Newbie's 75g Tank

[Mplsdjw]

Hi Everyone-
Just thought I would share pictures of my new (and first) 75 gallon tank. After getting a 10g tank for my daughter and then getting totally hooked on the hobby, I decided to go all in and start a 75 gallon planted tank. After a month or so of getting all of the equipment needed I was able to put it together this weekend. It will be a community tank. I am planning on
10-12 Longine Zebra Danios
10-12 Harlequin Rasboras
10-12 Cherry or Black Ruby Barbs
6 Angelicus Loaches
It is going to be a Low light/Low tech setup with Dwarf Sag, Jungle Val, Java Fern, Anubius Nana, Rotela. I used Eco-Complete substrate
It has a Penn-Plax Cascade 1500 canister filter with a Hydor 300w in-line heater.

I got 3 Manzanita driftwood pieces and some granite rocks from the local landscape supply outlet. I first played around with the driftwood and rock locations. I was trying to create a major rock/driftwood formation and the left side and a smaller one on the right.

Added the Eco-complete substrate. My setup is a little more difficult because the aquarium is on a room divider so it can be viewed from both long sides. The primary viewing is from the side I'm showing in the pictures. I sloped up the substrate toward the back.

I added some smaller rocks next to the larger rock formations.

Here it is with the planted added. Planted taller plants in the back corners to hide some equipment. The setup hopefully will give the loaches good cover in the rocks and open areas for the schooling fish.

Dosed to 3ppm Ammonia and added filter media material from the 10g tank. Let the cycling fun begin.

 

[sinibotia]

For that tank I would recommend a temperature around 76-77. A good medium for everybody.

Also, some advice that I have from recent experience- add the loaches to your tank last, especially a low light tank where growth will be relatively slow. I only just recently started doing serious planted tanks and it turns out botias sometimes like to nibble on plants Unless you get unlucky with a certain plant it won't be much, but you may find some nibbles or holes in leaves. Doesn't bother me

 

[Mplsdjw]

Thanks for all your awesome advice.
I am definitely planning on adding the loaches last. Given that I have a 10g for quarantine it will take awhile to add all the schooling fish. It will be at least 4 or 5 months before I will add the loaches so the plants and the tank should be more established by then. I don't think that them nibbling on plants will be an issue for me, after all we are adding the plants for the fishes benefit.
Thanks for the temperature recommendation. That right in line with the research I have been doing online.