about to start filling tank need help

[Proflooney]

hey guys I have a 75 gal tank and wife just got me some goodies tonight so I can start it up.

I got a 90 gal tank hang on the top filter, sand substrate dechlorination stuff and instead of a chemical test kit she got me one of these 6 in 1 test strip checker. (I will get the chemical one in near future but she tried and went by the LFS guy.

So I will be putting some live plants in as I figure out my aquascape.

now for questions.

1: how to tell how much ammonia I have to start. I read i want 4 ppm ammonia. I have regular household ammonia but no idea how much to add to my 75 gal tank or how to test how many ppm i have once I add it.

2: can I start my cycle and add my rocks and plants as I get them while my tank is cycling?

3: I read for plants you want a co2 system I was pointed to tons of DIY on them and doesn't look hard but I am not sure I understand using it.

I see a lot of threads saying you don't want to keep it running 24/7 you want to take and turn it off at night. well how do you turn it off just take it out of the tank? if I don't have any fish in right now during the cycle can I keep it going 24/7 or do I even need to turn it off at all?

I think those are the most important ones ATM I know there is more but for now they will answer whether I can start putting water in the thing and start my cycle hopefully by Xmas I can add fish. this will be a tetra tank for now and if everything goes well I will get another 75 and start a Cichlid tank

 

[Masha]

Wait till you have your liquid test before you start. The strips are ok for a very rough guestimate but really, they are useless for the kind of testing you do for cycling. I use mine to just test for the presence of nitrate, not how much nitrate there actually is!

1: how to tell how much ammonia I have to start. I read i want 4 ppm ammonia. I have regular household ammonia but no idea how much to add to my 75 gal tank or how to test how many ppm i have once I add it.


That 4ppm ammount is a little controversial. It's great to have a nice large amount of beneficial bacteria, but many people (like me!) found that the nitrite spikes that result from such a high ammonia dose is a real headache. Too high nitrites can stall the cycle, so you have to do huge water-changes, and that's a true pain in the pain. Others will disagree!

I would start with a lower dose - e.g. 2ppm. As for how to measure it, there are calculators online - will post a link if I find one now.

(This is also where it is essential to have the liquid test kit, which will tell you how much ammonia you have put in. The strips will certainly not give you an accurate idea of how much ammonia you are dosing. That means you could start off with completely the wrong dosage)


2: can I start my cycle and add my rocks and plants as I get them while my tank is cycling?

Yes. This wont harm the cycle and it helps keep you patient while the tank is sitting there all empty

I don't know anything about CO2 injection so I've left out those questions.

 

[Proflooney]

thanks I will try and get the other test kit this weekend

 

[Rivercats]

What type lighting and bulbs are you going to use? You lighting will determine the type of plants you can use. Then depending on lighting and plants, this will determine if you need to use only liquid carbon such as Excel or Metricide 14 (much cheaper for large tanks) or if you need CO2. In a large tank DIY CO2 is very ineffective and pressurized CO2 would be needed. Then all the above will determine the type of fertilizers you'll need. So let's start with the lighting question and go from there.

IMO your going to need another filter also. For a large tank a canister filter is a good choice as it offers a lot more space for media. I use Fluval canisters but there are many brands.

 

[Proflooney]

lights I will be making my own hood and getting the wired end caps so I can choose the different bulbs I will be using one of those sunlight type bulbs for plants and prob a blue bulb also for at night

for my plants nothing really fancy

Dwarf Hairy Grass, Java Fern and Hemianthus callitrichoides ''Cuba'', with some moss tossed in here and there

 

[Proflooney]

yea i found a canister I prob take this filter back and there is a 159 gal Eheim 2215-37, CD-910085 canister filter on sale for 119 so hopefully I can find the extra cash to get it

 

[Rivercats]

lights I will be making my own hood and getting the wired end caps so I can choose the different bulbs I will be using one of those sunlight type bulbs for plants and prob a blue bulb also for at night

for my plants nothing really fancy

Dwarf Hairy Grass, Java Fern and Hemianthus callitrichoides ''Cuba'', with some moss tossed in here and there

You need high light, dry ferts, and CO2 for Dwarf Hairgrass. Dwarf baby tears (HC) needs high light, dry ferts, and either CO2 or higher dosing of liquid carbon.

Are you going with T8's, T5NO's, T5HO's? Have you considered getting a good Led fixture made for planted tanks? Don't know your budget but Build My Led makes very good planted tank fixtures and if you get the dimmer you can use light from 10-100%. This fixture allows you do use it from low light to high light. I have 4 of these fixtures. T5HO's are the other good choice for planted tanks.

 

[Proflooney]

Are you going with T8's, T5NO's, T5HO's? Have you considered getting a good Led fixture made for planted tanks? Don't know your budget but Build My Led makes very good planted tank fixtures and if you get the dimmer you can use light from 10-100%. This fixture allows you do use it from low light to high light. I have 4 of these fixtures. T5HO's are the other good choice for planted tanks.

i have no idea what those are lol as for led I cant afford that I am barely scraping by on just getting this aquarium started so the cheapest route seemed the light tubes.

