I'm working on both my 10 gallon and 100 gallon tanks. Currently I really want to update my 100 gallon.

So here is what I currently have and my ideas:
Current fish: 2 Blood Parrots (1.75 inches - 2.5 inches in length), 1 Managua Cichlid (1.25 inches in length), 1 Pleco (About 12 inches in length)

Idea For Tank:

(Above sketch is front view, bottem sketch is above view)
Possible Plants: 2 Very Large Wisterias, 2 Very Large Amazon Swords, Java Fern, Java Moss, Baby Tears, Chain Sword, 2 Moss Balls, and 2 Anubia

Possible Decorations: 2 Coconut Hides, Slate Pieces/Rock, Large Driftwood

Possible Fishes: Firemouth Cichlid, Green Texas Cichlid, Managua Cichlid, Oscar, Salvini, Green Terror, Electric Blue Jack Dempsey

Okay, so those are my ideas. I know Cichlids dig in gravel but I feel that the Java Moss, Java Fern, and Anubia will be fine since it will be attached to either the coconut or the drift wood. I might not use foreground plants (Baby tears and chain sword) because I'm sure they will tear that up. As for the large background plants, I was thinking of surrounding their base loosely with slate so the fish cant dig them up or put them in precleaned terracotta pots to keep them safe.
I would like to know if the possible fish would get along with the fish I already have. I really like the Firemouth Ciclids and Blue Jack Dempsy. =]
Any help and ideas woud be great.

Other than that, I think I will need new lamps because my current one is only giving out a total of 48-50 watts. Does anyone recomend what kind of lamp(s) I should get? I might also change my filter to the new one I got a few years ago, or just add another filter that used to go with my other large tank (that one shattered when my dogs decided it was a great idea to run around on hardwood floor).

Wow, your aquascape looks really nice! Are you planning on going with smaller sized gravel, or the bigger stuff? I have the bigger stuff (pea gravel) and I wish I had gone with sand or fine gravel that's better for plants.

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Elly

Thank you, hopefully I can get this finished by the end of summer. =]
Currently in my tank I have a mix of sand and pea gravel which I will continue to use because I replaced the old gravel fairly recently (4-5 months ago). I'm going to add more sand to the mix and maybe a layer of planting substrate underneath this mix.

Yeah i recently changed my substrate cuz i started out with larger graval as well. The stuff i got wasnt cheap but my plants thrive in it.

Could I use play sand? The Fish Store I go to is a little pricey with their subsrates.

Im sure you can and there are effective ways to clean play box sand i just dont know any of them

Pool filter sand is even better than play sand. Not quite as dirty. With any sand put some in a bucket and run water in it while stirring with your hand will work cleaning it. Just takes time and patience.

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SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY YEARS, NOT MONTHS!!!
220 Tank build
http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/sta...late-3253.html

Thanks for the input Susan, I remember the mistake I made with my 10 gallon. It took a lot of water changes, as well as, filter cleanings to get rid of the dirt from the substrate and murky water (I thought 2-3 rinses were enough to clean it).

I use some type of sand in all of my tanks and never have a problem with cloudy water for more than an hour, then clear as can be. I use a small 3 gal bucket and just fill it half full. Takes more times filling it, but less time cleaning it.

__________________
SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY YEARS, NOT MONTHS!!!
220 Tank build
http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/sta...late-3253.html

So I haven't gotten any pool sand yet, but my parents brought me some driftwood that they found camping. I'm guessing I need to boil it first but other than that, should I soak it? I will post pictures of them once they're cleaned up. I am still getting 1 more piece of drift wood for the tank and then I will need to get slate, rocks, coconut shells, and pool sand.
When I finally place the fish in a temporary tank, how much of the original tank water should I save?
Thanks in advance. =D

So I boiled the driftwood and found out that they float and made the water a dark red so I will have to soak it. If they continue to float what should I weigh it down with?

You can put larger rocks on it to help hold it down, just make sure the rocks are positioned to where they don't fall. Or you can take a piece of slate or something similar, drill a hole in the slate and partially into the wood then use a screw to attach the two.

__________________
SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY YEARS, NOT MONTHS!!!
220 Tank build
http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/sta...late-3253.html

So I will be attaching the slate to the driftwood this weekend hopefully, however, I decided that since my 10 gallon tank is basically finished I will post a picture.

I would love to add some foreground plants though I'm not sure which.