Newbie in need of help, 75 Gallon Tank

[Coachpjg]

I have always wanted a large aquarium, but I have never had anything but a beta. So I decided to jump in with both feet and bought a 75 gallon glass tank and I built my own stand. Now what? Which canister filter would you recommend? Can you get one that is too big? I am looking at the Cascade 1200 or 1500. Which heater would you recommend. I was thinking about two smaller heaters over one large one. Good idea? I want a planted aquarium. I have a grasp on the lighting requirements, but how does it affect the filtration?

Here is my ultimate wishlist: Angelfish 3 or 4, Boesemani Rainbow (as many as will fit), one Redtail Shark, Pleco 3? (Zebra or Rio-Negro the ones that stay small), and some type of small schooling fish (tetra, mollies, or guppies - my first though where endler's). Any thoughts here? I am most worried about the small fish becoming lunch for the Angels.

Thanks for the help! I have done a lot of research, but sometimes it is nice to hear people answer your specific questions.

 

[Thumper828]

I can't answer any of your questions, but your stand looks Great!

 

[Coachpjg]

Thanks! The only way I could talk the wife into my plan was to promise to make a nice stand. She would not allow that cheap looking stuff you find at Petsmart in her house. Oh yeah, and I have to do all of the maintenance and cleaning, too! She gets to do the fun part- picking out fish and feeding.

 

[Aquamandan]

"Now what"? Now the fun begins!

I would introduce your angel fish last and break up any sight lines.

 

[Dubs1281]

I have always wanted a large aquarium, but I have never had anything but a beta. So I decided to jump in with both feet and bought a 75 gallon glass tank and I built my own stand. Now what? Which canister filter would you recommend? Can you get one that is too big? I am looking at the Cascade 1200 or 1500. Which heater would you recommend. I was thinking about two smaller heaters over one large one. Good idea? I want a planted aquarium. I have a grasp on the lighting requirements, but how does it affect the filtration?

Here is my ultimate wishlist: Angelfish 3 or 4, Boesemani Rainbow (as many as will fit), one Redtail Shark, Pleco 3? (Zebra or Rio-Negro the ones that stay small), and some type of small schooling fish (tetra, mollies, or guppies - my first though where endler's). Any thoughts here? I am most worried about the small fish becoming lunch for the Angels.

Thanks for the help! I have done a lot of research, but sometimes it is nice to hear people answer your specific questions.

Beautiful stand, looks like it was built by a pro. And for your fish, I would advise against the plecos if they are common plecos. They end up creating a bigger mess then cleaning up. As for your schooling fish. I would also advise against mollies, as they are brackish (meaning they prefer half saltwater half freshwater) If you buy your angels young. You wont need to worry about them eating smaller fish for at least a year or two. And when they become big enough, if your aquarium is heavily planted. They will have places to hide. Plus you will only have four angels. I would say maybe 8-10 rainbows if you keep the rest of your stock low.

For the redtail shark, with them, its a flip of a coin. They can be docile or extremely aggressive. You never know.

Plants are the greatest thing imo for a freshwater community. They provide oxygen, the help reduce ammonia and they look great. Look for alot of low light plants in your aquarium. Such as anubis, assorted swords, jungle val, and any kind of moss such as java or flame. For the plants to thrive, I would suggest a daily liquid co2 fert. And or a nutrients supplement. You could get a planted substrate, or regular sand or gravel with root tabs, or a liquid fert such as aqueon plant food. I use a planted substrate, with root tabs and liquid ferts, and the plants are doing spectacular.

As for a canister filter, im not your guy on that subject but I am looking into them. I would look for something that easily over filters your tank. Possibly even double it. And if you can, look for the crowned jewel. A built-in uv sterilizer. This kills bacteria and germs in the water and can make your aquarium crystal clear.

Hopefully I haven't overwhelmed you. Ask away.

 

[Coachpjg]

Thanks for the info! The angles will be the last thing. I am going to make sure everything is ready before I add the showpiece of the tank. The Aquatop CF500UV looks like a good filter on Amazon. I will put that on the short list of ones to consider. I might look at small blue lobster (or 2)in place of the pleco. Those things just look cool.

 

[Kr_Treefrog2]

As for canister filters, I can recommend a brand I've had really good results with for a fraction of the cost of popular brand name filters. Check out SunSun canister filters on Amazon or eBay. I own three of these, one of which has been going strong under a heavy bio load for over a year now. The two others I purchased over a month ago, and they also have the UV sterilizer. They're self-priming, and they have a valve that you can shut when you want to separate the intake/outflow hoses from the canister when you need to open it up and clean it. Maintenance is super easy. My only complaint is that the basket handles seem a tad flimsy when it's filled with bio rocks. Oh, you'll find also that there are other filters out there with a different brand name on them that look exactly like the SunSun filters; that's because they're the same. The SunSun brand is what it's called in China. US importers can put whatever name they want on it. Overall, I've had great experiences and success with these filters; I like them better than my $180 Rena XP3 Filstar. Should have saved my $100 and bought a SunSun right off the bat.

