Just Got A 72g

[JArtiles305]

Father just decided to go half and half with me on a new 72G Bowfront with stand. We will recieve it tomorrow, and I will be turning it into a planted tank. I'm not aiming to go high tech jsut something in between.

I was wondering what light fixture would make a good purchase I'm currently looking at a Current USA Satellite Dual 48" 4 x 65 Watt Power Compact Light Strip W/2 Lunar Lights. If possible I'd like to go cheaper anyone have any ideas?

Also what sort of filtration should I be looking at? I've seen the Eheim Filter 2215 for $110, yet again if I can get something cheaper it would be better.

Lastly any good US online sites to purchase a good amount of plants?

The tank is going to be heavily planted, jungle style with a good fish load. Almost going Walsted method except I won't be using topsoil but instead eco complete.

I've got a 10G which is doing great. Would like to continue the sucess in the 72G Bow. Should be starting a journal on it too.

 

[Squirrelbuddies]

Congrats on the new tank! (good choice!)

Regarding the filter -- if you are going to have a good-size fish load, I'd recommend going one size bigger (2217) for another $10.00. The Eheims are great filters and very quiet, too.

Regarding the lighting -- be careful if you order the Current Satellites. Often times they come with a dual 10,000K bulb plus an actinic bulb which will not work well (or look good) on a freshwater planted tank. The 6700K bulbs are great on a planted tank.

I bet the eco-complete will look really nice!

I've ordered plants from aquariumplants.com. I was very pleased with the quick ship time and the quality of the plants. Be sure you order enough to make the shipping charge worthwhile!

Have fun setting up your new tank!

 

[JArtiles305]

Congrats on the new tank! (good choice!)

Regarding the filter -- if you are going to have a good-size fish load, I'd recommend going one size bigger (2217) for another $10.00. The Eheims are great filters and very quiet, too.

Regarding the lighting -- be careful if you order the Current Satellites. Often times they come with a dual 10,000K bulb plus an actinic bulb which will not work well (or look good) on a freshwater planted tank. The 6700K bulbs are great on a planted tank.

I bet the eco-complete will look really nice!

I've ordered plants from aquariumplants.com. I was very pleased with the quick ship time and the quality of the plants. Be sure you order enough to make the shipping charge worthwhile!

Have fun setting up your new tank!

Thanks.

The set-up will take a while. I'll be buying and researching the main components a little more before buying. Plus, this will give me a bit more time to find some nice driftwood.

Anyone have a good option for lighting? Also will I really need so much filtration on a heavily planted set-up?

 

[lljdma06]

How much are you willing to spend?

This lighting fixture will give you 1.8WPG, theoretically, which on a 72g is very nice. You can grow most low-mid maintenance plants, and not stress yourself too much with adding CO2 unless you plan pressurized. The fixture you were looking at will give you about 3.6WPG, which is really high light and would definitely require Pressurized CO2 for you size tank. I'll barely get away with DIY for my 36g at that level. My only concern about this fixture is that the lighting is arranged lengthwise, which I don't like, so I don't know if you're going to get the intensity you really want. The 4x might be better for you, but I would only have one set on at a time, maybe time it so you get one light to go on in the front then the back light to go on. Are you understanding me, because I might not be clear?

Big Al's is where I found this. I have the 24inch fixture with 2X65 W, which gives me a lot of light for my 36 bowfront:

http/www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/produc...id1=1843;pcid2=

http/www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/produc...id1=1843;pcid2=

And the corresponding 6700 bulb. Big investment initially, but this isn't a ghetto fixture and T5s are excellent for your needs.

http/www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/produc...id1=1843;pcid2=

Of course, one need not be married to Coralife, there are many other brands. Big Als' lighting section is pretty big, I'd just spend a few days just browsing and seeing what you like and then try to find it on Ebay or another discount merchant. Big Al's just has very good discriptions and it's a great starting point. Congratulations on your new purchase. You and Squirrel can form the 72g club.

Warmest,

llj

 

[Luke_e]

Oo. Two plated 72g planted journels.. your spoiling us i tell you .
Can we expect pics of the set up?

 

[JArtiles305]

lljdma06

Are you trying to say to say something along these lines. Having the front two bulbs on for a few hours, then all bulbs on for a few hours, then back to just two bulbs before everything goes offline? My questions with that is it even possible to do that, and how will the plants react to that?

Luke e

I'll try to take as much pics as possible although it might be a while until I get everything setup.

 

[JArtiles305]

I wanted to ask, these 48" Current USA 4x65w, do their bulbs run across the whole length of the tank?

If so I can just run 3 bulbs instead of 4, correct?

