Square Or Rectangle

Thanks Sue, that's interesting to know, I'll keep an eye on the initial readings.

Just hunting the internet for large driftwood pieces.  Come across Corbo Root, is that similar and ok for aquariums and attaching plants?

Thanks, going to be avoiding bottom dwellers.

Is the eco complete stuff like sand in that you leave it alone and don’t clean with the syohon or you do as if it were gravel?

Had issues with blue/green algae in small tank due sitting on the stagnant sand.

It's not often I meet someone with harder water than myself (17dH german), and you may find this article helpful
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/fwhardness.htm

  having read a thread elsewhere I had looked up my hardness in my area and I'm afraid (though not a competition) I have water hardness of 18dH German. I have not researched what that means to me yet but I thought I'd wade into this thread as I'm new 

          Edited by Moderator Matt to fix quotation box

Every day is a school day! I have learnt more about my water and chemistry etc today than I ever have. Water is always been hard and I see it every day in my job in the form of limescale. my stepdad has RO Unit installed for his marine tank, I may have to consider mixing my tap water with RO to find the right mix and hardness when I have my group of fish selected.

With a cube tank, it's not exactly square and the distance between each corner is greater than the length of the tank.  The fish have an extra 20% swimming space from back left corner to front right corner but you still use the measurement from front right to front left as tank size fish require?

My tap water is ultra hard so I mix tap/RO water in a 50/50 ratio. This also has the added benefit of halving the nitrate content of the water. I change water on a daily basis (easier for me) to the equivalent of 50% of the tank volume a week.

Thanks all, getting there.

Decided on the Fluval 307 filter, read up on the JBL and Oase BioMaster and many reviews were talking about removing the media and using their own as it wasn't that great.  Not idea when you're spending that sort of money that you then need to change all the insides.

Will keep the heater separate for now so will be hidden in the tank, will need to work out location.

Do plants from Tropica come treated for snails so I can add straight to the tank?

It's imported plants from outside the EU that have to be treated with snail killer. Tropica is a Danish company so if it grows its own plants, they don't need to be treated. It's sellers on Ebay you have to be careful with.




Several years ago a species of apple snail was found in a river in Spain. So the EU banned the import and spreading of all species of apple snail (and strictly speaking, that means if you owned apple snails before the ban, all the eggs had to be destroyed and it is illegal to sell apple snails bred in your own tank). They were also going to ban all plants from countries where apple snails live, but they relented and changed it to all plants from countries where apple snails live must be treated with snail killer. This is so that no apple snail is accidentally introduced into the EU.

Regarding snails on plants... unfortunately i do have to recommend either a) undertaking dips to treat for snails if you get your plants from a shop tank there are a few methods such as the one fcmf uses. Regardless of the quality or source of the plants in question, more often than not, shop tanks have acquired snails over time (customers exchanging their spare plants/trimmings for store credit being one source), and/or b) being very careful with the plants you buy. I cannot recommend Tropica enough here. There are a few growers that do tissue culture plants. Tropica's are the easiest to prepare for planting. These pots are a bit more expensive but contain loads of little tiny plantets that have been grown in lab conditions in a nutrient rich liquid so guarenteed to be snail free. Tropica also do blister packed plants available in Pets at Home. These are not technically guarenteed to be snail free but the chances are very strong they will be. They are growing emergent (out of water) in the packs and therefore often more healthy plants that the ones the shops bring in in bulk. They are also not underwater any any point before they reach you so snails have no chance to lay eggs in anything other than the pot, seeing as you will be removing the pot... there is very little chance indeed of introducing snails.

Final note... if you go for tissue culture plants OR a lots of crypt species (regardless of type, as they commonly 'melt' as they adapt to growing in your tank) get some fast growing 'supporting plants' to see you through the first couple of months as these will suck up any excess nutrients and limit the algae common in new set ups.

Hope that helps! (I'm not sponsored by Tropica by the way... just a genuine recommendation here...)

I plant a tank with the maximum number of plants at startup. It’s easier that way and the plants are beneficial in cycling the tank. Tropica have some brilliant planting ideas on their web site. It’s worth having a look at those for inspiration. They also give you an idea of a plants requirements, if they require CO2 etc.