Hello,
Newb here! It's been 30 years since I have kept fish but with a 6 and 7 year old in the house I decided it was a good enough excuse to start a tank. I really like tall tanks even though I have read about their many challenges. I bought a 50 hex that turned out to be only a 35 gallon hex. I was going to roll with it but I really like that 55 gallon mark for a tank. I just received the Eheim I ordered on line yesterday and filled the 35 hex and started the filter pumping.
Well a deal too good to pass up came along on Craigslist that I felt compelled to call about. It was a full 110 gallon xtra-tall setup with glass tank, hood, stand and filters. This really stirred my imagination about the beautiful planted tank or even plandarium it could make. Well we looked at it tonight and were overwhelmed with it's size and beauty and bought it for the asking price. The only problem is the 5 fish it came with, a 5 bar Cichlid, a peacock Cichlid, a bumble bee, a Chinese algae eater and a fancy catfish. These don't exactly fit the planted tank plan. I took two of the fish and the fluval 404 home with me to start some water cycling. All the time feeling a little guilty about my thought to trade them in on a couple schools of small fish. By the time we got them in the 35 hex and the fluval running with the Eheim we were hooked. They are spectacularly beautiful fish. And now that they are named Michael and Nicole aafter our kids there isn't much chance of trading them in now. We are looking forwards to picking up the tank and rest of the fish on Sunday!
I had planned on a continuous water change system for the planted tank, I am thinking this is even a better idea with Cichlids??? (I have very clean well water). I had never considered Cichlids because of there temperamental reputation and certainly not something to start with. So I guess I have a lot to learn!!!! I guess landscaping (tank-scaping) really is out of my hands now!
The 35 hex will eventually achieve its intended roll as a planted underwater forest with lots of tiny tetras.
Thanks,
Mike.
Newb here! It's been 30 years since I have kept fish but with a 6 and 7 year old in the house I decided it was a good enough excuse to start a tank. I really like tall tanks even though I have read about their many challenges. I bought a 50 hex that turned out to be only a 35 gallon hex. I was going to roll with it but I really like that 55 gallon mark for a tank. I just received the Eheim I ordered on line yesterday and filled the 35 hex and started the filter pumping.
Well a deal too good to pass up came along on Craigslist that I felt compelled to call about. It was a full 110 gallon xtra-tall setup with glass tank, hood, stand and filters. This really stirred my imagination about the beautiful planted tank or even plandarium it could make. Well we looked at it tonight and were overwhelmed with it's size and beauty and bought it for the asking price. The only problem is the 5 fish it came with, a 5 bar Cichlid, a peacock Cichlid, a bumble bee, a Chinese algae eater and a fancy catfish. These don't exactly fit the planted tank plan. I took two of the fish and the fluval 404 home with me to start some water cycling. All the time feeling a little guilty about my thought to trade them in on a couple schools of small fish. By the time we got them in the 35 hex and the fluval running with the Eheim we were hooked. They are spectacularly beautiful fish. And now that they are named Michael and Nicole aafter our kids there isn't much chance of trading them in now. We are looking forwards to picking up the tank and rest of the fish on Sunday!
I had planned on a continuous water change system for the planted tank, I am thinking this is even a better idea with Cichlids??? (I have very clean well water). I had never considered Cichlids because of there temperamental reputation and certainly not something to start with. So I guess I have a lot to learn!!!! I guess landscaping (tank-scaping) really is out of my hands now!
The 35 hex will eventually achieve its intended roll as a planted underwater forest with lots of tiny tetras.
Thanks,
Mike.
