1) Can I use my wet/dry trickle filter plus a magnum 350 canister
filter and
that's all? Before I used a undergravel filter as well.
This will be more than adequate.
2) I still have my gravel left over from years ago. If I rinse it
well can I
still use it. It is natural pea gravel. and how thick should I make
the
layer in a 75? I had a 55 gal before.
Yes you can still use it. I would make it about 2 inches thick though
opinion may vary on that. Some people might suggest a bit deeper
substrate, though I suspect few would suggest anything less for a
planted tank.
3) I have a power compact unit for lighting. Will that do for plants
or will
I need to supplement it with an additional light?
Several people have brought up a similar question recently with at
least one of them saying they would try it and see. I haven't heard any
results back yet. The only concern here is that your power compact is
probably a 15,000K bulb or somewhere near that which will have a
distinctly blue tint which may or may not be useful to plants. I've
used 3500K bulbs (red tint) with excellent results but I haven't
experimented with the other end of the spectrum. I say try it and see -
and report back what you find. If the plants don't do well and you can
rule out any other problems then you may want to switch to something
closer to 6000K.
4) It has been so long, How long will it take to cycle a 75? Can I
cycle
with plants or do I need to add them gradually?
If you plan on heavily planting then cycling really isn't that much of
an issue - it will take a very long time for the tank to cycle with a
lot of plants in it but that is because the plants are eating up the
nutrients faster than the bacteria can get to them. Which means the
nutrients aren't building up, and nutrient buildup is the only reason
cycling is such a big issue. If you don't add plants count on about a
three week cycle time (assuming proper cycle stocking levels).
5) I have 4 powerheads. Are they useful in a planted tank? I can hook
air to
them to aerate the water.
They are useful in an unplanted tank to get air into the water. In a
planted tank they have the same effect but if you are injecting CO2
they will promptly remove it for you. They aren't neccessary but won't
hurt anything if you aren't adding CO2 to the water.
6) I have had cichlids in the past and angels. What would be the
limit
number or inch of fish in a 75? Or does it determine on how many
plants you
have?
This is debatable. Assuming you want a low(er) maintenance tank stick
with about 50 inches of fish. You can fit many more than that if you
have the desire to (and don't mind the extra upkeep). If you're going
to do the south american cichlid thing again then figure on about a
dozen fish, but unless you have unusually well mannered cichlids you
can count on losing plants on a regular basis.
7) Sorry, this may be a stupid question because it has been so long
since
freshwater. Do I siphon the gravel with a planted tank or leave it
alone
when I do water changes.
Not a stupid question at all. Opinions differ - most people siphon
their gravel at least occasionally though planted aquariums need it
done far less often. I only siphon when I can actually see the buildup
(very rare) or if a tank is having a nitrate problem. Assuming low
nitrates and an attractive looking substrate I leave it alone.
8) I have a RO/DI unit for filtering water. Will it be useful for
freshwater?
Yes. Especially if you have hard water and want to keep anything from
south america. It isn't strictly needed but your fish will appreciate
the extra effort you put into their water. It will also be very helpful
if you ever decide to breed your fish.
-Daniel
|