My 75 gal tank build. Lots of pics
- Thread starter rainbowcharmer
- Start date
No water changes. I'm adding ammonia whenever it gets down to about 2ppm, to keep it at 5ppm.
The amount of cycled media that I added to the tank to help with the cycle was miniscule in comparison to what the tank needs. It was a small bag of filter media from an Aquaclear meant to handle tanks up to 20 gallons. So I was expecting spikes in the cycle, but hoping that the cycle would take less time than if I were starting from scratch. So far this seems to be the case since at 2 weeks (and a few days) I have nitrites and nitrates. If I'd started from scratch, I'd be at nitrites right about now, but no nitrates yet. So I figure I'm on target.
I'm unsure about the glass top being a worry? My bowfront has a glass top as well, and I've not had any problems with it - or are you referring to the glass top that I repaired? So far that is holding up well too. I don't know that it will be a permanent fixture, but since it is working for now with the silicone repairs, and I can't see it anyway under the lights, I'm just going to leave it be.
I still have not decided on stock. Severum is still at the top of my list as it is one of my favorite fish, and I'm still debating whether or not to make it more of a community setup with schooling fish or to just have a few larger fish. Haven't decided on that yet.
Option A (smaller schools w/ one big centerpiece fish):
1 Severum (gold preferably)
2-3 apistos
10-15 cory cats
10-15 cherry barbs (or similar sized fast schooling fish)
Option B (A few larger fish)
1 Severum (preferably gold)
1-2 BN Plecos
1 Ornate or Senegal Bichir
1 red tail OR rainbow shark
I am not 100% positive that either of those is going to work anyhow, but those are the two options I'm considering.
Input on either would be great.
The amount of cycled media that I added to the tank to help with the cycle was miniscule in comparison to what the tank needs. It was a small bag of filter media from an Aquaclear meant to handle tanks up to 20 gallons. So I was expecting spikes in the cycle, but hoping that the cycle would take less time than if I were starting from scratch. So far this seems to be the case since at 2 weeks (and a few days) I have nitrites and nitrates. If I'd started from scratch, I'd be at nitrites right about now, but no nitrates yet. So I figure I'm on target.
I'm unsure about the glass top being a worry? My bowfront has a glass top as well, and I've not had any problems with it - or are you referring to the glass top that I repaired? So far that is holding up well too. I don't know that it will be a permanent fixture, but since it is working for now with the silicone repairs, and I can't see it anyway under the lights, I'm just going to leave it be.
I still have not decided on stock. Severum is still at the top of my list as it is one of my favorite fish, and I'm still debating whether or not to make it more of a community setup with schooling fish or to just have a few larger fish. Haven't decided on that yet.
Option A (smaller schools w/ one big centerpiece fish):
1 Severum (gold preferably)
2-3 apistos
10-15 cory cats
10-15 cherry barbs (or similar sized fast schooling fish)
Option B (A few larger fish)
1 Severum (preferably gold)
1-2 BN Plecos
1 Ornate or Senegal Bichir
1 red tail OR rainbow shark
I am not 100% positive that either of those is going to work anyhow, but those are the two options I'm considering.
Input on either would be great.
Some updated pics.
We had coupons and a gift card for Jo-Ann Fabrics today, so we got some black material w/ stars on it, which I loooove! And some double-sided velcro. I sewed around the edges to prevent it from fraying, and then sewed a few pleats in it to make it fit the back of the tank, and hang nicely. Put the velcro on the material and then put it up on the back of the tank (attaching the velcro as I went) -seems to be the easiest way to do it.
I took someone's advice from the boards and used some feeding rings that had been in my 46 gal (rarely used though), and put the hornwort through the rings to help keep it from flying around the tank. So far it's working well.
I also stopped at Petsmart and picked up some filter media which I used in the whisper filter that came with the tank. I did not like the cartridge style filter media that was used in it before, so I did some DIY w/ filter fiber, right size filter pads, some of the ceramic rings that I couldn't fit into my eheim, and an aquaclear replacement foam pad. So far, so good. I like the additional water movement, although I have the whisper turned down to about half-capacity, and hopefully this will help in the event that the eheim craps out on me. Not that I expect it to, but backup is usually a good thing, right?
Anyhow - a few pics attached.
We had coupons and a gift card for Jo-Ann Fabrics today, so we got some black material w/ stars on it, which I loooove! And some double-sided velcro. I sewed around the edges to prevent it from fraying, and then sewed a few pleats in it to make it fit the back of the tank, and hang nicely. Put the velcro on the material and then put it up on the back of the tank (attaching the velcro as I went) -seems to be the easiest way to do it.
