Jason Baliban

Hello Everyone,
I have recently aquired a 75 Gallon tank in a game of chance. I now have the exciting task of making it come alive. I was wondering if you could all help me. My goals as of this moment are pretty simple. I want this thing to be very easy to maintain. I want to put my hands in this thing as little as possible. I have another tank that I have to prun every week without fail. That tank is much smaller and it is still almost too much to maintain.

My question is how to accomplish this? I wanted to originally not have CO2 at all to cut down on lighting and setup coasts. I wanted this thing to be completely low tech. I would still consider this, but it looks like this is not really a great idea. I currently have a 4x55PC retro laying around. I would consider using it, but is it too much light for my goals? Also I want the plants to be mostly slow growing.

I also would like to talk about ferts. I am using EI with my other tank and it is great. However, it is a high tech tank.....and i have read some people having issues with EI with lower light. Any thoughts on ferts?

So I guess these are my questions now (considering my goals of maximized self sufficiency):

Lighting?

Filtration? I probly want and ehiem - so this is where you eheimhead's come in with some great advice!!!

CO2 Yes or No?

Ferts?

Plants? - I really dont want to prun.... There is always prunning for health, and that is fine, but i really dont want to be topping 6000 step plants each week.

Fish? I was considering discuss just for size of the fish!!! But I dont know much about them? What about angels? Anyone have thoughts on fish? While tetras are great!! I want to have something that has some size....and i think this is the tank to do it.


Thanks so much guys!!! I am super excited to start the project. With all your help im sure i can get this thing within my goals. Thanks Again!!!

jB

MatPat

I have a 75g tank and love it for it's size. I would use the 4X55 retro fixture on the tank. You should be able to control at least two of the lights separately I would think.

CO2 - I would do CO2 if it were my tank. CO2 is always a help in plant growth as you know. Plus it will allow you to put a stand or two of slow growing stem plants in the tank for a bit of color if you get bored and still not have a lot to trim!

Filtration - I would try the Eheim 2128 if price wasn't a concern but I'll defer this to the Eheim experts also

Plants - I would use the typical low light plants, Anubias, Java ferns, Crypts, etc. Even though they are low light they will do fine in higher light and still not need much pruning. I went 6 months without much maintenance on my Java Ferns and Anubias when I had them in my 75g with about 3wpg. They did multiply in size quite a bit during that time and gave me lots of extra plants!

You can check out some of the Senske's works with tanks on their website:

http://www.aquariumdesigngroup.com/i...wrap=Portfolio

Agus Po also has some Anubias/Java Fern combos that I like. Since this was entered in the AGA contest, specs are also given for his tanks:

http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.or...=0&vol=2&id=54

http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.or...=0&vol=2&id=24

Ferts - follow EI! You can start out with a higer dose and adjust it as needed (if needed) for the slower growing plants. You already know that excess ferts won't give you any troubles as long as you don't let them get out of hand.

Fish - Discus are nice as seen in the tank on the Senske site! I just got some Discus for my 75g tank and so far so good! I like them even though I prefer large schools of smaller fish in my tanks. German Blue Rams and Cardinals are also a good mix in my opinion! So many choices so few tanks

There's my thoughts

stcyrwm

What problems are folks having with lo light EI? I'm curious because I'm thinking of doing a tank this way. Have you read Tom's low tech tank article?


Bill

AaronT

I don't know about the EI method, but the PPS method has an adjusted dosing scheduled based on your wpg. I run 4x32 ODNO T8's on my 75 gallon and I would equate the lighting to come out close to your retrofit fixture. You will need CO2 if you decide to use it or you will have algae city for sure.

Little tanks take much more maintenance IME. The added height of the larger 75 gallon allows me to prune stem plants only every 2-3 weeks. If you want to stay low tech just use one of the 2x55 watt fixtures and stick to anubias, ferns, mosses, and crypts. Very little dosing is necessary with such a setup. Of course CO2 benefits any setup, wether low light or high light.

Jason Baliban

Thanks for your input so far!! Does anyone have any other thoughts?
jB

Sir_BlackhOle

I have a 75 gallon low tech tank that I hardly ever mess with. Probably trim it once a month if I feel like it. Lighting is 2 four foot shop light fixtures with regular NO flourescent bulbs, 6700k. Home depot has the bulbs 2 for < $5. Substrate is a mix of gravel and laterite. No CO2. Heavily planted and nicely stocked with various tetras, dwarf cichlids, and other tropicals. I feed the fish fairly heavily twice a day. I dont dose anything (but I will probably start dosing a little kno3, po4 and some traces soon just to speed things up a bit) and hardly ever have to trim. Most of the plants are crypts and anubias. One mother sword, a few stem plants, some dwarf chain sword, bolbitus...etc. This tank is at my gf's mothers house which we recently moved out of, so I dont get to spend very much time with it except for feeding the fish. It has been running for about a year and a half.

Jason Baliban

Kevin,
That is awesome, thanks so much for sharing. This is totally along the line of what i was thinking. The dark side is pulling me to higher tech. I have a 220PC kit laying around......lots of folks have been telling me it isnt too nuclear. I appreciate you sharing kevin.
jB

AaronT

No, you are mistaken. Going to the darkside involves salty water.

Jason Baliban

Darth Salty: "Obi 1 gallon never told you what happend to your old aquarium..."
Luke Freshwalker: "He told me enough......he told me you smashed it"
Darth Salty: "No.......I am your old aquarium"
Luke Freshwalker: "NNOOOOOOOOO!!!"

HAHAHAHA
jB

Phil Edwards

Jason,

I've got a 29g soil based "Walstad" tank with 2x 65w lights over it and it's just fine with top-off only. I think your 75 is a great opportunity to do a "wild" tank and just let the plants grow how they will and thin them out only when you feel like it. If you're worried about excessive light in a no CO2 tank I would recommend getting some lilly plants and letting them cover the surface. They'll make a great light attenuation system as well as be a huge nutrient sponge.

Even if you want to use CO2 and your high lighting, going the non-stemplant route like others have suggested is very maintenance friendly. I did something similar with a 90g full of Crypts, Anubias, Glossostigma, and E. tenellus and hardly had to do anything to the plants. Water changes, fertilizers, and top-off were it. I would steer away from discus though, they're a lot more work than it sounds like you want.

Regards,
Phil