# New to the hobby setting up 135Gal! Need Advice!



## WegsXXI (Jun 10, 2009)

Hi everyone i am new here and i am setting up a 135 gal tank that i have just purchesed of craigslist and was wondering if you all could help me out on any good tips and suggestions! this is my 1st aquarium i have had little 20 gal before as a kid but those dont count haha! i have been on here for the last month gathering as much reaserch as i can so i know what im doin when i start out! right away it comes with 2 Albino tiger oscars (12") red bay snook(10") and a huge 13" pleco! i am starting with these guys 1st so i can prac a little bit before i buy my piranhas then i will give them to my brother once i my own schol of RB's!

Here is the list of what i will have in my setup!

135 gal glass tank with stand (6x2x2)
Fluval Fx5 Filter
(extra) Fluval 405 filter
2 large power jets
2 air pumps
2 heaters
Python water changing system
(extra) vacum pump & large pond water pump
2 10 gallon tanks with filters and lights 1 for feeder fish 1 for Quarentine
Magnetic glass cleaner
Misc supplies etc. water purify chems..blackwater extract..meds....

i will be using play sand and would like to also use Tahitian Moon so im gunna do 3/4 TM and 1/3 play sand youll have to see pics when i finish it.. and i will be getting some driftwood.. makin some rock caves and have some live plants thinkin some Vals, and some mini swords scattered but not too many and i will also be adding a black background!

So any advice tips or ideas i would really appreciate! i am a noob but i have been coleting info and looking through the forum for 2 months makin sure i get everything right i know about doing water changes and cleaning and cycleing the water shouldnt be a problem since its in use now and i will be setting it up right after picking it up on Saturday...

here is a pic of the setup as of now...

Thanks,Wegs!


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

WegsXXI said:


> Hi everyone i am new here and i am setting up a 135 gal tank that i have just purchesed of craigslist and was wondering if you all could help me out on any good tips and suggestions! this is my 1st aquarium i have had little 20 gal before as a kid but those dont count haha! i have been on here for the last month gathering as much reaserch as i can so i know what im doin when i start out! right away it comes with 2 Albino tiger oscars (12") red bay snook(10") and a huge 13" pleco! i am starting with these guys 1st so i can prac a little bit before i buy my piranhas then i will give them to my brother once i my own schol of RB's!
> 
> Here is the list of what i will have in my setup!
> 
> ...


If you have any more specific questions feel free to ask, but it sounds like your off to a good start.


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## WegsXXI (Jun 10, 2009)

what i was thinking for the sand was cuz its really white and i want some TM i thought it would look cool looking river in the middle with the white sand and i have some obsidian rocks i was gunna places on the sides to seperat it to make a wall look on each side then have TM on either side so that way it wont mix together but im afraid of it getting kicked up and falling and then mixing with it if that makes sense is that what you thought would happen as in it being mixed or do you think my idea might work? .... Has anyone done something like this?

**********8______ 8********
**********8_____ 8********
*********8_____ 8******** <--------- thats kinda the design in thinking with the sides haveing a 2 in high barrier 2 seperate
*******8 _____ 8*********
*******8_______ 8********** 
********8 ______ 8*********
*********8 ______ 8********


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Thats what i was thinkign you were planning. I know people do rock boarders between, however outside the "river" is usually planted so the substrate will not be disturbed. If you dont have plants and the substrate is just open eventually p's will fling it around especially reds as they get spooked farily easily.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

here are some google searches of osmethign like what you want: 
Nitice how plants and large rocks separate the substrates. With sand you have to be even more careful as it gets kicked up easily especially by large fish so unless your planting i wouldnt do the river design. Also sand is not the best option for planting. Eco compleate or somethign liek that would be better if you wanted to plant and would cost similar to TM , but you would need probably better lighting and possibly co2


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## philbert (Mar 8, 2007)

i would do all tahitian moon i have that in my 75 and i like it 100000000x better than the play sand in my 90


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## WegsXXI (Jun 10, 2009)

Yeah id like all Tahitian Moon but i dont wanna spend the money right away since its my 1st i know i will eventually go to that but for now it comes with play sand so i will have to settle for that... but thanks for the advice and the input those tanks look pretty sick!


