I currently am fishless but I had a 6 foot tank with Veil tail angels, clown loaches, rummy nose tetras (I was up to 15) a breeding pair of german blue rams and the odd one out-my rainbow shark. I also had a 3 ft tank but that was stopped a few years ago in that tank I had a beautiful common pleco which I sold on as I had not realised how large he would grow. I used canister filters for the main filtration and a small internal filter to help with surface agitation as I needed to keep the oxygen up as I kept the tank around 28C. I had two heaters as the tank was so large and I liked having a back up. I used a timer for my lighting as I am shocking at remembering to turn it on. I did have live plants and a lot of driftwood, Ill see if I can find a pic to post.

We had an unfortunate incident where my DH decided to let off bug bombs in the house to kill spiders without telling me and he killed off over half my tank. I got home from work and luckily I looked in on the fish as half were dead and the other half fading fast. A massive water change (330L) at 11pm at night and daily water changes after meant of the fifteen still alive when I got home I only lost another 5 in the following days. We have since moved and I sold my ish and am planning on waiting a few years beore starting again as I dont have the time I would like to maintain the tank

My dream tank would be ull o australian natives including rainbow fish and gonies

Tips
-The MOST important thing about fish keeping is understanding the nitrogen cycle, if you google it there is lots of educational pieces out there. If you have a problem with your tank this is the first thing to review

- Good filtration is important as is adequate oxygenation. Oxygen enters through the surface of the water therfore the larger surface area of the tank the higher oxygen levels you will have, also keeping water circulting helps improve oxygenation by turning over the water at the surface. Circulation can be increased using filters, powerheads or airstones.

- The solution to polution is dilution (if there is a pollution problem with your tank eg excess food, chemicals, high nitrite/nitrate, rotting fish the best way to improve conditions is to change the water)

- slowly increase the population of your tank so as not to throw out the nitrogen cycle

- do not over feed your fish it can be harmful to the fish through over eating and through leftover food polluting the tank
-know your fish species and consider the temprament of the breeds you keep and if they are likely to fit into your tanks community
- dont take pet shop advice as gospel as they are trying to sell you something (unless you find a great aquarium store)
- when buying fish check all the tanks in the store as many pet shops use syst4ems where water is circulated through multiple tanks so ill fish in one tank can be spreading germs to the currently healthy looking neighbouring fish
- pH is better left alone unles you are breeding certain species. Most fish can live in a wide pH range but wont breed unless the pH is clsoer to their natural habitat or the environment they have been spawned in. Changing pH removes the waters capacity to buffer and playing with it too much can then lead to a drastic swing in pH that can be fatal to fishies
-Dont flush a live fish even if it is on its way out. Placing the fish in a small container and then placing them in the freezer allows them to slowly reduce their metabolism and researchers believe it is less stressful painful to the fish another option is clove oil diluted in water is a kinder way to euthenase fish if necessary


sorry that might be a tad too much info