New Setup Please Help

[Tw3lv3]

Hey guys n gals

Next week i am buying a Juwel Rio 125 which comes with:

High-Lite light unit including tubes 80cm, 2 x 28 watt
Bio Compact filter including pump set 600 and filter media
Heater 100 Watt
Natural Gravel 15kg
Aquarium Backing
Water Conditioner
Fish Net

The tank's details are:

Volume: approx. 125 Litres
Aquarium Measurements: 81 x 36 x 50 cm

I messed up alot on my 1st and current tank

1, I got an undergravel filter which as i found out becomes harmful to the fish over a long period of time unless the mulm is cleaned out from underneath (which is very difficult as ive found out).

2, I did a fish-in cycle (didnt even know about cycling lol).

3, I brought fish that will dramatically grow out of my current tank a 60 litre which is housing 2 angelfish (1 with a broken dorsal fin which had been done before buying him), 2 swordtails (which i know are fine for the size of tank) and 1 common pleco which ive been told can grow upto or even larger than 20".

and finally 4, It is very badly decorated lol.

All because of the advice from my "trustworthy" LFS gave me but this time i have experts at hand... you guys (If you dont mind that is) so i want to do it right this time not only for the pleasure from having a great aquarium but also the joy of having happy healthy fish.

So if you guys can offer me any advice on the equipment my new tank comes with what to keep what to change ect... how to decorate my tank live or plastic plants driftwood or no drift wood rocks maybe suggest a nicer substrate that would be more suitable for a natural looking aquarium ect... and maybe help me out with what fish to add to my current community beens as all my LFS cares about is making money and not the welfare or happiness of the fish, For example i really love the look of a Priness pleco (L236) maybe 2, I know i have a common pleco already but i will be giving him away to a good home when i get a new smaller 1 as i wont be able to cope with looking after a 20" monster lol so if anyone lives in or near Walsall in the UK and your interested please let me know and ill PM you when the time comes to pass him on.

Cheers for any advice or information you can offer me

Here is a pic of my current tank to see how my decorating skills are lol

Thanks again,
Tw3lv3.

 

[JenCliBee]

The only thing i would change with the tank is probably the filter, the juwel ones arnt to bad but it's nothink compared to a good external.

Wood and live plants would be my choice but that all goes to personal preference.

Stocking pretty much goes to how and what you prefer fish wise?, what do you like ...livebearers, egg layers, catfish, cichlids?

The plec your thinking of, i doubt very much if you will find one... if youve looked at a particular site claiming they sell them.... i would reconsider becasue i cant actually see them been that actuall plec, more than likely 333 or 66 but i may be wrong... but thats not a common plec to get hold of.


hope that helped

jen

 

[Tw3lv3]

Thanks jen i will look into getting a new filter, Is there a certain external filter you would suggest for a 125l tank?

Im not really sure about live plants do they require alot of maintenance/care?

Im not sure about what type of fish i like i have 2 livebearers and egg layers at the moment i guess all i really want is happy lively fish as i like to watch them play together kind of releif after a hard days work if that makes any sense lol and as far as the plec go's im on a waiting list on a website for 1 might be months or years but they are a beautiful fish and well worth waiting for in my opinion

Thanks again
Tw3lv3.

 

[JenCliBee]

Thanks jen i will look into getting a new filter, Is there a certain external filter you would suggest for a 125l tank?

Im not really sure about live plants do they require alot of maintenance/care?

Im not sure about what type of fish i like i have 2 livebearers and egg layers at the moment i guess all i really want is happy lively fish as i like to watch them play together kind of releif after a hard days work if that makes any sense lol and as far as the plec go's im on a waiting list on a website for 1 might be months or years but they are a beautiful fish and well worth waiting for in my opinion

Thanks again
Tw3lv3.

Filter wise, somethink like a tetratec ex700 or fluval 205/305 should work maybe a eheim but which one i wouldnt know for that size tank.

Live plants dependant on which ones are pretty easy to keep, anubius(sp), java fern and swords are as far as im aware quite low maintenance... them sorts should be fine.

Plec... i still doubt you will find a true 236 even with been on the waiting list... would have to be tank bred becasue i think this as with most hypans it will be on the banned import list, curious which site you have 1 on order from?... PM me if you dont want to post it on here, how much they claiming they are IF they can get them?

 

[Tw3lv3]

I was just looking at a fluval 205 it seem's to be a pretty good 1. Im guessing i would need an aquarium soil of some sort to keep plants i might give the 1's you said a try would i need to buy any extra equipment? would you recommend planting a bit of moss on the driftwood? i will PM you the site now

Tw3lv3.

 

[JenCliBee]

I was just looking at a fluval 205 it seem's to be a pretty good 1. Im guessing i would need an aquarium soil of some sort to keep plants i might give the 1's you said a try would i need to buy any extra equipment? would you recommend planting a bit of moss on the driftwood? i will PM you the site now

Tw3lv3.

No!!, sand or gravel is fine, obviously a good rich substrate would benefit the plants but some of them plants suggestion arnt for planting anyways , they should be attached to a rock or some wood etc, moss on the wood is totally upto you, i persoanlly would becasue i like the look as it grows.

Thanks for PMing me the site

 

[Tw3lv3]

Well for some reason i cant use the PM feature so i will just post the link here Pleco

Sand is a great idea!! i just saw your pic and it looks fantastic i will deffinatly give it a try thanks.

 

[JenCliBee]

Well for some reason i cant use the PM feature so i will just post the link here Pleco

Not enough posts yet lol, dont want to put you off but that site wont get you that fish lol, and certainly not for £29

It will be a juvi either 66,333,399 or 400 which is most common looking as babies but i will put a 95% garentee when and if it arrives it wont be a 236....... BTW that was the particular site i new you were on about lol

 

[Tw3lv3]

ah fair enough thats good to know i wont bother getting 1 from there then lol i take it the sites got a bit of a reputation then lol ill try looking elsewhere or try find another pleco thats about the same size in adulthood and looks similar

 

[JenCliBee]

ah fair enough thats good to know i wont bother getting 1 from there then lol i take it the sites got a bit of a reputation then lol ill try looking elsewhere or try find another pleco thats about the same size in adulthood and looks similar

No it's a good site but claiming a fish is a particular fish at 2 inch is impossible, it could turn out to be 1 of many hypans..... and that fish IF (and it wont be) was actually for sale ... it will be considerable higher priced than that lol and i mean alot more.

 

[Tw3lv3]

Yeah i know what you mean o well hopefully 1 day i might find 1 if im lucky Would this Sand be suitable?

 

[JenCliBee]

Yeah i know what you mean o well hopefully 1 day i might find 1 if im lucky Would this Sand be suitable?

Argos play sand, about £2.80 for 15kg bag just wash it well and all sorted .

Apparently there may be a source soon of a uk seller but the fish is likely to be anythink from £300+.. well worth it , they are stunning little things

 

[Tw3lv3]

sounds good i will look at how to wash it out properly on youtube or something later

They are deffinatly worth it but id rather have my tank running for a while before getting 1 if they are that rare i wouldnt want to make a mistake and have such a gorgeous fish suffer or worse die ... Just found 10 breeding pairs on an american auction site going for $2500 lol

 

[Tw3lv3]

With the plants you suggested and some fern will i need to have a co2 setup?

 

[JenCliBee]

With the plants you suggested and some fern will i need to have a co2 setup?

I would really wait for the real experts to come along for that one... whats the lighting on the tank...wattage?, type of bulbs? (T5-T8) im sure you wouldnt need any CO2 but you would be better to dose the water with ferts and maybe use a liquid CO2 source like easy carbo or AE's equivilent brand