75 Gallon Rebirth

[6t5Goat]

I am about to start a complete redo of my 75 gallon planted tank.. It’s been about a year since I have done much to it, other than top off with water and feed the fish.. It has been set up since June 2009

My goal is to do a REALLY huge trim this weekend.. And then replant with Swords and Crypts mainly..

The tank currently has AH Supply 2 * 55 watt kit along with a 1 * 96 watt kit as lighting.. It has a custom made pressurized co2 system.. (That has been empty for a year). Substrate is Black 3M quartz.. Filtration done with an Ehiem classic canister filter

My plan is to post a new full tank shot each week to show the progress.. It will just be a quick phone picture.. I'm not a photographer..

This is where I am starting from 2/14/13



Any advice or criticisms are always welcome..

[HybridHerp]

give us more details on plants, fish/inverts/ what kinda lighting (is it t8 or t5), some details on that custom made co2 system (I'm very interested), and just stuff like that

only saying because, to have had a tank since 2009 with 3 lights on it (not sure what lighting range you are considered, but I kinda wanna say at least medium just arbitrarily), no water changes, no fertilization, no co2 (especially if you are actually at high light) and no nutrients in the substrate, and yet still have very nice growth like and relatively little algae...that semi-blows my mind

[6t5Goat]

At this time... Plants are mainly lots and lots of Java Furn... Lots and lots of some type of long leaf hydro... there is one sword plant in the center that I have trimmed back and some anubus that is under all the hydro on the left side of the tank (not sure how its doing as I really can't see it).. Also water sprite... I do trim back and throw away a huge bucket of plants pretty regularly...

As far as lighting... I have been on the low side of the light... very low I’d say... which is how I keep the algae at bay... I run only the 2*55 compact florcenent for 7 hours a day... I have had the 96 watt turned off since I have stopped running CO2... Plan is to get the CO2 backup up and running and turn the 96 back on for part of the day.. All are kits that I have put together from AHSupply.com

Fish: guppies, Oto’s, SAE, and Yo Yo loaches... all in all a very low fish load...
In the past I have dosed daily with the PPS Pro method... and plan to start that again soon...

I think the key is, low light, low fish load, and high plant load..

[GMYukonon24s]

Nice growth from the plants you have.

[6t5Goat]

Quick redo with what I have..

02/15/2013



If it doesn't snow.. I'm going to make a trip up to Lancaster to visit That Fish Place this weekend.. I hope to replace all the long leaf hydro on the left side.. with Crypts.. and also get a large sword to be kind of a centerpiece..

[6t5Goat]

02/27/13



2 weeks in and I'm fairly happy with the progress..

Co2 back running, back to doseing fertz via the PPS Pro method.. and all the lights have been turned back on..

All in all.. better progress in 2 weeks than I could ever expect..