# Recommendations for new tank



## Alin10123 (May 22, 2005)

Hey Guys,
I've currently got 2 tanks right now. I'd probably consider them both community tanks. The tank inhabitants are in my signature. Anyways... i was thinking about starting a 3rd tank. The water around my area is really soft and PH is slightly acidic. The new tank would probably be anywhere 55+ gallons. I was wondering if i could get a few suggestions as to what a good next step would be in this hobby in terms of which type of fish. I'd like to go with something more than with just a community tank. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But i've already got 2 and need some variety. 

Maybe some fish that have the "oooh and aaaah" factor in it? Or maybe one of those fake saltwater tanks? (do those fake corals actually look real BTW? I saw some pics of some individual ones and they dont really look real at all). Anyone have any pics of a fake saltwater tank? Or should i do angels? discus? I was thinking arrowana, but the tank would be too huge and i woudln't have anywhere to put that huge tank. So that's out. But just basically looking for something new and different.

Please post pics of your setups if possible if the setup you are recommending is your own. 

thanks in advance.


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## Guest (Jun 21, 2006)

Yeah you couldn't have an arownana because they need a 6 to 8 foot tank I believe. I'd recommend angelfish but I'm not sure what to recommend to go with it. Or you could get african cichlids.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Angels, Discus, or Severums for a 55. If you go bigger, there are lots of huge, beautiful, intelligent, & aggressive south american cichlids. Jaguars or Managuese come to mind. Africans are cool, but you'd need to buffer your water. 

How 'bout some of the Angels that are not P. Scalare - they're new and different.


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## craftyflalady (Jan 25, 2006)

*I would suggest Angels or Severums. I have both and they are both great fish. Out of all my tanks though, the one that seems to get the most 'WOW' factor is my 55 gal, planted "Ram" tank. 

I have 3 pairs of Blue Rams, and 3 longfined Blue Rams and 2 pair of Bolivian Rams and a few extra. I also have gold nugget plecos' in this tank. Anyone who comes in just looks at that tank, and is amazed at the Rams. 

Keep us posted on what you choose.  
Kathy ;-)*


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## Guest (Jun 21, 2006)

Hi Alin10123. I have done a few different themes in my 55 gallon and I'll share my experiences with you and hope they'll help out a bit.

Of course you have the standard community fish, so you know the scoop with them. They're very colorful, active and fun to watch but lack the "wow" factor that you mentioned.

I also did Mbuna. The upside to these is that they have about the brightest colors you'll find in freshwater and you can get a lot of them as overcrowding is a common method of spreading out aggression. The downside is that you need a lot of rock for them to establish territories, and every Mbuna tank I've ever seen, mine included, is basically a rock tank because the fish hide all day. The only time I would see the fish was at feeding time, or if some fish poked its head out of the rocks for a second, another would come and beat on it for being so foolish.

I did a Discus tank. I've done Discus successfully before, but this time, they were nothing but trouble. Even when they do well, though, if you're obsessive about your fish like I am, they'll put you in the looney bin.

What I've found I like the best is my current setup. I have live plants, angels and platies. The platies are very colorful and active, spending all day puttering around the tank and chasing each other. The angels make a good contrast being mostly black and white and floating gracefully around the tank, giving it that "relaxing" feeling people equate with fish tanks. There is such a variety in types of platies that even with only two types of fish, it doesn't seem boring at all.

I've always wanted a festivum but they don't have them at any of the pet stores around me. They get about 6 inches in length, are quite peaceful, and are not a fish you see very often. They would go with pretty much anything an angel would.

Keep us updated on what you go with. Good luck!


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## Guest (Jun 21, 2006)

I'd either go with a 55g Mbuna tank with Yellow labs and Red Zebras or a 75g Discus tank. The Discus take alot of time though. You need to do every other day water changes because water quality is the most important thing with them. I think a planted Discus tank with 6-8 Discus and a school of Rummynose tetras or cardinals would be amazing. But, you'd have to be up to the challenge.

A Mbuna tank would be alot of rock....it just depends on how different you want the new tank to be.

I'd personally go larger than a 55g, if you can. A 75g would be much better. You could have a few angels and do rainbows instead of tetras. I see you have some Bosemani rainbows in your 29g. They would appreciate more room and a larger group. Maybe do the Bosemani's and some Turquose rainbows or Threadfins. I'd go with some loaches instead of cories, just to be different.

Or you could try a biotope tank. With an Asian biotope you could do some gouramis, loaches, harlequin rasboras, cherry barbs, danios.....
With a South American you could go with angels, tetras, cories, and a pleco. You could do either in a 55g tank.

The choices are endless.

Severums are lovely fish...I like that suggestion...


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## book_em_danio (Jun 12, 2006)

I'd suggest angels and silver dollars.


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## Guest (Jun 21, 2006)

Just don't put any plants in with the Silver Dollars....it would be like a salad bar to them...lol.


