Newstart requires some advice

[Rose]

We have a name for you it's just so evil no one can name it or spell it. Evil Martini

 

[adeyc]

You mean the one that 'cause lightning to flash and thunder to roll and send peeps running for cover screaming. The name with all the power. lol

 

[Great Lakes]

Peter. Welcome...

Nobody has mentioned stocking levels,(Dragon likes them mid thigh I believe), so here is what I would do if I were you.

You say you have this size because of the location you have planned. I will assume then that you are planning on having this tank prominently displayed. I'm assuming a size of about 45 gallons, since it is half as tall as my 90 gallon. Many rules of thumb here. I usually go by the old inch per gallon,(less tail), of fish. However, with the incredible amount of surface area you have for a tank this size, you oxegen exchange will allow you far more than normal. I would feel comfortable bumping it to sixty inches. And then I would do a cichlid tank. The Master can give you some great tips here. Most cichlids breed readily also, which is fun.

Plants. With only a twelve inch tank heighth, this tank will be a live plant dream. With some advanced planning and patience, you have the basis for a beautiful tank.

Let me also add, I think cichlids would be great because of their larger size, and they tend to get along fairly well with each other when you can have the sage advice of someone like Larry,(master), to help you pick them.

PS..I'm still trying to figure out if "all his glory" is a jab at me or not.. :laugh:

 

[Great Lakes]

Peter, You can go here Plants for some cool ideas on plants. And I am sure Rose can give you some tips too.

 

[PETERPETER]

Hello everyone, thanks for the info i think i know whats what now. Altho my light unit seems to have a dodgy connection as it works but if u touch it slightly it goes off and must be fiddled around with to get working again but i heard they only cost around £20 so not too bad. Also my heater dosent seem to be heating the water much im guessing perhaps it might not be powerful enough for the tank size.
I'm planning to head to the lfs when i get some spare money and i'll but a water testing kit and a few little ornament type things, i cant wait ;o)
In answer to dragons q im from n.w london, not sure if thats any help to you.
Once again thanks to evryone for the sound advice and the warm welcome. Once i get the water sorted out i'll be back to pick your brains a little more!

 

[PETERPETER]

forgot to ask how high should my gravel be? im guessing maybe 2 inches but i want lots of plant life but remembering my tank is only 12" tall. thanks

 

[Tatya]

2" should be fine - bank it up towards the back.

 

[Dragonslair]

My time to respond I suppose, damn good guided tour O evil mistress, oh horny one(not too sure if its the horns that does it though) and GL fancy you remembering my stocking levels. lol. P.P. thanks for telling me your location, we can't all be perfect. :laugh: :laugh: Gravel, well I know I may sound as though I'm sitting on the fence with my answers. It really is a matter of personal choice. It depends how aesthetic you want you tank to look. If it is mainly for practical use as in hospital tank, then 2" would be sufficient. If you want to grow plants and you want them secure and to have a strong root system and you are not going to disturb them. Iwould suggest at least a 3" substrate. Dependant of the type of filter you have will determine if you have a levelish substrate or a banked up one. Remember if you decide to bank it up as Tat suggested, all the detritus will come forward if you don't have a filter to clear it up. This can spoil the appearance of the aquarium. the same can happen if you have it banked backwards, less noticeable to the eye but could get messy. If you have an external filter and it's powerful enough, then you can landscape anyway you want because the filter should be able to draw all the detritus towards it. I have an Eheim 2227 breathing filter and its a damn good sucker. I just need to watch out for the frys. The grill to the out pipe is wide enough for fry to get into. Other than that it's a real good filter. So as I say again, being impartial-it a matter of personal choice.
If you don't think your heater is powerful enough, have you thought about one of those complete thermo filters?

 

[Davy Reynolds]

I'm on the fence to them, it is up to you. But 1 inch min and 3inch max (for your size tank). Sloping help if you have loads of plants at the back. But it's mostly for aesthetics.

 

[Tatya]

I do the sloping so that the detritus falls to the front and I can hoover it up

Definitely helps to keep a planted tank clean, cos its very difficult to hoover under & round the plants without ripping up their roots. This way only a bit stays with the plants and that feeds them anyway

 

[Kenliz]

Here's the formula i use for stocking tanks that are over 6 months old LxW/12=Inches of fish minus tails. By this way your tank will hold 72" after it has matured. Dont IMO try to go to this level till about six months. Better to stick to about 30" after your tank has cycled. Wont add any thing else as its been covered very well.