Isabella

Hi all

For those who are interested, I am very happy to report that I have finally bought the 75 gallon tank I've been talking about for months now. I didn't have to work today, so I said that's it. I devoted the entire day today for "fishie" shopping. Otherwise, I'd have to wait even longer to buy the tank. I'm glad I'm done with this part. I went to Aquarium Adventure to finally see the store, and that's also where I bought my tank and an oak stand (this time, I didn't let my local unethical fish store make more money off me). Aquarium Adventure also had Eco-Complete substrate for planted aquaria, so I bought 6 bags of it (it was 29$ a bag, but it's still cheaper this way than ordering Eco-Complete online - with s&h costs, I'd pay about $30 more by buying it online). And I have FINALLY found the driftwood I was dreaming about! They have really really beautiful driftwood pieces of all shapes and sizes, plus they're all heavy and don't float (they're imported from Malaysia I think). They're not expensive either at all - you pay $30 - 60 for huge driftwood pieces for 75 - 200 - sized tanks. I don't consider this expensive, as my LFS has extremely ugly, small, and twice as expensive driftwood. So, it's definitely a GREAT deal over there, at Aquarium Adventure. As for the store itself ... man I loved it! They have ALL fish you'll ever need, and all of them are in large and clean and beautifully planted tanks. They have all fish that I want to buy for my 75G tank. As for the rest of the equipment (filter, heaters, lighting, etc ...), I'll buy it all online, as I can get it MUCH cheaper online and with FREE shipping (Big Al's Online and Marine Depot).

Now, I am not setting up the tank right now, as I'll first need to order the equipment and the plants. I'll order plants to arrive the same* day that I'll be putting the substrate in the tank. Oh, yes, and I want to soak and boil the driftwood for like a week or two. So, those who are interested, bear with me I'll start an online journal of my tank's progress once the tank is set up and has plants in it.

So, that's it for now. I can't wait to put my hands on all of that stuff ... !!! LOL

Isabella

P.S. I already want a 150 - 200 gallon tank next !!!

Butterfly

Thats wonderful news!! I know you'll love it Now the fun begins
Carol

atmmachine816

Congratulations, will follow your tank journal. Isn't traveling the distance to AA worth it, I love going to mine, it has so many display tanks, they have one really pretty one that's planted that curves around a wall and it's soooo cool, does yours have any. Might I suggest you having your plants arrive whenever you will have nutrients for them whenever that is. Now you get to spend the money though before you can set it up. Hope all goes well

Golden Fish

congrats Isablella!
What are you planning on putting in there?

Isabella

Atm, actually the store is very close to me (15 - 20 minute drive), but it's that I never have the time, you know. But I just had to do it: designate entire day just for this purpose. And yes, even if I had to drive 3 hours one way to see the store, I'd do it - it really is worth it

Golden Fish, I will transfer 2 or 4 Angels to the 75 gallon tank, and will buy some other small schooling fish (particularly Cherry Barbs and Harlequin Rasboras), plus 3 Ram Cichlids. Besides, it will be a fully planted (low-light) tank with driftwood and maybe some petrified wood (it's a rock - fossilized wood). Substrate will be black Eco-Complete for plants. Lighting will be 48" Freshwater Coralife fixture containing a total of 130 watts of 7,600K spectrum (or 6,700K - I always forget which spectrum it is). My 8 neons will go to the 30 gallon tank. With time, I want to make the 30 gallon tank fully planted as well.

atmmachine816

6,700K, 7,600 will promote growth of algae more.

One bad thing I'v heard about AA is I talked to a plant company in Singapore on a planted tank forum and they said they heard they don't always hire very knowledgable staff, that I saw in a betta being in a tiny tank when I went, kinda made me mad for having everything else be so nice.

Isabella

Actually, over my 10 gallon tank I have a 10,000K light and the tank is FULL of green and brown algae. In my 30 gallon tank, I have a 6,700K (or 7,600K) light and there is no algae at all, except some black brush algae which I remove with tweezers. This is because my Chinese loach doesn't eat this type of algae. I have read on many websites that it is actually lamps of 10,000K and above that promote algae growth, and those below 10,000K do not. And from my own experience, this is actually true. This is why I am getting 6,700K lamps + an algae eater that eats black brush algae.

atmmachine816

Anything much above 8,500K starts to promote algae so that would be why you have algae in your ten gallon, why not just buy a new bulb. Sorry meant you want 6,700K for plant growth, if you get 7,600K it will promote slightly more algae than 6,700K Black brush algae do you mean beard algae, blackout removes that. I would get a school of oto's, a bn pleco, and amano shrimp if you can for algae crew or siasmese algae eaters if you can find them.

Butterfly

A couple of Bristlenose(just 'cause their ugly/cute ) would be perfect for the 75G but would wait for the tank to mature a little.
Carol

cherryrose

8) That's wonderful! You are going to have so much fun setting it up and stocking it. I'm glad you are going to keep a journal. It will be fun to read. 8)

CherryRose

0morrokh

Congrats on the new tank!!! No fair, an entire day of fishie shopping........

Are you getting anything else besides the Angels, Cherries/Harlequins, and Rams? You must have room for more in such a big tank.

BettaBuddy ~ Miley

Congrats!!!!!!! Miley

Isabella

Thank you all so much

Omorrokh, yes there is a lot of room, but I won't be stocking the tank fully. I want light work with this tank. Of course, I will perform weekly water changes, but I don't want those water changes to be 50% due to a heavy stock. I don't want overcrowding. I want my fish to have lots of space and to be happy Next to Rams, Angels, Harlequins, and Cherries, maybe I'll add some Diamons Tetras and Zebra Danios as well - I'll see I will let you know of every thing I do to - or with - my tank, lol

I love this hobby so much, and getting a big tank is so much fun. For some reason, I just love to play with the gravel, aquarium equipment, plants, and just getting my hands in water in general ... lol Setting up a new biotope, especially a nicely-planted tank, is a fascinating occupation to me. While to some people water changes may seem like a nuisance, they're actually a hobby for me. They give me an opportunity to spend time with my fish, and even touch my fish (my Angelfish actually let me touch them ). Water changes also bring you closer with your fishies in a way - you actually feel like this is your tank and your hard work, which is rewarding too. Simply having a tank and staring at it, and never putting your hands in there, is sort of too "empty" in the fish-keeping hobby, isn't it? Or at least it seems so to me. Also, I feel like water changes and a maintenance of a nicely planted tank bring us somehow closer to nature.

skippi

congrats isabella.. sounds like you are on the road to having loads of fun... Now you have me wanting to get my larger tank like now... am jealous but glad for you it sounds like it will be very cool


HEidi

atmmachine816

I do that with my aunt, it's so fun, I'm sure Isabella can testify to that. I think some shrimp would be a good idea

Butterfly

ATM unless their huge shrimp the Angels will make lunch out of them
Carol

atmmachine816

Not sure on that, my angels don't eat my ghost shrimp and don't touch my bamboo shrimp and the stay right by my filter tube which my angels breed on. I could have very nice angels though if it's going to be a planted tank they probably would have enough places to hide, I don't know, I just know mine don't bother mine, might just have weird angels I don't know

Isabella

That's a nice suggestion and I love shrimp - they're very cute. But I won't be putting any shrimp or snails in this tank. I just want a light stock (or medium at most) of fish - including an algae eater at some point - and a tank full of plants. That's all I want it simple