I'm 41 years old with 3 kids, with another kid on the way, so I need to think of others when I consider my tank set ups. I used to have a 500g, but it simply was too big and time consuming to deal with. So, I'm planing what will be last big tank purchase, but it's gonna be beautiful! . 
It's 96.24.36 so very tall and long with not as much width (24").
I ordered the tank with a black background, and I'm planning on white gravel. Wet Dry for filtration. Other than that, I've made no decisions. I love the following ideas:
-- SA/CA agressive cichlids, so that's one possibility. Set up with lots of rocks, drift wood, and a few plastic plants. Anyone have any pics of this type of tank? The problem here is that I can only have 3 or 4 of these fish together or it becomes a battle zone. The upside is a relatively light bio-load, so less water changes needed.
--I also love SA monster cats, so that's another. (RTC or TSN, etc). Set up is very bare, with lots of floor space, and maybe a few round rocks (no sharp edges!). I love BIG fish, so this type of tank is very tempting to me. The problem is the huge bioload, necessitating frequent large water changes. Also, not much action during daylight.
-- I also love Pacus. One pacu with a few other colorful smaller fish in a relatively bare tank would look great. A big Pacu is a like a water dog.
-- Other?
Can you guys give me some suggestions/ideas/pics of what you've got? My tank arrives in a few weeks, so I want to start making some decisions now. Thanks so much.
Note re: RTC and Pacus: I know, I know, some of you are getting ready to lecture me abuot these fish. Please hold on to yuor keyboards. Despite their controvertial existence in the hobby, I have no ethical problem keeping either an RTC or a Pacu in my tank because 99.9% of those sold today will go in a smaller tank than mine, so I see myslef as saving a fish rather than condemning it. Plus, my local LFS has a 8ft by 4ft show tank, so I can always give a huge Pacu or RTC to them if I'm lucky enough to have one outgrow my tank.
I fully appreciate the argument on the other side, namely, if everyone would stop buying these fish then demand would disappear and they would no longer be imported and sold. I think this is a fantasy, so I don't subscribe to it. In my view, people will always buy these fish because they are attractive and 90% of fishkeepers are clueless. (People on this board probably represent 1% of all fishkeepers, so our level of expertise is in the extreme minority). In any case, I realize many disagree with me, and that's ok. Reasonable minds can differ. So, please, unless you absolutely cannot resist, try your best not to hijack this thread with an RTC/Pacu debate.
Thanks for any big tank ideas.
It's 96.24.36 so very tall and long with not as much width (24"). I ordered the tank with a black background, and I'm planning on white gravel. Wet Dry for filtration. Other than that, I've made no decisions. I love the following ideas:
-- SA/CA agressive cichlids, so that's one possibility. Set up with lots of rocks, drift wood, and a few plastic plants. Anyone have any pics of this type of tank? The problem here is that I can only have 3 or 4 of these fish together or it becomes a battle zone. The upside is a relatively light bio-load, so less water changes needed.
--I also love SA monster cats, so that's another. (RTC or TSN, etc). Set up is very bare, with lots of floor space, and maybe a few round rocks (no sharp edges!). I love BIG fish, so this type of tank is very tempting to me. The problem is the huge bioload, necessitating frequent large water changes. Also, not much action during daylight.
-- I also love Pacus. One pacu with a few other colorful smaller fish in a relatively bare tank would look great. A big Pacu is a like a water dog.
-- Other?
Can you guys give me some suggestions/ideas/pics of what you've got? My tank arrives in a few weeks, so I want to start making some decisions now. Thanks so much.
Note re: RTC and Pacus: I know, I know, some of you are getting ready to lecture me abuot these fish. Please hold on to yuor keyboards. Despite their controvertial existence in the hobby, I have no ethical problem keeping either an RTC or a Pacu in my tank because 99.9% of those sold today will go in a smaller tank than mine, so I see myslef as saving a fish rather than condemning it. Plus, my local LFS has a 8ft by 4ft show tank, so I can always give a huge Pacu or RTC to them if I'm lucky enough to have one outgrow my tank.
I fully appreciate the argument on the other side, namely, if everyone would stop buying these fish then demand would disappear and they would no longer be imported and sold. I think this is a fantasy, so I don't subscribe to it. In my view, people will always buy these fish because they are attractive and 90% of fishkeepers are clueless. (People on this board probably represent 1% of all fishkeepers, so our level of expertise is in the extreme minority). In any case, I realize many disagree with me, and that's ok. Reasonable minds can differ. So, please, unless you absolutely cannot resist, try your best not to hijack this thread with an RTC/Pacu debate.
Thanks for any big tank ideas.
I personally like the SA/CA setup idea. There are so many different fish that can be put together, and there are plenty of dithers to fill out a tank.