Setting up 75 gallon

[digcolnagos]

Trying to figure out what fish to get. First, the basics:

Dimensions:
48" long
18" wide
21" high

Filtration:
Marineland Emperor Biowheel 400

Substrate:
Gravel

It's been cycling for three days now with a half-dozen swordtails. We're thinking community tank, but, if need be, we can transfer the 'tails to our 20-gallon tank, which has room, and go the cichlid route. We have a few weeks to decide. I've done a bit of research, enough, I suspect, to be dangerous. Questions and initial thoughts.

1. We put the latest used filter from our 20-gallon into the reservoir of the bigger tank in hopes of cutting down the cycle time. We're also planning to do 20-percent water changes in the smaller tank every four days or so and putting that into the bigger tank. Will this work, or is this method of shortening the cycle an old wive's tale?

2. Bubblers. My wife likes them, I'm ambivalent. We have a couple now. Will they reduce our options as to species? Do they serve a useful purpose vis-a-vis increasing oxygen or anything else?

3. Ah, the biggest, and funnest, question: What fish to get. I'd like to start with clown loaches but have heard disparate views on this regarding tank size. The LFS assures us that our 75 is big enough; I've read that 125 is a better minimum. If 75 is big enough, big enough for how many? I've read that a minimum of four is best. If we go with clown loaches, would they be compatible with a blood red parrot cichlid, which I understand favors the mid level of the tank, with the CL's favoring the bottom. I am familiar with controversy surrounding the blood red parrot, but saw some today and thought they were beautiful. Lastly, if I go CL and a blood red parrot and the swordtails (banking that the swordtails will grow fast enough to not become fish food), would a red-tail shark work with that mix? Finally, we're also planning on some albino catfish to help keep things clean. So, to sum up, my initial thoughts are:

1. Clown loaches (four)
2. Blood red parrot cichlid (one)
3. Red-tail shark (one)
4. Swordtails (six)
5. Albino catfish (three or so)

This said, we're completely open, but we do favor having a variety of species. Any thoughts/inspirations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, especially for patience in dealing with questions that have likely been asked a bazillion times.

[dkpate]

I have bubblers in all my tanks except for the bettas. They put more oxygen into the water AND my fish love to play in them. Especially if you have heaters, because warmer water has less oxygen.
Perfect for using the established media from your other tank in your bigger tank! You might not even have a cycle at all. My 75 got seeded with old media, and I didn't have a cycle.
Not sure about the stocking, someone else will have to chime in about that!
Good luck!

[mfdrookie516]

bubblers are not necessary and are unsightly imo... i have none, never will. A spray bar on a canister or a powerhead at the surface will do the same job, maybe better, and will look much better. The bubblers dont actually add oxygen to the water, they increase surface agitation (the reason i use a spray bar) which allows the co2 to offgas.

as far as fish go, that mix probably wont work. blood parrots are not a community fish. If you want to do a sa/ca cichlid tank, that would work depending on what fish you get. An african tank would be nice too. Im kind of partial to mbuna as they are my FAVORITE fish, and you could have a nice colorful mixture of them. Totally an opinion though on what you want to go with.

[spoonman]

My only input is not to take water from the 20 and put in the 75. It wont help the cycle and it is just dirty water. Using the media from the 20 will be enough.

[digcolnagos]

Thanks, all. I'm already learning a great deal--if I'd checked here earlier, probably would've tried the fishless cycle, but, then again, it worked for our smaller tank without any loss of life. Fingers are crossed. I will definitely get a water testing kit and a python. The tank is in our downstairs wet bar, not far from a faucet and sink, so the python should work great. I'm not crazy about bubblers, but my wife likes them and I'll need her support here, so that's that. We also have room for another huge tank, 150 if not 200 gallons, down the road, so I really want this one to work out. One could be bubbler-less, if that makes any sense.

[mfdrookie516]

Originally Posted by digcolnagos

bubbler-less

awesome word... ill add that to my "it wasnt a word, but now it is" list Any new ideas on what fish you might go with?

[digcolnagos]

Originally Posted by mfdrookie516

awesome word... ill add that to my "it wasnt a word, but now it is" list Any new ideas on what fish you might go with?

As I said, I'd like to do clown loaches, but I'm not sure if 75 gallons is big enough once they reach maturity. Really, I'm mulling possibilities. I hope I haven't screwed up in that I haven't done rockery yet. Figured I'd decide on species first--don't know what kind of hiding places I'll be needing. Speaking of rocks, I want a naturalistic look (bubblers notwithstanding) and am planning on gathering from nature. Is that OK? Are there any particular rocks I should avoid?

[mfdrookie516]

take some vinegar with you, make sure you go to a place where no chemicals or anything get to (an ideal spot is way back in the woods where not alot of people go). when you find a rock you like, pour a little vinegar on it. If it bubbles, dont get it. Im not sure on clown loaches, but im sure somebody on here has experience with them. Live aquaria says 50g minimum, but also says it can reach a foot in length or more!

[digcolnagos]

Sounds good, thanks! Really glad I found this site.

[strokinbyeu]

the one fish store i go to has a tank with 4 cl and two of them the guy has had for going on 19 years there about 8-10in long and 6 in tall and 3in thick so they do got big but he had them in prob a 120gal tank with about 10 other large fish. none of them were for sale so this is there home not just a holding tank so i would say a 75 gal would be ok for 3 or 4 unless u keep them for 20years by then u will have a biger tank prob

[fishboy444]

The red tail shark sounds good to me!