fish tank design?

Question

I bought a 40 gallon tank but I really need help designing my tank. Can anyone help me design the tank. What kind of plant or rock should i use. Is there any place where you can buy lives plants, cave, rocks for a good price around $1-$15.

Answer 1

You should be able to find things locally at a fish or pet store. You might find more variety by shopping online, but you may have to pay even more for the shipping.

You don't mention if this is a fresh or saltwater tank, so that makes a difference in what you should or shouldn't use. Generally, for freshwater, you can use any rock that's inert (won't react with the water) like slate, some sandstones, quartz, obsidian, agate, and others you see for sale in pet stores. Using rocks you find isn't always a good idea, because these may have minerals or metals that dissolve and will affect your water quality. For saltwater, you would do best to find rocks with a carbonate base, like reef rock, travertine, or lace rock.

What plants you can use will depend on your lighting. Some freshwater plants (Java fern, Java moss, Anubias) are good for beginners, because they don't require a lot of light. In saltwater, you'll need more than the standard bulbs that come with an aquarium to keep most plants alive. A compact fluorescent or T-5 lighting system would be the minimum to use. Most plants in saltwater are algaes, and caulerpa, chaetomorpha, and gracillaria are some of the ones to keep here.

Here's a website where you can find a lot of items sold for both fresh and saltwater tanks: http://www.thatpetplace.com/ If your pet/fish store doesn't carry something you like, most will be happy to order it for you (that way you can save the cost of shipping!).

Here's a website you can look through for ideas: http://www.ratemyfishtank.com/

And if you're handy and like do-it-yourself projects, see this link: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_list.php

Some common plants and the tank conditions needed: http://faq.thekrib.com/plant-list.html

And this might give you some ideas as well: http://www.peteducation.com/index.cfm?cls=16

Answer 2

Congrats on the tank.!!!!!! Now be to blame.... in case you learn purple tail sharks you will discover out they have not any corporation being in a ten gallon tank. Aswell they are between the meanest fish you need to purchase and could chase each and every fish interior the tank. those are college backyard bully fish. i do no longer think of you go with that.. a ten gallon is sweet for a pair fish in basic terms yet thats ok.... positioned too many fish in and your tank would be alot of artwork... i discover darkish gravel (black sand is my renowned) rather brings out fish colorings and hides fish waste. bypass to the keep, see a fish oyu like and write down its call, bypass abode and learn it, then bypass purchase it notwithstanding if that's an outstanding determination. that's the only thank you to purchase fish..... you need to get a small college of tetras (5-6) and a honey gourami. endler livebearers stay small and are magnificent... a pair of german rams could be ok and that they are rather colourful good success!!!!!

Answer 3

Red shale is a great way to make a natural looking cave. It costs anywhere from $1-$3 a pound depending on what store you go to.

Driftwood also makes a nice addition to any tank. I go into the woods or to a lake to get my wood. Just make sure to boil it before adding it to the tank.
Another method to treat it (though I'm unsure of its effectiveness), is to submerge it into a tub of saltwater (using marine salt). I set mine at a specific gravity of 1.060 (3 times more saltier than the ocean).

Here are some pics of my tank setups:

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z1/ryan98012/P1010028.jpg

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z1/ryan98012/P1010036.jpg

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z1/ryan98012/P1010044.jpg

Answer 4

big als is a specicalty chain store for fish. Reasonable prices, great quality and some educated salsepeople for a change. You can shop online for all of your non live stuff

www.bigals.com