New Tank & Filter Advice

[lexie]

Hey, I'm planning on setting up a new tank in a few months' time (lol, I have to wait a few months for paycheques etc, my job doesn't pay regularly).
I've planned everything in the tank based on ideas I've seen and read and I've got it mostly planned out.

I have a friend of a friend who works for a glass company, and they apparantly will put together a tank for me if I discuss my dimensions with them and everything... If someone with experience in doing this could tell me anything about how the price varies in comparison to bought tanks, that'd be great! I don't need a cabinet or anything, and it's quite hard to find a 4 foot tank that doesnt come with one.

So I have two options that I've come up with for a tank. I got the idea off someone on this site about putting a divider in the tank and having goldfish on the other side. My local aquarium has HEAPS of different varieties of goldfish which I think are just adorable, so I'd love to have some of them.

So idea number 1 is:
I get a custom-made tank. 4foot length, 3 foot height, 2 foot width. It's extra tall, because I would put a HORIZONTAL divider in the middle of the tank. Axies on the bottom. Goldfish on the top. Cute.

Idea number 2 is:
I get a basic 4foot x 2foot x 2foot (approx) tank from Ebay or something like that. I put a vertical tank divider in, the right half goldfish and the left half axies.

So if anyone has any ideas about prices for this, or anything else, pleeeeeease give me as much input as you want to! I'm also gonna try out the moss wall thing, so I'll definitely post pictures once it's allll finished (probably not until July or something, knowing the regularity of my pay + cycling the new tank).

MY SECOND QUESTION!!! (this post is going to be huge, sorry)

I'm getting a new filter, obviously.
I need opinions. I have looked on theaquariumshop.com.au (I'm in Australia) and there are too many options for me to choose between!! To make the water flow... less... I was considering having two small filters - one on each side of the divider??
But yeah, the cheapest option you can give me that would work would be awesome. Thanks for all your help in advance!

OH ps: I assume that because the axies (if going with option 1) wouldn't be able to come to the surface for air, I would probably have to supply air stones at the bottom of the tank. Am I right? I think I could get around feeding them by feeding them worms with chopsticks, and putting the chopsticks through the holes of the divider... yeah? Lol, I think I'm just looking for you guys to tell me that I'm on the right track.

(Message edited by alexa on April 13, 2006)

 

[kapo]

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>Lexie wrote on Thursday, 13 April, 2006 - 10:11 :</font>

"So idea number 1 is:
I get a custom-made tank. 4foot length, 3 foot height, 2 foot width. It's extra tall, because I would put a HORIZONTAL divider in the middle of the tank. Axies on the bottom. Goldfish on the top."<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

Sorry, I am not trying to shoot down your idea, but there cud be several reasons why Idea 1 won't work (but this is just my opinion) - What if something was wrong with your axie/s - would yu then remove the fish b4 the divider to get to your sick axie? or leave the fish in and remove the divider? What sort of substrate if any were you thinking of using? Depending on where the holes are would you just drop the food thru for the axie/s and what about cleaning uneaten food and poos (or wud divider be removed prior to cleaning?)

 

[lexie]

I have a spare tank for cleaning and so fish would be removed prior to cleaning. (ps, I'm open to all critisisms, it was a spur of the moment idea, so don't apologise!)

Given the spare tank was there, all those problems are pretty much dealt with... fish would just be removed if I ever needed to get to my axies. I planned on using sand... I already have my axies, so I know what sort of conditions they need, don't worry about that. Although there wouldn't be sand on the divider if thats what you mean... It'd just fall through the holes anyway so that's sorta weird. Ordinarily, I don't have to worry about cleaning uneaten food because I would use long sticks similar to chopsticks to hold a worm in front of them (they dont seem to eat unless you wave it in front of their faces) and if they don't eat it i'll take it out and try again later. I could remove poos (being on white sand, I assume they would be easy to see - I have river rocks at the moment and they're not really easy to see) with sticks also, and for regular cleans remove divider.

Hope that all made sense and i didn't repeat myself too much.
I'm willing to put in a lot of time towards these axies, so I don't mind having to work extra hard to keep it looking pretty.

However, if option 1 has too many faults, i've always got number 2!

 

[sherrisixxx]

Hi Lexie. I think the axies may not like if they are not able to go and gulp air once in a while? I think the e-bay tank may be better idea,and the fish/axies still get to have a chat throug a divider (Am convinced my axie and pleco-fish used to have long chats

)

 

[sharn]

good point sherri! thats what i was about to type. id go with option 2, its better for both species in the long run.

if you have a strong filter put in spray bars, you can do it with most internals DIY but most externals (youd need externals for a 4x2x2, probably 2) come with them anyway. they really do buffer down the flow

 

[lexie]

Thanks for your advice guys

Just another question... might sound stupid, I know... lol

How do lights work? Because I'm on theaquariumshop.com.au, and I'm looking at lights... what's the difference between a light and a reflector? They're selling light tubes and i don't know what they are or how they work... How to attach to tank etc...
http://www.theaquariumshop.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=708&name=Arcadia+Original+Tropical+Tube+18+inch+%28450mm%29 that's the one I was wanting to buy... If I could just figure it out!!! I don't wanna spend too much.

 

[rob]

it really depends on the tank size and what kind of plants u want to grow, if u are still considering getting the 4 footer u mentioned above the lights u linked to "18" would be no way enough light to grow anything healthy.
the ones u linked to just sit on top of the tank or u can hang them from the ceeling. "the reflector is what holds the globe" the ones u linked too would probably come with globe @ that price...
u also usually have to get better globes with the cheaper ones as they come with standard globes.

if u let me know the types of plants u want to grow
and ur tank dimensions i will let u know what u should be looking for, or do lots of reading here
http://www.plantgeek.net/article_viewer.php?id=17
growing healthy plants isnt just a matter of putting any old light on top of ur tank and u have success. + if u have too much or too little light u will also have algae problems, so do lots of reading b4 u buy

 

[lexie]

I'm not really looking for the light for plant growth, as i don't have many plants at all, and the ones I do are low-light plants. I wanted the tank simply for making it look a bit better. I'm planning on getting the same for my tropical tank. All of my tanks have a sort of ornamental focus, rather than plants. So I figure that that light will be ok for that. (I was going to get 2 of that size for the 4 foot tank)

 

[rob]

sorry i just assumed u would want lighting to grow plants. if u just want them for ornimental purpose
u can get 1 x 48" "4 foot" cheaper than 2 x 18"
and at least it will sit on the edge of ur tank "safely"