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Finally have a 75 gal.

3K views 19 replies 7 participants last post by  scotty82 
#1 · (Edited)
I'm now the proud owner of a 75 gal tank. Wife finally let me upgrade from my 29, but thats just because my lfs had a going out of business sale and I got it dirt cheap. I got the tank, stand, canopy, rena xp2 filter, small power head, and glass top. But the thing is I haven't done much research on good plant lights for a taller tank. I would like to go with a LED, I have the http://www.ecoxotic.com/aquarium-led-lights/panorama-modules/panorama-led-modules.html, but I don't think it's very effective after 18" deep. Also I don't want to go to the high tech side of things with a pressurized co2 system. I'm going to look into seeing if a diy co2 would help at all with that size tank. Prob going to do diy just cause it wont hurt and might help a little. I don't have anything set up yet. But pics and other ideas soon to come. I welcome any and all ideas, like substrate, light, stocking ideas, and anything else.

Stocking idea so far.
6-8 Blue Rams
15 Cardinal Tetras
4-5 Otos
4-5 Amano Shrimp
Colony of Cherry Shrimp
 
#2 ·
for substrate, honestly, I would suggest just doing dirt capped with sand or some gravel that you think looks nice

do you have a background? and as far as diy co2 it won't help much on a tank that large.
as far as lighting goes, catalina makes great lights, but I don't know which one to recommend seeing that you don't want to go hi-tech

as far as stock, I really like your list, but I feel like you still have room for more if you so desired.

I'd definitly increase the number of ottos to at least 8, simply because you can, and same goes for the amano shrimp since you won't ever see them in a 75...my 10 has like 8 and even then I rarely see them around.

I'd also consider nerite snails of some sort, like 12+, since they are very good at eating algae. Perhaps also consider getting a nice variety of cherry shrimp, though I get the feeling that cherry shrimp and rams = full rams and no shrimp....so thats something to think about.

If anything, I'd get the cherries and then let them breed for a few months before even considering to add fish, otherwise I say try some other sort of invert. Bamboo and Vampire shrimp are rare, and would fit in a tank of your size. I bet that CPO crayfish might also stand a better chance with rams than cherry shrimp, although CP are also a ton more expensive.

You have tons of options considering you want smaller fish and have a relatively large tank
 
#3 ·
I know the dirt capped with sand or rock works well, but I'm not a fan of two layer substrate. Because at the beginning I'm going to be doing some re scaping till I get things they way I want it to look. And with double layer substrate I'm worried that moving things around will stir it up to much. I'm thinking just play sand with root tabs, it's what I have with my 29 and my plants do great in there.

Background? Now that you say that, there is a 3d background I liked of a tree stump. But realistically prob just going to have a black background. I spray painted the back glass of my 29 and I like the look of that.

Ya def will have a couple nerite snails and I like bamboo shrimp, but I don't think I've read anything about vampire shrimp. Might have to do some research. I don't know about the crayfish, wouldn't they eat my fish?

Thanks for your input. I don't want to rush into this tank, want to take my time and make sure I'm going to love it the way it's set up for years.
 
#4 ·
Less then a week till I get my tank. I'm getting exited and am doing a ton of reading up on how I want to set it up. So far I'm leaning towards safe t sorb as my substrate. For lighting, i'm still not sure, but thinking for starters just getting a 2 light t5-no then saving up some money for a nice led.

For fish I'm thinking,
5 Angles
7 German Blue Rams
15 Cardinal Tetras
6 Otos
6 Corry Cats- thinking skunk

What do you guys think? I think I'm a little overstocked and might change some numbers around a bit.
 
#5 · (Edited)
I have always have issues with rams in large tanks. For an alternative check out Bolivians. They are slightly larger, do well with angels, and color nicely.

Remember that angels pair. You may be better off with two pairs. I have 3 males and 1 female in a 50 and they battle. You could also add in 2 or 4 more cories for a 75. And maybe some sae
 
#6 ·
So I finally pick up my tank, brought it home and set up today. Well, put it in the house where it's going to be. I'm going to be using a rena xp2 and a ehiem 2232 for my filters. And I just got done ordering a duel t-5 light with 4 moonlight leds. I also ordered about 75 pounds of seachem fluorite black. I'm planning on doing about a 3" in the front and about 6" to the right beach look with playsand. Then the rest will slope up to the left and back with the fluorite with 9 litters of ada amazonia underneath it. I can see it in my head, but having a hard time trying to explain it here.

Hopefully my shipment will be able to get to me before the holiday next week because I had to tare down a tank to put this one in there. In the tank I tore down had the amazonia in it and now it's just sitting in a bucket with some water in it. Hope that doesn't effect it anyway.

Change of plans one more time on my stocking idea. I'm staying away from the anglefish.

Wish list for stocking.
10 otos
20 Cardinal Tetras
6-8 German Blue Rams
4-5 Electric Blue Rams
1 whiptail catfish (still thinking about this one) I would love a different cool single fish.
8-10 Amano Shrimp
my colony of Cherry shrimp
3 assassin snail
and maybe some ramshorn snails or nerite snails
 

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#7 ·
Well time for a little update. Yesterday I received my 80 pds of fluorite and my light. The light I'm sending back because I ordered it to soon, going to get the ray 2 for it. I have my rocks sitting out in bleach water overnight and tomorrow I'm going to dump that then boil some water and pour that over them. Then let them soak overnight with some prime/water.

