New Here (need mucho suggestions on setup)

[SuBXeRo]

My little story first (bio and whatnot):
Hey everyone, my name is Ian and i hail from NJ and AZ (go to school at ASU). Im 21 and have done the fish thing on and off since i was like 8.

I had a tank when i was about 8 and it was a 10 gallon which i am actually using now. My dad most of the tank maintenance and then the tank went into the basement when i was about 10 and hasnt been out until a month ago. I had a mini 2 gal one when i was like 13 but i sure as hell dont know where it went.

I am currently in NJ and i have a male betta in the 10 gal tank with whisper power filter (not buying one again, i think its meh quality, only wanted it for the adjustable flow). Got my gravel, black with colored ones in it a lil castle which zip (my betta) loves, a rock and a plant.

I will be leaving for AZ mid august and i will be taking zip with me. I am flying and it should be a fun experience at newark airport, but i will get my fish through unharmed one way or another.

The ideas i need opinions on:

I have a 2 bed 2 bath apt at school and zip will need a new home. Step in every possible variable when it comes to tank configs. My original thought was purchase a 46 gal if i have room, but after i speced it out, it will cost me around $1000 bux to do it the right way. I want a BOWFRONT aquarium and i want a glass one. I am not to big a fan of acrylic due to their tendancy to scratch easily. Aqueon seems to be the manufacturer of choice for me because of the large selection of bowfront fishtanks that they offer. I have reduced my selection to the 16 gallon or 6 gallon as these both are more likely to fit. The 56 gallon or 46 gallon would be great but my budget is quite high enough for either of those.

This is my price list as of now. I need to call both petco and petsmart to see what their pricing is. I looked on line to fit as accurately as possible what pricing schemes i be looking at.

16 Gallon
Fish Tank $86.00
Hood/Light assmebly $51.90
Glass Top $22.67
Tank Stand (Geneva) $136.00
Gravel (5lb Bag) $5.00 (times 7 bags)
Eheim Classic 2213 $80.00
Aqueon Heater 10" $36.99
Thermometer (generic) $10.00
Tetra Whisper 60 $26.99
Bubble Stone/Wall $30.00
Water Conditioner $3.00
Plants (misc) $20.00
GRAND TOTAL $581.63

26 Gallon
Fish Tank $115.00
Hood/Light assmebly $58.43
Glass Top $28.25
Tank Stand (Geneva) $194.00
Gravel (5lb Bag) $5.00 (times 11 bags)
Eheim Classic 2213 $80.00
Aqueon Heater 10" $36.99
Thermometer (generic) $10.00
Tetra Whisper 60 $26.99
Bubble Stone/Wall $30.00
Water Conditioner $4.00
Plants (misc) $30.00
GRAND TOTAL $722.15

46 Gallon
Fish Tank (46 gal bow) $159.99
Hood/Light/Top assmebly $99.99
Tank Stand (Geneva) $259.99
Gravel (5lb Bag) $5.00 (times 19 bags)
Eheim Classic Canister Filter $115.00
Aqueon Heater 13" $39.99
Thermometer (Generic) $5.00
Tetra Whisper 60 $26.99
Bubble Stone/Wall $30.00
Water Conditioner $3.00
Plants (Misc) $60.00
GRAND TOTAL $966.55

Im not totally agaisnt building a stand, its a lot of work id have to do in not alot of time but it could be done. I want to get the biggest enclosure i can get (following the rules of aquariums, biggest you can fit and are willin to maintain properly) for the best price. Max i want to spend $700, cheaper around half that is more preferable but its lookslike i'll be spending atleast $500. I need everyones suggestions as to what i should getm what i can skimp on, what i cant, where to get cheaper quality materails, so on and so forth.

I also need suggestions on plant life, back to front. I have a big plant now in my tank with big leaves, no idea what its called, but i just dont like it, looks like it should be for a pond. Keep in mind that i have a betta and i dont want anything with sharp leaves.

If i get the 26 gallon, i want to add a couple more fish. or none at all, 36 and larger i will definitly add more fish Don't worry, i have checked the compatibility and will pick fish accordingly.

I need suggestions on what brand air stone to use, i want a wall somewhere, it would be nice.

If you have read down to here then you will get some gratification to know that i thoroughly appreciate the time you have taken to read this thread. I have been researching non-stop for a couple weeks and i am starting to burn out my abilities to find effective info and what not. Anything you guys got would be great . Also i would prefer not to use craiglist for anything. I want new.

 

[cichlidsrextrem]

honestly i would go with a 55 gallon regular it would cost alot less than a bow front but its your choice any tank regular 40 gallon would be good for like half the price

 

[Inka4040]

I would highly suggest getting all of the smaller equipment related stuff on the web. It's usually muuuch cheaper in price than brick and mortar stores, and the extra money you save could be put towards a bigger tank or nicer fish Bigalsonline.com is always a good place to start for cheap equipment, but it never hurts to shop around.

 

[Lupin]

The bubble wand is practically for only aesthetic purposes in your case. Ditch that one and just make sure the filter produces turbulence to ensure your oxygen levels are maximized. Get a battery-operated airpump instead for emergency cases such as power outages. Do you have test kits already? If not, choose API liquid and avoid test strips which are inaccurate.

 

[Hooked Newbie]

Websites and Craigslist... they will save you a ton of money! I don't think I've spent a grand on 18 tanks and equipment.

 

[Lupin]

Websites and Craigslist... they will save you a ton of money! I don't think I've spent a grand on 18 tanks and equipment.

He got a pretty good suggestion.

 

[SuBXeRo]

I have looked at soo many kits, i just like the look of a bow front. Unfortunately, it rapes the wallet hardcore comparitvely speaking.

The bubble wand would be for aesthetic purposes unless i got other fish, then it would be a necessity.

I have test strips, quick dip test strips by jungle.

I like shopping online, ill check out bigals and see what they have

thanx guys so far

 

[Hooked Newbie]

I have looked at soo many kits, i just like the look of a bow front. Unfortunately, it rapes the wallet hardcore comparitvely speaking.

The bubble wand would be for aesthetic purposes unless i got other fish, then it would be a necessity.

I have test strips, quick dip test strips by jungle.

I like shopping online, ill check out bigals and see what they have

thanx guys so far

Test strips will only cause you pain over time. If there's anything that you need to bite the bullet on and pay full price for, it's your test kit. Get a good liquid kit (API FW Master is the best IMO).

 

[SuBXeRo]

i have no issue with buying decent test kit. I can get alot of tests out of the master kit so its ok.I suppose if i do the larger tank, i need to do things in stages. My bestfriend told me to go look at ikea in the b stock that they have that was on show and **** and i might find something for cheap there. The stand has to hold alot of weight and i have the in mind. I should probably start drawing stuff on CAD for the stands/ As much as i'd like to buy a nice stand, its way to expensive. I have been looking at pets4u.com at the tanks and stuff to get an idea of pricing.

 

[jpappy789]

I wouldn't trust anything that comes from a regular old furniture store to hold a tank. And the bubble wands are never a necessity, the are purely for looks. I would ditch them and save 30 bucks. Also, you could save a lot of money if you switch over from gravel to sand. Pool filter sand and play sand are both very cheap, I got mine for $10 and it was 50 pounds worth.