Planning a new tank (plenty of questions!)

[Bill Brasky]

I'm looking for a 3rd tank :o

This tank... I don't care how long it takes, but I want it perfect. In short, I'd like either an iwagumi style like so:
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

or something like like this with driftwood:
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

-Now, I'd like to stay in the 36" long department. I find it's the perfect length... I just want something deeper than 12" (and by deeper, I mean from front to back). 18" would be... Zen. I really don't mind how tall it is, just as long as it's not too tall where I'd need to heavily light it to get proper illumination at the bottom. I saw an All-Glass 40g breeder tank that fit these dimensions... but I've yet to see people use that tank. Any reason why not? If it's not appropriate, then what could my other options be?

-I'd be building my own stand for cost reasons.

-I want a damn good planting substrate. SMS, ADA Amazonia, or Eco-Complete. Must be black or close to it. Any suggestions comparing the three?

-Fish wise would be two large schools of Harlequin Rasboras and/or Black Neon Tetras. If I only choose, one, the other would most likely be Cardinal Tetras.

-Plantwise... well, I've yet to get there. I'd be running pressurized co2 and high powered lighting. I want it to look natural of course and I don't want it to look like I threw in a bunch of random plants... which I fear my current 38g tank is looking like.

-Filtration would be canister-type, but I've got *no* clue as to what kind/brand/size to get. Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

Unless I'm missing something huge, that's about it. Any answers will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks all :22: Brasky out.

edited for correct driftwood picture

[Zerileous]

I can't answer many of your questions, but I do really like the thin driftwood that goes all the way up to the top of the tank. I think it gives a very nice 3 deminsional tool.

I'm pretty sure I saw someone over at planted tank.net running a 40g breeder. I can't think of any reason not to. This is an idea thats used more on SW systems, but what would you think about using a sump? This would help you with the "perfect" looking tank because equp would be more hidden. Between heating, pressurized CO2, and filtration I could see it starting to look a little more cluttered.

The idea behind the sump is that there is no equpment in the display tank, just bulkheads. It would require drilling glass, but thats doable with the right bit. Just throwing it out there as something to toss around.

[salman]

You look like you know what you are doing. All i can say is that i like the thin driftwood.

[Bill Brasky]

I can't answer many of your questions, but I do really like the thin driftwood that goes all the way up to the top of the tank. I think it gives a very nice 3 deminsional tool.

I'm pretty sure I saw someone over at planted tank.net running a 40g breeder. I can't think of any reason not to. This is an idea thats used more on SW systems, but what would you think about using a sump? This would help you with the "perfect" looking tank because equp would be more hidden. Between heating, pressurized CO2, and filtration I could see it starting to look a little more cluttered.

The idea behind the sump is that there is no equpment in the display tank, just bulkheads. It would require drilling glass, but thats doable with the right bit. Just throwing it out there as something to toss around.

my reasoning for a breeder style tank is pretty much this:

a 36 inch scape doesn't look nice with only 12 inches of depth... it's not a very proportional tank. 16 inches could work too, but I'd almost have to go with a custom acrylic tank for that... and that's too much $$.

while I like the idea of a sump, i think that's a pain to deal with. I really don't mind the heater i have now hiding behind my amazon swords.

if anything, I'd get a canister filter with a heater in it.. if they make one. I'd most likely use lilly-style glass pipes for intake and outtake. those, along with the c02 diffuser would all I'd really be putting into the tank.

[Zerileous]

sounds good bill,

I bet you could find a way to put your heater in the cannister filter even if they dont make any with heaters in them. I heard of someone turning a can filter into a SW refugum with full lighting!

You could always get an in-line heater too [Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

come to think of it, there are plans to make a DIY in line reactor on this site [Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Bill Brasky]

sounds good bill,

I bet you could find a way to put your heater in the cannister filter even if they dont make any with heaters in them. I heard of someone turning a can filter into a SW refugum with full lighting!

You could always get an in-line heater too [Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

come to think of it, there are plans to make a DIY in line reactor on this site [Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

I wouldn't be using a reactor. I like the diffusers better.

That is, unless there's a massive difference between them in terms of efficiency :o

[Bill Brasky]

Ok so... i researched everything out and I would not even halfway able to afford what I had planned. The hardscape alone would have been over 400 bucks for what I desired. Add that to 150 for a tank, 120 for a filter, 200+ for co2, 100+ for fish, 300 for a stand...

yeah. lots of money.

I can trade in everything I have save for my hardware, which I could sell on Craigslist or on fish forums. This could be used to purchase what I really do want instead of what I was told I want.

I found I really got into this hobby the incorrect way... basically bought anything thrown at me because others told me "it was good" or "looked cool".

Knowing this, would you start everything over? Would you want to do it the right way, the first time?