View Single Post
  #9   Report Post  
Old 02-02-2004, 06:35 AM
Kay
 
Posts: n/a
Default 37 gallon aquarium pro's/con's?

Dunter Powries wrote:

Scott wrote in message
news:jkoSb.5775$Ii2.4678@lakeread03...

"Kay" wrote in message
news:ZTTRb.171548$I06.1705747@attbi_s01...

Scott wrote:


I currently have a 29 gallon aquarium setup as a planted community


tank

(20w

fluorescent bulb, no CO2, liquid supplement fertilizer only). I'm
considering purchasing one of those wrought iron stands designed to


hold

2

aquariums. Initially, I was just going to put a 2nd 29 gal tank on the
bottom, but then my LFS showed me a 37 gal tank that would fit on the


top

shelf. So now I'm wondering about using the 37 gal as my new planted


tank

and converting the 29 gal into a non-planted community tank. Are there


any

advantages or disadvantages to a 37 gallon tank over a 29? I asked my


LFS

this question and they only mentioned the issue of getting plants and


fish

that will inhabit the top third of the tank... recommended tapegrass


and

hatchetfish for this.

I also was looking into getting a 55/65w PC flourescent lighting setup


for

my planted tank. If I happen to use a 37 gallon tank then my guess is


I'll

need more lighting, correct?

Thanks for any info,
~Scott



I have a 37 and the height is a problem for plants, I added compact
florecents 65 watts, and can grow all med to low light plants, I'm not
sure If I could grow high light plants would have to upgrade the
lighting I think. I love the tank! I hated the problems witht he plants
and brown algae, but the new lights stopped that. If I were to do again,
I would have just picked the 29, I treat the 37 like a 29 anyways I have
a pair of kribs in it.

Kay


Thanks for the info.

Yeah, I'm now thinking about building a simple canopy(the kind that's


split

in two with a piano hinge in the middle) and installing a 2 x 55w compact
fluorescent kit from AH Supply. Depending on how things worked out, I


might

also consider DIY CO2 for the tank also. Right now I do have a serious
problem with that nasty brown algae that seems to coat just about


everything

in the tank if I don't scrub it off. I really hope the enhanced lighting
from AH Supply helps with that problem.



The Good News: the increased lighting levels will definitely eliminate the
brown algae (diatoms).

The Bad News: if you don't start the CO2 at the same time as the new
lights, you will rapidly encounter all the other kinds.


Hmmm Adding the lights did get rid of the brown algae, but I have no
other algae problem, one thing I did was fill the tank full of plants
lots of them, half of them fast growing plants. I have the light on 12
hours a day.

Kay