Wingsdlc 75G - Update 9/18/12 - FTS

15770 Views 120 Replies 37 Participants Last post by Wingsdlc, Jan 12, 2013

Wingsdlc

Discussion Starter · Dec 31, 2010 (Edited)

7

Due to house projects my old 55G had to be taken down and moved. We host a Bible study at our place every week and have been having some problems with a little guy that comes over and tries to mess with the stuff in the open stand of the 55G. I found a good deal on a 75G with closed in stand so I figured I would save myself some trouble of closing in the 55G stand and just replace it. I have been wanting a wider time for some time now so it worked out well. The 75G came with pool sand so I thought I would keep that in it and have a beach area in the tank. The planting space is pretty small but that should mean less to maintain. My rocks shouldn't get covered up too easy in this set up either.

Pre-planting -

Here are the pictures from yesterday evening. Lets say about three hours after set up.

No fish have been added yet. I am not sure what I want to do yet for fish. Cherry shrimp will get added today. Will try and get a plant list up sometime today.

I might update this more than every 14-15 months....

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Wingsdlc

Discussion Starter · #2 · Jan 1, 2011

Plant List:

Anubias nana
Bolbitis heudelotii
Blyxa japonica
Cryptocoryne wendtii
Hottonia palustris
Rotala rotundifolia
Ludwigia brevipes
Didiplis diandra
Alternanthera reineckii
Myriophyllum aquaticum

Fish:
Breeding pair of Ancistrus sp. will get added today.
I am thinking of doing a school of cory cats and maybe some tetras or something else from Couth or Central America. Possibly sometime bigger like a Geophagus but I need to do some research and talk to one of the guys in our local fish club.

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Centromochlus

· #3 · Jan 1, 2011

Very nice! I love all of the blyxa. The rocks are really nice too, and i like the sand.

Good job.

roud:

Wingsdlc

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 2, 2011

Thanks AzFishKid! I also like the blyxa. By far one of my favorite plants. This is my first go at it with the sand. I am hoping to show off the rocks a bit more than I did before and give some open space for the fish this time around. It got pretty bad for my BN plecos trying to get food in my jungle I had going on in the 55G.

Here is a bit more info on the set up:

Tank - Standard 75G
Substrate - Flourite in the planted area and pool sand in the beach area.
CO2 - Pressured diffused with a glass diffuser coming from a 20lb tank.
Fertilizer - Will be dosing EI method as long as I don't get too lazy/busy.
Lighting - Compact florescent - 96W 6,700K/10,000K for 10 hrs. and a 130W 10,000l burst for about 3 hrs.

Centromochlus

· #5 · Jan 2, 2011

Does the extra burst of light significantly help the plants to achieve maximum color? If so, i may have to try that on my tank... right now it's 4x54 watts over a 90g tank for 8 hours a day.

Wingsdlc

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 2, 2011

AzFishKid said:
Does the extra burst of light significantly help the plants to achieve maximum color? If so, i may have to try that on my tank... right now it's 4x54 watts over a 90g tank for 8 hours a day.

I would think that on a 90G you would be safe running all four bulbs on the tank the whole time. You only have 2.4 wpg. I would probably be safe running both sets of light on mine also but I think it is a little safer running less light. Once things settle in I will probably run the burst for a bit longer. I don't think that running less light will help your colors much. Chances are you would have better colors with a bit more light as long as you keep up with your fertilizers and CO2. The down side is your plants grow faster and it might be hard to keep up with the trimmings depending on the types of plants you are keeping.

Centromochlus

· #7 · Jan 2, 2011

Wingsdlc said:
I would think that on a 90G you would be safe running all four bulbs on the tank the whole time. You only have 2.4 wpg. I would probably be safe running both sets of light on mine also but I think it is a little safer running less light. Once things settle in I will probably run the burst for a bit longer. I don't think that running less light will help your colors much. Chances are you would have better colors with a bit more light as long as you keep up with your fertilizers and CO2. The down side is your plants grow faster and it might be hard to keep up with the trimmings depending on the types of plants you are keeping.

