Help me plan my C. e. popei tank

I have been reading through this site voraciously. My wife greenlighted a salamander/newt tank. I have been interested in salamanders since I was a youth catching them. What I need help planning is the tank itself. I am choosing popei's because of their ability to deal with heat. Living on the 3rd floor of an old building it gets real hot. I do have a chiller from my reefer days that I am going to use to chill during the summer. How many popei can I put in a twenty gallon comfortably? I am planning on having low light plants in this tank. Though I might be able to go a little higher light in the future with a LED fixture that will not give off as much heat as PCs or whatever. I am building a fixture right now for a 4 gallon, pressurized CO2 tank. Anyways I am concerned about the newts escaping since I am going to add a chiller, and potential a canister filter. I am thinking if I use a screen top I can cut holes in the top insert the tubing wrapped in foam and put a quick disconnect on the tubing for both closer to the chiller and canister filter. Though I can imagine I am going to have flow issues so I may just a box filter or something in the tank. Any ideas of how to moderate the flow back into the tank from a chiller. I think I need 200gph to efficiently use the chiller. I am thinking I would have to use a spray bar and wrap it around the top of the tank, except for the front? This heat issue is what is going to make or break this tank. I am guessing I wouldn't try newts till after the first couple of heat waves roll through to make sure the chiller can hold the temp. It is rated for 60 gals but we all know what that might really mean. I am thinking I will def. use two computer fans on the top one blowing in and one out to help with the temp as well....Any thoughts?

Sounds like quite a project! You could add ice as an inexpensive alternative as well. I don't have air conditioning so I challenge the Heat every year with my tanks. The only casualties I've taken were 2 african clawed frogs. Even my Tiger Sal does fine with a little management. Good luck! Keep us updated, will you?

-jbherpin-

I will. I have a lot to do before I am ready for animals. I need to make sure I'm well researched.

I assume this is a "standard" 20-gallon (12x24")? For full-grown popei, I'd recommend two for this size tank. If you can find a larger tank, that would be better.

There are various ways to cut the flow rate, such as a spray bar. I have a tank where the incoming water cascades onto a big pot full of water, which spills into the tank. I have another tank where the incoming water goes into the bottom of a dish full of pebbles, then spill over the sides of the dish.

If you have a chiller, you hardly need the screen lid or computer fans; their effect is much less powerful. And in the hottest weather they might even be detrimental, as they will be bringing in hot air.

Thats a good point on the chiller. I was thinking the fans would help the chiller run less. I was actually thinking a 20 gallon long 30'' x 12'' x 12''. I forgot the dims on a standard. I was just looking at the dims on a 30 gallon breeder 36'' x 18'' x 12''. That may be the way I go I like the extra lenght plus I get more on the width. Just need to convince my wife of that fact. What is 6 inches longer I mean really?

We are looking for apartments/houses/townhouses that have basements. So that would be even better. I already told my wife I am claiming 50% of the basement for myself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4Mt3iZ-L-o

Check this video out. Just look at the tank. He has C. e. popei.

Eeverything he has is good except the gravel slope

What is wrong with the gravel slope? Don't they need to be able to walk up and get on land?

The problem with gravel slopes is....gravel xD
You see, when a layer of gravel is too thick, water flow is minimal inside the layer and pockets of anaerobic conditons are formed. There, anaerobic bacteria grow, and nasty compounds are formed.

Another reason why gravel can be a problem is because it might get swallow during feeding frenzy. Sand is much better because if swallowed it passes through the animal without any trouble.

They don´t require a slope to easily get out of the water. A piece of cork bark floating in the surface is enough for this species. A brick that breaks the surface is also a good solution. Bare in mind this species when housed properly, and if everything is ok, is almost completely aquatic, and will rarely if ever get out of the water.

On a side note i´d say the tank in the video, though nice, could use a lot more water.

I had read that about the gravel causing digestive problems. I haven't seen cork bark around that seems with what I would go with. For steps I was think of breaking granite and making steps. But I was thinking that may look goofy. Cork bark seems like it would be more natural looking. Do you put any substrate like sand on the bark? I was planning on putting 1.5-2'' of sand on the bottom to plant some hardy lowlight plants.

No, you don´t need to put anything on the bark, though putting some java moss gives it a great look. Using bark as the terrestrial area allows you to increase the water volume as much as you want, which is great because the more water the better(instead of being limited by the height of the substrate as the tank in the video).
If you use sand, the problem of anaerobic conditions still stands, so you better keep the substrate to a thin layer. I personally wouldn´t recomend more than 3-4 cm.