First tank in many years

[RoonieRoo]

Hello!

I am in the beginning stages of planning a new tank. I’m not a 100% beginner as I’ve always had small 10 gallon tanks here and there. However, all those lovely tanks were because I just “always had one” and I didn’t really know what I was doing. It was all by instinct.

It has been about 15 years since my last tank and I really miss having them. However, I am older, wiser and am finding that in the last 15 years the lovely net has created an incredible resource of fishy knowledge right at my fingertips. Since I am an obsessive planner, this plays into my addiction to have things planned to the ‘T’ before I embark on anything. (My husband says he loves that little quirk about me, really.)

I’ve convinced my husband that 80 gallons is the ideal size – cuz I’m cute. This weekend we are visiting the aquaria stores in Austin so I know what on earth is easily accessible for me.

So far what I have learned that I am incorporating into my plan is:

1) Biggest tank I can swing for my budget – 80 gal is looking good.
2) Fishless Cycle – lots of great articles on that.
3) I want a planted tank. I’m a gardener anyway, so why not blend two hobbies!

My big quandary is the type of tank. My first fish I had as a child were two Angelfish and a little catfish. They were named Big Fish, Little Fish and Ollie. I was 8 :) I love Angelfish! However, I’m also leaning towards a nice schooling community tank.

I’m curious what y’all would recommend for an 80 gallon? I’m not sure of the dimensions yet (since I haven’t made a final pick yet) but the ones I’ve been looking at are all rectangles and seem rather long – 49” and narrow – 19 to 20”

I would love any suggestions.

RR

[jeffs99dime]

what a great intro post! congratulations on getting back into the hobby. and last but certainly not least, welcome to a.c.!--jeff:thumb:

[Nautilus29]

Welcome to the site, some how i new you where a girl after you started talking about how you plan everything.

I cant help you with your question becuase I am a begginer, And unlike you i didnt plan anything when i started off. I bought a ten gallon tank and at the same time i bought my fish. Anyways im now getting a 55g and i have learned to plan a little bit.

[Cichlid_Man]

Hey RR!
Welcome to AC!

With an 80 gallon setup you can do a bunch.
I found a web site where you type in what fish you want, and it gives you all the options for compatibilty.
So, we know you like angels...
Go here and type in Angelfish..
Good luck.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

When you are done with that, go to this web site and you can estimate the life span of the fish you choose.. :-)
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

YO!!...How 'bout dem Cowboys!!!

[Slinky_Bass]

Hi RoonieRoo, good to hear you're an obsessive planner, I like to do the same with practically everything, but especially my fish, it saves them and me a lot of trouble in the long run. So far your plan is looking good, nice size tank, good decision to fishless cycle, and I've always prefered planted tanks too.

As for your choice of fish, I also love angels (I've always kept them), but they can really be aggressive and territorial, though maybe in an 80 gal with lots of plants and hiding places you get away with keeping a decent number of them.

Another lovely and definitely peacful fish is the discus. If your tap water isn't too hard and alkaline you could try keeping them with a nice big troop of corys, or maybe some of the more peaceful loaches that also prefer soft, acid conditions like the zebra loach, khuli loach or dwarf loach. And you also need a pleco (every tank has to have a pleco!) of which there are a great variety to choose from to suit your water parameters and aesthetics (I'm partial to the bristlenose pleco and gold nugget pleco).

What ever you decide on, best of luck with your setup (not that you'll need it with your planning though ;D ) and please let us know how it goes, I always love hearing about new tank setups and seeing pics too!

[crackatinny]

Welcome to AC, this is the right spot for any fish advice.

[jman]

Welcome to AC, good luck on what ya find for ya tank.

[Abbeys_Mom]

Welcome to the forum :)

[Severus]

Welcome to AC. Good luck with your tank

[Lady Hobbs]

Welcome aboard. I suggest going with what type of water you have and going from there. You don't want to be having to mess with fish that need different water than what you can provide unless you want to invest further in RO water. Discus and Angels are both soft water lovers but my Angels are doing OK with water at a pH of 7.6. I would be very happy if it was less than 7 tho.

[RoonieRoo]

Thank you for the welcome.

I really like the compatibility link on Tim’s Tropicals. As a native and lifelong Texan I’m afraid that admitting about how ‘dem Cowboys are in my opinion might get me hung out to dry by my neighbors.

Y’all did bring up something that I hadn’t really thought about. My water hardness! I live on the Blackland prairie (AKA: Gumbo or 10 o’clock soil – it’s too wet to work at 9:59 and too dry and cracked to work at 10:01.) That means I’m near the “we love living on limestone” contingent and rather hard water.

As a result, I have a pretty hefty water softener. I can get my water after the softener or before. But I’m not sure what the affect on water chemistry will be for “soft” water that is a result of being run through a water softener.

When we talk about soft water for the tanks, are we talking just about naturally soft water?

RR

[jeffs99dime]

Thank you for the welcome.

I really like the compatibility link on Tim’s Tropicals. As a native and lifelong Texan I’m afraid that admitting about how ‘dem Cowboys are in my opinion might get me hung out to dry by my neighbors.

Y’all did bring up something that I hadn’t really thought about. My water hardness! I live on the Blackland prairie (AKA: Gumbo or 10 o’clock soil – it’s too wet to work at 9:59 and too dry and cracked to work at 10:01.) That means I’m near the “we love living on limestone” contingent and rather hard water.

As a result, I have a pretty hefty water softener. I can get my water after the softener or before. But I’m not sure what the affect on water chemistry will be for “soft” water that is a result of being run through a water softener.

When we talk about soft water for the tanks, are we talking just about naturally soft water?

RR
i also have a home water softener in my house. it does nothing to reduce the actual hardness of the water in aquarium use though. let me guess you have a ph of about 8.0 right?

[Incredulous_Ed]

welcome to ac