75gal Planted Tank Journal *Updated W/PICS 11/16*

[BiscuitSlayer]

Actually, this one is perfect for planting and care of glosso. Took a while to find it.

http://www.cliffclof.com/wiki/index....ma_elatinoides

[Torpedobarb]

thanks.. that is some good reading... I hope that I can grow it! and it not be too much of a pain in the rear. we'll see. thanks for the comments too!

[BiscuitSlayer]

Originally Posted by pwrmacG4

I hope that I can grow it!

The problem won't be growing it. The problem will be growing it in a way that you like. I have torn out my glosso and replanted it a couple of times. The one thing that you want to make sure is good is direct light. You don't want it shaded at all by other plants. If it is shaded, it WILL get leggy.

I hope your happy with it. It is a cool plant. Most people think it is really envasive. I didn't really have that problem. It is one plant that grows very slow in my tank for some reason. There is one parameter that is missing for optimal growth, and I haven't figured it out yet. I am thinking about ditching my glosso dreams and just going with HC for now.

[Torpedobarb]

I am going to try it and see what happens.. if not.. I have dwarf hairgrass growing now. it will have alot of direct light.. and I am only growing it in a small area.. I want it to stay low to the bottom of the tank.. I don't want it getting tall.

[Mantishrimp]

As you can see I am new to this forum and your thread has taught me a lot! based off of what you have done so far I am really considering trying to talk my wife into letting me set up something like what you have done. keep the updates on your tank coming even if all your questions have been answered because it's become like an open ended book, I cant wait to see it next and what problems and questions that I would never have come up with not being able to encounter them myself.

[Torpedobarb]

I had a hard time talking my wife into this tank.. especially when I already had a 29gal.. I had to tear it down to set this one up. but totally worth it.. I spent alot of money on this tank.. with pressurized co2, canister filters, lighting, heaters, substrate and of course plants and fish. I spent a small fortune.

[BiscuitSlayer]

Words to live by:

Better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Remember it...
Know it...
Preach it...

[BiscuitSlayer]

I don't know if you covered it or not, but what are you doing for lights.

You should go back at the beginning and list your hardware, parameters, etc. It is good for people that have little experience. They see a tank that they like and then want to use it as a model for their own tanks.

Lights
CO2 and method of injection
filters
etc.

[Mantishrimp]

Originally Posted by BiscuitSlayer

Words to live by:

Better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Remember it...
Know it...
Preach it...

or is it "Easier to ask for forgiveness than permission."

[Mantishrimp]

Originally Posted by BiscuitSlayer

I don't know if you covered it or not, but what are you doing for lights.

You should go back at the beginning and list your hardware, parameters, etc. It is good for people that have little experience. They see a tank that they like and then want to use it as a model for their own tanks.

Lights
CO2 and method of injection
filters
etc.

I started off with salt water reef tanks because back then I liked the idea of that more than a planted fresh water tank so I understand the small fortune thing! Not that I don't like my reef tank anymore but I feel like I have "mastered" that, if thats really possible. I have a basic idea of whats going on with this tank and am getting into it the more he talks about and shows it to us. And yes, if you could go over again everything you have as far as equipment that might be helpful to us newbes that are going to take your tank as a model for our own, hopefully . Also, pwrmacG4, do you have any regrets or mistakes as far as your approach or decisions on your equipment that you would be willing to share?

[Torpedobarb]

well.. to be perfectly honest... no regrets at all on equipment... would I like to have just one light fixture instead of two? yes. but it came down to money. mistakes....? is there a limit to how many words to one post!

well the first one was to not get the bigger aquarium to start with. I also didn't know much about cycling a tank or that they needed to be cycled.. so I bought fish and gravel and away I went.. I learned the hard way.. fish dying all the time and water changes like crazy once I did some research. that is why I researched here like crazy and across the board when I bought my equipment. Also I should of done more research on the fish species that I was going to have in my tank. I was getting what looked cool.. not what was compatible and natural to what I had or was going for in overall look.

I believe that I put my equipment in the first few posts here in this thread... but here goes again..

tank and stand... Marineland Perfecto Tank and Stand
lighting... 2 Coralife t5 light fixtures 130w each so 260w total..lunar light
filtration.... 2 Rena XP3 Canister filters, awesome filters! highly recommend
co2.. 5lb pressurized co2 tank with a Milwaukee 957ma regular with electric solenoid, bubble counter and needle valve.
co2 reactor.. rex grigg style
heating... 2 Rena Smart Heaters 150w each.. attach to intake of the filters
Substrate.. aquariumplants.com planted tank substrate
Air pump.. wisper20

I dose 3x a week with dry ferts and 2x with liquid. all of the lights, co2 and air pump are on timers.

I feed the fish every other day with a mixture.. flake food, brine shrimp and blood worms..
Hope this helps!

[Torpedobarb]

ok.. got my co2 reactor installed properly finally.. it was hooked up wrong and making alot of noise.. but I finally got it up and running smoothly. I have the water going into the top of the reactor and it coming out the bottom and back up into the tank.. kinda like a giant loop. it had alot of air bubbles coming out at first but that stopped after a few hrs. working good

[BiscuitSlayer]

Originally Posted by pwrmacG4

filtration.... 2 Rena XP3 Canister filters, awesome filters! highly recommend

Sorry if I asked for redundant data. If someone does something like that, feel free to refer them to an ealier post. I have read your whole thread, so I'm not sure why I missed it.

With regards to the 2 x XP3s. Do you have them running with full flow? I have been considering them for a new tank I'll be setting up soon, but I wasn't sure if 2 XP3s would be too much or not. I like the XP line as well.

Thanks for posting the specs of the tank... again.

[Torpedobarb]

I just wanted you guys and gals to know I had my username changed to torpedobarb.. so you don't wonder who the heck it is.. thanks

[Torpedobarb]

oh yeah.. wide open.. but using a spray bar and having a sponge over the intakes.. it isn't too bad.. they are quiet as hell.. I love em! excellent filters for the $$