WHOOOO-HOOOO I got a New Tank!!

[Jason01]

Yay!!! :dance I got a new tank for Christmas! Well.. Its not new, it's used, and the seams leak(the silicone peels right off), and I'm going to fix that today. The tank is a 42 gal. Hexagon. I have allready discovered something interesting. A powerfilter(HOB) probably won't hang on the 11.5" back, so I figure that I'll have to get a cannister filter.

So...question one..What kind is the best? Well, for the money anyways(I really don't want to go more than $100 for the filter, and after looking through my fosters & smith catalouge, I don't think that I will)

2- Would getting a air powered sponge filter be a good idea?(with the cannister), used seperatly

3- I really want this tank to have a sand bottom, so, no UGF, and my GF wants the sand to be black, but the only black sand that I can find is the Tahitan(SP?) moon sand, and I have heard that it is bad for the fish(bottom dwellers) What else is there?

4- What fish would be good for the tank with my tap water? I am allmost thinking of a cichlid tank, because of the water.
Out of the tap the water is:
PH - 8.2
KH - 240 PPM(13.4 deg.)
What do you think? What other fish can be housed with cichlids? I really like loaches, however, the footprint of the tank is smallish because of the hex shape. I'm just digging for ideas here, as it will be a few weeks before I put fishes in it(I am going to fishless cycle, but can seed the filters from my established tanks , so the cycleing won't take as long)

 

[Nuriel]

Thats cool, i got a 55 gal and stand! I am excited. I dont know anything about canister filters but I do kinow that africamn cichlids would be in heaven with that ph....I keep africans (mbuna) and you could make an african set up with lots of rocks and some haps, peacocks or mbuna. I personally like the more agressive guys (lombardoi, bumblebees, zebras) and they are fun to watch mouthbrood, flare nd chase each other. a tank your size would be good for all cichlids although i have had two clown loaches in woth mine for the last month and there is no problem. I am moving the africans and my two juvinile senagal polypterus to the fifty five this week.

 

[Swimfins]

LOL I got a used 66.5g and stand for Christmas. I was going to buy one next month, bigger but what-the-hay! It was free and an 18 inch tall piece of driftwood, toooo and a fluval 202 thatI'll probably upgrade From a friend who wasn't using it. :dance

Looks like iits been a good Christmas.

 

[TommyR]

Although canisters might be the best a big enough sponge filter would do the trick, such as this one:

http://www.aquariumguys.com/hydrosponge1.html

Of coarse you can buy it any place you want, this is just an example I found real quick for you. I use a smaller one in my 5 gal betta tank and it works just GREAT. I use a Whisper air pump, VERY quiet pump!

Tom

 

[Jason01]

After much looking, and personal deciding, I think I'm going to get a Fluval 304. I am also thinking of adding a smaller air powerer internal foam filter(from http://www.drsfostersmith.com ) Would the 304 be too big, or would the 204 work? Keep in mind, I'm also going to have a foam filter besides the canister.