Slowly Upgrading 55 To 75 Gallon

Our fish to plant ratios are approximately opposite.

Hmm, I guess the betta tanks sorta bring down my fish/plant number ratios. I love having a bunch of plants for my fish to swim through. Though to be fair, Oscars and live plants don’t go together.

 

Your tanks are looking fantastic jen. Any new update on the 75? I may have missed it. Been off the grid for almost 2 weeks so I'm just skimming through threads to get caught up.

 

Your tanks are looking fantastic jen. Any new update on the 75? I may have missed it. Been off the grid for almost 2 weeks so I'm just skimming through threads to get caught up.

Nothing interesting going on here really. The 75 wasn’t even sent last week! The company didn’t even send it!!! Actually they sent nothing my LFS ordered. Hopefully things come this weekend.
I DID find out what the heck is going on with Jester. His tail has been slowly dwindling away. I SAW the little jerk biting his own butt!!

 

Nothing interesting going on here really. The 75 wasn’t even sent last week! The company didn’t even send it!!! Actually they sent nothing my LFS ordered. Hopefully things come this weekend.
I DID find out what the heck is going on with Jester. His tail has been slowly dwindling away. I SAW the little jerk biting his own butt!!

That sucks. Maybe the weather?

And yeah they do that sometimes. Sorry can't offer any advise. I only had 1 that that did that ,and Unfortunately , I could never get him to stop. Good luck.

 

That sucks. Maybe the weather?

And yeah they do that sometimes. Sorry can't offer any advise. I only had 1 that that did that ,and Unfortunately , I could never get him to stop. Good luck.

Weather last week was fine! I would understand more if it was a horrible weather week and things needed to be cancelled due to it.
I got a new filter for Jester. I’m gonna put some Pennywort in his tank and plant it. See if that helps. Also gonna get him some ghost shrimp to chase around this weekend. I may have to end up putting him in a smaller tank just so it’s easier for him to swim.
Water change for the 55 will happen tomorrow. Jester and Merlin will be this weekend. So a pretty normal schedule for me. Hopefully my 75 comes and I can set it up.

 

Good luck with jester.
I sure hope it comes in soon. I've been excited about this forever lol.

 

Good luck with jester.
I sure hope it comes in soon. I've been excited about this forever lol.

Thanks! As long as he can swim and eat and be a crazy little fish I’ll be happy. Though I may have to downgrade my boys. If we move them to the living room. Which would mean there’s be much more plants crowding in so if it’s his reflection that could help. Thinking the Petco 6.8 gallon tanks.
I know!! I wanna have the 75 set up too!! The store wants it to come in as well. Heheh. As well as the other stuff that they ordered!

 

If nothing is overstressing him, Jester may just be having an allergic reaction to something in his tank or food. Not because anything there is too unusual, but because he is just genetically over-sensitive. This happens in humans and animals, and likely to fish as well.

 

If nothing is overstressing him, Jester may just be having an allergic reaction to something in his tank or food. Not because anything there is too unusual, but because he is just genetically over-sensitive. This happens in humans and animals, and likely to fish as well.

Do you think I should take out the barrels? I dunno if I could take out bridge and he likes his bridge. I’d need to detach the Anubis though.

 

Bettas got water changes yesterday. 55 gallon (because my tank still hasn’t gotten shipped yet!) got one Saturday. Fish seem ok though. I need to get more plants for Jester. His tank just seems kinda sad right now.

55 gallon




Merlin who’s looking good!




Jester the butt biter

 

Added plants. Narrow leaf sword and some bacopa for Jester. Hoping having new plants to explore will stop the biting his own butt. He has no tail!




Gave Merlin a couple stems of bacopa. It’s place between the driftwood and the tank wall. Can barely see it right now.

 

My LFS messaged me yesterday. My 75 gallon tank is at the store!!! Now to find out when they will be able to deliver. Cuz I can’t carry that thing on my own and my car wouldn’t be able to carry it straight and flat.
But even if they have to wait until the week after New Years that still means it could be set up by mid January!

 

My LFS messaged me yesterday. My 75 gallon tank is at the store!!! Now to find out when they will be able to deliver. Cuz I can’t carry that thing on my own and my car wouldn’t be able to carry it straight and flat.
But even if they have to wait until the week after New Years that still means it could be set up by mid January!

Woohoo!
I had to make 2 trips for mine. Couldn’t fit both stand and tank at the same time. But separately they fit perfectly.

 

Woohoo!
I had to make 2 trips for mine. Couldn’t fit both stand and tank at the same time. But separately they fit perfectly.

