Ideas for a 36 gallon!

[Timshel]

Hey guys! I just picked up a beautiful 36 gallon bowfront setup from a fellow Box member, and am looking for setup ideas!


I will not be setting up the tank until late August, so I've got plenty of time to think it over. Since I have that much time, I'm really leaning towards a DIY 3D background-Always wanted to make one but haven't ever had the patience with a new tank. Thinking over some ideas, always open to suggestions! Will probably be ledge styled with some shelving built into it, I want it to create natural caves like some of the more advanced ones seem to do, but then again, we'll see what happens.

I really prefer cichlids, but I know this tank is too small for the vast majority of them..Any good ideas here? I was thinking of doing a small colony of saulosi, but they tend to be difficult to find around here...Just looking for more than one color if possible.

Open to any and all suggestions!

[Chester]

It'd be cool if you could do that DIY background and incorporate some kind of waterfall... so its more like a terrarium... if thats to correct word...

[Andrew_B]

DIY 3d backgrounds are cool and all, but they really displace water. So you would need to think up stocking for something closer to a 25g tank instead of a 36. You could do a cool shellie tank with some kind of rock dweller just fine.

[mnemenoi]

You could do a lot with Tangs. Multifasciatus, Brevis, or Similis for a shell dweller. Pick a rockdweller, like a Julie, Leleupi, or Goby Cichlid. Fill a midwater schoaler like a Cyprichromis Microlepidotus or even some Caudopunks. Add in a few oddballs from the lake for the sake of filling in a few spots, Synodontis Petricola, Compressiceps (Sumbu dwarf), Plagiostoma eel, though you have even more if you hunt very well. All one lake and would work well in a 36 gallon bowfront, especially with the scape and feel it sounds like your trying to achieve.

[Timshel]

Thank you all for the suggestions so far! Doing a bit of research into all the above posts. Also ran across ripariums today, anyone have experience with those?

[mistahoo]

Ripariums are a whole lot of work IMO. You can make one with a planted tank or just a normal tank. You'd have to find a way to submerge a bit of the riparium plants or get the tank really humid. Most people rig it up with eggcrate or whatever they can find as true riparium equipment can be costly. Benefits of a riparium on a cichlid tank is the same as a planted tank (nutrient uptake/lowered to no nitrates.. not to mention a insanely cool view!) but with the plants mostly out of the water. You can also place them on a 3D background if it has a cliff/ledge type thing, but since you're working with a 36g, it's a lot less space to work with. Creating a riparium with the 3D background would mean you'd have to get some really small fish. It really is rewarding if you're able to pull it off right. Otherwise, it'll be a huge headache. If I were you, I'd research some easy to grow riparium plants and how to make the setup. There's a vast amount of information on ripariums over on TPT (The Planted Tank forum).

Here's some links to some awesome Ripariums/Paludariums.

300g Riparium
50g Riparium
225g Riparium/Paludarium

[troy tucker]

Not to say that the riparium is a bad idea, but 36g is not a lot of room. 3D. backgrounds are pretty, but they hold a lot of trash behind them.
I like the tang idea.
A south american tank could be nice too.

[Timshel]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys! I'll ditch the riparium idea for now then...Maybe with a larger tank in the future. I am still planning a 3D background though-Just picked up some Styrofoam and about to play around with it to see what I like. It will probably end up as a tang tank, unless I find some really nice SA's to work with.

[mnemenoi]

There are quite a few local breeders for tangs on the North side of Houston (Spring area) that have prices far lower then the LFS do if you are looking in the future. Also Daves Rare Fish ships fairly cheap and has a ton of different stuff that is tough to get otherwise.

[mistahoo]

You could still work with the riparium idea. Basically you'd want to somehow create a "floating island" for your plants. It'll help with lowering nitrates if yours does ever get high. Work with large odd colored (anything besides green) plants to give a striking view.

[troy tucker]

Looking forward to seeing 3D background.
Tangs. are some pretty fish. I my self like SA.s.
What ever you do. We will look forward to pictures.

[Ballinxalex]

Pleco and rasbora tank

[Timshel]

Thanks everyone! Made great progress on the background carving today. Will probably finish the carving tomorrow and get pics up!

[mistahoo]

Will probably finish the carving tomorrow and get pics up!

Now you're talkin. Get to work on those pictures!

[Timshel]

Alright, here are so pics as promised! First, the tank of course!



Will have 2 Aqueon 30 HOB for filtration, unless I get a wild hair and upgrade it. Stock lighting, thinking of upgrading that or switching bulbs for better lighting. :)


And the disaster zone project:


What are you doing today?

Oh you know, just making rocks out of styrofoam.




Maybe if I put this here, and do something here...?




Looking better!




What I've done so far, took a break for now.



Another angle




It will be make of three panels so that I can get it in the tank. I know it's a bit rough now, but I've only just begun and I've only used a knife and spoon to carve into it...Lol! Will be smoothing things out over time and working it together more. Also probably going to add a bit more to the pieces already constructed with smaller additions to create more depth. It's hard to tell, but I used a spoon to carve into the back piece to add caves, (needs to be smoothed out big time!) but I'm liking the look of it. I have one little ledge so far on the left side and it seems to work. Also added the cave in the middle area, it has a small hole but opens up much larger on the inside. I've also carved little nooks behind rocks to place plants as desired. Now I just need to work on finishing out the top and side. After I see what it looks like in the tank, I may consider adding partial side panels...Just have to see how it goes.