tank buying steps

[all_or_nothin]

i am going ot set up a 125g with cichlids and alot of breeding pairs and i wanted to kno when you set up a fish tank what steps do u take.

1. Do you look up the fish, filter, lighting, gravel, plants, breeding habits, rocks/driftwood, etc. like what im doing or do u...

2. Buy the tank look for filters in the same store and get the coolest fish in the store and then look for tank mates.

If u could answer the question above that would be great but if you could give ideas on the filter, lighting, gravel, + plants. I think im getting black gravel/sand to bring out colors and im looking at canistar filters for the fillter so any ideas would be helpful.

 

[12 Volt Man]

do your homework first.

you'll get lots of different opinions on equipment.

what I like is something like this:

125 gallon tank
2-36" double flourescent lights with Hagen Powerglo bulbs.
1 AquaClear 110 filter
1 Rena XP3 Canister filter.
2-200W Ebo Jager heaters.

 

[packer43064]

You should never do number 2. Doing it this way it won't already be cycled and the fish you just bought could end up dying.

Do number one, get the tank and the filter(I recommend the FX5) and everything else you need. Cycle then get the fish, that's the smart way of doing it. Good luck dude.

 

[all_or_nothin]

Also how long should i cycle it

 

[heavyhitter]

1. Buy the biggest tank you can with the money your are willing to spend.
2. Then buy your filters etc.

 

[heavyhitter]

Also how long should i cycle it

Till your ammonia and nitrite are 0 and your nitrate bewteen 10-20ppm.

 

[all_or_nothin]

Also i would like to kno what test kits do u by do you get THE MASTER TEST KIT or seperate individual test kits and what (in your opinion) is the most important test their is like PH, nitrate, ammonia, etc

 

[LowCel]

1. Buy the biggest tank you can with the money your wife will allow you to spend.
2. Then buy your filters etc.

Fixed.

 

[all_or_nothin]

also would anyone recommend a sponge filter?

 

[sutherland]

also would anyone recommend a sponge filter?

Sponge Filter...No. Sponge used as a pre-filter, Yes.