# Help with 42 gallon low budget tank



## newt767 (Jun 27, 2008)

Hello everyoneroud:I have recently came into a 42 gallon tank that the last owner of my house just left here :eek5:.I want to set it up and get it going instead of how I have been using it now (holding frog spawn from my pond).But I don't have a huge budget so I can't afford anything really expensive eg c02.So I just want to have a low tec tank can I get bit of advice on what plants I should get ,what lighting I should get ect?.I've already made a community (tell me if there is somthing wrong with it) 2 paired angle fish,2 bristle nose cat fish,6 yoyo loaches,5 sterpas cory,5 bleeding heart tetras, 5 platies or mollys (going to raise the number to 10 with breeding) and maybe, if I can fit them a few otos or shrimp.I want to make the theme amazon by the way

thanks:biggrin:

chris:fish:


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## Amazonfish (Oct 20, 2009)

I'm new to this forum, so i can't help too much, but there's a sticky in this section about low light plants. I read through it and that helped me a lot as far as plants go. There's a lighting forum also. You can use to search function to find threads that may help for lighting. Sorry that I couldn't help more, but congrats on the tank!


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I think picking out your light fixture is probably your first challenge. Since you don't want to go with pressurized CO2, you'll need a fixture that will give you just the right amount of light- not too much, but not too little...

What's your budget like, and what fixtures are available to you? ('fraid I don't know what brands and all are available in London...?)


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## newt767 (Jun 27, 2008)

I' not entirely sure what my budget is because I'll be getting most of it at the end of the year or in 2010


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## newt767 (Jun 27, 2008)

I just read something on ripariums and they sound really intresting,would I be able to have my community if I turn my tank into a riparium.And are ripariums low tec


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

I dont think you could keep all the fish if you turned it into a riparium, but I highly recomend that you start one. I am also starting a 20g rip, and it is a great low budget planted tank. 

Regards,
Jake


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## newt767 (Jun 27, 2008)

Ripariums look really cool,I have researched them a bit more.I love the swampy,riverside look:smile: but could you tell me if my tank is suitable for making a riparium.I'll post pictures tommorow


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## newt767 (Jun 27, 2008)

Couldn't get the pictures up.But I changed my mind about a ripariums,I still think they look nice,but they look really hard to make,and i am terrible at planting:redface:.Are there any other suggestions?



please reply

thanks

EDIT:by the way I decided to go with DIY C02


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## topfrog007 (Dec 30, 2007)

For a low tech tank, this method is a great option: 
http://www.barrreport.com/articles/433-non-co2-methods.html

Since you are on a budget may I suggest buying things used/cheap. IE look for lighting kits in classifieds or on fish forums.

MTS is a great alternative to expensive substrates. There is a sticky in the substrate section. 

Are you doing anything for ferts?


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## RipariumGuy (Aug 6, 2009)

I am pretty sure DIY Co2 is more for smallish tanks. For lighting, there are good hydroponic T5HO lights that are some what cheap, ($50 for a 1ft light).
Hope that helps!
Jake


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## newt767 (Jun 27, 2008)

That was a really intresting link! I will probably get some sort of fert but I am not sure what to get yet. also I didn't understand this part >>. Fish food varies in it's amount and ratio of nutrients. This is not an issue unless it becomes limiting. Very often since non CO2 tanks get neglected, they have trouble growing certain plants. If these nutrients are not allowed to bottom out(Say PO4 or NO3), then many of the species folks suggest cannot be kept, suddenly can be kept in non CO2 tanks but they simply grow slower. 

could you explain?

thanks everyone for the suggestions:icon_mrgr

chris:fish:


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## newt767 (Jun 27, 2008)

Oh by the way do you think I could add more fish or am I pushing it as it is?


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## mynameisjonah (Jan 22, 2008)

You're definitely pushing it, especially with the wonderful reproductive abilities of platies and mollies. That's alotta loach also, when they're done growing you'll have 36 inches worth! If I were in your position I would stick with 2 angels, 1 bristlenose, a pair or trio of loaches, a trio of cories, and the 5 tetras (of which you could then beef up since you reduce the numbers in other places). You'd still have a well stocked tank, but you'd be able to keep your conditions fairly stable.


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## mynameisjonah (Jan 22, 2008)

Oh, and I almost forgot, cories and loaches both prefer a substrate they can sift their barbels through in search for food. So nothing sharp or bigger than pea-sized. Preferably a sand, in sections, if not the whole thing.


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## newt767 (Jun 27, 2008)

What if I swap the tetras for the platys? I just have a soft spot for the platys.Everything else sounds fine to me:wink:


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

> 2 paired angle fish,2 bristle nose cat fish,6 yoyo loaches,5 sterpas cory,5 bleeding heart tetras, 5 platies or mollys (going to raise the number to 10 with breeding) and maybe, if I can fit them a few otos or shrimp


Is already a huge bioload for a 42gal tank. 

If you're wanting to do an Amazon theme, I'd recommend removing the yoyo loaches. 1) they're Asian, not South American, 2) 6x adult yoyos is too many for this tank anyways.

I'd go with Platies over Mollies, as Mollies are very high bioload fish. Platies also reproduce at a slightly lower rate (though you'll still have to thin your population on a regular basis no matter what livebearer you choose. The angelfish might do it for you, though...)


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## newt767 (Jun 27, 2008)

Yea that's why I chose the angle fish:icon_smil and all the leftovers I can give to my lfs and if they dont want them then I will have to feed them to mr axolotl:icon_wink ,probably a stupid question and I probably won't be able to, but what could I replace the loaches with?


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## newt767 (Jun 27, 2008)

Sorry probably an even dumber question but what can i swap to put a betta in?


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I'd leave out the angels if you want to put a Betta in there instead. IME bettas and angels have a tendency to nip each other's fins.


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## mynameisjonah (Jan 22, 2008)

I wouldn't personally replace the loaches with anything, as of yet (but dwarf south american cichlids could be a possibility). Get everything rolling, introduce fish slowly, and refer to the revised stocking levels. I agree with Laura on platies over mollies.


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## Ariel301 (Sep 7, 2009)

If the angels are a mating pair, you may have a hard time keeping much of anything with them...they get very territorial and can kill tankmates if they feel their young are threatened. The others all sound like good choices, with the loach being the only one in there that isn't a New World fish...but you will not be able to keep shrimp with the angelfish at all, as they will eat them. You could also consider ram cichlids or apistogramma cichlids, but if you wanted to add those, you'd have to take something off your list, as that is already a pretty heavy stock list. 

If you're set on the betta, you could set up a smaller tank for him by himself pretty cheaply. Or if you want him in this tank, you could maybe reduce the number of platies or tetras down to just a pair, and you'd just have to keep an eye on the angelfish as they can sometimes see a betta as a slow-moving, bright colored, easy to bite target. Female bettas seem to do better in a community tank like yours, they are a bit more active and hold their own better against nippy tankmates.


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## newt767 (Jun 27, 2008)

Well I have decided to replace the angels with key hole chichlids because my tank isn't tall enough for angels,if that makes a difference


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