Hey all, I have been doing some thinking on a new build and I was hoping to get some feedback. I currently have 2 tanks running. A 3-1/2 gallon shrimp breeder tank and a 20 gallon high. The 20 gallon high is meant to be the main tank, but it's not cutting it. I already got the go-ahead from my better half to do a larger tank (40 gallons +) as long as I do it up right. I have been thinking about this for quite some time, but now that incom tax return season is coming around, i need to get serious about it. I have kids, and they love a wide variety of critters to watch. So I am thinking of a tank that will support some schooling fish, some mid level fish (celebese rianbowfish are becoming a favorite of mine), and of course a clean-up crew. I would like to put my more mature red cherry shrimp in this tank, along with a few filter feeders such as a couple vampire shrimp, or if need be, some bamboo shrimp. along with them, i would like to get some smaller (4-6 inch variety) of pleccos. i would like to plant the tank, as it is new to me, but it am learning, and becoming fond of live plants. Docile fish are going to be key, but my kids love dwarf frogs too. So because of the frogs and shrimp, I am looking at a relatively shallow, low current set-up. So here is what i have in mind...
What I would like to do is get a 75 gallon (48"L X 18"W X 21"H) and have it chopped down to a 60 gallon (48"L X 18"W X 16"H). This would better accommodate the frogs, and provide more light exposure to the plants and moss I plan on putting in the tank. Now my better half does not want multiple tanks in the house. In fact the 20 and 3-1/2 gallon tanks that are 3 feet from each other bother her now. However. I have really begun to dig the shrimp. So has my 9 year old son. he didn't have school today, and he sent me pictures to show that we had more babies today. So what I have in mind to make everyone happy, is almost a marine set-up. Where I would have to modified 60 gallon as my primary tank on top of a stand. Inside the stand I would have a 20 gallon long tank as a sump tank. I would have the 60 gallon drilled exactly as a salt water tank. The outlet of that tank would go down to my sump where i would have a filter media bag for the first 3-1/2 to 5 gallons. It would then roll over a baffle into an approximately 10 gallon portion where i would have a fully loaded shrimp area, which would have structures, moss, maybe some plants, a light on a timer, and some snails. It would also contain my heater. The water would then go over a 2nd baffle and settle before it was pumped back into the main tank.
I would REALLY like to know everyone's thought on this set-up before i even begin to nail down filtration and substrate and such. Any thoughts are welcomed!
What I would like to do is get a 75 gallon (48"L X 18"W X 21"H) and have it chopped down to a 60 gallon (48"L X 18"W X 16"H). This would better accommodate the frogs, and provide more light exposure to the plants and moss I plan on putting in the tank. Now my better half does not want multiple tanks in the house. In fact the 20 and 3-1/2 gallon tanks that are 3 feet from each other bother her now. However. I have really begun to dig the shrimp. So has my 9 year old son. he didn't have school today, and he sent me pictures to show that we had more babies today. So what I have in mind to make everyone happy, is almost a marine set-up. Where I would have to modified 60 gallon as my primary tank on top of a stand. Inside the stand I would have a 20 gallon long tank as a sump tank. I would have the 60 gallon drilled exactly as a salt water tank. The outlet of that tank would go down to my sump where i would have a filter media bag for the first 3-1/2 to 5 gallons. It would then roll over a baffle into an approximately 10 gallon portion where i would have a fully loaded shrimp area, which would have structures, moss, maybe some plants, a light on a timer, and some snails. It would also contain my heater. The water would then go over a 2nd baffle and settle before it was pumped back into the main tank.
I would REALLY like to know everyone's thought on this set-up before i even begin to nail down filtration and substrate and such. Any thoughts are welcomed!
It's gonna be a while, but I'm gonna get the tank drilled and make a freshwater sump/refugium! I'm in the process of learning how to do this as well xD
