Author Topic: Need to buy a new tank - need recommendations (Read 50897 times) 86 replies

Nan · « **on:** April 13, 2019, 03:51:03 PM »

Hi. I've had fish for years, but recently moved to the UK from the USA and had to leave all but my tiny 5 gallon tank behind. It is now home to a rapidly-expanding swarm of albinor corys, so it's time to upgrade.

I am looking to start up another tank here (60 to 70 litre, nothing huge) and am unfamiliar with almost all of the brands of tanks on offer at the shops. (They're a lot more expensive here, too!)

I want a glass tank, a traditional one (no curved edges). I prefer a minimal cover, not one of the big rounded ones. It will be sitting on an exceptionally sturdy, reinforced table so I don't want one of those MDF-board cabinets that they keep trying to sell me at the petshops. I'll be using an in-tank filter, not one of the drip-from-the-lid ones. The Fluval tanks are lovely, but I don't want to have to deal with the in-tank filter system (etc.) when it fails. Just want a traditional 4-glass-walls tank. With a lid, preferably, although I can always get a pane of glass cut to cover. I am wanting something of good quality that won't break the bank.

I found a few that seem to tick off all the boxes, but know nothing about the quality of the tanks. Can anyone advise, or recommend one of these or some other brand?

Ciano Aqua60
Juwel Primo 60 or 70
Tetra AquaArt (have seen some reviews about the lighting being exposed to moisture and failing early?)
Tetra Starter Line (54 or 80 litre)
Aqual One (76 litre)
EHEIM aquastar 54 LED

Thanks so much!

Sue · « **Reply #1 on:** April 13, 2019, 04:08:05 PM »

Have you considered the Eheim aquapro LED tank? The 84 litre version has the same footprint as some smaller tanks (60 x 40 cm) and it does not have a filter in the hood but instead uses the Eheim aquaball filter. I used these for many years till I got my 180 litre tank and changed to the similar Eheim Biopower.
https://www.eheim.com/en_GB/products/aquariums/starter-kits/aquaproled

I can't find any reviews though.

I used to have a 54 litre Eheim aquastar back when they used fluorescent lights, which meant a much taller lid than the LED tanks. The only reason I got rid of it was that we altered the kitchen and there was no longer any place for it to go

The only downside I could find to my old tank was that it may have been called a 54 litre tank, but that was the amount of air it displaced not the volume of water it could hold. The quoted volume included the thickness of the glass and the gap above the water. This seems to be a common feature of modern tank manufacturers.

Nan · « **Reply #2 on:** April 13, 2019, 04:18:24 PM »

Had not seen the Aquapro, will check it out. Thanks.

Robert · « **Reply #3 on:** April 14, 2019, 08:29:56 AM »

There's quite a good range on Amazon from all manner of suppliers, with reviews and all sorts. Might save a bit of digging around too

fcmf · « **Reply #4 on:** April 14, 2019, 10:08:00 AM »

Also take a look at https://www.completeaquatics.co.uk/aquarium-accessories/aquarium-tanks-and-cabinets where, in the menu bar on the LHS, you can narrow down choices by all sorts of factors including size of tank, etc.

Nan · « **Reply #5 on:** April 14, 2019, 11:25:06 AM »

Hi. I have no problem locating the tanks, thanks, but am looking for personal recommendations from people who have used them.

fcmf · « **Reply #6 on:** April 14, 2019, 04:50:30 PM »

Ah right - gotcha.

I have a Hagen Marina 54-litre. However, these are no longer manufactured, so I probably wouldn't recommend purchasing one for that very reason. You mention a couple of size variations of one of the tanks - if there's any scope for the bigger version, then go for that. I'm not sure if any of the tanks you mention have bow fronts but I have also read reviews about bow-fronted tanks being more prone to springing leaks, so possibly best to avoid if you have that option.

Nan · « **Reply #7 on:** April 14, 2019, 06:16:07 PM »

Thanks! Yeah, I'm not a bit fan of bow-fronts. Some of the tanks I saw with wrap-around glass (only two vertical seams instead of four) were touted as being less likely to leak, but I really don't like the look of them at all. I'm really just wanting an old-fashioned rectangular tank, maybe two-foot, absolutely no more than a three-footer. Something I don't have to worry about blowing a seam out in the middle of the night or when I'm out of town.

I really don't want much over 60 to 70 litres, but it seems like the choices are few at that size and then the next "usual" size is 125L. That is really too big for me. For many years I had a 10 US-gallon tank and was happy with it. I'm now running a little 5 US gallon tank - thought I was going to get a betta and ended up with corys. And more corys. I changed the water yesterday and there are now MORE cory eggs! (Obviously there's nothing wrong with the water!)

The 5 gallon tank will be recycled to be a hospital or nursery tank. We are in rented accommodation and the floor in the living room is laminate and a bit springy, so I don't want to put too much weight on it in a small area. And, while I really do enjoy the fish, I don't want to have to maintain a huge bathtub of a tank.

