Mission Creep. Thoughts on Aquascaper 900 setup?

[Wulfen]

Sounds a good idea.

Don’t forget shipping. Buying the glass tank alone will mean c.£50 p&p. Buying the cabinet later will be that again. Buying them together will result in in no p&p.

Or your dad can always make a taller one in the future if you want 🙂

Yep, can always build another and its all real wood which I prefer 🙂

 

[tam]

My parents have theirs at sofa watching height. Makes it easier to reach the bottom too. My advice would be to sit on the sofa as you usually do and work out your eye level. Then set the height of the stand to put the tank in the perfect spot. If it's custom you can go to whatever size you want so why not make it fit you.

 

[Zeus.]

I went for a lower base than STD with mine so I could watch it at eye level sat down.
Then fitting everything in the base became tricky and had to well think it through lots with all the equipment. But worth the effort IMO

 

[Siege]

Interesting topic this (I find anyway) no doubt manufacturers spend tons researching it.

I found my old 6’ ND aquatics tank too low for viewing.

New EA Aquascaper tanks are much better.

A couple of pics from my chilling out chair (a mini chair made for occasional use only. It’s only 45cm high when puffed up). I find it the perfect height. My head is slap bang in the centre of the scape.

Another picture of 900 from dining room table. Nd aquatics stand was too low to see this before.

 

[Wulfen]

My parents have theirs at sofa watching height. Makes it easier to reach the bottom too. My advice would be to sit on the sofa as you usually do and work out your eye level. Then set the height of the stand to put the tank in the perfect spot. If it's custom you can go to whatever size you want so why not make it fit you.

I have used 4 A3 sheets of paper taped together (same dimensions of tank 90 x 50) and placed it on my low coffee table. Left it there for about a week just to get used to the height.
It's around 40cm high. Its perfect height for viewing from the sofa which will be right next to the tank 🙂

 

[Zeus.]

Another picture of 900 from dining room table. Nd aquatics stand was too low to see this before.

Yep but a dinning room chair is higher than a TV/movie room sofa

Bit like having the 50inch wide screen TV above the Fireplace you end up with neck ache 🙄

Getting the tank at eye level has to be a plus

 

[Wulfen]

Just placed my order with Aquarium Gardens. 🙂
Evolution Aqua The Aquascaper 900 Tank L90cm x W50cm x H45cm (186ltr)
Twinstar LED Aquarium Light 900S
Twinstar LED Dimmer
Oase BioMaster 600 Thermo
Aquarium CO2 Kit Pro-SE Complete System
River wood
Leopard Stone
Kivu Fine Sand
Tropica aquarium soil powder
Really looking forward to making a start now 🙂

 

[Wulfen]

Yep but a dinning room chair is higher than a TV/movie room sofa

Bit like having the 50inch wide screen TV above the Fireplace you end up with neck ache 🙄

Getting the tank at eye level has to be a plus

I agree. I do not have any dining chairs etc in the room, just a couple of sofas. The tank will be more or less the same height as the TV stand which is the perfect height for viewing the tv from the sofa 🙂

 

[tam]

I have used 4 A3 sheets of paper taped together (same dimensions of tank 90 x 50) and placed it on my low coffee table. Left it there for about a week just to get used to the height.
It's around 40cm high. Its perfect height for viewing from the sofa which will be right next to the tank 🙂

Sounds a great way to trial it!

 

[Steve711]

Apistogramma cacatuoides are a great fish.
I've got two breeding pairs at the moment, triple red and orange flash and a single orange flash male.
Just beware they will breed and become very territorial and once the female has young she will be hyper aggressive (to quote 'Seriusly Fish') especially to the male.

 

[Wulfen]

Apistogramma cacatuoides are a great fish.
I've got two breeding pairs at the moment, triple red and orange flash and a single orange flash male.
Just beware they will breed and become very territorial and once the female has young she will be hyper aggressive (to quote 'Seriusly Fish') especially to the male.

I'm going to introduce the AC pair last. I have been a bit worried about what I have read about aggression. Always been an ambition of mine to have an Apisto community tank but maybe I should think on some different species.

 

[tam]

I had my eye on apistos for the tank I'm waiting on but they would limit what else I could put in (I probably want shrimp) so I'm going to go for dinky Dario Dario instead.

Have you seen this: it's a nice combo - green neons, pencil fish, otos and a pair of apistos. There are videos of the setup somewhere too.

 

[Wulfen]

I had my eye on apistos for the tank I'm waiting on but they would limit what else I could put in (I probably want shrimp) so I'm going to go for dinky Dario Dario instead.

Have you seen this: it's a nice combo - green neons, pencil fish, otos and a pair of apistos. There are videos of the setup somewhere too.

Those pencil fish are gorgeous 🙂
I did consider Dario dario as an alternative but aren't they more of a hard water species?
If this is the case I would then have to leave out the other fish I have chosen.
It's a shame as they are amazing little fish, one of the smallest Perciformes I believe.

 

[tam]

Those pencil fish are gorgeous 🙂
I did consider Dario dario as an alternative but aren't they more of a hard water species?
If this is the case I would then have to leave out the other fish I have chosen.
It's a shame as they are amazing little fish, one of the smallest Perciformes I believe.

From what I've read it seems they are fairly adaptable, listed between 5-15GH depending where you read so you could aim for the lower end. I haven't kept them personally yet though. I keep my tank about 6GH so it's no too low for the cherry shrimp but is still on the soft end for the fish. Might just be that seems soft to me cos my tap starts at 18+ though.

 

[Steve711]

I'm going to introduce the AC pair last. I have been a bit worried about what I have read about aggression. Always been an ambition of mine to have an Apisto community tank but maybe I should think on some different species.

That's a good idea.
I have mine in three different communities that include celestial pearl danios, coral red pencil fish, Pseudomugil Gertrudae and checkerboard Cichlids and they don't bother them.
To be honest it's nothing more than a quick dart towards another fish occasionally that you can't even call chasing really.
It does get worse at breeding time though but then I remove them to breeding tanks. The male then has to be removed once the eggs are laid as the female will not let the male near them.
Fascinating fish very similar to Rams in their habits and breeding.

 

[Wulfen]

Apistogramma cacatuoides are a great fish.
I've got two breeding pairs at the moment, triple red and orange flash and a single orange flash male.
Just beware they will breed and become very territorial and once the female has young she will be hyper aggressive (to quote 'Seriusly Fish') especially to the male.

Maybe that could be an option. If I set up a breeding tank and transfer them when they show signs of breeding behavior.