# Ready to get started...more questions?



## KJCos (Feb 13, 2012)

Hi! I visited a few months ago to begin to gather information about starting a new aquarium after 20 years away. It's finally time to get started so I could use some final words of advice on my setup. I have already decided to purchase an Aqeon 45 gallon tank. I want to set up a planted tropical tank without using co2, at least to start with.

I have already purchased the Marineland Double bright LED lighting system.

My thoughts on heating are to purchase 2 Fluval E 100 W heaters. Would anyone suggest differently?

Would 1 Fluval 306 canister filter be sufficient or are two smaller ones better?

What are the best substrate types?

Do you recommend bubblers or airstones?

I will also be purchasing a good water test system. What additives that would be good to have on hand?

I'm hoping to have everything purchased and set up in the next two weeks, then I'll be asking a hundred questions about cycling the tank (fishlessly).

Thanks for any and all advice! I'm excited to get started. :fish-in-bowl:


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## Laurencia7 (May 19, 2012)

Well, many people setup and decorated differently. You will have to play around with it. I started again after college, I was so lonely (in college) for a tank I actually had sea monkeys, and was a little sad when they died. 

IMHO, this is what I use. I have a Jager Heater, they get great reviews. But Fluval products are good too. I have a Fluval C3 and it's a great little filter. I would get one heater for a 45 or over tank. Having two only increases the probability one will stop working. Then again, you would have a back up too. Hmmm.

I have the single bright led from Marineland, it's a great light and the features are good. It might not be bright enough for major plants, but if you start off with some basic plants you'll be fine. My LFS uses them on their coral tanks. 

Go canister, HOBs are noisy and not the best cleaners. 

Substrate is up to you. People use sand for more planted tanks, but it can get in some filters and damage impellers. Gravel is ok, though it doesn't feed plants well. I have river rock gravel in one tank, with plant Seachem Flourite underneath. It's very pretty. Crushed coral is good. Depends on the fish too, if you are going small tropical anything goes. If you are going sucks things too large for my mouth goldfish, get smaller gravel so it doesn't lodge in their throats. Trust me, it happens. 

Bubblers aren't necessary and most of the time are noisy. I would suggest a Powerhead. You can get good water circulation and oxygen into the tank. Many fish prefer them because they can swim against a current. 

The best things to have on hand is a water test kit (liquid kind)
net, Amquel, Prime, Freshwater salt, Bottle Bacteria (works for me)
Tank Vacuum, quarantine tank, Illness care additives should be bought if you see illness, they don't keep well. 

Check out DrsFosterandsmith.com and LiveAquaria.com for deals on some live plants, or here too... and other items. Hope that helped.


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

KJCos said:


> Hi! I visited a few months ago to begin to gather information about starting a new aquarium after 20 years away. It's finally time to get started so I could use some final words of advice on my setup. I have already decided to purchase an Aqeon 45 gallon tank. I want to set up a planted tropical tank without using co2, at least to start with.
> 
> I have already purchased the Marineland Double bright LED lighting system.
> 
> ...


Hello KJ...

Good choice on a tank. I have a 45 G tall that's been up and running for several years. I have several larger tanks too.

Here's what I keep on my 45: A couple of HOBs on opposites sides. I prefer Hagen Aqua Clear filters. I have a couple of AC50s and they work well.

Tall tanks need a bit more light, so I have a Solarmax strip with a 10,000K and 6,700K lamp. The strip includes a little LED lighting. Not sure the LED lights add much. Anyway, the light is a good one.

No airstones. They're not needed unless you really like the bubble effect. They don't add much as far as gas exchange.

I keep low light plants. Anubias nana and nangi, Java fern and Pennywort,
nothing fancy. Just standard pea-gravel for substrate.

Heating is pretty simple, you'll need 4 watts per gallon. A couple of 150 watt heaters will do. Place on opposites sides. "Theo" has a good heater product.

Let's talk tanks. I'm never too busy to chat about the "Waterkeeping hobby".

B


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## AFishNamedCP (Oct 7, 2012)

Another option is to get a 200W inline heater for the external canister.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

For substrate I would go to Tractor Supply and get a product called safe-t-sorb. It cost $5 for 40lbs and is enough to put 3-4" in a 75g. It is a pain to clean, but for the price and the results that numerous people I've read about and the 3-4 tanks I have it in, you can't go wrong for the price. 

