FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Okay I am an experienced fish hobyist who hasn't kept a fish tank in a few years. I have forgotten some stuff over time and plus I have not set up a new tank in around 8 years or so...

Okay, I am renting at the moment, and next time I see the real estate I am going to ask if I can set up a fish tank. I am going to go after something 40 to 60 gallons. It is so much easier in the long run to maintain a larger tank, it is just a little more expensive to start off. I may even buy up to a 75 gallon tank if I can manage to budget my money a little better. lol

First question... How many watts per gallon am I looking at needing for a heater?

What filter should I buy? What are your favourite filters? I was thinking maybe a canister filter.

It won't be a planted Aquarium so I won't need awesome lighting. Will only be keeping Java Fern and maybe some Anubias. So just a single light should be enough, won't it?

For the stocking of the tank I was thinking maybe this would be cool...

1 Severum or other medium sized peaceful SA cichlid
1 or 2 Apistogramma or Rams
8 to 12 Tetras
6 Corys
1 Pleco

What sort of fish should I get and what should my stocking list be? I seriously don't know what I should get, so yeah list what you would put in a 40 to 60 gallon tank. I am up for any suggestions.

Another list of fish I think would be cool is...

1 or 2 Apistogramma/Rams
8 to 12 Tetras
6 Corys
1 Pleco or 6 Ottos
1 Bumblebee Goby
8 to 12 Hatchetfish
6 Pencilfish (maybe?)

-- Gomer

Not really sure what Im doing giving advice to a fish guru but here goes.


A pretty average rule for heaters is about 5 watts per gallon if I recall correctly.

For the bigger tank id go for an eheim pro series filter every time. If you have the cash get a thermofilter and then you wont even have to worry about the heater, itll be all nicely thermostatically controlled, and will probably last a lot longer and be more reliable.The heating element in an eheim looks pretty much like one out of a kettle , and they are tough as old boots and can really chuck out the heat when you want it. I have a 120 gals in the lounge and even when the room temp was 50f on a winter morning (we forgot to close the window!) the tsnks were all still cruising at the usual 79f. I have a house full of thermofilters and on average the temperature in my tanks varies by less than a 2 tenths of a degree per day (unless its a very hot summer).Not cheap eheims, but damn good.You can always try to find a cheaper older model on ebay, itll be half the price, and they run forever.You can still order all the parts from eheim.

In theory a single light should be fine, especially if you are selecting low light species,its always an option to fit it with a reflector backing and a silvered tankhood to make the best of the light. and you can always tie the plants to bogwood near the surface to make sure they get enough light. Java and anubias dont need to be planted after all. Personally id go for 2 striplights purely for the display aspect of it, maybe one plant growth bulb and maybe a beauty light to bring out the colours of the fish. Just a simple no nonsense approach. I dont suppose theres much point in going higher on the wattage per gallon if you arent bothering with many plants, youll probably just get a lot of algae.

On the first list the severum might eat small tetras, but otherwise fine.

The second list is fine too, but the goby could get nippy so id approach the idea with caution.

Setting up a 75 would be cool. Go for it! Big is beautiful

Yeah I've kept Bumblebee Gobies before and they do nip a bit. They did tend to nip the fins of the Corys. I remember when one of them use to approach my Bristlenose and the Bristlenose would know better and go after them. Also I've kept a Severum with Rummynose Tetra and it was fine. But it all does come down to individual fish's personality and all anyway.

5 watts per gallon does ring a bell. I think my old 50 gallon tank my parents own now has a 250 watt heater.

Dude, woah. I just looked up on an online store and an Eheim Professional II Thermofilter is like 700 to 900 dollars. That is way out of my price range. Would take me a few months to save up for that being a poor university student with a crappy part time job.

What sort of turn over rate should I be looking at for the filter's output? Around 5 tank volumes per hour? Or more?

Just I forgot all these sort of things.

-- Gomer

I know some good places for filters. I'll PM details to you, but the thermofilter will still be dearer. It's much cheaper to get an internal heater though. If you want the heater out of the tank, you can always start off with a cheap internal heater & later when you save some more, you can buy an in-line heater & install it on your cannister filter hose.

That's what I'm thinking of doing.

Oh, and I think the mimimum is you are meant to turn over 4 times tank volume in an hour - but that's the miminum & you can certainly go higher.

Have fun

Cheers
TW

The answer to the eheim problem is to exploit the second hand market, these filter are tough, and I pick them up when I can at around £50.

I also bought one 2nd had on ebay. Not always available - but if you wait, an eheim will probably come up. I have a saved search on ebay that pulls up eheim products for sale and I haven't seen the thermofilter one come up thought. As they are dearer, they might not be as readily available on the 2nd hand market.

Have fun


Cheers
TW

I know a great place in aussieland for aquarium things!

And even better I'll make sure the order gets processed lickity split .

Equarium.com.

Not gonna give away anything, but we do have a new special item up every day so a good deal on a filter might bite you on the tailfin.

On the heaters, the rule was always 5watts per gallon, but since getting a chance to experience aussie weather a bit more I seem to agree with the you can go a little less theory depending on the air temp.

Filters, I've always gone with 7X per hour for a well stocked tank.
I like the second stocking suggestion, goby =

excellent to see you back gomee

^_^