 

[Mebbid]

With a 75 I would probably look at using two different canister filters on a tank that size. Try the eheim ecco canisters. They work amazingly well.

Two heaters should work just fine. Just place them both near the filter intakes and it should distribute the water very well.

Personally, I would do a pair of angels rather than a trio or 4. They will pair off, breed, and fight a lot with each other. This is less of a problem if there is a ton of plants and cover in this tank.

Stocking the boesmani rainbows I would personally do a school of about 6 with an accompanying school of 10 harlequin rasboras. The colors should contrast fairly well and the rasboras aren't small enough to worry about the angels eating them.

I am a pleco addict so I say the more the merrier! (I have 5 in my 55 )Try checking out some of the rarer plecos such as the gold nugget. Those are always a beautiful species. The orinoco angel pleco is another one of my favorites.

The plants will absorb tons of nutrients from the tank, especially if this is going to be a high light / co2 injected aquarium. Take a look at doing a silent cycle for this tank. It is quickly becoming a popular way to cycle an aquarium.

 

[PAwrangler08]

As for canister filters, I can recommend a brand I've had really good results with for a fraction of the cost of popular brand name filters. Check out SunSun canister filters on Amazon or eBay. I own three of these, one of which has been going strong under a heavy bio load for over a year now. The two others I purchased over a month ago, and they also have the UV sterilizer. They're self-priming, and they have a valve that you can shut when you want to separate the intake/outflow hoses from the canister when you need to open it up and clean it. Maintenance is super easy. My only complaint is that the basket handles seem a tad flimsy when it's filled with bio rocks. Oh, you'll find also that there are other filters out there with a different brand name on them that look exactly like the SunSun filters; that's because they're the same. The SunSun brand is what it's called in China. US importers can put whatever name they want on it. Overall, I've had great experiences and success with these filters; I like them better than my $180 Rena XP3 Filstar. Should have saved my $100 and bought a SunSun right off the bat.

Any suggestions for canister filters on a 120gal?

 

[AngelFishGirl]

I can assure you right now - as long as you don't get neons or cardinals - your fish won't get eaten. I would personally get a school of tetras. Black skirts or red eyes look nice but are known to fin nip unless in larger schools.
Perhaps a large school of diamond tetras? They personally are my favorite tetras. Emperor tetras look nice as well.

Your stock sounds fine. The angels are a great look IMO! They're my favorite!

My red tailed shark is personally a sweetheart and I've never seen an aggressive one yet. But then again, people say some are for a reason

 

[Kr_Treefrog2]

Any suggestions for canister filters on a 120gal?

I'm running two SunSun HW-304B 525gph canister filters on my 120 gallon tank. It turns the water over about 9x an hour. They're 5 stage with four media trays and a UV sterilizer. I got mine off eBay for $90 each from cll_petsupplies and free shipping. Here's a link:

200 Gallon Aquarium Fish Tank External Canister Filter Media Kits Self Priming | eBay

 

[Fishperson]

Not much to add really, everyone seems to have answered most of your questions. I would say that getting 2 smaller canisters and 2 smaller heaters instead of 1 big one of each is better, because if one stops than you aren't in as bad shape. And for heaters, you can get 2 aqueon 150 watt subersible heaters for $40, free shipping. Actually, the 200 watt heaters are just 7 cents more, so maybe get 2 of those instead, just to be safe. The link is below.
Amazon.com: Aqueon 06104 Submersible Aquarium Heaters, 300 Watt: Pet Supplies

 

[Rivercats]

I run a 220g with 4 Fluval 406 canister filters on a 100% planted tank. I've used Fluval canisters since the 80's and have always had excellent results. I've always found running two canisters on larger tanks, one on each end, really works well.

As for angels.... in a larger tank it's best to keep 2 or at least 6. When you have a larger group of angels aggression, even once pairs form, is more spread out and no one fish tends to get picked on overly much. I keep 12 adult angels in my 220g without issue. I had 14 but two large males got very mean which sometimes happens with them and once removed the tank has run quite peaceful. I've had up to 3 pairs spawning at the same time without incident.

