Help Me Make My Perfect Tank

[TomShootsPhoto]

Hi everyone!

As some of you may know, yesterday my tank exploded and all my fish died.
I've got some warming comments, (Thank you) and have been told not to stop.

My apartment seems so lifeless with all the computers and whiteboards, the fish tank gave it some life.

So now, I ask you to help me create my dream tank.
I want a bigger tank, around 200-300L, with a lot of fish. I definitely want angelfish, and some other colorful fish.
I want it to be easy maintenance. (Maybe clean every 2 weeks?). I want sand as my substrate, as it looks cleaner, and a lot of plants.
So what tank size, and what fish do you recommend? (Maybe saltwater? I can't put angels in it, and some say it's expensive)

I also want a canister filter, since it's easier to clean and works better. I don't know what air pump to get tough, since it also depends on what size tank I get. I've also heard that witch such big tanks you need 2-3 heaters, (50W) is that true?


Thank you for your help.

 

[Fishy friend2]

1. I would recommend 250 liter to 300 liter, as you want some anglefish, and they get fairly large so should have lots of space to swim around
2. What fish do you want ? Small colorful schooling fish? Largish solitary fish? It all depends on what you want
3. You don't have to have multiple heaters but it definitely helps, and if you were to have 2 50 watt heaters in a 250 liter then it wouldn't heat well, you would need more like 100+ watts

 

[Wills]

Hi I saw the thread about the cracked tank Real nightmare, I loose sleep over the fear of it happening to me...

I would go for the 300 though - if its on the cards now and you go for less you will always kick yourself for not doing it. I think I read on the other post that you are a couple floor up? If so I would check that the floor is 100% safe to put such weight on which is probably the big concern....

For filtration I would go for a Fluval FX5, they are brilliant and efficient - the only other one I would suggest is Ehiems but never had them so not sure on which model you would need. Heaters you can get different wattages and you would probably only need 1 300 watt in there but I would be tempted by two 200 watts so you have a back up incase one fails and also it will give a more balanced temperature and will cut the amount of time they are on - I use Jager 300s in my tank and they look good and simple and do the job

As for stocking if we work on the basis of it being a 300 I would start with a large group of Angels, young ones and wait for some to pair off - you could go with a large ish group of them of around 6 in total - ie three pairs to grow to adulthood. And then set up a South American biotope around them with things like Spotted Headstanders, Flagtail Catfish, Fancy Plecos and nice calm schooling fish like Flame Tetras and Emperor Tetras. Silver Hatchet fish would give a nice top off to the tank as well.

Wills

 

[snake007]

Hi I saw the thread about the cracked tank Real nightmare, I loose sleep over the fear of it happening to me...

I would go for the 300 though - if its on the cards now and you go for less you will always kick yourself for not doing it. I think I read on the other post that you are a couple floor up? If so I would check that the floor is 100% safe to put such weight on which is probably the big concern....

For filtration I would go for a Fluval FX5, they are brilliant and efficient - the only other one I would suggest is Ehiems but never had them so not sure on which model you would need. Heaters you can get different wattages and you would probably only need 1 300 watt in there but I would be tempted by two 200 watts so you have a back up incase one fails and also it will give a more balanced temperature and will cut the amount of time they are on - I use Jager 300s in my tank and they look good and simple and do the job

As for stocking if we work on the basis of it being a 300 I would start with a large group of Angels, young ones and wait for some to pair off - you could go with a large ish group of them of around 6 in total - ie three pairs to grow to adulthood. And then set up a South American biotope around them with things like Spotted Headstanders, Flagtail Catfish, Fancy Plecos and nice calm schooling fish like Flame Tetras and Emperor Tetras. Silver Hatchet fish would give a nice top off to the tank as well.

Wills

+1

 

[TomShootsPhoto]

I like the south american setup, it'd look pretty great!
How many fish can I add? (out of the ones Wills posted)

 

[Wills]

I like the south american setup, it'd look pretty great!
How many fish can I add? (out of the ones Wills posted)

If you are going for the 300 maybe something like

6 Angels - with a view to 3 pairs, though a group this size will unveil their gregarious nature and a natural hierarchy
4/5 Apistogrammas - I like A.Panduro for the females but lots of options. Do 1M 3/4 F - work well with angels as they take up a different region of the tank.
5 Spotted Headstanders
10 Flame Tetras
6 Flagtail Catfish
3 Medium/Small Plecos - any species you like in particular this is quite a broad ranging tank so a couple of species would work - or if you dont like the idea of all the poop you could look at whiptails which would be my preference to be fair.

Probably space for some others in there as well

Wills

 

[TomShootsPhoto]

I really like that stocking!! Especially the Apistogrammas, they are sooo awesome!!
Can I have one large angelfish, and all the other ones smaller? I saw an angelfish at my local LFS, and immediately fell in love with it.
IT looks almost identical to mine!

 

[KrazyKuhli]

Was it the heater that popped in the tank? might be worth getting an external heater just incase...

 

[Fishy friend2]

The angles will all grow to the same size just givin some time, so I don't see the point in buying a large one and then tiny ones

 

[Wills]

The angles will all grow to the same size just givin some time, so I don't see the point in buying a large one and then tiny ones

Agreed - I dont think it would work well tbh, it could work but the other two outcomes I can see are 1. the big Angel lords it over the other ones or 2. it wont pair up with any of the small ones for quite some time and the small ones pair and go for the big angel which again could end badly for both parties. I would start off small to mid sized and let them go from there.

Wills

 

[Ruskull]

I've seen certain fish that I just gotta have so I sympathize with your situation, especially since it reminds you of the one you lost.

If you're so in love with the Angel you saw, ask the fish store them to order you three more of similar size maybe? That's what I would do.

 

[TomShootsPhoto]

Yeah, I don't have to get the bigger angel, but it was soo beautiful!

Off to look at some tanks. Do you recommend corner fish tanks, or normal ones?

 

[snake007]

Yeah, I don't have to get the bigger angel, but it was soo beautiful!

Off to look at some tanks. Do you recommend corner fish tanks, or normal ones?

Corner ones seem to have less floor space, so its up to you really.

 

[TomShootsPhoto]

Ok, but is it harder to aquascape?

 

[Wills]

Depends really if your into the "formal" aquascaping then rectangular is probably right for you but if you just want it to look good go for either - the Juwel Trigon 350 is a nice triangle tank

Wills