After about 6 months of passive->active contemplation, I'm going to start my first ever aquarium next week. Expecting a lot of trial and error, but also hoping that some degree of planning will help avoid absolute disasters! I'm moving into a new house with a spot just barely big enough (width wise), so also trying to think through as much equipment and set-up as possible before the initial fill! Here's the plan, would love any feedback or suggestions...
Overall goal: medium planted community tank to give me a hands-on project and to give my young children some exposure to the ideas of ecosystem, chemistry, biology, community, and experimentation
-- I don't have specific plants or fish I'm set on keeping, just looking to get something relatively stable to start with!
tank: 75g glass tank (already acquired, second hand)
lights: fluval aqua sky 48", may add some in-water LED lights
filter: aqua clear 110
heater: eheim jager 100W
substrate: activ-flora with front patch of sand
Plan for initial setup:
Plan for fertilizing:
- EI dry chemicals with weekly water change
Questions:
Overall goal: medium planted community tank to give me a hands-on project and to give my young children some exposure to the ideas of ecosystem, chemistry, biology, community, and experimentation
tank: 75g glass tank (already acquired, second hand)
lights: fluval aqua sky 48", may add some in-water LED lights
filter: aqua clear 110
heater: eheim jager 100W
substrate: activ-flora with front patch of sand
Plan for initial setup:
- place substrate, hardscape, filter, heater
- fill with water + seachem prime
- cycle with ammonia and tetra safe start
Plan for fertilizing:
- EI dry chemicals with weekly water change
Questions:
- when during initial cycling do I plant? (I think I can do this pretty early on, or even with initial start, but would love to hear if that's not correct!)
- CO2 - open to adding, wondering how hard it would be to add after-the-fact and if I should just splurge and set it up now... I'm ok with limited plant selection, but it seems like adding CO2 might help me avoid problems overall
- I have API test strips. Do I need a more detailed test kit if I'm doing EI? If so, specific recommendations?