Need facilitate decide on a reservoir size, and what fish to stock it near?Easy points?
Should I get a 28 gallon, or a 36 gallon bowfront? Also, what should I stock it with/how many? I would love to have a freshwater aquarium.
always get the largest cistern you can keep/afford. The reason is that it gives you more options, easier to preserve, less work and overall looks so much cooler.
As far as what to stock it with it depends on what you like. Some citizens like lots of tiny fish, schools of little tetras etc. Some people similar to a few big fish, a tank of cichlids. Some only like the uncharacteristic shaped, peacock eels. Some people don't even do fish per say and keep lone shrimp/crayfish etc. Other people its all about the plants.
Try these links of google descriptions to ee what you like.
http://images.google.com/images?source=i...
http://images.google.com/images?um=1&hl=...
http://images.google.com/images?um=1&hl=...
Hopefully you can find something you like. have fun!!
As long as you have the space for it, always jump for the bigger tank. Bigger tanks mean more fish, and surrounded by terms of cleaning its just as much of a pain to verbs the 28 gal as it is to clean the 36 gal.
Stocking the tank is really a matter of personal choice and experience even, but I'm a fan of trying to recreate a specific geographic location with my tanks (sometimes call a biotope aquarium), for instance stocking the tank with all South American species close to tetras, cory catfish and sword plants. A great source for biotope ideas is listed in the sources below.
Answers: 36.
The simple truth next to Aquariums is that you should get the biggest one you can afford/find a place for. The reasons:
1) The bigger they are, the easier they are to take perfectionism of.
2) You'll have more room and flexibility to put more types and variety of fish in the tank.
3) More flexibility for looks
If you can get a 75, I'd really recommend that because you can really get into some cool fish at that size (Medium/Large Cichlids!). It really also depends on what kind of fish you're thinking going on for right now. In the 36, you could go with schooling fish or you could progress up to fish that are a bit larger like Gouramis, Rainbows, or smaller Cichlids.
The general rule you want to adhere to for schooling fish is to try to stick near about 1" of adult fish per gallon of tank space. Of course you can crowd the container if you put some live plants and over filter a bit. Fish like Gouramis and Cichlids are a bit different. If you want Africans Mbunas, you're gonna overstock your tank and produce sure you OD on filtration. If you want SA Cichlids, you have to stock based on nouns size. It's more of a trial and error thing. Gouramis you have to watch for territory too depending on the type of gourami.
You will have a period of "break in" while the tank cycles, the hose quality will become somewhat toxic to your fish, google "Fish Tank Cycling".
36, like the first guy said, the bigger the better, not only does it offer more room and choices for stocking but the smaller the cistern the more easily water chemistry changes. If this is your first aquarium you should progress with a basic community tank so you can revise as much as you can through experience. Check out some sites like fishlore.com badmanstropicalfish.com and theaquariumwiki.com to browse through species and do some necessary reading. Many fish do good contained by a community tank, look at some tetras,barbs, gouramis, killifish, cories, guppies, swordtails, mollies, platies, and rainbowfish. If this is your first tank, I wouldnt recommend getting any cichlids (this includes oscars, angelfish and discus), life-size plecos or anything called a "shark"
i propose just buying a 55 gallon set up from wal-mart i mean just stir the extra money it will look nice and it will come with everything except the conditioner, fish,food, and stand but whether you want a nice set-up go for a 55 gallon from walmart Also if you want some neat fish budge with oscars, cichlids or angelfish and if you dont like any of those turn for mollies,platies,guppies,or swordtails they are nice
Bigger, the better. Tropical fish. Get a sort, teras, mollys etc. Or get the 36 and get african cichlids, they are reeally colorful.
