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New setup - Need advice on what to choose....


ViS

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Well after a good 6 months without any fish or tanks, I need to start thinking about setting up my display tank/s. I haven't had display tanks in many years, so it's all a bit exciting :lol2:

Ideally I'd like to buy the tanks, cabinets and hoods now, then leave them empty until I get back from overseas in July.

I can buy a 6x18x22 (22 high) tank in 8mm glass with 10mm base, with custom height cabinet (heritage or colonial style), extra high hood in same style, and all stained to my colour specs for just shy of $1200. The tank itself is $295.

That's all a little bit more than I had planned for, however the tank maker comes highly recommended and is not one of your average mass producers of low quality tanks.

What I need help with are the following questions:

1. Should I go with 2 tanks? I have space for two six footers side by side, but am not sure if I really need two of them. Would one 8 footer look better than two 6 footers?

2. What should I fill it / them with? I've always had Africans, but am interested in maybe trying Geos. I'm afraid I I set up an American tank, I'll regret it as I love the Tangs. If I go two tanks, I'd probably go one tank of perhaps Tapajos geos with some firemouths or something, and the other of some nice frontosa (moba probably) or a foai of some sort along with perhaps some leptosoma, leleupi, flavipinnis, altos, brevis etc to fill out the other layers. My idea was to do an all wood / plant SA tank with one holey rock at the end closest to the middle, and an all rock Tang tank with some driftwood at the end closest to the middle so it looked like a kind of transition from one biotope to the other. In my mind it looks ok, but in theory it may not work.

3. What sort of filtration should I use? I'm keen for quiet operation, as people will be sleeping on a sofa bed in the same room when we have visitors. I'm a big fan of sumps, but for quiet operation it's hard to go past a good aquaclear hang on filter or similar, perhaps one at each end. I don't expect to overcrowd the tanks, so my filtration shouldn't have to work overtime.

4. I've got all the gear for marine, so should I consider it in one of the tanks? I'd only do a live rock and fish tank, as I'm not keen to go all in with the expense of coral and sponges.

There are probably more questions, but that's good for a start. :lol1:

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I'm a canister man and I don't think you go passed them for quiet operation. On my tank I've got Eheim Classics (2213, 2217) and a cheap Aqua Nova 1200 and you can't hear a noise from them over the quiet air pump.

I've never used a HoB filter before, so can't really comment on them. But every sump I've ever seen or heard has been noisy but my standards, well compared to the canisters anyway.

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Well after a good 6 months without any fish or tanks, I need to start thinking about setting up my display tank/s. I haven't had display tanks in many years, so it's all a bit exciting :lol2:

Ideally I'd like to buy the tanks, cabinets and hoods now, then leave them empty until I get back from overseas in July.

I can buy a 6x18x22 (22 high) tank in 8mm glass with 10mm base, with custom height cabinet (heritage or colonial style), extra high hood in same style, and all stained to my colour specs for just shy of $1200. The tank itself is $295.

That's all a little bit more than I had planned for, however the tank maker comes highly recommended and is not one of your average mass producers of low quality tanks.

What I need help with are the following questions:

1. Should I go with 2 tanks? I have space for two six footers side by side, but am not sure if I really need two of them. Would one 8 footer look better than two 6 footers?

2. What should I fill it / them with? I've always had Africans, but am interested in maybe trying Geos. I'm afraid I I set up an American tank, I'll regret it as I love the Tangs. If I go two tanks, I'd probably go one tank of perhaps Tapajos geos with some firemouths or something, and the other of some nice frontosa (moba probably) or a foai of some sort along with perhaps some leptosoma, leleupi, flavipinnis, altos, brevis etc to fill out the other layers. My idea was to do an all wood / plant SA tank with one holey rock at the end closest to the middle, and an all rock Tang tank with some driftwood at the end closest to the middle so it looked like a kind of transition from one biotope to the other. In my mind it looks ok, but in theory it may not work.

3. What sort of filtration should I use? I'm keen for quiet operation, as people will be sleeping on a sofa bed in the same room when we have visitors. I'm a big fan of sumps, but for quiet operation it's hard to go past a good aquaclear hang on filter or similar, perhaps one at each end. I don't expect to overcrowd the tanks, so my filtration shouldn't have to work overtime.

4. I've got all the gear for marine, so should I consider it in one of the tanks? I'd only do a live rock and fish tank, as I'm not keen to go all in with the expense of coral and sponges.

There are probably more questions, but that's good for a start. :lol1:

1)get two 8 footers

2)saltwater fish and the other south american

3)mini reef the way to go, get a durso stand pipe to help minimize the noise, if not canister, but dont know about hang ons would be enough for a 8 footer

4)Yes

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