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## wizardslovak (Feb 17, 2007)

can someone tell me what plants are in this tank??? i love it


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## WegsXXI (Jun 10, 2009)

check this out! pretty sweet setup!

wizardslovak try looking at Aquaticmagic its got alot of diff types of plants im sure you could fig out which ones are in that tank from this site


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

i would just buy the majority of the TM sand then buy a couple bags later to increase the depth . I am currently using play sand and i like it as it looks natural. I spent like 15$ on a 125 gallon substrate so thats not bad.


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## EZmoney (May 13, 2004)

To save money, try brick and mortar stores. there is one by me and they sell a lot more volume for cheap for construction purposes. you can get all sorts of gravel and sand choices.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

gamgenius said:


> To save money, try brick and mortar stores. there is one by me and they sell a lot more volume for cheap for construction purposes. you can get all sorts of gravel and sand choices.


You cant get TM sand there though if he wanted that. I agree though that construction stores are great for gravel. I have a 75 gal with river rocks from a local home depot like store (under 10$) and a 125 with playsand (like 15$). The sand looks natural IMO and i think its better then paying 1$ per pound (TM sand is more then that i think) when you will need over 100lbs. i just think paying 100$ fo a bit of rock from a lfs is a joke. Unless its something special like aquasoil (soils for planting) or even moon sand, there is no need spend so much for the kinds that are most likly rocks from homedepot that were relabled and had their price increased.


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## WegsXXI (Jun 10, 2009)

yeah thats probally what i will do unless i can find a bunch of cheap TM but for now im just gunna find some play sand...


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## shiver905 (May 27, 2009)

This is going to be a P tank. from what i know the sand wont stay divided like that. Its going to be a mess,


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## WegsXXI (Jun 10, 2009)

what you all think if i put a bunch of play sand in and got like 40lbs of TM to sit on top of the play sand so it has 3 inches but the top would be black.... do you think this will work or do you think the play sand will end up mixing up over the TM and make it look funny or would that look kinda cool with a mix of white and black ? any one seen a tank with that before?

just thinking of all the possabillities before i go and buy my sand... Thanks for all the comments so far i appreciate it!


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

WegsXXI said:


> what you all think if i put a bunch of play sand in and got like 40lbs of TM to sit on top of the play sand so it has 3 inches but the top would be black.... do you think this will work or do you think the play sand will end up mixing up over the TM and make it look funny or would that look kinda cool with a mix of white and black ? any one seen a tank with that before?
> 
> just thinking of all the possabillities before i go and buy my sand... Thanks for all the comments so far i appreciate it!


It would mix pretty quickly. Also if you go the play sand route, make sure you wash it good first and its really dusty. I got mine at home depot for like 3-4$ for a 40lbs bag or somethign like that and i spent under 20$ and i had a bag leftover. Its pretty cheap stuff so you could always save up then change it up eventually after you save for TM sand. I wouldnt add play sand if you dont plan on keeping it for at least a year since if you plan on changing it after a coupel months i dont htink its worth it since removing 200lb of sand will take you a couple hours of work. In short, pick one substrate or another orelse they will mix.


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## WegsXXI (Jun 10, 2009)

K thanks for the feedback i think thats what i will do then i also looked at maybe getting some black grit sand from a sand blasting place i saw some on the internet but havent found any down were i live yet...


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

WegsXXI said:


> K thanks for the feedback i think thats what i will do then i also looked at maybe getting some black grit sand from a sand blasting place i saw some on the internet but havent found any down were i live yet...


Im not sure, but shipping on sand may be a bit $. Also make sure its not carbonate (i think). Put a tiny bit in a vinegar solution and if it bubbles dont use it.


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## WegsXXI (Jun 10, 2009)

ive been looking and its about the same as TM so for now i think i will just go with play sand and once i feel like changing it ill have to spend the money on TM id rather spend more and make sure its safe and looks good ya know!


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## WegsXXI (Jun 10, 2009)

yep i just baught 5 bags of TM off ebay for $60 got a great deal and i cant wait to put it in my tank!!!


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