Want to start 38cm cube

[mihkaail]

Hi guys, im hoping to get work over the weekends next month or so. If i do, im gonna start a 38cm cube (will fit perfectly on a bedside console.

Anyway, am planning on 2 36w lights (all i can afford; already that'll be $236. Also, planning to have an AC500 (will that be enough? im using an AC200 on my pico). Not sure about the skimmer yet but if i do, i think itll be a basic air driven one. Anyone have any comments on whether i should have a skimmer? Btw, also gonna get a couple of smaill pumps for circulation.

Planning to do either a softie tank or a mixed softie/lps tank. Any suggestions on fish? Was thinking of a pair of clarkiis or pink skunks if i can get my LFS to put a hammer/frogspawn/sacrophyton into their fish tanks. Would really want a carpet anemone but theyre really costly here (ie 300-600each). Hoping to have the clowns hosting SOMEHING. If not i dunno what to get. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

[skipm]

Sounds like a good plan so far. I would use the tank dimensions to size the hang on with, I am not sure but it seems to me the an AC 500 is really wide so it may not fit.
Are you going to build the tank yourself? Keep us posted on its progress. Good luck, Skip

 

[incysor]

I think the AC 500 may be too big...It takes up most of the back of my wife's 10g. I'll measure it when I get home if that'll help. Just doing a quick google of it, I wasn't able to find the dimensions for it.

B

 

[mihkaail]

Hi, guys

Found an internet dealer in OZland selling filters. May not go with the AC500. Here are prices for it and the alternatives. Any opinions?

104 Fluval Canister Filter - $132.50
AquaClear 300 - $108.96
AquaClear 500 - $175.95
Eheim Liberty 200 - $69.95

I know stuff year costs lots, so dont rub it in

Anyway, do you guys think i can get away running a liberty 200 on a 12gallon? (sorry, im a staunch believer in german technology, eheim rules!) For some reason, the AC500 just cost SO DAMN MUCH!

 

[incysor]

Hi, guys

Found an internet dealer in OZland selling filters. May not go with the AC500. Here are prices for it and the alternatives. Any opinions?

104 Fluval Canister Filter - $132.50
AquaClear 300 - $108.96
AquaClear 500 - $175.95
Eheim Liberty 200 - $69.95

I know stuff year costs lots, so dont rub it in

Anyway, do you guys think i can get away running a liberty 200 on a 12gallon? (sorry, im a staunch believer in german technology, eheim rules!) For some reason, the AC500 just cost SO DAMN MUCH!

So order it online. Here's one I found that's new on Ebay, but I'd think some of the larger companies would ship to Australia.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... eName=WD1V

 

[mihkaail]

Hi, thanks incysor for the link, am asking the seller how much it costs to ship here. But really, in your opinion, do you think i could use an AC 300 or Liberty 200 on a 38cm cube?

Secondly, have already started to think about inhabitants (getting ahead of myself, i know). Was thinking either a peir of clowns of a couple of firefish. What do you guys think. Id really want the clowns to host a hammer or something. Will try to ask LFS to let me place the hammer in a clown tank for a while to see if they'll except it.

Have you had a pair of clowns in your tank before? Does any "interesting pair behavior" occur? Im really looking for that, cos if i cant get that behavior, then i might go with the firefish instead.

 

[incysor]

Hi, thanks incysor for the link, am asking the seller how much it costs to ship here. But really, in your opinion, do you think i could use an AC 300 or Liberty 200 on a 38cm cube?

Secondly, have already started to think about inhabitants (getting ahead of myself, i know). Was thinking either a peir of clowns of a couple of firefish. What do you guys think. Id really want the clowns to host a hammer or something. Will try to ask LFS to let me place the hammer in a clown tank for a while to see if they'll except it.

Have you had a pair of clowns in your tank before? Does any "interesting pair behavior" occur? Im really looking for that, cos if i cant get that behavior, then i might go with the firefish instead.

I've had 4 sets of clowns now. One true perc pair, the rest have been ocellaris. They're playful, but I'm not sure how interesting the behavior is.
I finally have a pair that I think may start to lay eggs, which will indeed be cool, but none of my others ever got to that stage.
I haven't tried the skunk clowns, either orange or pink, but they're supposed to pretty much want to host everything.

B

 

[mihkaail]

Great input. Thats just what i wanted to hear where did you hear that skunks want to try to host almose anything? I would really love clowns hosting a euphyllia in my tank .

I think that percs and oscellaris swim in an "interesting" fashion but they seem to be less likely to host anything but a real anemone. The LFS has a pair of pink skunks for a while (hasnt been selling) but they seem a little non-interactive. I also like the look of almost any clarkiis and A. ephippium but i have yet to see those in pairs.

 

[mihkaail]

Hi, new modifications to the idea.

I went to a guys place today and he had great display and frag tanks with all parameters at 0. His method was just super powered skimmers, and LR. nothing else, no charcoal, no chemipure, no nothing!

So, may incorporate skimming into the design. Hope i can explain this well.

So, the design calls for a 35cm cube. slighlty smaller cos extra stuff has to sit in the compartments. Anyway, we do a shelf/gutter behind half the tank. How? we have the back wall 30mm lower than all others and silicone in a shelf about 50mm below the 320mm pseudo back wall and a real back wall of 350mm.

Then, in the other half, ill make the same dimensions as the gutter but as deep as the tank itself. This will be where the skimmer sits. Havent exactly worked out the design of the skimmer but that guy i mentioned is nice and willing to help.

What do you guys think? in the shelf, i will put the heater, and probably some chemipure. Any comments/suggestions?