Will this set-up work?

Pretty much explains itself really. If you have questions about tank set-ups, tank furniture, (caves etc) chuck them in here!

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zcat
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Will this set-up work?

Post by zcat »

What are your thoughts? And lots of newbie questions!!!

-40 gallon
-Emperor 400 filter (came with the tank I don't know much about the quality of this filter it is supposed to turn over 400 gph)
-Aquaclear 70 power head with little bubble attachment set to create very tiny bubbles and the additional filter attachement)
-small gravel substrate (I just like the look of gravel)
-African root driftwood, lots of smooth river stones as well as quartz rocks to create hidey places
-4 pleco tube style pottery caves with one end sealed
-fake and real plants


Do I have enough filtration? Should I add an additional canister filter?

How deep should the power head be? Mid-tank level? Lower? Should the jet be positioned to shoot horizontally across the tank, or deflect off the front or back glass?

Thanks!
>^..^<

Cory
Des
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Post by Des »

Hi Zcat,

Welcome to the forum,

1) 40 gal is fine.

2) Regarding the filters ,I am not familiar with the Emperor 400 or with the Aquaclear 70.
For my 25 gal zebra tank ,I use an Aquaclear 301 (for 30 gal tank) with Venturi which is rated, with air ,480ltr p/h or 127 US gal p/h, to run a small partitioned undergravel filter with small baked clay balls (used in pond filters). I also use an additional air operated sponge filter.

3) Small gravel substrate. My personal choice is bare bottomed but sand is preferable to gravel. With bare bottomed ,it is easy to see any uneaten food and therefore remove it. Although there are 1 or 2 here using gravel ,I have had bad experiences before with uneaten food getting stuck in the gravel, therefore polluting the water and killing the fish.

4) Driftwood (make sure it is well washed/soaked) and stones are fine.

5) Pottery cave are fine.

6) Fake and real plants are ok, but real plants may not do well at 84 degrees F which is the optimum for zebras, although you could use plants suitable for a Discus set up, which tolerate higher temps. I use Duckweed and Indian fern as floating plants, mainly as a nitrate "filter" and provide some cover.

7) The output of my powerhead is about 4.5" to 5" below the waterline, shooting horizontally across the tank. This allows me to do a water change without switching off the powerhead.

Regards,
Des.
zcat
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Post by zcat »

Great, thanks for the feedback!

3)If I switch to a sand substrate is that something that can still be cleaned with a gravel vacuum? How does one clean sand?

4)Everything is well soaked and washed and the tank is currently running with a handful of small rainbows. And all seems to be okay.

6)I've noticed that my live plants aren't thriving so well. The tank is at about 82 right now, but I thihk the real culprit may be the lighting. I didn't go overboard on lighting rated for plants like I have in my other tanks. So I think it might be too dim for them. I do have some Java Moss attached to the caves and I'm hoping it takes hold.

Many thanks!
>^..^<

Cory
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McEve
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Post by McEve »

I seem to be completely unaable to get javamoss to grow in my Zebratanks. It grows like mad in the cooler tanks though, but it seems to me that 29C is just too much for them. Java Fern on the other hand is well suited, and I even got Amazon Sword plants thriving in the Zebratanks. It's a year and a half since they were planted now.

I believe Anubias would do fine, and some types of Cryptocorynes as well.

I have sand in all my tanks. I believe you take away an important part of the Zebra's natural behaviour when they don't have sand - digging, often they stir up a sand storm when showing off :lol:

This is only my opinion though, I know several people prefer bare bottom tanks - I just disagree with the reasons to have it, and as long as we can't ask the Zebras what they prefer then each will do what they find best :)
Des
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Post by Des »

zcat,

McEve has answered most of your other queries.
Like she says everyone has their own preferences and reasons for choice of substrate.
Sand can be cleaned with a gravel cleaner, but make sure that you do not have it too thick where you can get an anerobic layer at the bottom. I think some who use sand use a 1cm layer.
I think the average lighting for a planted tank is 2 watts per gal.

Regards,
Des.
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