New Tank, Loads Of Questions!

[Ron Jeremy]

Hi everyone, I'm a noob with millions of questions! I have a fluval edge, and have taken the step up to a much bigger aquarium.

Last night I picked up a new toy. An aqua one acquience cube 550.

It was a marine tank in a former life, belonging to my sisters fella, he has thousands of pounds of marine stock, he builds tanks and he's currently making a wall mounted nano reef from scratch.

So, I've got it home, nice clean and filled it up. Got the filter set up, primed and leak tested. I've got two uv tubes, one to be replaced with white and hopefully give the tank a nice colour, make the fish glow. It's very blue with both tubes on so I'm not sure on that yet. I'll have to see how it looks with a white and a blue tube in.

I need to make a cradle for the bulb tubes out of perspex and a lid to finish it off.

Plans are to get some white/light natural gravel, some plants and a centre piece of either bog wood or rock.

Fish wise, my male fighter from the fluval, rainbow shark, load of neons, then I'm not sure.

Some pics for now

Questions I have so far:

Stock wise, whats best? I have a male beta and two rainbow gupies to go in. I'll get a doezen or so neons. I'd like some schooling fish, and some bigger ones too. Lots of bright colours.

Filter wise, i have an aquis 1050. I think I will put carbon in it for clarity, like the fluval, but where in the media trays is best? I found the instructions online and the below pic is of the media tray order, where is best for carbon pellets?

The UV light is concerning me. I will have one UV tube and one white, on a timer to come on together. Is that good or would two white tubes be best?

Sorry for all the questions, but I want to get it right first time and not kill all my fish.

 

[garyspence84]

Are you THEE ron jeremy haha nice lookin tank tho, good size!

G

 

[Ron Jeremy]

Ha, not THE Ron Jeremy, he's my hero though! Been using the name on forums for years so it's easier! the tank is a great size. Especially pleased that the tank, filter, heater, lights, and cabinet cost me a whole £130

 

[tribalbrit]

Are you THEE ron jeremy haha nice lookin tank tho, good size!

G

Dirty minds think alike.

 

[garyspence84]

Haha #39####, you just burst ma bubble there

£130?! nice 1 man.

 

[Ron Jeremy]

Yeah I'm pretty pleased. Although I need gravel, bog wood, backing film, thermometer, fish, it goes on and on!

Just worked out that my external filter is capable of filtering the entire tank 7.5 times an hour. Is that enough there?

 

[garyspence84]

A would think so aye but TBH i couldnt tell you for sure, best ask the experts.

Least you'v got the tank sorted, everythin else should be easy enough to get hold of.

G

Are you THEE ron jeremy haha nice lookin tank tho, good size!

G

Dirty minds think alike.

Excuse me, my minds as clean as a whistle

Sometimes

 

[Ron Jeremy]

Been looking at my lighting setup.

I have a T5 twin light controller, for two T5 tubes.

The tubes i have are 24w 438mm UV tubes. I have seen tubes in white, but they make reference to 15000k colour, which is still very blue. 5000k is natural white so that's getting closer to UV than I think it needs to be.

Whats the best lighting option for a fresh water tank? One 24w T5 UV and one white bulb? Or two white bulbs and no UV? Or just see how it looks? Is it safe to shine UV on freshwater fish?

Edit, two of these?

http/www.petplanet.co.uk/product.asp?dept_id=1314&pf_id=51599&co=fr

 

[Ron Jeremy]

Well then. I'll bump this one as I've started a few threads and don't want to spam the board so I'll keep to this one.

I'm now a good week and a half into my cycle. Ammonia has started to drop, nitrite is on the up.

I have my aquarium the way I like it, lighting sorted with juwel tubes, and a nice simple blue back film.

All I need now are two long grass like plants for the back behind the wood. Suggestions (and pics) please.

And two or three small plants for the front (suggestions and pics too please).

Then my stock will be.

Two small angles
12 neon tetras
6 blue tail guppies.

And a week later

Male Betta
Female Betta
4 cherry barbs
6 shrimps.

What we think to that?

Here's how we look today

 

[Dutsey]

Hi, Nice looking tank

I don't think it is a good idea to keep guppies and a male betta as I think it may cause potential problems.

 

[fluttermoth]

What are the dimensions of the tank, OP?

It doesn't look big enough for angels, tbh.

Guppies and bettas are a no no; the bettas mistake the guppies for other bettas and attack them. Male and female bettas can't be kept together either.

I'd go with; the neons (though they'd be better added once the tank is a bit more well established), guppies, cherry barbs and shrimps.

 

[Ron Jeremy]

It's 165 litres.

I've read about bettas and guppies, but I have two rainbows and my male better in my fluval edge with no issues whatsoever. Never even been near each other!

My lfs told me the Angels would be ok in my tank. It's 525mm square and slightly taller.

 

[Ron Jeremy]

Well then. I thought I'd bump this as I made some progress.

My Betta (bill) died

I now have:
6 danios
5 glow light tetra
10 neon tetra
3 large gourami
Plec
5 balloon mollies
1 shrimp

I binned the live plants and went plastic and ended up with a daylight and a nature bulb.

I will be adding another 10 or do glow lights, 6 male blue guppies, 4 yellow balloon mollies an 4 orange balloon mollies. Then I'm probably stocked up.

Here's how it looks now.