Thanks for the input. I'm also debating (internally) New World vs. African
cichlids. The LFS has some nice little blue Jack Dempsey's (at $37 CDN a
pop!), some Salvini's, and I've always been partial to Firemouths. I had a
breeding pair of Salvini's at one point, but I re-introduced the female to
the male too soon after the second batch of babies, and that didn't go so
well. A breeding pair of the JD's would be cool, although they'd probably
end up the only inhabitants of the tank unless I rigged up a divider, I
think.

Ah, well, I've got time... BTW, what do you use for liquid ammonia? I
imagine it has to be fairly pure, with no funkiness to improve the cleaning
or smell. Also, your idea of a mockup is a good one. This tank will be
more difficult than the others I've set up, as it will (probably) stick out
in the room (i.e two long sides exposed, and a short side), completing a U
shaped desk for me. That's the current plan, although I'll probably end up
doing a mockup of the full tank/stand, and see how that feels first. I'll
also have to negotiate with the kids to not run around with hockey sticks
over their shoulders.

BTW, I read some of your other posts about hoarding filters. If you
stumble across an extra canister filter suitable for an 80 gallon tank, care
to drop me a note? I've got a bid in on a Fluval 404 right now, but you
never know how that's going to go. You're up here in Canada, right?

Clint

"NetMax" wrote in message
...
"Clint" wrote in message
news:QjExe.89629$HI.12050@edtnps84...
initial blurb filtered...

1) (if tank #1): Fill smaller tank with water, load to 5ppm with liquid
ammonia, turn on filter, leave lights off, turn heater on and then leave
it all alone. You now have 3 weeks to get everything else ready.

1-1/2) Ideally you start purchasing your fish from different locations and
putting them into bare-bottom quarantine tanks. Three weeks is a nice
quarantine. With other tanks running you significantly shorten and
simplify your cycle (as you know).

2) Plan logistics, tank location, filters, access for servicing, southern
sun exposure to avoid, stand, floor, GFI electrical power, access to water
etc.

3) Decorate. Visit construction sites, sign wavers to wander their lots
and bring home trunk/trailer loads of rocks. For large tanks or lots of
rockwork, avoid the LFS. Even quarries have better prices, including
gravel (depending on how you're buffering of course).

4) Lay down a thin sheet of styrofoam and start building the rockwork. At
the same time, plan/install all return/intake pipes, plastic/silk plants
and plan how the water will flow through the tank. I once build a
cardboard mock-up and built everything there, took pictures and then
transferred the design to the real tank. Takes longer but it's easier on
the back and safer on real glass. Note however that I'm a twisted
fish-aholic, and you shouldn't necessarily be listening to my advice ;~)

5) Fill with water, adjust heaters, turn on filters and let run a couple
of days. Then move aged filters (or media) from smaller tank. Introduce
between 100 and 120% of the fish quantity that you want as juveniles. It
might cost you a few hundred, but then you generally only need to spend
money on food, which is not so bad. If you can't introduce them all at
the same time, then do it in order of smallest/weakest/least territorial
to largest/strongest/most territorial added at night.

That's what works for me (but I do usually use quarantine tanks). However
there are lots of different ways to do it, as you will soon hear about.
Also your source of fish can be friends, clubs and online purchasing, all
of which would probably result in healthier fish to start with.

ps: from concept to completion, my bigger tanks take about 3 months, so
you might be planning this just right.
--
www.NetMax.tk