 

[lljdma06]

lljdma06

Are you trying to say to say something along these lines. Having the front two bulbs on for a few hours, then all bulbs on for a few hours, then back to just two bulbs before everything goes offline? My questions with that is it even possible to do that, and how will the plants react to that?

YES! That's it! Now that I have 2 mugs of Cafe con leche in me, THAT is what I'm trying to say. Advanced aquarists do this. They have a lower light setting during the day and evening and then a shorter burst of concentrated high light for a few hours. Might be something to try, especially if you get the 4x65 fixture, and if you have that much control over the lights.

Thanks

 

[JArtiles305]

Glad to help lljdma06.


Anyone know if it would be feasible to run only 3 bulbs on the Current USA?

Another question is, is it possible to run two 65w bulbs and one 28w bulb on that fixture?

I've also thought of getting 3x 48" Coral Life Fixtures @ 28wx2 for a total of 2.3wpg.

I'm trying to stay away from the EI method as much as possible. Having to dose everyday, and those massive water changes would take a toll. I just want a simple jungle... for now.

 

[JArtiles305]

Hmm, major downer happened this week. I'll summarize.

I had ordered the 72G and it was to arrive Monday, the tank ended up arriving Wednesday after numerous calls. When I arrived to pick it up (30min drive), the tank was chipped, scratched, and missing sealant. The box with the stand was also damaged. My father and I came to the conclusion to not take the tank and ask for our money back. Other times I would have just asked for another one to be brought in, but with the 30 minute drives and the poor service I had recieved throughout the whole buying experience we decided not to do our business there.

At first the store did not want to refund us and instead give us store credit. Though with the store being so far, and us not wanting to buy from there again that was out of the question. There was no manager to speak to on floor so they phoned him at home and he refused to refund our money. Luckly I had paid with an American Express, so I phoned them and they quickly stopped payment to them. I called the LFS the next day and they agreed to refund me the cash.

So now I have no new fish tank.

A coworker says she has a 125G salty she wants to sell, so I'll have a look at it to convert to FW. I'm unsure now of what route to take.

I can get the 125 and turn it into a large species tank such as Oscars, or other mean cichlids . This is because I will not plant a tank so large, the amount of work would be brutal and price astronomical.

or

Purchase a smaller tank 46G-75G, and make a planted Discus tank.

Hmmm... Decisions, I'm currently leaning towards an Oscar tank or a 46G Planted with a pair of Discus and a few smaller fishes with a shoal of cardinals or harlequins. Though, I'm afraid of the Oscars ending up being boring and lacking life. I have a lot of reading to do.

Oh and sorry for the long post.

 

[Themuleous]

Thats really crap, sorry about that mate would have been a quality tank. That said a 125g planted tank would be even better. Dont go down the oscar route, Im sure people who have them will dissagree but a planted tank would be awesome!

That said a 46g would be far more managable! Hope you get something else sorted soon

Sam

 

[lljdma06]

So sorry, that's aweful. What store was this? I can avoid going there in the future if they're going to be such a royal pain.

I also don't think you should go with Oscars. I mean no disrespect to Oscar and big cichlid keepers, but it's been done so much in Miami. Everybody down there either has Big cichlids or SW. Planted tanks, on the other hand, are rare and much more challenging.

llj

 

[JArtiles305]

I'm confused as to the route to take.

I'm really not into the African setups, they just don't do it for me.

I love planted tanks they are by far my favorite. Though the prospect of fertilizing and changing the water on a 125G seems like a daunting task. Heck, I don't even know how to approach the whole CO2 thing. The costs in substrate and plants would be insane.

This leads me to be considering a South/Central American themed tank with a lot of driftwood, brown/black substrate, with Java Moss, Java Fern, Anubias attached to the wood. I'd want ideally 1-2 larger sized fish, 3-4 mid sized ones, and a school of something. Knowing this can't happen, I'm thinking of 1 Oscar, 1-2 Jack Dempseys, 3 Firemouths, and either a rarer Pleco or two, or some oddball such as a Bichir or something to that effect.

Any ideas?

 

[Themuleous]

Cant comment on the fish, not had any of those species. However the plan sounds like a good one. Those darkwater, tree root type setups can look great.

Sam

EDIT - and yeh a water change on a 125g would be madness!

 

[Squirrelbuddies]

Very sorry to hear about your 72 But certainly a 125 is VERY exciting!! I honestly do not know much about the fish you have listed. Other than I have heard that oscars like to move things around in the tank and they create a huge amount of waste when they get big --as do the plecs!

I think if I had a tank that large I'd go with the South American thing, too -- but I'd get angels. Angels look great with amazon swords and vallis. Both of those plants are reasonable in cost and don't need super high light levels.

Have fun researching all of your options! You really have lots of choices with a tank that size.