Advice

[GinoBro]

Hi all. I'm looking to get back into an aquarium set up after not having any for a few years. I had a 55 gallon fresh water with many different species and fake plants. All my gear hung on the tank top edge and or draped over the top.

I had a very good time and much success with that tank and set up but want to go slightly different direction. I would like to get a 75 or 90 gallon deep blue reef ready tank and a Fluval FX6 or 406 and I would like to get some basic/beginner live plants and a few different species of fish.

I like the bottom ports on the deep blue and the ease of operation of the Fluval canister system. I really like the clean look also with out all the apparatus hanging off of tank.

Can anyone help with suggestions on a heater, type of strata needed, types of easy to manage plants for a beginner or any other helpful information that a novice like myself has over looked or ignorant of?

Someone had mentioned that they do not use charcoal in their canister because somehow or another the fish had something to do with it. They also use a CO2 for their plants not sure where to go with all this just know where I want to begin.

Thanks in advance for all of your helpful advice and guidance.

 

[Coursair]

Reef Ready ? So they have that big black plastic piece in the tank ???

For a planted tank, I prefer as few things in the tank as possible.
You can hide a canister filter in the stand. Intake and outflow can be in a corner hidden by plants wood or rocks. Outflow can be at waterline along the back.

You can use an inline heater. So the only things in the tank are an intake and outflow.

If you want to add a sump and an automatic overflow valve you can do that without the reef ready portion as well.

Just my 2 pence

 

[HooKooDooKu]

From what I read, you don't want charcoal in the filter of a planted tank because the charcoal will absorb some of the micro nutrients that the plants need.

I haven't wanted to get into dealing with CO2... instead I make sure I have an air bubbler beyond what is basically needed so that the water can get some CO2 from the atmosphere.

I don't know if it's because of light levels or the lack of CO2, but most plants I've tried in the tank have soon died. The only things that have thrived without a lot of extra is Anubis and Water Sprite.

The height of the typical 55 gallon tank would be ideal for Water Sprite (in a typical 10 gallon plant, the Water Sprite will quickly grow beyond the height of the water column).

 

[Coursair]

We don't use Charcoal in the filter because we don't need it, except to remove medications if we've dosed the tank. It takes up space that can be used by BB friendly material.

A nutrient rich substrate can make your plants take off faster. I've never used most of them. ADA AquaSoil is the premium stuff, but it's pricey !
EcoComplete, etc.

I use rounded sand in my tanks. Partly for cost partly cause I like it.

For easy Ferts
I use Thrive All-In-One by NiloCG Aquatics. It's on Amazon or his site.

You can buy Gluteraldehyde 14 off Amazon, throw away activator and you have generic Excel for a Carbon source.

I get DIY Root Caps. NiloCG has them of EBay. I got $100 for $8

Some members here may sell them as well.

Depending on your lights you can grow lots of easy stuff
Java Ferns have a few varieties( 5?)
Crypts ....lots of choices
Anubias species
Etc...

My basic 55g