Oh I’m talking just the tank. The 55 barely fit nicely in here. And the 75 is 6” wider. Sigh. So delivery it is. I can be patient.
Want. Tank. Now!!

 

Well it looks like I'm going to have a boatload of Dalmatian mollies and little yellow Guppies. The babies of the babies are now having babies.
You see where I'm going with this?

Soon I will reach a critical limit. I'm going to have to start giving them away or feeding them to my Oscar.

 

Well it looks like I'm going to have a boatload of Dalmatian mollies and little yellow Guppies. The babies of the babies are now having babies.
You see where I'm going with this?

Soon I will reach a critical limit. I'm going to have to start giving them away or feeding them to my Oscar.

So the mollies really eat algae like some say?

 

They do, and I have a gro-lite on my brackish tanks to promote algae.
The tiny fry are eating it off the plastic plants constantly.
They also seem to love spirulina based flakes.
But mollies really are little piggie,s who will eat most anything.

 

I have to tell you that Mollies will not eat algae off the glass like a pleco can. Mine mostly are eating off of fake plants.

The little buggers shred my silk plants too!

 

I have to tell you that Mollies will not eat algae off the glass like a pleco can. Mine mostly are eating off of fake plants.

The little buggers shred my silk plants too!

Awesome! I have considered getting some for the stubborn algae I cannot seem to get rid of. Do they eat hair or stag horn algae?

 

Awesome! I have considered getting some for the stubborn algae I cannot seem to get rid of. Do they eat hair or stag horn algae?

They eat hair and stag horn algae. I’ve also seen one try BBA, but I don’t know if they eat it a whole lot.

 

I think a lot of it depends on just how hungry they are.
Mine have definitely eaten hair algae of different colors.

 

Just waiting on the 75 to be delivered. The truck is kinda acting wacky. And it’s the holidays so probably won’t be here until after the New Year. That’s ok. I can be patient. Ish.
But fishies are doing good. Gonna get frozen food since it’s Christmas. Gotta give Merlin a water change. Then I’m good.
Gonna try and give Jester meds just in case. Wanna prevent any infection getting into his fin from the nipping.
Merry Fishmas!!!

 

It came. It came just the same!! My new 75 gallon tank is here. And it’s another Seapora! No cracks. Kevin and I both looked it over before he left.
However I am pet sitting from tomorrow morning to January 1st. So that means I can’t start on cleaning tank and sand until I get home.
But then I can! Then I figure out how to move plants and wood and where to place them!
Then I move fish!!!
And then I get 6 baby Angelfish.
And then I get the super red Bristlenose pleco I kinda sorta reserved at my LFS.

The new tank.




Crowley and Azriaphele




Pretty sure Crowley is a male




And also pretty sure Azriaphele is male too.




Banana being the absolute STAR that he is!!




And a super red baby.

 

Woohoo!!!

 

Woohoo!!!

I know!! Finally!! Only a few more days. And that’s only cuz I have to pet sit. Hehe.

 

I know!! Finally!! Only a few more days. And that’s only cuz I have to pet sit. Hehe.

You are going to love the size of the 75 g. I love mine.
And I have a second older 75 g sitting here empty. My friend gave me the tank and said it was a 40. Glad we took the truck to get it. But now I’ve been daydreaming (or rather hallucinating lol!) about a MalawI Cichlid tank.

 

You are going to love the size of the 75 g. I love mine.
And I have a second older 75 g sitting here empty. My friend gave me the tank and said it was a 40. Glad we took the truck to get it. But now I’ve been daydreaming (or rather hallucinating lol!) about a MalawI Cichlid tank.

I already do! I can’t wait to have the driftwood and plants in there and actually have a background instead of everything in a straight line. Though I am very happy to have had this 55 gallon for almost 3 years.
Ohhh! Yes, do the fishie tank!

 

Woohoo! So exciting!

 

Woohoo! So exciting!

I know!! I can’t wait to start setting it up. I do want to put a smallest little shI'm underneath the front corner by Jesters tank. I don’t wanna wait until the 1st or 2nd to set it up but I won’t be home until the 1st. And I dunno the time yet.
I got two pleco caves coming to me in the mail! Just in case the super red wants a cave as well. And an extra one for good measure!

 

You will have a few Pleco Wars like my tanks. It's amazing to watch tiny little Redeye stand up to Dyson who is about twice as long and four times as powerful.

They try to steal each other's food just like the dogs and cats.

It's pretty funny to watch sometimes.

 

The 1st is just in 2 days so it's not like it is weeks away. I cannot wait to see what you do with the new tank. Very excited for you!

