Need Help for a Beginner Setup

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sunrock
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Need Help for a Beginner Setup

Unread post by sunrock »

Hi Everyone,

Iam going to start a new tank, I need all your help on the setup.
The criteria that i have are

1. Tank length 3ftx1.5ft(is this a okay size)
2. Natural looking tank with gravel substrate and wood.(what substrate and wood to use)
3. like to keep plants( what plants and i dont mind changing to sand to accommodate plants)
4.No big fishes, like small schooling fishes.(please suggest fish and food)
5.Would like to keep shrimps and snails.(suggest varieties)
6. I have access to ro water, can it be used.
7. Please suggest filter, i dont like the submersed ones that circulate the tank.The fishes go around like a whirlpool.I like the hanging setups that flows water back into tank.(suggest filters)
8.Do i need thermometer/heater
9.suggest chemicals/nutrients required
10. How to cycle a tank
11.lighting to be used

Please guide me on the above points.

Cheers
Sunil.
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SCORPIO
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Re: Need Help for a Beginner Setup

Unread post by SCORPIO »

Sunil, do you want to setup a biotope tank or a regular show tank any fishes?
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sushant
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Re: Need Help for a Beginner Setup

Unread post by sushant »

Hi sunil, 3X1.5 is a good size to start with.

You can either go for DIY substrate or if budget in not a constraint go for commercial planting soil.

Plants selection would depend on type of substrate, light, co2 source and style of scape.

My suggestion would be to decide what type of tank you want to create so that we can suggest rest if the things like light,filter, substrate,plants,etc based on it.


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vikramdutta11
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Re: Need Help for a Beginner Setup

Unread post by vikramdutta11 »

sunrock wrote:1. Tank length 3ftx1.5ft(is this a okay size).
What Will be the height of the tank? Lights depends on height and plant species.
sunrock wrote:2. Natural looking tank with gravel substrate and wood.(what substrate and wood to use).
First choose the design.
sunrock wrote: 3. like to keep plants( what plants and i dont mind changing to sand to accommodate plants)
Plants depends on your personal choice and how much you can handle them. I will suggest please go through the plants details, study a little of them and if you r a beginner then go for easy plants of your choice. Else if you fail in the first shot then you will move out of the hobby.
sunrock wrote: 4.No big fishes, like small schooling fishes.(please suggest fish and food)


Think about the fishes after you establish the planted tank else you will end up killing them
sunrock wrote: 5.Would like to keep shrimps and snails.(suggest varieties)
Have no idea about shrimps or snails better ask @abhisek.
sunrock wrote: 6. I have access to ro water, can it be used.
Definitely, if your tap water is hard.
sunrock wrote: 7. Please suggest filter, i dont like the submersed ones that circulate the tank.The fishes go around like a whirlpool.I like the hanging setups that flows water back into tank.(suggest filters)
Canister Filter is the best filter you can use, Hang on filters will not be effective in the tank size you mentioned.
sunrock wrote: 8.Do i need thermometer/heater
Its better if you have a thermometer but thermostat depends how much the temperature fall in your area.
sunrock wrote: 9.suggest chemicals/nutrients required
This portion is little critical, if you buy nutrients made by branded companies like ADA, FLUVAL, SEACHEM etc. then your budget will increase, else you can go for EI which most of us use. For this you have to study a bit.
sunrock wrote: 10. How to cycle a tank
Depends on what type of tank you r making, mostly 50% Water Change weekly.
sunrock wrote: 11.lighting to be used
As i told you earlier, Tank Height and Type of plants depends on what type of light is required. There are LED Setup, T5 HO setup, PLL setup and u can DIY also.

Lastly I would suggest u to study a bit in this forum about planted tank and also surf the net. Else it will be problematic for you to handle the problems which will come in the tank.

All the best
Cheers
sunrock
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Re: Need Help for a Beginner Setup

Unread post by sunrock »

SCORPIO wrote:Sunil, do you want to setup a biotope tank or a regular show tank any fishes?
I want to set up a biotope tank with shrimps,snails included.
sunrock
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Re: Need Help for a Beginner Setup

Unread post by sunrock »

sushant wrote:Hi sunil, 3X1.5 is a good size to start with.

You can either go for DIY substrate or if budget in not a constraint go for commercial planting soil.

Plants selection would depend on type of substrate, light, co2 source and style of scape.

My suggestion would be to decide what type of tank you want to create so that we can suggest rest if the things like light,filter, substrate,plants,etc based on it.


