On-Line Tools For New Tank Setups

[Homer_Simpson]

These are good tools for newbies setting up tanks for the first time. As to their accuracy, that is another thing. They are still fun to mess with.

Freswater Tank Wizard. Just enter tank size and click caculate. It suggests 4 watts/gallon of light for vigorous plant growth in a planted 10 gallon. This should be qualified to state that 4 watts/gallon+30 ppm c02+ adequate ferts+high plant density to avoid huge algae problems.
http://www.ratemyfishtank.com/freshwater_tank_wizard.php

Freshwater Fish Compatibility Tool/Checker
http://www.ratemyfishtank.com/freshwater_compatibility_tool.php

[tsunderl]

I thought the tank wizard was cool until I got to the part about water changes... I'm off to take a nap now.

[fishyjoe24]

the compatibilty one was cool i like it. thanks for sharing it with us fish geeks.

[Homer_Simpson]

the compatibilty one was cool i like it. thanks for sharing it with us fish geeks.

You're most welcome. I don't know how much trust to put in that compatibility tool. I don't claim to know everything about fish, but in the 9+ years that I have kept fish, I found many cases where fish that were allegedly supposed to be incompatible with one another actually peacefully co-exist and those that were allegedly compatible with another one fight endlessly, until one was beaten to a pulp. It is almost like fish have personalities. You never know how they will get together.

Personally, I have had the least compatibility issues following this preferred levels of community fish guide.
http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/beginnerinfo/a/fishlevels.htm

[tsunderl]

May I suggest this be a sticky?