Today I cut up some acrylic and siliconed it in place for my substrate divider. I wish I had more time to work on it but having a 7 month old and a 2 1/2 kinda take up most of my time (I like it though). Here are some pics of the tank with the acrylic up.
 

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#8 ·
I think you having limited time for it might be a good think, it will slow the process down so you can enjoy it and have time to think about decisions. I like the idea of the substrate dividers, very nice. I have to say, you don't have this tank going yet and I am a little envious of you. My 75 is just sitting up stairs on the floor awaiting a stand and all the fixin's. I look forward to seeing your tank take shape, subscribed.
 
#9 ·
It's been awhile since I've updated this. Been a couple reasons.
1-Wife and I thought it'd be better if I put this tank up downstairs in our family room, but the basement wasn't finished. It is now finally done. Took so long because I did it all but carpet myself, with the help of my father.
2-Wife told me I should make it salt water. Was going to go down that path for a while, until I found out that was going to be WAY to much money. So back to the planted tank, glad for this as I'm looking forward to this set up.

So now I'm back at it. Last friday I ordered a 48" Finnex Fugeray. Today I ordered another rena xp2 (medium is what they call it now I guess), 2 hydor 200w (one for each canister), and in the process of ordering some driftwood. Yesterday I went to a window tinting place and got some mirrored window tint and put it on, and today bought all my cpvc pieces for my diy intakes and spraybar.

Also almost forgot, I cut the center brace off the top rim and siliconed a piece of 1/4" glass in it's place. Figured it'd give me better light, going through glass then a piece of black plastic.

Tomorrow pics coming.
 
#10 ·
Well started on my diy plumbing for my canisters today, but only did so much. Going to wait for my two hydor inline heaters and my other canister to come in before I finish it. Most is up and in the dry fitting stage now. Plus have some new pics. I ran out of my 10' stick of 3/4, thats why you don't see the intake tube going down. There will be one on each side.



Plus took one of my re-made support bar across the top.
 
#11 ·
Ok, so finally had some free time to finish a couple little things up and add substrate. First I used some ada amazonia that I had left over from a 10 gal I had up for just a few months, plus the 1/2 bag I never used. Then I added some gro soil tabs, then covered it all up with black flourite. Oh also bought a 8x8 sheet of marine pure bio media, that worked perfect to fit into both baskets of my xp2's.

Right now the water is filling up in my tank and I'll take some after water shots too, but I don't think I'm going to be able to get the driftwood I want for another month or so. So guess while I order some plants and let the tank start to cycle it'll be kinda bare.

As you can see, I have the out's of each canister crossed so that the the water is always circulating throughout the tank. Each xp2 has it's own 200 watt hydor inline heater.



Here is the ada amazonia, the different color is from some being new (dry) and the darker (used wet).


Then I added my gro soil tabs. I pushed them all down to the bottom glass.



Then topped it all off with some flourite.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Can you explain how your plumbing works? Im looking to do something similar. It looks as though your in and out are connected in the corners with the 2 Ts, are they? Im assuming the pipe across the back is a spray-bar, right?

Also, what did you use to paint the pipes?
 
#13 · (Edited)
Oh ya, I forgot to put in a pic of that. I took a plug and put it in the 1 1/4" piece in between the two T's on both sides. That way everything was glued together for stability but water didn't get through the intake and outflow. Yes the back part is my spraybar.

I used krylon fusion satin black spray paint.
 
#15 ·
I've had Rams and Amanos in the same tank before and never had a problem. Granted the Rams where small and amanos almost full grown at the time.

I'm going to do mostly crypts with some L or S repens in the bigger area and marsilea minuta in the smaller area to the right.
 
#17 ·
The whole piece is removable, I left about 3/4 to inch on each side left and right and didn't glue the two tubes and center coupling. That way all I have to do is pull the two sides and the center comes out with ease. Plus I wanted the ability to be able to rotate my spraybar for what I believe to be the perfect direction (up and down.)
I put it in the back just because I didn't want the flow paths to cross and have just one current not two.
 
#20 ·
A lot has changed since my last post. I took the sand part out and made it all flourite, I've added some rock and driftwood, and started ordering and putting in a couple plants. I've had it filled now for about 2 weeks, the hole time been using seachem stability. I'm surprised that with the aqua soil I have in there that my ammonia is holding steady at about .25ppm.

But now I'm thinking of water changes. The other side of the wall where this tank sits is my mechanical room with a floor drain. I'm thinking about cutting a small whole in the wall and running some drain pipe from the tank to the floor drain. I would just cut in a T fitting, with a valve on each side, from one of my canisters and just let my canister drain my water for me.

Then onto my water changes. I'm thinking about setting up my 29 tank as a plants only tank on the other side of that wall. But make the tank sit up an extra 18" so I could just syphon the water from my 29 to my 75. Each week I would drain 10 gallons from my 75, then syphon 10 gallons from my 29 to my 75, and then add 10 gallons from my tap water to my 29. I'm thinking this will give the water a week to circulate in a tank and mix with existing water before it goes to my main tank.

Any thoughts or is this just an overkill idea?
 
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