Hey All
I was in the plans to set up a 75 gallon reef tank but due to a few reasons decided to go fresh water. I currently have a 33 gallon planted tank with 5 small Convicts.
My 75 Gallon has a custom stand/canopy with HO lights and 175 watt 14k Metal Haliades. I have the tank drilled, custom overflow with a 45 gallon sump. Still being a newbie, let me know what you think of my plan:
Set up bio balls, poly wool, carbon and two bio wheels in the sump for filters. My CO2 unit will be used here as well as two, 200 watt heaters and a Mag 9 return. Return will be split into three, LocLine returns for good flow. Sump also has a 24" x 16" section I will use to raise fry and plants. Two strip lights will be used for lighting. I will also have a drip auto-top off to replace evaporated water.
Display tank will have main lighting from the metal haliades, as well as HO lights for dawn/dusk. A deep sand bed with play sand and drift wood. Background will be painted black. Display will be planted, not dense, but not too lightly either. Java Moss drift wood will be a center piece. Fish will be various Cichlids and of course my Convicts. I expect the fish to nibble at the plants, however plants should always be ready to be replaced from the sump when one gets beaten up too much. With a DSB (6") I am not too worried of plants being dug up.
Questions are:
Will the filtration be good enough?
What kind of clean up crew (Shrimp?) if any should be used.
Am I wasting my time trying to do planted with Cichlids
Will metal haliades work? Will 14k bulbs be ok or should I go 10k or 6500?
What kind of salt if any should be added?
Being new to a large fresh water set up, anything else a newbie like I should know?
Thanks
I was in the plans to set up a 75 gallon reef tank but due to a few reasons decided to go fresh water. I currently have a 33 gallon planted tank with 5 small Convicts.
My 75 Gallon has a custom stand/canopy with HO lights and 175 watt 14k Metal Haliades. I have the tank drilled, custom overflow with a 45 gallon sump. Still being a newbie, let me know what you think of my plan:
Set up bio balls, poly wool, carbon and two bio wheels in the sump for filters. My CO2 unit will be used here as well as two, 200 watt heaters and a Mag 9 return. Return will be split into three, LocLine returns for good flow. Sump also has a 24" x 16" section I will use to raise fry and plants. Two strip lights will be used for lighting. I will also have a drip auto-top off to replace evaporated water.
Display tank will have main lighting from the metal haliades, as well as HO lights for dawn/dusk. A deep sand bed with play sand and drift wood. Background will be painted black. Display will be planted, not dense, but not too lightly either. Java Moss drift wood will be a center piece. Fish will be various Cichlids and of course my Convicts. I expect the fish to nibble at the plants, however plants should always be ready to be replaced from the sump when one gets beaten up too much. With a DSB (6") I am not too worried of plants being dug up.
Questions are:
Will the filtration be good enough?
What kind of clean up crew (Shrimp?) if any should be used.
Am I wasting my time trying to do planted with Cichlids
Will metal haliades work? Will 14k bulbs be ok or should I go 10k or 6500?
What kind of salt if any should be added?
Being new to a large fresh water set up, anything else a newbie like I should know?
Thanks