 

Ulu. I hope it’s not horrible. I ordered 2 caves so there will be 3 caves in there. Yeah I figured there would be some “I want what you have” even if they have the same exact thing. Veggie clips will go on separate sides.

tfreema. Only a day away!! Or if it’s the 2nd I start, 2 days away. I can’t wait to set it up!! It’s gonna be chilly but I’ll be able to just dump buckets outside. I can clean the sand inside.

 

Ok. I have wiped down my tank. I think it’s good enough to start washing sand today after my dogs.

 

Happy New Year and happy winter sand washing...in Ohio!..... brrrrr!!!

What I do: just sieve it thru a bit of that plastic solar screen (dry) to remove the silt. Toss the silt out.

I've become cold-adverse since I moved to the desert. So far we've had very light frost maybe 4 days. Not one night of freezing cold, and all the oranges (and patio fish) are safe.

 

Happy New Year and happy winter sand washing...in Ohio!..... brrrrr!!!

What I do: just sieve it thru a bit of that plastic solar screen (dry) to remove the silt. Toss the silt out.

I've become cold-adverse since I moved to the desert. So far we've had very light frost maybe 4 days. Not one night of freezing cold, and all the oranges (and patio fish) are safe.

Right now it’s not so bad. 40s. And I’m not gonna be washing the sand outside. Just dumping the water outside. Sand will be washed inside in a bucket. I just gotta squish my hand around in the bucket and the sand a few times.
Tank needs shimmed. We knew that but didn’t know how much. There is a few gallons of water in there so now we know. So tank will be shimmed and some sand washed tonight at least. Dunno if I’ll get it all done.

 

Woot! David shimmed the 75 for me and I washed 80lbs of black sand. I think it’s enough?? But I won’t know for sure until things settle a bit more. I’m hoping that tomorrow I’ll be able to fill the tank. Saturday put in heaters and start bigger canister for water flow. Sunday I spend with friend. Then maybe even Monday move plants and driftwood and fish. But maybe do that Tuesday. Not 100% sure yet.

 

Talk about a long thread :-O lol.

just finished my upgrade from a 46b to a 75 last night- Good luck! Don’t forget to re-check that the stand is staying level as you fill it more it’s a great sized tank.

 

Talk about a long thread :-O lol.

just finished my upgrade from a 46b to a 75 last night- Good luck! Don’t forget to re-check that the stand is staying level as you fill it more it’s a great sized tank.
View attachment 648825View attachment 648826View attachment 648827View attachment 648828View attachment 648829

Yeah it is long. But it’s everything I’ve been through. Your tank looks nice! How did you manage to keep the white and black sand separated?
Oh! I will check now!!
Yep!! It’s in the same position! Whew!

 

Woohoo. And it begins.

 

Yeah it is long. But it’s everything I’ve been through. Your tank looks nice! How did you manage to keep the white and black sand separated?
Oh! I will check now!!
Yep!! It’s in the same position! Whew!

Yeah I think it’s pretty cool that you actually kept up with it throughout the whole time. I start out with the intention but then I’ll go off on like two day binges of planning/working and forget to take pics/post hahah >.<

haha, one of the many problems that took some ingenuity and an engineers mind

To save money and not have to put like 100-120 pounds of eco complete and 40-60 of sand first I put down a little layer of lava rock...which I hope will end up accomplishing an anaerobic zone and denitrification to control nitrates...and I arranged/graded it in the rough shape/levels that I wanted.

On top of that I put some plastic crafting mesh, and then eco complete. The crafting mesh gaps are large enough that plant roots will be able to get through no problem.

then I actually found some cross stitching fabric...the 14 point will actually hold even the fine white reef sand that I picked up by carribsea and not let it through but water can pass. I’m not sure if plant roots will be able to, but I would assume no...though I’d imagine that maybe they can break through the fabric over time? I’m not sure...but yeah...it holds it back

So where they meet I just cut a vertical strip of crafting mesh to give more firm support between the two substrates, then glued the fabric to the other side, and put it all the way down in between the lava rocks with the fabric layered upwards toward the side of the tank, so that any sand leaking through where the fabric pieces meet will just be falling down to the very last piece of fabric and be caught. I was able to accomplish about 3 inches of just sand depth at the deepest part, and still a decent inch of so through the most shallow areas.

I only used 20 pounds of sand and 55ish of eco complete for that entire tank (5ish in the sump). About 10-12 of lava rock.

this was one of the areas where I meant to take pics bc it was an interesting built, but I just got focused and went on a binder of like 6 hours of brainstorming and working nonstop before I even realized it was morning, LOL.