I wouldn't mind having my plants grow faster... more stems to sell=more cash to fuel my aquarium addiction. Can't complain! :tongue: And yeah, i'm planning on bumping up the lighting with two more 54 watt bulbs once i can afford to purchase another retrofit from catalina aquarium.

Anyway, do you have any plans of what fish you're going to put in your awesome tank yet? I think some congos would look pretty sweet.

Ben Belton

· #8 · Jan 2, 2011

Where do you get fish down your way? All the places I used to go to in Charlotte closed. I went to Fintastic the other day. Better selection than they had years ago.

Wingsdlc

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jan 2, 2011

I have gotten some fish from the Local stores in Lincolnton but I will probably end up getting them this time from The Fish Warehouse in Hickory (the owner is the guy that runs the Western NC fish club) or from club members. Not sure yet. I don't think I want to go with congos. I want some smaller fish and lots of them I think.

Ben Belton

· #10 · Jan 2, 2011

I'll probably be in Hickory at the end of next month. I'll have to check that out.

Wingsdlc

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jan 2, 2011

Scott does collecting trips a couple times a year to South America. Mostly to Uruguay I think. He has tons of SM cichlids. Lots of Apistos. I will be setting up a planted tank for his store this coming Saturday. Where is Mayberry? I tried to google it but didn't find anything.

Ben Belton

· #12 · Jan 3, 2011

haha... sorry. Mount Airy, NC = Mayberry. I live here with Andy, Opie, Barney, and Aunt Bea

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayberry

I'm not into cichlids, but sounds like he might have an overall better variety than most places if he's that into fish. I'm not big into fish at all, but I'd like something other than what is usually available at Wal-mart.

Thanks,
Ben

Wingsdlc

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jan 3, 2011

He has a lot of neat stuff. Some things are not for sale because he has limited access to them but lots and lots of neat stuff. Come check it out this Saturday when I set up a planted tank for him.

Ben Belton

· #14 · Jan 3, 2011

Wingsdlc said:
Come check it out this Saturday when I set up a planted tank for him.

Wish I could. Working this Saturday.

reynolds_brad

· #15 · Jan 3, 2011

Nice layout. That sand really sets off the colors in the tank.

Great job.

Wingsdlc

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jan 5, 2011

2

Thanks reynolds brad! I can't wait for it to grow in!

I have a few plants floating in the tank that I have deals with for trades coming up this weekend. Found quite a few cherry shrimp feeding on the surface while hanging from the plants. Maybe I need to feed them!

Click the image to see a video.

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lauraleellbp

· #17 · Jan 5, 2011

That's a really cool pic of your shrimp! But are you sure your CO2 isn't too high? Or an ammonia spike or something? I'm getting a gut feeling that that's not "normal" behavior...

Wingsdlc

Discussion Starter · #18 · Jan 5, 2011

Out of all the shrimp in the tank, maybe 200+, there are only about 15 or so up there. I have had them feeding at the surface before on floating plants. I don't think that the CO2 is too high but I don't have a way too test it. All the other shrimp are acting normal along with the pair of BN plecos.

I have not checked nor do I have a way to check for ammonia right now. I kept my filter going going on another tank and the gravel stayed moist during the change of tank. Should be safe.

Should probably pick up a test kit just to be sure.

sewingalot

· #19 · Jan 5, 2011

That picture is hysterical! I totally want that as a poster now.

Wingsdlc

Discussion Starter · #20 · Jan 9, 2011

Stocking update:

Last night I added four Corydoras ehrhardti. I got them on a trade for a few plants. Later this month I will be picking up a fifth fish.

I am thinking of getting rid of the Bristlenose plecos. They have been doing some bulldozing around the rock work and spreading the flourite around on the sand. I have had the breeding pair for 3-4 years and hate to see them go but I think it is a must. Maybe I can trade them in for some other fish.

Any easy way to get the flourite off the sand and back into the planted area?

I am thinking of doing a school of rummynose tetras and maybe a couple of fish from Uruguay that are similar to North American Darters. I have to see if the guy that the LFS will part with any of them.

I set up a 29G planted tank for the LFS yesterday and came back with some new plants. Pictures will be posted tonight after it gets dark and I can take some nice shots.

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