90 Gallon Planted Tank

[planted-tank]

This is my first planted aquarium I have been reading, reading and more reading for the last 3 months and now I have just about everything purchased.

Please let me know what you think....

Tank:
90 Gallon Marineland Tank
Dimensions 48" x 18" x 25"
Back painted black
Glass top

Stand/Canopy:
Custom made by local Reef shop all oak
Stained Black

Lighting:
T5 HO Custom retrofit by Catalina Aquarium
5 x 39 watts T5 HO bulbs
12" above top of tank

Filters:
2 API Filstar XP 3
Each with Custom Built Spray Bar
Heater:
Hydor 300 watt inline

CO2:
10 lb. CO2 Tank
Reef Fanatic CO2 regulator
Dual gauge
Electronic solenoid valve
Precision needle valve
Cerges' reactor

UV Sterilizer
Coralife Turbo Twist 6x UV Sterilizer (18 Watt)

Substrate:
Flourite black sand (8 bags)
Mineralized Top Soil

Flora:
Unknown

Fauna:
Unknown

[planted-tank]

Everything has arrived, but the filters I hope to post pictures this weekend once everything is in place.

[GMYukonon24s]

Welcome to the forum, sounds like a good build.

[planted-tank]

After working on the stand and canopy for several days they are ready to go. Retrofit has also been installed in the canopy. I think I might need some type of fan in the canopy, not sure yet.

I spent several hours tonight adding the Mineralized Top Soil and the Flourite black sand. I made several changes to the hardscape I would say I changed it about 5 times, I will post pictures shortly to get feedback.

No equipment has been installed yet, I hope to start that this weekend. I am still waiting on my filters. I guess that what I get for going with free shipping.

[planted-tank]

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

[merritt1985]

Can't wait to see more...nice driftwood on the left by the way.

[Sheldari]

Looks like you're off to a solid start! I've been reading, reading, reading around here myself... Looking forward to seeing this tank progress!

[HybridHerp]

Solid start.....what plants and fish you thinking off?

Also, that's a TON of light, I'm only using 4 and of the 4 I only have 2 on full time and 2 on for a noon burst....then again I'm also not as high off the top.

Only other suggestion I'd have is maybe getting an air pump or something for better circulation, cause idk what kind of flow you'll get with just the two spraybars. I know my ehiems where not super flowtastic.

[HybridHerp]

Double Post, my bad

Ummm, Only thing I feel can be said with the hardscape is that I feel like there isn't much height in the rocks, but that won't matter pending on plant choice. Then again, I also generally prefer more jungle and chaotic looking tanks so take that with a grain or two of salt.

[planted-tank]

Originally Posted by HybridHerp

Solid start.....what plants and fish you thinking off?

Also, that's a TON of light, I'm only using 4 and of the 4 I only have 2 on full time and 2 on for a noon burst....then again I'm also not as high off the top.

Only other suggestion I'd have is maybe getting an air pump or something for better circulation, cause idk what kind of flow you'll get with just the two spraybars. I know my ehiems where not super flowtastic.

First thank you for the feedback.

Someone once told me go big or go home . The reason for the high light, I do plan to run CO2, but the way I had the retrofit configured, I don't have to run all 5 bulbs. I have it setup that I can run 3 or 2. I plan to only run 3, and see how that goes. Also since the canopy is an odd size, I did not want to deal with having not enough light long term. This is a tank I plan to have for several years.

As for spray bar, I was not sure if I should go with that or just use what comes with the filters. I already made two custom spray bars. One for the back of the tank, and other for the right side of the tank.

I was going to have one canister, the one for the back spray bar setup for my CO2 reactor.

The second canister I was going to have that spray bar on the right side of the tank, that would be setup with my inline heater and UV.

Not on the list, but I do have 2 Hydor Koralia Evolution 550 to add if needed. Do you think I should use those? Any idea where I would put them?

I agree about the rocks, but that all I have of those type of rocks. They are Seiryu Stones, what I have is about 20 lbs, they were rather expensive. Think if I order anymore, wife might throw rocks at me. I am open to suggestions to stack more on top of each and have less in a certain area? I will tell you the rocks around the smaller driftwood are helping to keep it from falling over.

As for fish, I am thinking of the following, though not 100% sure.