It's going to be heavily planted and sparsely populated. (Mostly by corys, at this rate!)

I do have an aquarium book from the 1940s that has plans for build-your-own models. (My father was seriously into the hobby and built at least one of the ones we had when I was a child.) I could do that, but would rather not as I don't have the tools and by the time I assembled a tank it would cost as much for tools and supplies as just purchasing one pre-fab'd. That would have a warranty.

Which leads me to: Do you know any websites that rate tanks? The only ones I found were affiliated with Amazon marketing (when I checked the fine print) and the makers of some of the tanks. Is there an unbiased hobbiest-based review website anywhere?

Sue · « **Reply #8 on:** April 14, 2019, 08:18:03 PM »

Try Practical Fishkeeping magazine. I've read reviews on their website, though looking for them is not easy....

Nan · « **Reply #9 on:** April 15, 2019, 10:19:08 AM »

Quote from: Sue on April 14, 2019, 08:18:03 PM

Try Practical Fishkeeping magazine. I've read reviews on their website, though looking for them is not easy....

Thanks!

Nan · « **Reply #10 on:** April 25, 2019, 09:07:10 PM »

So we bought a 60 litre Juwel and are happy with it. Thanks for all the help.

It came with a filter, heater, light, and lid for £91 and free delivery. That should hold us nicely until we move into someplace with a more sturdy floor.

Sue · « **Reply #11 on:** April 25, 2019, 09:20:33 PM »

Juwels are nice tanks, I used to have Rio 125.

What does the filter have inside it? You may not need to use some of the media. And if it is anything like the Rio, ignore the instructions when they say to change the media every few months

Nan · « **Reply #12 on:** April 26, 2019, 11:40:26 PM »

It says it's a Juwel Bioflow Filter: Filter media and replacement schedule - Poly Pad, Carbon Sponge, Nitrax 3.0, Sponge Fine 3.0. We will be moving over our small swarm of Albino Corys once the tank cycles, and will probably get a few Cardinals and/or generic Tetras. I don't want to overload the tank. Not familiar with the filter, so I hope it'll do. If not, I have a spare Tetra Whisper I can add to it.

We just got a sturdy stand set up for it yesterday, and now are in search of sand. On the advice of the guys at Swell Aquatics I've ordered some CaribSea Eco Complete Planted Aquarium Substrate to put in the back of the tank, where we intend to plant heavily. The gent said it was what he used in his own tank and would not hurt our Corydoras. Now we need to find some nice smooth black sand to put in the front half of the tank. I am completely unfamiliar with the brands here. Can you recommend one that would not hurt the Corys? We hope to put a bit of bogwood in the middle (or perhaps some rocks) and plant around that, but basically leave the front of the tank open sand for the Corys to play in. Back in the States we had a nice black sand that had just a hint of a gold glimmer to it that my daughter wants to replicate here. I'm not seeing anything like that, so just a good deep black sand that's not sharp would do?

Sue · « **Reply #13 on:** April 27, 2019, 08:37:50 AM »

Black sand is very hard to come by, a lot of so-called black sand looks grey or brown when wet. I once tried to get some and ended up getting sand coloured sand. There may be more brands now though. Make sure it is smooth for the cories as a lot of so-called sand is really tiny sharp gravel. Rub some between your fingers to check it.

You have the choice of doing a fishless cycle on the new tank using a bit of old media from your current tank to help kick start the cycle or move all the old media and the fish across to the new tank at the same time. The old media should be placed in the new filter near the beginning of the direction of water flow, leaving out some of the new media if necessary. Then add more fish slowly as you would for a fish-in cycle.

As for the Juwel filter, they are actually good filters.
Regarding the media: -
You don't need to run carbon full time so leave the black sponge in the cupboard - use the space for old media. Keep the black sponge for removing medication after treatment if the fish ever get sick.
The white pads are first in the direction of water flow and are designed to stop bits of debris getting to the rest of the media. They clog quickly and won't wash more than a couple of times before going holey. Get a length of filter wool/filter floss from a roll and use one of the white pads to cut it to shape. It's much cheaper than buying Juwel pads. Many shops sell filter wool on a roll, especially those that also sell pond stuff. Or Amazon/Ebay.
Juwel say to change the media frequently. Apart from the white pad which needs changing every couple of weeks, the sponges and cirax will last for years. The sponges need changing when they go into holes or won't go back to shape after squeezing; cirax only needs changing when it starts to crumble.

Nan · « **Reply #14 on:** April 27, 2019, 09:52:26 AM »

Cool! Good to know that about the filter. I've been using a Tetra Whisper filter for years, and can't get the replacement cartridges over here without paying international shipping, so I've been re-using them by taking the carbon out and replacing it with carbon I've bought bulk here. It works decently enough, but it'll be nice to have a filter that's running on UK current rather than a transformer!

