New Tank

[Greg759]

Just thought I'd run a few ideas past you guys as it looks I will have to wait for my setup due to delivery error. Tank and kit arrived but they sent the wrong stand


I have got a regency 120 standard setup -(Aqua one Aquis 1200 external filter, 2 x 30W tubes, 300W heater) waiting to be set up. I would like a planted aquarium with a variety of fish, colourful and unusual, (need inspiration). My ideas are as follows:

1. Firsty I think I will need to add additional lighting - Possibly the arcadia I-bar t-5s 120 2 x 39W. Anyone know if these fit and what they are like?

2. I have a CO2 2KG fire extinguisher sat ready for me to use at work so was hinking about building a CO2 system. What bits would you people recommend. I like the idea of running it inline on another filter. (see number 6)

3. Changing the heater for an inline one - recommendations, Hydor?

4. Adding a UV sterilisers - any suggestions to which one?

5. Adding another external filter to run all the inline kit. Which one? My idea would be to plumb the inline heater first on the return, then the UV streiliser and finnally the CO2 reactor/diffuser thing before returning to the tank. Not sure if this will work or is even practical.

6. Not sure on substrate, llike the look of sand but fear scratching the glass when cleaning by getting it in the scraper/sponge whilst cleaning near the bottom. Suggestions?

7. Background. Love the look of 3D backgrounds, especially the Back to Nature ones but cant find any to fit the dimension of tank - 120 x 46 x 70 Possibly have to do a DIY one - any ideas?

Sorry for the long post but so much to think about.

Cheers, Greg

 

[Greg759]

Anyone?

 

[Lateral Line]

Anyone?

A bump after just a few hours?

regency 120

Never had one, no nothing about "kits" or "complete systems", have always built my own from scratch.

Kits or completes are usually hopeless for planted systems - they simply cannot deliver enough light. Can't help with solutions there though as I always build my own hoods - only way to get the lighting right. If you are planning CO2 then light is going to be a big factor - low light is always a more common problem then low CO2. Viz high pressure CO2 gear, Dennerle.

I have a couple of Eheim filters with built in heaters, and on other tanks, an "empty" unpowered canister on the train that contains regular heaters, top of the canister drilled to take the cables and sealed with silicone.

UV, unless you have a really good reason, superfluous - use you money elsewhere.

Your talk of "another" filter leads me to suspect your "kit" has an internal filter. You may want to rip that out and just use externals, the internals just eat space and are usually not as effective as a good external canister - good - read Eheim.

With CO2, you need to get the CO2 in contact with the water for as long as possible as it is not terrribly soluable. You will also want to control the surface movement of the water in your tank to avoid losing it. Browse the planted section for topics relating to this. I in ject CO2 at the START of my filter trains.

I use swimming pool filter sand. It has an even grain size/shape and does not pack down as hard as other sands. Others use play sand or silver sand, whatever, some "gardening" is essential with sand. A deep sand bed can easily turn anoxic, resulting in build up of sulphur, (smelly - toxic), black areas. Keep you r bed open - I use old chop sticks - ideal. Never had an issue with scratching the tank, depends how ham fisted you are I guess.

I paint, (externally), the non-viewing sides of my tanks matt black. 2-3 coats of blackboard paint.

 

[Greg759]

Thank you for your advice.

I am planning to upgrade the lights and was wondering if anyone has done this on this tank, what lights fit and would be best?

Your talk of "another" filter leads me to suspect your "kit" has an internal filter. You may want to rip that out and just use externals, the internals just eat space and are usually not as effective as a good external canister - good - read Eheim.

The tank does not have an internal filter it comes with an external. I was planning on adding another for more filtration and to run inline heater, UV sterilser and a CO2 reactor like i have read about on another post. I was wondering if this sounds possible and what filter would be best for this purpose.

As for the background I really like the look of the 3D ones but as yet have not found one suitble for the tank dimensions.

Cheers, Greg

 

[Lateral Line]

If the kit has a correctly sized external, adding another will not help and probably be counter productive. You cannot generate more "filtration" by adding extra filters. Filters work by running Oxygenated polluted water through/over bacterial beds where the bacteria process the pollutants. The bacteria need to eat to survive, adding more space for them to live only increases the area available - the number of bacteria is limited by the food supply.

Secondly, filters generate water movement. Excessive water movement exposes your CO2 enriched water to the open air, where it happily comes out of solution when you have tried hard to get it INTO solution.

Seriously planted tanks are very low stocked and can often function with no filtration. Consider the stocking levels of a typical tank and real nature, the tanks are fish soup compared to the real world. Nitrates, the end product of your bio filtration are usually ADDED to planted tanks.

UV in a freshwater tank is always a luxury. It is used to rid the tank of pathogens, which in a correctly managed tank would not be there anyway, or water borne algae, which in a balanced tank will also not be present. In marine systems, it has uses, and I have seen it used to good effect for clearing outdoor ponds of excess algae.

Backgrounds - personal tase, to me a black background gives me the depth in the few holes between the plants, in most cases, I never actually see the back of the tank, covered by plants.