Need help planning new tank setup

[TKOS]

So hopefully in a few months I will be moving. This will mean that I can finally get myself a bigger tank. Do to the unstable nature of my employment I figure I will try and get the Hagen (that is the common brand in these parts) 33 gallon tank

- 91.76 cm x 32.07 cm x 46.36 cm
- 36.125" x 12.625" x 18.25"
- 125 L
- 33 U.S. gal


I wanted this to be a heavily planted tank and I hope to be able to keep 5 rosey barbs as the main fish with possibly a school of white cloud minnows and cory catfish, and maybe ottos.

So I guess the question comes about what else should I get to equip this aquarium. I figure a canister is the way to go in case I want to add CO2 in the future. I will buy lighting from another source. What would be a good canister filter for a heavily planted 33 gallon tank? And what sort of heater works best in such a setup? And will those fish get along? I have never kept rosey barbs so I am unsure of them.

[tomm10]

I just set up a 29g a few weeks ago so my experience with the following products is limited.

I have a Fluval 204 cannister. Its very quite and seems to do its job well. I don't like the ribbed tubing (seems like it could catch too much gunk) and as picky as it might sound, I don't like the tubing or nozzle colors. The tubing, output scoop, and intake basket are all gray. They are WAY too visible in the tank. It operates fine but if it weren't for the huge discount I got on it I would probably have gone with another brand.

I have 2 100w Tronic heaters from Hagen in there too. My room can get cold but theose two keep the tank at a rock solid temp. I would recomment those highly.

Tom

[TKOS]

That sounds good. What sort of filter output is recommended for heavily planted tanks? is 5-6 times per hour good enough, too much or too little?

[boyohboy]

I've just got my 20g planted setup for like 1 month, so my exp is limited too...
I also use a Fluval204, which I think is rated for 40g max. The quality of the filtration is definitely good, no doubt about it. I replaced the rigged hose with normal PVC hose from HomeDepot, I *think this actually improve the flow a tad bit too (even tho the rigged hose was clean). If you can afford more, getting the more expensive brand like Eheim never hurts. But the Fluval was at least $50 cheaper than any other brand's comparable sized one that I could find at that time, plus the Fluval came promotional with a "surface skimmer" attachment ($17.99 in my LFS), so I went with Fluval.

Compact flourescent lights is good, I love my new compact strip light :D and with the Cdn website CaptainHook found, the bulb-replacement cost of using compact is actually less than using normal flourescent, let alone more light output.

I have one 100W Tronic heater, good enuff in my tank. My room temp is around 15celcuis, tank is 24.

Duno how's the fish store prices are in NS, but if it's as expensive here in ON, try these 2 sites below, may save you a bunch. I don't have experience with them tho (may order from one soon).

www.petsandponds.com
www.mops.ca

edit: Just remember last weekend I saw a few of the big fish store were all having big sales on the Fluval404. I think maybe SuperPet, if you have that in NS, is only selling it for $120 or something.... if you want to go wth Fluval that is.