45 Gallon Setup Ideas...

[g_morin]

I have probably changed my mind 100+ times since I got this tank... if I went with a vert tank what would be a good set-up? It is 36x12x24 and two large pieces of driftwood in it. I will have a glass top with LED light bar and AC110 as far as equipment goes oh and black sand. Looking for activity and creativity as far as aqua scaping and stocking goes. I keep thinking about a predator tank but 45 gallons is just too small for what I am used to, I may just wait until I can upgrade to a much larger setup.... for now this interests me.

Thanks in advance...

 

[Jexnell]

Do you know your base water peramaters such as PH and hardness.

South American fish from east of the Andes are typically low PH and soft water.

South American fish from west of the Andes and Central American fish prefer higher PH and hard water.

So going forward it would best to get fish that thrive in your water.

If you don't have these test kits you can get them from the internet. All cities in America are required to post the water quality report online. So you can look up your water provider.

I used to keep an Oscar, but due to it preferring low PH soft water I rehomed her since my city water is basically liquid rock with a PH of 7.8 from the tap and hard.

 

[g_morin]

I have not taken parameters as of yet I just got it started... I plan to get a test kit I just wanted to get the tank started. I do know my water is not good and expensive haha. Its safe to drink according to them but taste like pool water... I don't even know about fish at the moment if I can get a pretty nice invert set up that might be pretty cool.

Thanks

 

[Raka]

Loving my new Angelfish. They would definitely like that tall tank!

 

[g_morin]

I have never kept angel fish... I do not know too much about them but I know the marine angel fish are pretty angry...

 

[Jexnell]

I looked it up:
PH range was 6.8 to 8.2 with average of
7.4
Hardness range is 18 to 116 with an average of 24.

So I am leaning towards Central American or South American from the west side of the Andes mts.

If it was me I would pick South or Central American and go from there.

A South American set could be:
A pair of Andinoacara Pulcher
A group of tall bodied tetras like Bleeding hearts or black skirts
A small group of Cory cats or Hopolo cats

Central American:
A pair from the Amatitlania family such as Convict, Honduran Red point, Nanolutea etc
A group of Swordtails 6f/1m
Small group of Hopolo cats.

In these setups you will have a centerpiece cichlid pair to watch breed and all that. The other fish will breed as well. Everyone is busy breeding and eating others fry. I had a 55 setup this way for a year with only 3 HRP fry making it to adults out of 12 spawns or so.

 

[Fishnerd360]

A pair of angelfish would work and since you mentioned you would like a predator tank, but most would get too big. How about a dwarf pike cichlid, if the angelfish were to breed the pike would eat some of the fry.

 

[Jexnell]

His average PH from the report list as 7.4 is that to high for Angel's?

 

[Fishnerd360]

His average PH from the report list as 7.4 is that to high for Angel's?

Oops didn’t see that, almond leaves could make a nice black water bio top.

 

[g_morin]

Now with me wanting to keep invertebrates would any of these cichlid pose problems?