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## craftyflalady (Jan 25, 2006)

*No plants with Severums either. *


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## Alin10123 (May 22, 2005)

Hmm... i like the Mbuna idea. I did a google image search for that and it looks pretty great. That's the colorful one right? 
Pardon an obvious question, but what's the difference between an mbuna tank and a regular cichlid tank? Also, Dont mbunas (like cichlids) like hard and higher PH water? So how do i buffer the water up that high? Crushed coral? I'd prefer not to use any of that powder stuff that i have to add in order to get it higher. I know there's just about no way to get that PH to stay up there especially after i do a water change. My PH is slightly neutral but slightly acidic coming out of the tap. I know i can always used crushed coral or something like that to get hard water. But will PH go up with that when i make the water hard? The water is pretty soft right now. 

thanks


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## Guest (Jun 22, 2006)

Hi again, Alin10123. There are several different types of cichlids. Mbuna are African Cichlids, while Angels and Oscars are South American Cichlids. Crushed coral should help buffer your water. pH is not all that important. I've seen some African Cichlid tanks with live plants, having CO2 driving the pH lower. The hardness of the water is more important. I've not noticed crushed coral to affect my pH any, but they say it does make the water harder, which would be suitable for Mbuna.

Just make sure you get tons of rocks, as these fish need to have their territory to keep them from ripping each other apart. They are pretty, but they are nasty little boogers!


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## Alin10123 (May 22, 2005)

hmm... i looked up the specs for mbuna PH requirements and they are all like 7.5+. My water is 6.6-6.8 out of the tap. Which is pretty neutral. Is there going to be any problems? That seems like a huge difference.


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## Guest (Jun 22, 2006)

> pH is not all that important


I actually think it is. Especially if your pH tends to be more acidic...like Alin's. You can buy Cichlid sand that buffers the pH. You shouldn't have to add anything more than that.

Something liks this would work.

Here is an article about setting up a Lake Malawi cichlid tank.

Substrate options

Cichlid-forum. Check out the library section to find articles on Cichlid tanks and cichlids.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Well if your water is already very acidic in your area, the most sensible thing to do would be to buy fish that suit these conditions.
Here are a few "wow" factor aquariums that you could do:

A shoal of about 10 colorful tetra and a few wild dwarf gouramis.

A shoal of tetras with a breeding pair of rams.

A shoal of tetras with a pair of angels.

But to have the wow factor, it's not about the colors of the fish, or the numbers, it's all about the presentaion of the decor, plants, and rocks.
Take my advice, you'll be suprised how nice you can make a tank look, even with a few goldfish.


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## Alin10123 (May 22, 2005)

JustOneMore20 said:


> I actually think it is. Especially if your pH tends to be more acidic...like Alin's. You can buy Cichlid sand that buffers the pH. You shouldn't have to add anything more than that.
> 
> Something liks this would work.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the links. 
So basically according to that, if i've got soft acidic water, i just i just need to ecocomplete cichlid substrate and i'll be good to go?


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## Guest (Jun 22, 2006)

Beautiful planted tanks impress me much more than a cichlid tank. I wish I had the aquascaping talent that some people have.

How about the rainbow idea? There are some really pretty types of rainbows that will wow people. Have a planted tank with a couple types of rainbows....would be very nice!


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## Guest (Jun 22, 2006)

> i just need to ecocomplete cichlid substrate and i'll be good to go


I would go onto cichlid-forum....or the cichlid forum on here and see how much that raises the pH. I'm not sure how much it would raise it. I'm guessing it would raise it enough, but really, how long would it last? I don't have any cichlid tanks, so I don't know. I just know that they make those specific types of substrates....but you wouldn't want to use it and then have to replace it every 2 years because your pH fell too much.

Ask around...surely some of the cichlid experts out there can give you some advice.


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## Alin10123 (May 22, 2005)

JustOneMore20 said:


> I would go onto cichlid-forum....or the cichlid forum on here and see how much that raises the pH. I'm not sure how much it would raise it. I'm guessing it would raise it enough, but really, how long would it last? I don't have any cichlid tanks, so I don't know. I just know that they make those specific types of substrates....but you wouldn't want to use it and then have to replace it every 2 years because your pH fell too much.
> 
> Ask around...surely some of the cichlid experts out there can give you some advice.


Basically the way that cichlid forums link you gave me said about the substrate, is that with the eco complete substrate, it will keep the PH above 8. It will buffer the water automatically for the life of the aquarium.


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## Guest (Jun 23, 2006)

> It will buffer the water automatically for the life of the aquarium


Good to know. I wasn't sure about that.

So, are you gonna do cichlids?


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## Alin10123 (May 22, 2005)

JustOneMore20 said:


> Good to know. I wasn't sure about that.
> 
> So, are you gonna do cichlids?


I'm seriously considering it. either that, or what cichlidman said. However, i've already got tanks like he suggested. Well... not 100% but something close. So i'm kind of leaning towards the cichlid tank just because it's different.


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2006)

Or you could do a planted cichlid tank like this one and get the best of both worlds. A tank like this is a huge investment, but well worth it, in my opinion.


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## Alin10123 (May 22, 2005)

|V|][{|-|/\[-|_ said:


> Or you could do a planted cichlid tank like this one and get the best of both worlds. A tank like this is a huge investment, but well worth it, in my opinion.


wow! that tank looks great! But it might be a tad bit out of my reach. The lighting involved in that alone looks expensive.


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