For heaters, I use Aqueon Pro if I can. I like mostly that they aren't glass. It is one of the best heaters I have used also and is in nearly all of my tanks. How much wattage you need depends on what the temp difference between the room the tank is in and the temp the tank will be at. If you wanted to do 2, I would put two 100Ws at each end like you mentioned.


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## Laurencia7 (May 19, 2012)

Yeah, My Glass Jager heater makes me nervous. The suction cups aren't the best and it ends up with very little movement tapping the tank glass. I'm worried it may bust one day, but so far ok. 
I have a AC70 on my 50wide, it's not the best, but I have a dud. People love them, I just can't really enjoy them when mine was noisy and defective.


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## catfisherpro (Apr 5, 2013)

I got a fluval heater in a 50g don't remember watts but it a metal looking one I had the same prob wit it tapping the glass so I tied it to the cups clip wit fishing string. Substrate I like the looks of river pebble cause the light reflects off them a lil makes tank look brighter. I also have an elite heater in my ohter 50g it was really cheap an works great had it for a few yrs. Both my heaters are adjustable set to 78.F. I use hob filters an submersible filters in all my tanks. My planted tank has a ug filter hooked with a power head. Planted tank lights are fluorescent light tubes x2. But also have marineland single bright led that I think has 54 led including blues an it works great wouldn't change.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

you all need to go with aqueon pro heaters!They are extruded aluminum and encapsulated in black plastic(for visuall appeal.They also come with a lifetime gaurentee.
Kensfish sells them for less than half the price of petco and damn near half of everywhere else I've ever been.I have around 20 of them and only 1 has acted up and aqueon said to mail it to them and they will replace it!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

^I'm with him! Amazon sells them pretty cheap also.


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## KJCos (Feb 13, 2012)

Thanks for all the advice so far. I'm looking into every suggestion.

Question: I purchased my filter today. I went with the Fluval 206 after the saleswoman convinced me the 306 would be too strong for a live planted tank. Does this sound like good advice? I rationalized I could always add one of the smaller underwater filters I looked at if I needed more filtration.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Never listen to people in the stores. Go with what you feel and do research before you shop. Also, never buy filters from any local store. Chances are you can find it 25-30% cheaper online including shipping. For the price of that filter, I would have much rather had gotten a Eheim 2217. Buy filters for flow and consider the fauna, not the flora.


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## SueD (Aug 4, 2012)

If you use Prime, you would not need Amquel. I also see no need for freshwater salt or bottled bacteria. 

One of the handiest devices would be a water changer like the python or Aqueon water changes. These attach to a faucet to both drain and fill your tank and make water changes so much easier. You'll want to be changing about 20-25 gallons a week.

I use the black Eco complete as a substrate although it's much pricier than the sand options recommended.


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## Laurencia7 (May 19, 2012)

I also would recommend, since it gets overlooked, a good grounded surge protector power strip. That way you can have all those devices plugged in one outlet and be safe too. I think they even make some that are water resistant.


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## AFishNamedCP (Oct 7, 2012)

I thought the fluval 06 series has a flow control valve on them. If that is the case and you were going to run one filter, then in theory you could get the 306 and dial back the flow control a little, if you needed to. But try the 206 and see.

The aqueon water changer is nice. I just got mine and tried it out . I would never use it to put water in to the tank from tap. But it works pretty cool to siphon water out. At least it saves bucket dumping. It comes with different threaded connections. Out of the box it connects to like an outdoor faucet or the inside of an indoor faucet. I have high PSI around 100. And it doesn't leak as long as I have good seal and tight, but it does make me worry with that plastic. one day it is going to burst and water spraying everywhere.... maybe I should get a regulator... add it to the list....


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## erik81 (May 3, 2013)

Laurencia7 said:


> Yeah, My Glass Jager heater makes me nervous.


I got a new Jäger heater for a small (28 gallon) tank used to grow plants...set it to 79F, looked at the thermometer in the tank after a couple of days and the temp was up to 88F. I lifted the heater up, and burned my fingers, dropping it back in the water, the thing actually made that sound you hear when pouring water into a hot frying pan. Unplugged it and took it back out after a couple of hours, it had a crack running through the glass *y2

Jäger got a good rep here, but I won´t be buying them again tbh. This was a bit offtopic...but still :animated_fish_swimm


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## KJCos (Feb 13, 2012)

Thanks to everyone! The tank is officially up and running! I'm still waiting for the majority of my plants to arrive, but I have a few in now and am going to test the water tomorrow to see what to do next.

The hard part is going to be waiting for it to cycle so we can add the fish. I will try to post pictures soon. *w3


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