New big tank

[babablackman]

I bought a 210 gallon aquarium w/ stand and hood, also have a fluval fx5, adquate heating. there are a few rocks and i think i overdid the air pumps. the tank is currently cycling with a few zebra danios. what i want to know is where should i go from here?

im thinking of going with a heavily planted tank with plenty of small community fish.
im looking at getting a school of tiger barbs, but im uncertaint of tank mates.
possible other fish.
-royal pleco
-sail fin mollies
-black ghost knife
-flower shrimp
-crown tail betta
-banjo cat
-khuli loach
-assortment of gouramies
-denison's barbs

ive never done a planted tank and id like to give it a try and my understanding is there needs to be proper lighting, deep plant substrate, and maybe some co2 system.

in regards of lighing im doing research on SHO CFLS and with 4 of them, it seems like it will cover my tanks needs. my research has come from (americanaquariumproducts.com).

substrate at the moment is 100 lbs of black beauty which would be put on top of the planted substrate. the actual plant substate has yet to be decied and ideas would be appreciated.

co2 i a very ambigous thing to me anyone who can clarify anthing about it is my hero.

any tips are awesome and are appreciated

 

[TabisFish]

IMO, if i had a 210gal tank.. I wouldn't stock it with ordinary fish (like mollies, gouramis, bettas). That takes the fun out of it! Just my opinion though.

 

[verbal]

I think a betta will just get "lost" in such a large tank.

I think a group of wild type sailfin mollies in a 210 gallon tank would be awesome. I think gouramis could provide some color and variety.

How big are flower shrimp? Could they become feeders for the black ghost knife?

 

[MichiganMan]

In a tank that size you'd have room for a BIG school of small fish, and I think it would look awesome. How about 30-40 harlequin rasboras?

 

[rtbob]

Unless money isn't an option I would use three layes of substrate at 1 inch per layer. First layer Peat Moss, Second layer Pool filter or Play sand and last layer Small river rock. All the items can be purchased at Lowes inexpensively except pool filter sand.

I used three bags (or maybe four) of the river rock from Lowes for my unplanted 100g African Cichlid tank. It was a whopping $3.50 a bag.

As far as CO2 infusion goes if you stick with low light plants it should not be needed. I have no experience with planted tanks or CO2. This is just what I remember reading.

 

[laurenrocksth]

If I were you, I'd go with a really big school of smallish fish... like rasboras, or rummynose tetras (my favorite). You could have a centerpiece fish (or 3) like angels or gouramis. And obviously a ridiculously large school of cories with some bristlenose plecos. I don't really know anything about royal plecs, but I seem to remember reading that you don't see them very often. All of the other fish that you've listed seem like they'd be ok. I personally wouldn't get the knifefish.

As far as lighting for a planted tank, if you have low maintenance plants like java fern, anubias, mosses, and crypts, you would only need maybe 1-2 watts per gallon. I personally would go with pool filter sand for substrate. Your cories will like it better than gravel and if you're doing easy plants, the don't really need a special plant substrate.

Good luck! I look for ward to seeing how this tank turns out

 

[rufioman]

Do a colony of the roseline's and a grip of bristlenose and bushynose plecos...I want one....or do like 50 green tiger barbs. Rofl.

:cheers:

 

[rtbob]

As far as lighting for a planted tank, if you have low maintenance plants like java fern, anubias, mosses, and crypts, you would only need maybe 1-2 watts per gallon. I personally would go with pool filter sand for substrate. Your cories will like it better than gravel and if you're doing easy plants, the don't really need a special plant substrate.

Good luck! I look for ward to seeing how this tank turns out

I thought about the 1-2 wpg rule for low light planted tanks. He has a 210g so 420 watts sounds like a mini-sun to me.

 

[SubRosa]

A full grown Black Ghost Knife will eat a full grown individual of every species you listed with the exception of the Royal Pleco and depending on species, your Gouramis. Either or.

 

[babablackman]

the tank is currently just finishing cycling and is stocked with a 6 tiger barbs, 10 black skirts, 2 plecos. for now and im awaiting lighting and substrate and then i will buy plants