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Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)
Hi,
John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.
I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.
With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.
I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.
If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.
I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.
I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.
Thank you
Darragh Sherwin
Help with what equipment i need for my aquarium
- corkmartin (martin murphy)
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25 Jul 2015 23:57 #1
by corkmartin (martin murphy)
Hi everyone martin here new to this I have recently finished building a plywood aquarium at the moment it is
out in my back garden filled with water testing it for leaks no leaks so far .
In the process of finishing cabinet stand for it.
Then i start on the canopy.
My tank size is 65x24x24 inches what i need help with is what equipment i need
to setup the tank it will be a tropical freshwater aquarium.
Do i need sand or gravel what type of filter internal or external ,airstones .lighting ,
plants, i have two 300 watt heaters i have also collected some tree branches for the aquarium and have striped the bark off of them.
and rocks i collected down on the beach.
I will be posting some pics of my build in the next few days .
Thanks again to everyone in advanced Corkmartin
out in my back garden filled with water testing it for leaks no leaks so far .
In the process of finishing cabinet stand for it.
Then i start on the canopy.
My tank size is 65x24x24 inches what i need help with is what equipment i need
to setup the tank it will be a tropical freshwater aquarium.
Do i need sand or gravel what type of filter internal or external ,airstones .lighting ,
plants, i have two 300 watt heaters i have also collected some tree branches for the aquarium and have striped the bark off of them.
and rocks i collected down on the beach.
I will be posting some pics of my build in the next few days .
Thanks again to everyone in advanced Corkmartin
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- JohnH (John)
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26 Jul 2015 00:17 #2
by JohnH (John)
Location:
N. Tipp
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.
ITFS member.
It's a long way to Tipperary.
Replied by JohnH (John) on topic Help with what equipment i need for my aquarium
Martin,
I think it's best to make this suggestion first.
You will need a water-testing kit (preferably not the 'dip-strips' which are little better than useless).
Was the wood you're planning to use already dead and dried out before you stripped off the bark? - If not you will probably have an unsightly bacterial growth appear on it.
Just a couple of thoughts which spring to mind - the other lads will doubtless have other suggestions for you.
John
ps - I'm impressed - I had always planned to build a plywood tank, but it has always just been that - a plan.
I think it's best to make this suggestion first.
You will need a water-testing kit (preferably not the 'dip-strips' which are little better than useless).
Was the wood you're planning to use already dead and dried out before you stripped off the bark? - If not you will probably have an unsightly bacterial growth appear on it.
Just a couple of thoughts which spring to mind - the other lads will doubtless have other suggestions for you.
John
ps - I'm impressed - I had always planned to build a plywood tank, but it has always just been that - a plan.
Location:
N. Tipp
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.
ITFS member.
It's a long way to Tipperary.
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- helix8008 (Tomas Novak)
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26 Jul 2015 09:25 #3
by helix8008 (Tomas Novak)
Replied by helix8008 (Tomas Novak) on topic Help with what equipment i need for my aquarium
Go with external filters, bit more expensive than internal but well worth it.
Gravel or no gravel depends on your preferences. I have seen nice bare bottom tanks. I found white sand really messy so I got black gravel (still not in tank tho).
Rocks need to be boiled in water and as John mentioned be careful with wood.
Lights and plants depend on fish stock.
Good luck with your tank and looking forward for updates.
Tom
Gravel or no gravel depends on your preferences. I have seen nice bare bottom tanks. I found white sand really messy so I got black gravel (still not in tank tho).
Rocks need to be boiled in water and as John mentioned be careful with wood.
Lights and plants depend on fish stock.
Good luck with your tank and looking forward for updates.
Tom
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- paulv (paul vickers)
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26 Jul 2015 09:52 #4
by paulv (paul vickers)
Replied by paulv (paul vickers) on topic Help with what equipment i need for my aquarium
Hi Martin. Like the others said be careful or using garden branches, could be trouble in the long. Also the beach rocks will need to be boiled first. As for filtering I'm a fan of a sump. As your building new, concider using a 2 foot tank as a sump filter. It adds more water volume to your tank, is easy to maintain and can double as a hospital tank.
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- JustinK (Justin Kelly)
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26 Jul 2015 11:06 #5
by JustinK (Justin Kelly)
Replied by JustinK (Justin Kelly) on topic Help with what equipment i need for my aquarium
Hi Martin,
For that size tank you'll need an external filter, maybe even two, or a sump or combination of both.
Two heaters can be placed in the tank at opposite ends or in a sump.
Lighting depends on what fish you plan to stock.
Rocks from the beach just need to be washed first. Try not to use any rocks with metal streaks as they will rust.
Dead/dried out wood is best for the tank, dont use fresh wood or rotting wood.
Substrate of gravel or sand is again dependant on the fish types.
For that size tank you'll need an external filter, maybe even two, or a sump or combination of both.
Two heaters can be placed in the tank at opposite ends or in a sump.
Lighting depends on what fish you plan to stock.
Rocks from the beach just need to be washed first. Try not to use any rocks with metal streaks as they will rust.
Dead/dried out wood is best for the tank, dont use fresh wood or rotting wood.
