75 Gallon Planted Tank

[SomethingIsFishy]

Tank looks great!! Nice job!!

[steeler1]

Nice clear tank, great job Mitch.

I can't wait to see fish in it.

[Mitch p]

Having a little trouble with green water! Oh no!!! I have decided and have ordered a really nice In-line UV sterilizer. I have been trying to convince myself that its not worth it and that I would never buy one unless I had algae problems...and well.....what do ya know!!!! So I decided I am just gonna accept the benefits of using UV and made the jump for it

[Cermet]

Green water (algae) most often is caused by too much 'food' (from any source) ... what are the nitrates and phosphates in the water? Really need to know those if you are keeping a planted tank that happens to have fish ... .

By the way, very nice tank!

[Mitch p]

Green water (algae) most often is caused by too much 'food' (from any source) ... what are the nitrates and phosphates in the water? Really need to know those if you are keeping a planted tank that happens to have fish ... .

By the way, very nice tank!

Nothing in the water just yet! However I don't have a nitrate/phosphate kit due to the fact that the majority of them give wrong readings and I dont wanna dish out a ton of money for "decent" kits for those . Also from a little research when I was getting the items ready for the tank, many people said they paid top dollar for the kits and then diddnt use them again after the first month =/. Do you have an opinion on this? If it is seen as necessary I will gladly pick it up, however I am hesitant to do so because my 15g diddnt need it . If I can save a buck, I am always happy :), but of course someone with more experience than myself is always a great source for information and opinions so please do share!!!

I have my own theory about my green water and its that the tank is freshly set up with an abundance of a very nutrient rich soil. The water is not "OMG I CANT SEE THE BACK OF MY TANK " green, just has a slight green hue to it. So I am wondering whether its what Cermet said ( very likely, but not sure because I havent dosed any ferts yet or fed any fish (there are no fish ) ) or if the soils leached nutrients are the problem.

Time will tell! These things can be solved folks!! And I will figure it out one way or another! Now I am off to do more research on what Cermit said!

[Cermet]

First off, Seachem kits have a 'standard' solution to use in order to confirm the kit is working.

A nitrate kit is needed weekly - both to track the water level to determine when to make a water change and how much water. For plants, and fish this level is critical. Too high and algae will grow (over 10 ppm is, for me, high) and too low (under 3 ppm) the plants will suffer. Can't see how one could get along (with a heavily planted tank) without that kit.

A phosphate kit is useful but rarely used but when needed, critical. Most tanks with substrates and good water changes will still, slowly, build up phosphate levels. Checking this level is useful. If the level is well below 1 ppm, plants will suffer. Algae will not run away with higher levels if the nitrates are very low (not good for aplanted tank) so keeping tabs on the phosphate level is good. Conversily, if nitrates levels are good for plants but phosphate levels very high, algae may become an issue.

Another kit that I really think people with plants could use is an iron test kit - the level needed for a healthy plant growth, while fully safe for fish, has little room for error. Hence, blindly dosing iron can be deadly for fish. Thus, a kit is very desirable but once you exstablish the rate the tank is using it, would rarely be used except to cross check every few months.

Seachem makes all these kits and they include standards. I am very unhappy with the API nitrate kit since I need to measure 1 ppm very well (and below.) Most people really don't and the Seachem kit would be useless.

Hope that helps on kits.

Aside: a large (very) water change will really help remove the algae and nutrients and maybe, in time, the levels will drop. Useful to know the nitrate levels and ammonia/nitrite, if any.

[Mitch p]

First off, Seachem kits have a 'standard' solution to use in order to confirm the kit is working.

A nitrate kit is needed weekly - both to track the water level to determine when to make a water change and how much water. For plants, and fish this level is critical. Too high and algae will grow (over 10 ppm is, for me, high) and too low (under 3 ppm) the plants will suffer. Can't see how one could get along (with a heavily planted tank) without that kit.

A phosphate kit is useful but rarely used but when needed, critical. Most tanks with substrates and good water changes will still, slowly, build up phosphate levels. Checking this level is useful. If the level is well below 1 ppm, plants will suffer. Algae will not run away with higher levels if the nitrates are very low (not good for aplanted tank) so keeping tabs on the phosphate level is good. Conversily, if nitrates levels are good for plants but phosphate levels very high, algae may become an issue.

Another kit that I really think people with plants could use is an iron test kit - the level needed for a healthy plant growth, while fully safe for fish, has little room for error. Hence, blindly dosing iron can be deadly for fish. Thus, a kit is very desirable but once you exstablish the rate the tank is using it, would rarely be used except to cross check every few months.

Seachem makes all these kits and they include standards. I am very unhappy with the API nitrate kit since I need to measure 1 ppm very well (and below.) Most people really don't and the Seachem kit would be useless.

Hope that helps on kits.

Aside: a large (very) water change will really help remove the algae and nutrients and maybe, in time, the levels will drop. Useful to know the nitrate levels and ammonia/nitrite, if any.

AH yes, I have the API master kit. Its terrible lol

[dizzykylie]

Great looking tank!!!

[Mitch p]

Great looking tank!!!

Thanks!


Just ordered a bunch of plants from users on the planted tank. Should be great!!

[Mitch p]

Just a quick update with some pictures!

Here are some of the fish :D. After getting my tank cycled, I added a couple drops of ammonia for a few days to make sure it went to 0 in the Ammonia and Nitrite categories before adding any fish to the tank.



Here are some of the fish :D. After getting my tank cycled, I added a couple drops of ammonia for a few days to make sure it went to 0 in the Ammonia and Nitrite categories before adding any fish to the tank.

Current stocking list:
Guppies
Mollies - May get rid of the mollies not sure.
Platys
German Blue Rams
1 Albino Bushynose pleco

After moving all my plants from the 15g, I noticed I had some babies in the tank! Here is a picture of 1 of them growing up pretty well. I have since had more babies that include guppies and platys!



After moving all my plants from the 15g, I noticed I had some babies in the tank! Here is a picture of 1 of them growing up pretty well. I have since had more babies that include guppies and platys!

I did have a bit of an O2 problem at night but that has been fixed by putting 2 airstones with check valves and putting them on a timer for whenever I stop my Co2. Problemo solved!




And now here is a full tank shots! This was taken before running the UV Sterilizer a few days ago. When I get home I will take another picture and post it for a before and after effect.




I have had some pretty good growth as you can see! I did actually change the bulb timings I have and the length of time they stay on. I currently have this setup:

8 AM : Plant Grow Bulb turns on (simulates sun rising )
9 AM: Plant Grow Bulb Off - 2 6500k Lights on
4:30 PM: 2 6500k lights off -Co2 Off - Airstones on - Plant Grow Bulb on -
6 PM: Plant grow Bulb off.

This seems to be working REALLY well for me for growth, algae, and fish happiness.

My dosing/ Waterchange schedule is currently:

Sunday: 50-60% water change + Trim + ADA Phyton Git+Dose ferts (Pfertz dosing)
Monday: ADA Green Bacter
Tuesday: 15% water change
Wednesday: Dose Pfertz
Thursday: ADA Green Bacter
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Rest


So far this really seems to be working for me.

I also have a bunch of Nerite snails on the way to help out as well!

Comments welcome!