Tank setup, filter ext

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Good day,
My little niece want to start her own tank. (she is 10)
She asked me to assist with it (she origanally wanted a marine tank, but i thought it's best to go for the cheaper, easier, safer option for now).

The last time that i've had FW fish, i've bought the tank, add water, add fish all in two days.... ;-) Well it work for me at that stage, but i want to do it the correct way this time around.

I've thought about getting one of those little 90l tanks with a plasic canopy.
She will probablly start with some tetras, guppies ext.. (the cheap and hardy fish)

What i need to know is:
1. What filter do we need?
2. How long will the water need to cycle (the water will be fontain water - they stay on a farm)
3. What else must i keep in mind before we go ahead?

thanks
 
Hi Raven - good choice.... for a 10 year old... by the time she's 14, like our youngest member, Ocean, she can start her 1st marine tank :)

Any glass tank, some fine gravel (not the colored gravel) - this will assist with keeping the plants "down" and not float up :)
MANY MANY plants....

And "cycle" the tank with water conditioner and bacteria for at least 48 hours. Then add some angels, live bearers (ie sword tails, mollies, guppies, etc), a school of neons or cardinal tetra's, and some cichlids (ie. gourami's etc)....

REMEMBER: get a external canister filter - will work the best... and good enough lighting to ensure that the plants will grow VERY well....
 
Check out fishgeeks.com

Lots of FW help there
 
no really i will :p

Getting back to the setup. I would either go with a canister filter like Eheim or fluval or the other option is a handon filter - i would only use AquaClear.

.... and for those that didnt know Gouramis form parth of the labarinth fish. they have a crude lung that allows them to breath air
 
yes but if you want to keep plants you also need to put in a proper plant substrate other wise the plants will eventually die
 
I've bought a tank eventually!
The guy from the LFS convinced me to take a undergravel filter...
and the substrate is pool filter sand.
It is a small 60l tank, with only the undergravel filter. Will this be enougth?
Will the plants be ok with this substrate, or must one look at something else.
I'm not always keen on a undergravel filter - but what is the pros and cons of it in a FW system?
 
I've bought a tank eventually!
The guy from the LFS convinced me to take a undergravel filter...
and the substrate is pool filter sand.
It is a small 60l tank, with only the undergravel filter. Will this be enougth?
Will the plants be ok with this substrate, or must one look at something else.
I'm not always keen on a undergravel filter - but what is the pros and cons of it in a FW system?

I reckon you need to join Tropical Aquariums South Africa
 
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