 

[Rivercats]

You'll probably have low light so your going to be pretty much limited to using Crypts (there are all different sized ones) and maybe Jungle Val for planting in the substrate and then if you add any rocks or driftwood you could use Anubia's, Java Ferns, and Bolbitus to tie onto them. If you using tubes add as many as you can and then you can go with bulbs in the 6500-6700K range. If you keep things simple you won't have to worry about spending money on CO2 or liquid carbon and may just need to use a bit of liquid ferts weekly after a WC.

 

[Proflooney]

ok im just learning abt this plant stuff lol i guess basically here is what I was wanting and since you roughly know where I am with lighting let me explain sorta my vision for what I wanted in my tank.

I will be using a tan sand (Pool Filter Sand) I was going to make a little mound abt 1/3 of the way across the tank and stack a few rocks to make a small outcrop type thing. then add a piece of driftwood around that and then I wanted a nice carpet of green on the substrate and a different type like tufts of grass (dwarf grass was going here sorta like simulating the decorative tall grass you see in ppls yards i think they call it pompano?) then some moss on the rocks and driftwood and a couple java ferns on the driftwood

that was kinda the look i was going for but those plants I posted were the only plants I knew of that ppl said were easy and low light

 

[Rivercats]

They stay low but they are not easy unless you have high light, dry ferts, and CO2 plus HC can deal people fits. If you want that and other grass like plants you are going to have to shoot for higher light and the extras. There are other types of grass like plants such as Cyperus Helferi (med-high light), for tall grass, Blyxa Japonica (med light), for medium, Blyxa aubertii (med-high light).

So if you want that style of tank you are going to have to get more light, CO2 or liquid carbon, and dry ferts.

 

[Proflooney]

what abt those DIY co2 systems I cant afford the store bought right now. also they say with co2 you need to turn it off at night how do you turn one them DIY off just take out of tank? and would using the small hallogen grow lights combined with the tube help?

 

[Rivercats]

DIY CO2 isn't efficient for tanks over 20g's. You'd have to use many bottles and you can't turn DIY CO2 off at night. One option is using Metricide 14 which is a liquid carbon. You can buy a gallon for around $27, mix it at a 1:1 ratio with RO or distilled water and get 2 gallons for about $27 shipped. Then you don't have to use CO2.

I think you need to build your lights first and then see what light level they will put you in. Then it can be decided what plants will and won't work. Your getting too far ahead of yourself.

Here's a link for you to look at various types of planted tanks... Your Tanks - Browsing

 

[Proflooney]

ok thanks. lol i really didnt think i was getting too far ahead I was trying to do all my research before I did anything that way I do it right the first time in case i need to save up for some stuff to do it right before filling tank

 

[Proflooney]

the first one here is the one I was looking at but adding some driftwood to with some moss and other stuff. the others are similar but its roughly the type design I am looking to do just remember I want to do a piece or two of driftwood in them

Tropica Aquarium Plants

Tropica Aquarium Plants

Tropica Aquarium Plants

 

[Caliban07]

I agree with masha on all parts except I would dose 1ppm ammonia. Also be sure that the ammonia you will be using has no other nasty ingredients and is pure ammonia.

Definitely get an API master test kit before you start (cheaper on amazon)

Adding rocks and plants etc will help the cycle move faster as this will allow more surface area for more bacteria. If you know anyone who has a tank you can squeeze there sponges into you tank or onto your filter media to speed up the process.

Once you add 1ppm just wait for a few days even up to a week when you get nitrites you can dose another 1ppm ammonia then wait till nitrites come down and nitrates start to rise. This way, you know the cycle is moving and you can slowly increase your ammonia dosing to grow as much bacteria as you think you will need.

As for plants and co2 you will need a plant expert but I will say that on my opinion it will depend on many factors. Type of plants, lighting, quality of tap water etc. I have never used co2 or supplements for my plants and they are always a lovely green so I must be doing something right.

Good luck with cycling and be sure to post the complete tank for us to see.

 

[Proflooney]

thanks yea tank went into hold pattern again til i can get the new pump test kit etc so hopefully in another week I can retry again

 

[Rivercats]

You are going to have to do fairly high lighting and CO2. Pic's 1 and 3 are Iwagumi style tanks which are very high tech and done in small tanks. It would be very difficult to do in a large tank. Pic 2 would be easier to do in a larger tank but again you have to have high light, pressurized CO2, and dry ferts.

If you want to do this type of set up you need to save for proper lighting if your determined to try this as your first tank. I've been doing planted tanks since the 70's and really suggest starting with a much simpler style with lower light to start. Do some research about Iwagumi tanks.

 

[Aqualady40]

1: how to tell how much ammonia I have to start. I read i want 4 ppm ammonia. I have regular household ammonia but no idea how much to add to my 75 gal tank or how to test how many ppm i have once I add it.

Hi, I just wanted to point out that most regular household ammonia has surfantants (misspelled). Shake the bottle and if it bubbles then do not use it...