As for angels and small fish... angels will not automatically eat neons nor cardinals unless you get wild caught angels or Altum's. I have a school of 30 cardinal tetras that were about a 1/2 inch long that were added after my angels were adults. I started with dime to nickel sized angels and raised them with small fish so they don't pay them any attention. Granted this is not always the case but the majority of the time if angels are young and raised with small fish it tends to work out. I'm not sure I'd do Endlers in such a large tank simply because they are going to get lost with all the big fish. I have some Rachovii killifish pairs in the 220 also and while you can see the little males because they are so bright you can't see the colorless tiny females at all.

 

[PAwrangler08]

I'm running two SunSun HW-304B 525gph canister filters on my 120 gallon tank. It turns the water over about 9x an hour. They're 5 stage with four media trays and a UV sterilizer. I got mine off eBay for $90 each from cll_petsupplies and free shipping. Here's a link:

200 Gallon Aquarium Fish Tank External Canister Filter Media Kits Self Priming | eBay

Thanks!!!

What kind of media are you using? I found a website at gives you media including volcanic rock. And upgrades return tubing that hangs on the back and includes a shut off valve. I don't know if it is worth the extra $40 or not.

 

[Kr_Treefrog2]

Thanks!!!

What kind of media are you using? I found a website at gives you media including volcanic rock. And upgrades return tubing that hangs on the back and includes a shut off valve. I don't know if it is worth the extra $40 or not.

Some of the SunSun canisters come with basic media, and all come with coarse and fine filter pads; you just have to read the details. They also have built-in primer pumps and valves that shut off the intake and outflow tubes so it doesn't leak everywhere when you open it up to clean it. The tubing that comes with them is plenty long and tinted green, so it reduces algae growth in the tubing and hides unsightly scum. The water is returned via an included spraybar which, with all segments joined together, is decently long, unlike some of the filters I've used before.

I personally use filter pads, bio balls, ceramic rings, Seachem's Matrix stones, activated carbon, and Seachem's Purigen. The nice thing about using two canisters is that you can use different media in each. So far it's kept my water sparklingly clear.

 

[Kr_Treefrog2]

Oh, and as for heaters, after hearing horror stories about submersible heaters failing and frying whole tanks, or breaking and releasing toxic chemicals and broken glass, I decided to replace my submersible for an inline heater. I have a 300 watt Hydor heater installed in the return line from the filter so the heated water gets dispersed evenly throughout the tank by the spraybar. The heater has a temperature dial, but as a backup safety precaution, I have it plugged into a Hydrofarm digital thermostat. The thermostat has a probe that continually monitors the temperature and has a suction cup that keeps the probe nicely in place, as well as a real-time LCD display. You can set the heater to the temperature you want, and the thermostat a few degrees higher so that in the event the heater should fail and start to heat continually, the thermostat will cut the power once it reaches your set temp.

 

[Coachpjg]

Thanks for all of the great advice. It is very helpful. I just ordered some equipment from amazon. I got the Sunsun HW-304B filter, a Fluval E 300 watt heater, the API master test kit, and an air pump. I went with one heater I might add a second one later. I liked the idea of a second filter, but my wife wants part of my cabinet for storage, so I don't think I will have room for two canisters. I was thinking about adding a 30 gallon power filter hanging on the back. I thought I could use it for my 10 gallon quarantine tank (which I have not bought) when I need it. I could then seed the small tank with it, and then bleach it clean and return it to the large tank. Is this a bad idea? Quarantine tank suggestions?

I did have one question about adding the angelfish. If I get 4 maybe 6 angels, I will want to get young ones, but I will also want to be picky. I don't want to just go get whatever the fish store has in stock that day. I will want different colors, and get just the right one. If I add them one or two at a time over several weeks will this increase their aggression? Is it better to add them all at once?

If I read the detail right my canister will come empty without any media. Any recommendations? Brands? It comes with four baskets. Does it matter what order you place the media. I do know that coarse mechanical filter goes in front of the fine filter. But what about chemical or biological? Does one go in front of the other? Does it make a difference?


Again, thanks for all the help. I can't wait to get started!

 

[Rivercats]

I've bought my angels from Mellow Aquatics for a long time. You can watch his site or email if your looking for specific colors and such.

If you get young dime to nickel sized angels and do the stocking over 2 or 3 months they are usually fine. Once thing about angels is when adding new ones to a tank, have someone feed the other ones at the other end of the tank. There can be some minor bickering but it's usually nothing much especially if the tank has plenty of plants and DW.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Its not a bad idea to run an hob filter along with your canister. I did for a long time on my 55 before I put a 2nd canister on it. I always keep an extra bag of biomax in my canister so I can pull it and toss into an hob for QT. I prefer to just replace that bag after qt use, and I keep a seperate hob for only qt, just so I dont risk acidentally contaminating my show tank moving a filter back and forth.

