Ready to build my dream tank - suggestions?

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desertwitch

desertwitch
Apr 30, 2008
14
0
0
Austin, TX
Hello all. I've been reading this forum for months and finally joined because I'd like to poll you experts....

I'll be changing residences in a few months and, due to a financial windfall, will be setting up my freshwater dream tank. I'm thinking 75-gallon. Because of cramped space, I've never kept anything larger than 20-gal planted tanks - several at a time. I've used only Eclipse systems because I'm basically lazy and enjoy the low-maintenance aspect of them. I know Marineland makes hood systems that include lighting and filtration for 75-gal tanks but was wondering if any users have feedback on them?

What I want is the best freshwater planted tank set-up I can buy which will mean the least amount of maintenance on my part. I also don't want to perform maintenance on a step-ladder like my husband has to do for his 130-gal reef tank. :) For fun, let's say money is no option here. Any recommendations?

Thanks for reading!!!
 
I have no opinion on the lighting/hood/filter combo other than I'd never use it. For you, if money was no option, I'd get the following (assuming you already have the tank and stand):

Filter: x2 Rena FilStar XP3 or 1 XP3 and 1 XP4
Heater: x2 Marineland Visi-Therm Stealth 250W
Lighting: DIY CFL retrofit (I know money is no option, but I like DIY projects and CFLs)
Substrate: Sand (play or pool)

Then other stuff like the plants, driftwood (Mopani), etc... Oh, and fish. You'd also want the Python No Spill Clean & Fill system to help keep you lazy. :)

I'm sure I left stuff out, but that's most of the major components.
 
Thanx Bored! About the lighting..... If one wasn't the DIY type of person, is there an alternate suggestion? Also, do you think T5 is better for planted tanks than full-spectrum? Does it make that much of a difference in what types of plants you can have?
 
75g Planted Tank with little or no DIY and minimal maintenance with money as no object:


75g All-Glass Tank(or if money really is no concern the ADA Cube Garden 120-P)
48" 4x64w Coralife Aqualight, 4 8800k bulbs
1 Eheim Pro II 2128(great filter with onboard heater)
1 Magnum 350 with micron sleeve(water polishing)
1 6x Coralife Turbotwist UV sterilzer
Pressurized CO2(Milwaukee Regulator and you can purchase an inline reactor)
Flourite Black substrate,ADA Aquasoil, or something inert like 3M Color Quartz Black or
Turface
1 Python(definitely)
1 Coralife Power Center(8 outlets with mulitple timers, multiple on/offs per day)

If using the ADA 120-P:Replace filter ins/outs with glass lilly pipes, replace eheim tubing with grayed out tubing(not clear)


I think that covers the basics: tank, lights, heater, fiilter, substrate, co2.....if I think of something else I'll add it later.
 
If you want a minimal maintenance planted tank, think about a "Walstad" tank (basically dirt, plants, and light, with a few fish; no filters, infrequent water changes, and so on). You have to keep the animal stock low, though, or the plants will be unable to keep up with waste production. Do you have particular fish or plants you really want to keep?
 
Thanks for the suggestion. However, I currently have more fish (which I love) than the Walstad method allows.

My current stock in three 20-gal tanks are:
10 Celestial Pearl Danios (sometimes called Galaxy Rasboras)
6 Cardinal Tetras
6 Pygmy Rasboras
1 Angelicus Loach
1 Albino Cory
1 Oto
1 f. Guppy (who keeps throwing fry)
15 Ghost Shrimp

All these fish get along famously - never have any aggression - so I'd like to continue with this stocking scheme, maybe adding a couple more loaches and corys to the 75-gal tank when I get it going.

I don't mind 30 minutes of maintenance a week, but I don't really want a set-up that will require an hour or more per week.
 
That being the case, I alter my suggestion:

I would go low light/low tech, no co2 and no 4x65w aqualight. Get the 2x65w Aqualight, still with 8800k bulbs.

With that you can still use Flourite black, but I wouldn't use Aquasoil unless you were adding co2/high light.


With a low light setup, maintenance will be low. Weekly water change, then every 3-4 weeks trim the plants, and finally every 3-4 months clean the filter.
 
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