on a timer so it only comes on in the evening.
The Result: The tank will be a community tank. I want the rear 3-4" of tank space to be densely planted the whole width of the tank to create a forest effect. I think I will have enough $$ to start out with a CO2 setup (not DIY).
Questions:
1. Is it better to start the tank as a planeted tank and then, after the plants take root and seem to be doing well on their own, introduce more fish? Or should I start with the fish and add plants a few at a time?
2. In addition to the show tank I will have a small hospital tank for the fish. I am also thinking of finding a plain tank to use to to quarantine new plants, as well as to focus on raising plants. I want to raise my own, not only to save $$ but to become proficient taking care of them. Is it OK to use water taken from the main tank in water changes to use in these 2 tanks? My objective is to keep the water chemistry pretty consistant across the board.
