Bede

Thank you all so much for the advice.
I'm going to get the long tank after Christmas. DH agreed to build me a stand for it as a Christmas gift.

Here's my next question.

I am going to have to buy the necessary equipment for the tank one thing at a time. I was thinking once I got the tank and stand, I'd get the filter for it and get that going. Then the heater, then the hood. Son#1 (andym65) said that it would be a good idea to put the gravel,plants,decorations in it first, then fill it with water. Yes? No?

Is filter,heater,hood an ok order to set it up with or something else? I don't have the funds to buy everything all at once. I was going to buy one piece of equipment a week (after payday!) until I have it all set up. Is that an ok way to do it?

Don't worry, I know no fishys go in it for awhile. Its going to take us awhile to figure out what we want to put in it anyways. Its been so much fun doing this with my teens! We've been up til midnight the past couple of nights pouring over fish books together, talking about what we like,don't like, want, can't have, what we would have if $$$ and space were no object! LOL!

Sam Livingston

Yes, best to put all gravel, plants, and decorations in first before the water. Then ricochet the water off of a plate or off of the aquarium wall so that the plants and decorations don't get moved out of place or uprooted while pouring the water in. It's just more convenient to put those in before water. If I had to order them in importance I'd put filter, hood, then heater. I have never had to use my heaters except to speed along birth of my fish, my tanks naturally stay at a constant 75-80 degrees. Might be just my warm room I'm not sure but I'd go for hood second, especially when get fish in there, they will need a light and many fish are great jumpers who will dart right out of your tank with no hood on it. Good luck with everything you guys will have a lot of fun with this!

COBettaCouple

I would get the hood after the filter, keep the water from splashing all over the place. Once you have the hood & filter, then you could get the gravel, then the plants, then decor, aeration and heater.