Setup questions

[Ben555]

Hi all,

I have just inherited a 90x45x45 tank from a friend.

The sad thing is that I have only the tank and nothing else.

I am requesting the folks here for advice on what are the brand and specifications of filters, lighting system and chiller I should be considering if I would like to start a planted tank.

Thanks
Ben

[JadeIceGreen]

Hi all,

I have just inherited a 90x45x45 tank from a friend.

The sad thing is that I have only the tank and nothing else.

I am requesting the folks here for advice on what are the brand and specifications of filters, lighting system and chiller I should be considering if I would like to start a planted tank.

Thanks
Ben

There is really too much information to be answered in a single thread. Many of us have our favourite brands based on personal experience and budget constrains. I strongly suggest you do a little searching in this forum and also some reading up on the internet, then you will more or less find out what fits you best.

Many of us learnt everything we know from the internet so its very possible.

[tawauboy]

generally the filter flowrate should be sufficient to turnover your tank volume 3x/hour. ie. tank volume is 10 litres, then flowrate is 30litres/hour. a popular brand is eheim. do visit a fish shop to check out the brands available and prices.

for lighting, there are fluorescent, mh and led. again check with any fish shop.

this should get you started.

[Xianghao]

you generally do not need a chiller for a planted tank unless you are keeping fauna that require cool temperature to survive i.e. crystal red shrimp. What is probably more necessary is a CO2 system, good substrate (ADA and GEX are good brands to consider), and also for plenty of inspiration go take a look at the aquascaping section of the forum. Beware getting poisoned by some of the hobbyist around here.. heh heh.

[trece]

well to start off, many of these would depend on what you want to do with the tank and how much you are willing to invest into this hobby. heater/chillers shouldnt be needed unless you are keeping fish and plants sensitive to temperature, and/or you are intending to put the tank in a place that may experience wild temp changes eg aircon at night.

when starting an aquarium you need to think of the setup itself (base fert, gravel, rocks, wood, plants and any other decor you wish to put in), lights and filtration. if you are really into planted it would be good to have a CO2 supply to keep your plants looking decent. lights and filtration have been touched on by the others. eheim is most probably the favourite when it comes to filters, and i dont think theres alot to say about lighting 'brands', but there quite a few types of bulbs. i think (correct me if im wrong) that PL and MH are more common for planted tanks... and you should check on lighting requirements of the plants you're getting.

theres a sticky in the beginners corner which may be able to help. serves as a checklist as well. http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=16813
and this for the equipment (the previous link has a link to this as well) http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ead.php?t=4036

and i recommend you start by taking some time to surf the net looking for random sites on aquarium, and also scrolling through the countless threads in the forum which you could use for reference.