YOUR THOUGHTS

Having just moved house & nearly got all my tanks set up i now have the oppotunity to set up a display tank so was thinking of a 6ft x 2ft x 2ft & was thinking of a black gravel substrate but as i have seen so many differant ones ie sizes of gravel i was wondering what would be best as i intend keeping corys aswell as angels, the tank will be planted so i will have to go down the CO2 route.Also a work mate has offerd me what i would call a silly sized tank for a silly price of £30 that would also fit in another alcove as display tank N#2 the size of the tank is 42" long x 15" wide now here is the silly bit 40" deep the problems i see with this will be cleaning due to depth & suitable lighting again due to depth.What are your thoughts?

Paul

If you're hoping to use Co2 using an inert gravel substrate such as quartz gravel would be ideal......

......except that cories are prone to infected & damaged barbels when kept in tanks with sharp substrates. Quartz gravel isn't too bad, I use it in all my tanks and have had no problems with the cories I keep, but I'd avoid any of the species which are particularly sensitive.

Silver sand is an ideal substrate for cories, but it isn't black.

As to the 40" deep tank, yes it will be difficult to maintain, but it would be a brilliant tank to keep altum or veiltail angels!
Is it made from glass or acrylic? If glass how thick is the glass used?
With increasing height the water pressure also increases, up to about 20" deep & most tanks are built from 6mm glass, up to 30" and 10mm is required. Over 36" and silcone rubber is not rated to withstand the water pressure and some form of reinforcing frame should be used to prevent the silcone holding the glass together from "unzipping". I'm not sure what thickness of glass should be used in a 40" deep tank, but my guess is that it should be at least 3/4" plate (about 18mm).

As to lighting, Angels don't require unduly bright lighting, so I would have thought that multiple fluorescents would do the trick, just don't go for any plants with high lighting requirements for the bottom, anubias, and java fern would suit.

Thank you Rob Quartz gravel it is then, i was thinking of sterbia cories (if thats how you spell it) i do like the thought of the sand but as you say it isnt black.

The 40" tank is made of 12mm or 15mm glass it was made by Pilkingtons the glass manufacturer's for the guy that is offering it to me as a thank you for works he did for ther CEO at his home.

The plants i was thinking of haveing if i was to have the tank was Vallis Gigantica (again if thats how you spell it) as it grows tall & would go with the setting of a possible Biotope
As you say it would be good for Altums or wild type angels plus i would like to keep a couple of Red headed Geo's or Discus but would depend on the stockin ratio.

Just googled and found this very useful calculator:-

http://www.theaquatools.com/building-your-aquarium

in short, if it's only 12mm thick I would be very wary about filling to the top! if it's 15mm you're probably OK, but based on the recommended safety factor of 3.8 it should be 19mm thick!

Vallis would be good.

Thanks once again Rob i shall have to check the thickness before hand as i dont want any fatal misshaps.If all is ok i will happily give him his £30.