Got a new tank!

[Bizzy]

Hello all! I have a few questions for you all in regards to equipment. I'm still very new to all this, but after I bought my son his aquarium for his birthday I just got hooked.

Anyway, I just purchased a 65 gallon tank w/stand and hood this afternoon. I don't have it home yet, but tomorrow will be the big day. Then to get it all set up is the next task. That's where my questions come in. It's a large tank and I know it's going to take a large pump/filter system. It will be set up as a fresh water tank but I don't know where to begin in regards to pump sizes, filtration, etc. Undergravel filtration? Aeration? Brand names of anything you guys can think of that I'll need or would suggest that I get would be very much appreciated.

Note: This tank will sit for about 4-6 weeks before I add any fish to it. I learned my lesson the hard way with my son's. We ended up losing most of the fish and all but 1 of the fry. That tank has evened out now in regards to ammonia and nitrites finally. Poor fish.....I knew not what I was doing. The first real and most important lesson I learned in regards to aquariums is to cycle the tank. )

Thanks all for any and all suggestions!

 

[bgraber]

Howdy.. Sorry to hear. Poor fishies. ANyhoo, do you have a lfs(local fish store) near by? I'd go there and check some stuff out.. Get a decent filter, I have an Aquaclear Mini on my 20 gal. I'd imagine their larger filters would be pretty good. I'm also recommending Bio-Spira to get your tank going. It's basically chilled beneficial bacteria that will colonize your tank.. The only thing at first is there might not be enough ammonia to feed them so you might want to add some.. Or get some fish Or you could just wait and let it cycle on it's own. Adding ammonia in this case is still somewhat recommended to feed the new bacteria. Filter, bacteria and a decent light is about all you need to get your tank going.. you may want to go ahead and grab some Nox-Ich or other Ict treatment as for sure you will catch a case or two(currently fighting a tough case). Make sure you decorate the tank with a nice piece of well-rinsed driftwood and some live plants to help your "eco-system" out and look perdy Gravel vacs are handy and cheap for cleaning and water changes. You could get a Air-stone to add some oxygen(which your filter will do) or the plants will help oxygenate the water.. Make sure you have 2 clean(unused) buckets for water changes. Oh yeah, de-chlorinator is a must. A good heater/thermometer is money well spent too. Anything I missed? Have fun!

 

[-Pister-]

im new at this as well, but one thing i learnd so far is dont go with goldfish, they make alot of messes. I got a 50gal, but some peopl say they think its bigger, (bought off a buddy), i got a Penguin biowheel, top fin heaterand so on, my question is, is biowheel cleaner than a standard filter? I also have a 12" buble bar, and some decorative buble stuff, can i have to many bubles?

 

[-Pister-]

one more question, im going with live plants, do live plants cause any extra foggyness?, my tank was pretty clear then i got another red tail shark and a silver tip shark, my water has been cloudy for like 4 days now, the tank has been going for over a month with fish living in it for like a week and a half.

 

[aquamanis]

Hi Bizzy, you might get some better answers if you can tell us what you plan to put in the tank. Freshwater Asian Tropicals, Freshwater African or South American Cichlids. Are you modelling a biotype like asia or africa? Do you plan to have live plants? I,m sure you will get some good answers once people know what you like. With reguards to losing the fish from your sons tank, look at the bright side (if there is one) at least you know what sick fish look like now and will be able to detect it in the future. This is better than any test you,ll ever buy. Have fun and enjoy the hobby!

Pister: I think you should start your own thread to get answers as your questions may get lost here.

 

[Alien Anna]

It's a large tank and I know it's going to take a large pump/filter system. It will be set up as a fresh water tank but I don't know where to begin in regards to pump sizes, filtration, etc. Undergravel filtration? Aeration? Brand names of anything you guys can think of that I'll need or would suggest that I get would be very much appreciated.

I haven't actually tried this yet but some people I really respect (Cichlidmaster, Monty from Tri-Mar Aquaria etc) use it all the time, but it is actually possible to run a large tank with sponge filters, powered by a high wattage air blower or air pump. I just mention this possibility as its a new one on me and its so much cheaper than anything else - I'm going to try it on my 30 gallon tank. Air pumps and filters generally say on the box what size tank they're suitable for - check online outlets.

Otherwise, I'd recommend a good quality external filter. I would not recommend an under-gravel filter at all - that is old fashioned technology and generally pretty poor, especially if you have lots of rocks and/or bogwood in your tank. Eheim are considered the best external canister filters. With a good quality filter you won't need any extra air-stones or whatever, but a spare air-pump is always a good idea.

 

[Alien Anna]

one more question, im going with live plants, do live plants cause any extra foggyness?, my tank was pretty clear then i got another red tail shark and a silver tip shark, my water has been cloudy for like 4 days now, the tank has been going for over a month with fish living in it for like a week and a half.

Assuming your filters are clean, I'd assume this was just bacterial bloom which is common in tanks that are cycling/recently cycled. I've never noticed bacterial bloom associated with plants. Do check your water parameters but if they come up fine, don't worry because the cloudiness should naturally subside.