Substrate of gravel or sand is again dependant on the fish types.
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- corkmartin (martin murphy)
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26 Jul 2015 14:11 #6
by corkmartin (martin murphy)
Replied by corkmartin (martin murphy) on topic Help with what equipment i need for my aquarium
Hi everyone will be buying a testing kit to water any idea how big the external filter
i should buy for the tank size what is the best make i have been looking at a few online. i have the cabinet almost complete except to hang the doors on it and drill a few
how holes for the cabling. So i might not bother with sump would not know how to go about setting one up.
The wood i am using for inside
the aquarium is dried up old dead which i have washed in the dishwater she will kill me if she reads this lol.
I have the two heaters got they are 300 watt each. I also wan to get some big air stones to oxygenate the water.
My tank will be a community tank or a discuss tank. Thanks again for all your help P.S
Does anyone know where i would get black gravel for the tank in cork also looking on advice for some plants
Thanks again corkmartin
i should buy for the tank size what is the best make i have been looking at a few online. i have the cabinet almost complete except to hang the doors on it and drill a few
how holes for the cabling. So i might not bother with sump would not know how to go about setting one up.
The wood i am using for inside
the aquarium is dried up old dead which i have washed in the dishwater she will kill me if she reads this lol.
I have the two heaters got they are 300 watt each. I also wan to get some big air stones to oxygenate the water.
My tank will be a community tank or a discuss tank. Thanks again for all your help P.S
Does anyone know where i would get black gravel for the tank in cork also looking on advice for some plants
Thanks again corkmartin
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- helix8008 (Tomas Novak)
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27 Jul 2015 09:18 - 27 Jul 2015 09:24 #7
by helix8008 (Tomas Novak)
Replied by helix8008 (Tomas Novak) on topic Help with what equipment i need for my aquarium
Filter Manufacturers usually advise suitable tank size for each filter, but what you look for is water flow capacity which should be at least 2.5-3 times your tank size/ hour. So your tank needs filter with min 1400l/hour water flow capacity.
Of course if you want to overstock your tank you need higher flow capacity to keep up with waste. Good practice is to have 2 filters, which also prevent nitrate spikes in case filter breaks down.
Jbl, Eheim and fluval are some good brands.
Tom
Of course if you want to overstock your tank you need higher flow capacity to keep up with waste. Good practice is to have 2 filters, which also prevent nitrate spikes in case filter breaks down.
Jbl, Eheim and fluval are some good brands.
Tom
Last edit: 27 Jul 2015 09:24 by helix8008 (Tomas Novak).
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- LemonJelly (Johnny Cowley)
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27 Jul 2015 11:14 - 27 Jul 2015 11:33 #8
by LemonJelly (Johnny Cowley)
"The only thing that burns in Hell is the part of you that won't let go of your life; your memories, your attachments. They burn them all away. But they're not punishing you.They're freeing your soul."
Replied by LemonJelly (Johnny Cowley) on topic Help with what equipment i need for my aquarium
+1 on the double filtering. Most of my tanks have two filters in them, kind of a "belt and braces" approach. I'd also suggest that the two filters should be of different types since they all have varying strengths and weaknesses. You could run an external and an air driven sponge filter together for example.Filter Manufacturers usually advise suitable tank size for each filter, but what you look for is water flow capacity which should be at least 2.5-3 times your tank size/ hour. So your tank needs filter with min 1400l/hour water flow capacity.
Of course if you want to overstock your tank you need higher flow capacity to keep up with waste. Good practice is to have 2 filters, which also prevent nitrate spikes in case filter breaks down.
Jbl, Eheim and fluval are some good brands.
Tom
"The only thing that burns in Hell is the part of you that won't let go of your life; your memories, your attachments. They burn them all away. But they're not punishing you.They're freeing your soul."
Last edit: 27 Jul 2015 11:33 by LemonJelly (Johnny Cowley).
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- Miamiheat (Stephane Lemaire)
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31 Jul 2015 03:46 #9
by Miamiheat (Stephane Lemaire)
Replied by Miamiheat (Stephane Lemaire) on topic Help with what equipment i need for my aquarium
for that size i recommend 2 fluval fx6 (i keep discus)
also if you are new discus wont be easy - so your best way to succeed IMO is bare bottom for a few months at least. and start with adults not young ones.
also if you are new discus wont be easy - so your best way to succeed IMO is bare bottom for a few months at least. and start with adults not young ones.
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- helix8008 (Tomas Novak)
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31 Jul 2015 08:42 #10
by helix8008 (Tomas Novak)
Replied by helix8008 (Tomas Novak) on topic Help with what equipment i need for my aquarium
If you want to keep discus or heavily overstock Miami is right, but I think 7000 l/h filtration for cca 570l tank is bit overkill for most other cases.
Also keep in mind some fish don't like high water flow e.g. frontosa and other tanganica cichlids. It really depends on what you want to keep, as you want to mimic their natural environment.
Also keep in mind some fish don't like high water flow e.g. frontosa and other tanganica cichlids. It really depends on what you want to keep, as you want to mimic their natural environment.
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