57 Gallon?

[fry_forever!]

Hey guys. After a long wait, (more than 6 months, lol) someone is *finally* coming over to build the stand for the 57 gallon! So, since I pretty much tried not to think about the tank, (because I would get even more impatient than I already was.) it is really a wake up call to find out that I'm probably going to set it up within the next week.

So, I don't know what I'm going to do? I have no ideas, or anything? Like, what substrate should I use? I know I should figure out what kind of fish I'm planning on getting before I figure out what kind of substrate to get, but I also don't know what kind of fish to get!

So, what do you guys think? I already have many tanks full of livebearers, bettas, zebra danios, kribs, a bunch of smaller fish, and now I kind of want bigger fish that I am capable of breeding. I was thinking Yellow Labs? Then what kind of sand would I use? And would I be able to plant live plants in the sand? But I'm not exactly sure that's what I want... So, I am open to any suggestions or ideas!

Thanks in advance!

-f_f!

 

[fett999]

Personally I'd go for a sand substrate. I used play sand from homebase. It's a lot cheaper than aquarium sand and just as good. You just need to make sure you wash it before puting it in the tank but thats no hardship, and you can grow live plants in a sand substrate. I've go quite a well planted tank and don't use CO2 at all. I just put some some plant min into the water every now and then. You could probably get away without that to. I find it just helps the plants to grow a bit quicker.

Fett999

 

[fry_forever!]

Thank you. Where do you get play sand? That's a dumb question, but I've never seen it anywhere. lol

 

[finalfantay85]

If you're in the UK then somewhere like Argos or Toys R Us, it's the stuff you put in kids sand pits. Needs a bit of washing but looks great

 

[fry_forever!]

I'm in Canada, but I have Toys R Us close to where I live. I will definitely check there. Thanks. =)

 

[Neesmo]

Where in Canada are you?
Yellow labs are a good starter and will likely breed with ease. Mine just had 12 babies and they are growing up quickly. Dont know what to do with them now, but I need to get them out and not keep them so they dont breed with their babies haha
Sand is better than gravel with growing plants in my experience. Also Cichlids love to dig sand

Good luck with your tank

Kyle

 

[fry_forever!]

Thank you for the advice. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with yellow labs, but what is the difference between them and cobalt blues/electric blues? Are those just variations? And can they cross with each other?

Thanks.

-f_f!

 

[jourdy288]

I think that the cobalt and electric blues are variants of a single species (but I could be wrong).
Be careful with inverts, they have potential to become snacks!

 

[fry_forever!]

Thanks. Inverts? Like invertebrates? Sorry, I am very slow.

And, how do you care properly for sand?

 

[jourdy288]

Yeah, invertebrates.
With sand, to clean it, you stir up the debris gently and vacuum it out. The light waste gets sucked up while the heavier sand sinks. Just be gentle with it lest you allow sand up and in.

 

[Neesmo]

If you vacuum it carefully you can get the debri and keep almost all of the sand in the tank. You do need to stir the sand up every time as sand can get a buildup of dangerous gasses if left untouched. Cichlids typically dig so they will help to keep those gasses under check too.
As far as I know, cobalts are Metriaclima callainos so they would be a different family

Kyle

 

[fry_forever!]

Thanks for the advice, it is greatly appreciated.

I once read that you can attach an orange peeler to your gravel vac and use that to stir the sand up, while the debris flies upward into the siphon? How often do you have to stir the sand? (Just every water change, ie. once a week?)

Thanks.

So I just get regular sandbox sand?

 

[PRW1988]

Hey guys. After a long wait, (more than 6 months, lol) someone is *finally* coming over to build the stand for the 57 gallon! So, since I pretty much tried not to think about the tank, (because I would get even more impatient than I already was.) it is really a wake up call to find out that I'm probably going to set it up within the next week.

So, I don't know what I'm going to do? I have no ideas, or anything? Like, what substrate should I use? I know I should figure out what kind of fish I'm planning on getting before I figure out what kind of substrate to get, but I also don't know what kind of fish to get!

So, what do you guys think? I already have many tanks full of livebearers, bettas, zebra danios, kribs, a bunch of smaller fish, and now I kind of want bigger fish that I am capable of breeding. I was thinking Yellow Labs? Then what kind of sand would I use? And would I be able to plant live plants in the sand? But I'm not exactly sure that's what I want... So, I am open to any suggestions or ideas!

Thanks in advance!

-f_f!

Well, if you're looking for a larger fish to breed you could try Severums, Convict cichlids(okay not too large a fish but they breed like bunnies >_<), Angelfish or even Green Terrors.

Substrate-> I always recommend sand Child's Play Sand is what it's called. Home Depot sells it for I think $7 for a 10Kilo bag.
Planting-> Possible with the Convicts and Angelfish, unlikly with the Green Terrors, Food for the severums.

 

[fry_forever!]

Thank you for the ideas. I'm pretty sure I'm going with Electric Yellows, and I'm picking up all the supplies tomorrow.