Btw: your stand is gorgeous! I love the moulding detail

 

[Kr_Treefrog2]

Thanks for all of the great advice. It is very helpful. I just ordered some equipment from amazon. I got the Sunsun HW-304B filter, a Fluval E 300 watt heater, the API master test kit, and an air pump. I went with one heater I might add a second one later. I liked the idea of a second filter, but my wife wants part of my cabinet for storage, so I don't think I will have room for two canisters. I was thinking about adding a 30 gallon power filter hanging on the back. I thought I could use it for my 10 gallon quarantine tank (which I have not bought) when I need it. I could then seed the small tank with it, and then bleach it clean and return it to the large tank. Is this a bad idea? Quarantine tank suggestions?

If I read the detail right my canister will come empty without any media. Any recommendations? Brands? It comes with four baskets. Does it matter what order you place the media. I do know that coarse mechanical filter goes in front of the fine filter. But what about chemical or biological? Does one go in front of the other? Does it make a difference?

Sounds like you have a solid foundation for your system; you've got all the bases covered. For your heater I'd suggest placing it next to your outtake pipe so the heated water gets sucked up through the filter and dispersed back into the tank by the spraybar. Be prepared when you get your SunSun box, the 304 is a big boy, but it works great and silently. I have a smaller 264 gph version and it was dead silent, but I was kind of expecting the big brother to make a bit of noise because of its size, but no, it's silent too. I have to put a hand on it to be sure it's running.

Your filter will come with a coarse and fine filter pad in the bottom basket, and another fine filter pad for each of the other three baskets. Water is pulled from the tank to the filter, where the water runs down the sides into the bottom of the canister, and is then pulled up through the baskets and back out again. So, you'll want to arrange your media from the bottom up. Oh and btw, the media baskets are surprisingly large and hold a lot of stuff.

Mechanical filtration in the bottom, so coarse, medium, fine filter pads, etc. I actually have the included pads in the bottom of mine as well as a natural sponge I got at a hardware store for a couple bucks to get the really fine stuff. Next is your biological, so something like bio-balls, ceramic rings, or porous bio rocks. I personally like one basket of ceramic rings and one basket of Seachem's Matrix; it has TONS of surface area for bacteria to thrive in because it's so porous. Third is your chemical filtration. The most common is activated carbon, but it has to be replaced every so often. One product I've recently fallen in love with is Seachem's Purigen. It filters out ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites, as well as polishes the water. It has a bit of sticker shock until you realize Purigen can be renewed with a simple bleach treatment and it's good as new over and over again. If you do decide to get Purigen, be sure to get Seachem's The Bag as well. It's an extremely fine mesh bag with a reusable zip tie, and while most other filter bags are fine for anything else, if you try to put Purigen in a generic bag you'll end up with thousands of tiny Purigen particles floating in your tank.

I think the idea of setting up a HOB filter on your main tank to be used as the filter for a hospital/quarantine tank when the need arises is a great idea. As you said, it will be nicely seeded with active, healthy bacteria so all you'd need to do is fill the little tank with some of the main tank's water, a handful of gravel, and you're set to transfer your fish with as little shock as possible. It's much easier to treat a sick or injured fish in a smaller tank; less medication required and they can recover in peace, not to mention the possibility of contagions spreading. It will also be a good place to observe new arrivals and assure their health before adding them into your main tank. With all the affection, time, effort, and (frankly) money that goes into a tank, the last thing you want is to see all your little aquatic buddies belly up because one sick fish slipped by.

Well, ALL that being said, here are some links to products you might find useful, especially for your size filter.

Seachem's Prime - Amazon.com: Seachem Prime 500ml: Pet Supplies

Seachem's Stability - Amazon.com: Seachem Stability 500ml: Pet Supplies

Purigen - Amazon.com: Seachem Purigen 500ml: Pet Supplies

The Bag - Amazon.com: Seachem The Bag Filter Media Bag: Pet Supplies

Ceramic rings - Amazon.com: Aquarium Ceramic Rings, 500g Filter Media Qty: 3 (Total 1500g): Pet Supplies

Seachem Matrix Bio Media - Amazon.com: Matrix, 2 L / 67.6 oz.: Pet Supplies

Marineland Activated Carbon - Amazon.com: Marineland PA0373 Black Diamond Activated Carbon, 40-Ounce, 1134-Gram: Pet Supplies
(You'll need a media bag to put this in)

Melafix (Fish First Aid) - Amazon.com: API Melafix Antibacterial Fish Remedy, 8-Ounce: Pet Supplies