I took someone's advice from the boards and used some feeding rings that had been in my 46 gal (rarely used though), and put the hornwort through the rings to help keep it from flying around the tank. So far it's working well.
I also stopped at Petsmart and picked up some filter media which I used in the whisper filter that came with the tank. I did not like the cartridge style filter media that was used in it before, so I did some DIY w/ filter fiber, right size filter pads, some of the ceramic rings that I couldn't fit into my eheim, and an aquaclear replacement foam pad. So far, so good. I like the additional water movement, although I have the whisper turned down to about half-capacity, and hopefully this will help in the event that the eheim craps out on me. Not that I expect it to, but backup is usually a good thing, right?
Anyhow - a few pics attached.
So the tank officially started cycling on 11/9. Still not complete. 2 days ago the ammonia was down to about .25ppm. I added 1/2 tbs to bring it to about 4ppm. Yesterday it was down to about 2-3ppm. Today down to about 1ppm. Tomorrow if it's back down to .25ppm or so, I will add more ammonia and see how fast it drops this time. I think we're almost at the end of the tunnel with the cycle. Leaving for vacation on Wednesday, will be gone til Sunday, and then will start officially fish shopping.
I think I have decided on the following for my stock list:
1 Gold Severum
2-3 apistos OR Bolivian rams
6-8 Mollies (mix of black, white and dalmation - 1-2 males - 3-6 females)
12-15 tetras (Buenos Aires most likely, but perhaps black skirt or phantom - depends on what the LFS has)
6-10 cories (was thinking Emerald, but now not so sure)
Also, will have MTS, Ramshorn and the annoying hitchhiker snails (which are already taking over the tank).
Need to update pics - the plants are looking good now that I have decent lights on the tank, and between the Whisper 3 and the Eheim, the duckweed is disappearing. I scooped a bunch out a couple weeks ago, and it never returned. So I'm totally OK with that. I was really worried it was going to get out of control.
I think I have decided on the following for my stock list:
1 Gold Severum
2-3 apistos OR Bolivian rams
6-8 Mollies (mix of black, white and dalmation - 1-2 males - 3-6 females)
12-15 tetras (Buenos Aires most likely, but perhaps black skirt or phantom - depends on what the LFS has)
6-10 cories (was thinking Emerald, but now not so sure)
Also, will have MTS, Ramshorn and the annoying hitchhiker snails (which are already taking over the tank).
Need to update pics - the plants are looking good now that I have decent lights on the tank, and between the Whisper 3 and the Eheim, the duckweed is disappearing. I scooped a bunch out a couple weeks ago, and it never returned. So I'm totally OK with that.
I was really worried it was going to get out of control.
Eheim always comes with filter media.
If you had ordered a brand new 2217 from Kens Fish, you would have paid $140 including shipping and would receive it in 2 days. But $150 is a good price. The 2217 is not quiet; it's silent. It'll last for decades.
A lot of the canisters did not come with filter media, which is one of the reasons I went with eheim - not only do they have an amazing reputation, but they also come fully loaded with filter media. I'm OK with the $150 that I spent on it, although I learned about Kensfish like a day after ordering the filter, so I was a little bummed that I hadn't known about them previously. Ah well. Live and learn, and I'll be shopping at Kens from now on. And I agree - it's dead silent. Especially in comparison with the Whisper HOB that is on the tank. That thing sounds unnecessarily loud in comparison, but it works and I like a backup, so for now I'll leave it be. Once I can afford another canister, I may put a 2nd canister on and take off the Whisper, but that is probably not anytime soon considering the $$ that it costs for a good one.
I just have my fingers crossed that when I test the water after work today, the ammonia will be way down. Here's hoping!
And I agree - it's dead silent. Especially in comparison with the Whisper HOB that is on the tank. That thing sounds unnecessarily loud in comparison, but it works and I like a backup, so for now I'll leave it be. Once I can afford another canister, I may put a 2nd canister on and take off the Whisper, but that is probably not anytime soon considering the $$ that it costs for a good one. I just have my fingers crossed that when I test the water after work today, the ammonia will be way down. Here's hoping!
tank looks great and the cycle seems to be coming along. lol my only peeve would be those green filter tubes against the black background.. i'd yank em out and get me a can of matte black krylon fusion paint and spray em down