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A Natural looking biotope tank, around 50 gallons. fish,shrimps,snails and plants.
Thank you
sunrock
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Re: Need Help for a Beginner Setup

Unread post by sunrock »

vikramdutta11 wrote:
sunrock wrote:1. Tank length 3ftx1.5ft(is this a okay size).
What Will be the height of the tank? Lights depends on height and plant species.
sunrock wrote:2. Natural looking tank with gravel substrate and wood.(what substrate and wood to use).
First choose the design.
sunrock wrote: 3. like to keep plants( what plants and i dont mind changing to sand to accommodate plants)
Plants depends on your personal choice and how much you can handle them. I will suggest please go through the plants details, study a little of them and if you r a beginner then go for easy plants of your choice. Else if you fail in the first shot then you will move out of the hobby.
sunrock wrote: 4.No big fishes, like small schooling fishes.(please suggest fish and food)


Think about the fishes after you establish the planted tank else you will end up killing them
sunrock wrote: 5.Would like to keep shrimps and snails.(suggest varieties)
Have no idea about shrimps or snails better ask @abhisek.
sunrock wrote: 6. I have access to ro water, can it be used.
Definitely, if your tap water is hard.
sunrock wrote: 7. Please suggest filter, i dont like the submersed ones that circulate the tank.The fishes go around like a whirlpool.I like the hanging setups that flows water back into tank.(suggest filters)
Canister Filter is the best filter you can use, Hang on filters will not be effective in the tank size you mentioned.
sunrock wrote: 8.Do i need thermometer/heater
Its better if you have a thermometer but thermostat depends how much the temperature fall in your area.
sunrock wrote: 9.suggest chemicals/nutrients required
This portion is little critical, if you buy nutrients made by branded companies like ADA, FLUVAL, SEACHEM etc. then your budget will increase, else you can go for EI which most of us use. For this you have to study a bit.
sunrock wrote: 10. How to cycle a tank
Depends on what type of tank you r making, mostly 50% Water Change weekly.
sunrock wrote: 11.lighting to be used
As i told you earlier, Tank Height and Type of plants depends on what type of light is required. There are LED Setup, T5 HO setup, PLL setup and u can DIY also.

Lastly I would suggest u to study a bit in this forum about planted tank and also surf the net. Else it will be problematic for you to handle the problems which will come in the tank.

All the best
Cheers
Thanks Vikram :-)
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sushant
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Re: RE: Re: Need Help for a Beginner Setup

Unread post by sushant »

sunrock wrote:
sushant wrote:Hi sunil, 3X1.5 is a good size to start with.

You can either go for DIY substrate or if budget in not a constraint go for commercial planting soil.

Plants selection would depend on type of substrate, light, co2 source and style of scape.

My suggestion would be to decide what type of tank you want to create so that we can suggest rest if the things like light,filter, substrate,plants,etc based on it.


Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
A Natural looking biotope tank, around 50 gallons. fish,shrimps,snails and plants.
Thank you
Biotype in itself is a vast, I guess exactly mentioning the type of biotype will help in getting better answer or post a pic for reference.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
Sushant
sunrock
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Re: RE: Re: Need Help for a Beginner Setup

Unread post by sunrock »

sushant wrote:
sunrock wrote:
sushant wrote:Hi sunil, 3X1.5 is a good size to start with.

You can either go for DIY substrate or if budget in not a constraint go for commercial planting soil.

Plants selection would depend on type of substrate, light, co2 source and style of scape.

My suggestion would be to decide what type of tank you want to create so that we can suggest rest if the things like light,filter, substrate,plants,etc based on it.


Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
A Natural looking biotope tank, around 50 gallons. fish,shrimps,snails and plants.
Thank you
Biotype in itself is a vast, I guess exactly mentioning the type of biotype will help in getting better answer or post a pic for reference.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
I have attached a pic for reference.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
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sushant
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Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: Need Help for a Beginner Setup

Unread post by sushant »

sunrock wrote:
sushant wrote:
sunrock wrote:
"sushant" wrote:Hi sunil, 3X1.5 is a good size to start with.

You can either go for DIY substrate or if budget in not a constraint go for commercial planting soil.

Plants selection would depend on type of substrate, light, co2 source and style of scape.

My suggestion would be to decide what type of tank you want to create so that we can suggest rest if the things like light,filter, substrate,plants,etc based on it.


Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
A Natural looking biotope tank, around 50 gallons. fish,shrimps,snails and plants.
Thank you
Biotype in itself is a vast, I guess exactly mentioning the type of biotype will help in getting better answer or post a pic for reference.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
I have attached a pic for reference.
I don't think that's a biotype. But still got a fair idea what you actually intend to do with your tank.

This is a moderate light tank, with big wood, Java moss, Java fern and vals.
You can go with:
-2 *36w pull/ 2* 3 ft t5HO( assuming tank is not too deep.)
-Can go without CO2 ( but growth would be slow)
-HOB can be used.



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Sushant
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