We are in Glasgow. I have found three aquarium stores that I can get to by bus without much trouble. One is Maidenhead/Fishkeeper Aquatics down in Braehead. When we were out there a few weeks ago they didn't have much in the way of substrate. I do want to see the sand before buying it, so that's kind of a problem. There's a little shop on Dumbarton Road here in Glasgow that we visited, but the same applies - he didn't have much in the way of substrate in there at all (mainly just very healthy-looking fish). There is one on a bus route out to the Forge shopping center that I'm going to try in a couple of days, and I think there may be a couple more in Paisley Road, but they are harder for us to get to.

I bought the CaribSea sight unseen at the recommendation of the guy at Swell, and it's not at all what we want for the look of the overall aquarium (it's too big), but as we do want to heavily plant an area and it's supposed to be very good for that, we're not unhappy with it. It's supposed to come in some sort of microbial broth that is to help kick-start the cycle. (Not convinced I should't wash the stuff before putting it in the tank anyway.) I asked Swell if there was any way to get samples of the sand they carried and they said there was not.

I had found this site https://www.best-pets.co.uk/trade/catalogue?scid=813 that has two black sands on it. Again, I hate to order on the internet as it's a gamble that what arrives will not be suitable and then I'm stuck with it. I wonder if anyone reading this might know of a good, safe brand of sand? When we got our last batch of black sand it was out of a bulk bin in our aquarium shop in the States, so I don't know the brand. (The shop is out of business now.) It was a lovely deep black, with just a few glints of gold here and there. (We didn't think to try to dry it out and bring it with us!)

Sue · « **Reply #15 on:** April 27, 2019, 10:11:16 AM »

I know from reading that HOBs are more common in the US than in the UK. And that so many of them just have carbon filled cartridges like yours - the usual recommendation is to replace the cartridges with sponge as you don't need to use carbon except to remove old medication once treatment has finished.

Since you intend planting heavily you don't need to do a fishless cycle.
Set up the new tank and wait till you know the plants are OK. Then cut the bag from the old cartridge, throw away the carbon and place the bag in the new filter where the black sponge is supposed to go. And move the fish and any decor in the old tank at the same time.
There will be bacteria on the bag and any decor. yes, you will lose the bacteria on the carbon, the old substrate and the walls of the old tank but provided there are a good number of plants, they'll remove any ammonia the bacteria don't get.
Once you know ammonia and nitrite are staying at zero, get the first batch of new fish.

That bulk buy carbon - keep it in the cupboard not the filter

Carbon is a hangover from decades gone by, we don't need to use it. Its only use is for removing old medication once treatment has finished. If you find you need it, just put some in a mesh bag in the filter.

Nan · « **Reply #16 on:** April 27, 2019, 11:33:31 AM »

Nice to know that you have good water here.

The water I was filtering in the USA had everything from arsnic to rocket fuel in it. (Yes, seriously.) Granted, they were in minute quantities, but that made the carbon a necessity.

I also have a little Eheim sponge filter going in the 5 gallon now and it's working very nicely.

Sue · « **Reply #17 on:** April 27, 2019, 11:56:02 AM »

Do you intend keeping the 5 gall running?

I know that most of Scotland has very soft water (though I have no idea if that includes Glasgow

) If you do have soft water it's perfect for most tetras.

Nan · « **Reply #18 on:** April 27, 2019, 12:18:53 PM »

Yes, I think I'll keep it going. We have the big tank out in the living room, and will but putting all the baby corys in it (there are 10). I'm going to keep the older corys here in the 5 gallon in my bedroom. I'm rather fond of them - they are such great personalities. But for now I've got two filters going in there just because there are so many fish, and am doing partial water changes every few days, and testing religiously. I didn't have another electrical outlet to put the air bubbler on, but I'm thinking it's not needed, really.

We have very soft water here - it's amazing. Not only for fish, but for us - I've had to relearn how to do laundry and get a different hair shampoo, but it's totally worth it. Our "old" water was heavily mineralized and left lime scale everywhere. So my kid's got great strong teeth, but I've spent a fortune on special shampoos, getting pipes unclogged, and getting coffeemakers serviced!

Sue · « **Reply #19 on:** April 27, 2019, 12:31:25 PM »

To be honest, 5 gallons (19 litres) is too small for adult cories. You would be better using it as a grow out tank for the babies.

What species are the cories? C pygmaeus need a tank with a footprint of 18 x 12 inches (45 x 30 cm); the other two dwarf species C habrosus and c hastatus need 24 x 12 inches (60 x 30 inches). The larger species need 31 to 36 x 12 inches (80 to 90 x 30 cm)

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Need To Buy A New Tank - Need Recommendations

Need To Buy A New Tank - Need Recommendations

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