Marble Hatchets
Angel Fish
Cardinal Tetras
Rummynose Tetras
Corry Cats (not sure type)

As for plants, I am working on a list, but I really don't know. Here type of been looking at so far, but trying to narrow it down. Again not buying all these, just types I like, and then I was going to try and narrow it down.

Foreground
Amazon Sword Compacta
Broad Leaf Chain Sword
Rosette Sword

Ground Cover
Micro Sword
Dwarf Sagittaria

Back Ground
Ambulia
Anacharis
Telanthera Rosefolia
Water Sprite
Tiger Lotus Green
Tiger Lotus Red
Amazon Sword
Red Rubin Sword
Uruguayensis Sword
Sword Radican Marble Queen

Wood/Rocks
Anubias?
Moss?

[HybridHerp]

I'd add the pumps, just cause circulation never hurt. I'd put one in the front left corner, one in the back right corner, or something like that to get everything flowing around the tank.

Nice stock list, I LOVE angels, although I keep them with other cichlids more than I do with tetras. I blame my bichir.

Your plant ideas sound cool, but I feel like, with the co2 and lights and ferts you will end up using, you might as well try out some fancy stem plants too. You seem to have a lot of swords and easy to grow plants, which is fine but you have the resources to do more if you so desire.

[DCLyle]

Can't wait to see this progress. I love the drift wood and your setup.

[planted-tank]

Originally Posted by HybridHerp

I'd add the pumps, just cause circulation never hurt. I'd put one in the front left corner, one in the back right corner, or something like that to get everything flowing around the tank.

Nice stock list, I LOVE angels, although I keep them with other cichlids more than I do with tetras. I blame my bichir.

Your plant ideas sound cool, but I feel like, with the co2 and lights and ferts you will end up using, you might as well try out some fancy stem plants too. You seem to have a lot of swords and easy to grow plants, which is fine but you have the resources to do more if you so desire.

OK, I will setup the power heads as suggested, won't be able to tell for a few days until I get my filters and then get them setup.

I am really unsure about plants. I was just looking at a few plant web sites, but they did not tell me if they were easy plants or not. Do you have any suggestions for stems or other type of plants I should go with?

My plan is once the filters are in, I am going to do fishless cycle before I add plants. I also read I should plant very heavy to start with, is that correct? Do I need to add fish right after I plant?

Thanks again

[pianofish]

Hey man,
This sounds like its going to be an awesome tank!
A couple suggestions:
1. Invest in a nice set up long reach tools ie: 12" tweezers and scissors. 90 gallons can be tedious to reach down with your fingers at substrate level.
2. You basically can grow anything you would want in that tank with good lighting Fertz and mineralized topsoil. I would suggest a few that you might like and some that will grow well in a 90 gallon long term:
-Background:
-Cryptocoryne Ballansae - beautiful tall stringy plant with nice villages leaves. It goes great in a corner and when full grown touches the water surface and provides a nice bent over reed effect.
-Hygrophila corymbosa- is a great start to lush stems. You can fill a big space fast with it. It also looks really nice and bushy under highlight.

Well it seems like I need to be heading off to work, but ill think on it and get you some more suggestions later haha.

Also you should plant your tank before doing fish less cycle. Plants help with excess nitrates.

Good luck!
Joshua

[planted-tank]

Originally Posted by pianofish

Hey man,
This sounds like its going to be an awesome tank!
A couple suggestions:
1. Invest in a nice set up long reach tools ie: 12" tweezers and scissors. 90 gallons can be tedious to reach down with your fingers at substrate level.
2. You basically can grow anything you would want in that tank with good lighting Fertz and mineralized topsoil. I would suggest a few that you might like and some that will grow well in a 90 gallon long term:
-Background:
-Cryptocoryne Ballansae - beautiful tall stringy plant with nice villages leaves. It goes great in a corner and when full grown touches the water surface and provides a nice bent over reed effect.
-Hygrophila corymbosa- is a great start to lush stems. You can fill a big space fast with it. It also looks really nice and bushy under highlight.

Well it seems like I need to be heading off to work, but ill think on it and get you some more suggestions later haha.

Also you should plant your tank before doing fish less cycle. Plants help with excess nitrates.

Good luck!
Joshua

Thanks for the suggestions, all very good ideas. Never thought about the long tweezers, I have small pair, but I am going to order longer one. Yeah I find it pain to work on the 90, even more so as when I had the stand built I wanted it a bit high, over the years was tired of working inside of small stands.