Arinon
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Finally picked up a 75g tank (48x18x20) the other day at a LFS and ordered just about everything else I need online. Picked up some black textured paint for the back as I’ve seen a few pics floating around here and it looks much better then most backgrounds. Once everything else gets here I should be ready for water, and as I have access to a cycled 30g I’m hoping the fishless cycle will only take 1-2 weeks. So it’s almost game time! But of course still have a few questions for setting things up and maintaining.
1) Lighting. Tank came with a really basic lightstrip. 1 48” Eclipe ‘Daylight’ T10 40W bulb. This will have to do for now. I’d like to do some low/mid light plants (No CO2) but unless I’m mistaken I’m looking at buying a new strip/balast or some serious DYI to take it up past 1 WPG? I find lighting in general really confusing but I won’t be buying another strip for some time.
2) Plants and Cycling. Does the addition of plants during a fishless cycle effect things at all? Can they go in right away or do you need to wait till afterwards? My armchair science says it might mess things up if the plants are soaking up ammonia.
3) PWC. I understand you can treat the tank (with Prime or some such) then just add the water, but where should this water come from? Can you take it right from the tap provided you know the parameters? Stupid question I know, but the reason I ask is that couldn’t this mess with the temperature a lot? Or do you have to have the water sit somewhere beforehand? 30g of water is not a trival amount to find room for.
4) Substrate. Think I’m going with PFS and mix in something black of similar size. I see Tahitian Moonsand and some sandblasting sand thrown around a bit, but how MUCH would I need for the 48x18 footprint for 2”-3”. Thinking 50lbs of PFS and maybe half that much of the black?
5) Stocking. By far the most important part but I’m still up in the air for a lot of it. I have 2 fish earmarked as more or less must-haves.
Bala Sharks (3)
Yoyo Loachs (4-6)
Now let me preface the Balas with the caveat that I understand they may outgrow the tank, but I’m perfectly willing to relocate them should that happen. Either to LFS or depending on the timeframe involved, a larger tank.
Having said that, some other fish I have kinda taken a shine to are Otos, SAE, small Pleco of some sort, Cory Cats, and BGK. Any suggestions? TIA
1) Lighting. Tank came with a really basic lightstrip. 1 48” Eclipe ‘Daylight’ T10 40W bulb. This will have to do for now. I’d like to do some low/mid light plants (No CO2) but unless I’m mistaken I’m looking at buying a new strip/balast or some serious DYI to take it up past 1 WPG? I find lighting in general really confusing but I won’t be buying another strip for some time.
2) Plants and Cycling. Does the addition of plants during a fishless cycle effect things at all? Can they go in right away or do you need to wait till afterwards? My armchair science says it might mess things up if the plants are soaking up ammonia.
3) PWC. I understand you can treat the tank (with Prime or some such) then just add the water, but where should this water come from? Can you take it right from the tap provided you know the parameters? Stupid question I know, but the reason I ask is that couldn’t this mess with the temperature a lot? Or do you have to have the water sit somewhere beforehand? 30g of water is not a trival amount to find room for.
4) Substrate. Think I’m going with PFS and mix in something black of similar size. I see Tahitian Moonsand and some sandblasting sand thrown around a bit, but how MUCH would I need for the 48x18 footprint for 2”-3”. Thinking 50lbs of PFS and maybe half that much of the black?
5) Stocking. By far the most important part but I’m still up in the air for a lot of it. I have 2 fish earmarked as more or less must-haves.
Bala Sharks (3)
Yoyo Loachs (4-6)
Now let me preface the Balas with the caveat that I understand they may outgrow the tank, but I’m perfectly willing to relocate them should that happen. Either to LFS or depending on the timeframe involved, a larger tank.
Having said that, some other fish I have kinda taken a shine to are Otos, SAE, small Pleco of some sort, Cory Cats, and BGK. Any suggestions? TIA