# Needed: Opinions and recommendations



## Jeepcarpenter (Sep 29, 2018)

Okay, since I hibernate in my home and shop (more-so) over the cold months and explode everywhere in the warm weather I have to start finalizing with it just around the corner.

I am both veteran hobbyist and beginner newb, I have already had several 20-15-10-5-and various water gardens setup over the past year in getting sucked back in to my favourite pastime (when I have time). I am already setting up a 120g indoor pond for growout which I am not concerned about, a triple stack of 20g long's on a 15 sump (also not too concerned about) which both should be ready come summer. What I need help with... is a 75g planted main/show tank that my wife is dying for me to setup, that I have only used for dry starting a few plants, and growing emmersed; currently cleaned out at the moment.

It has been a very long time since I have setup a large aquarium and I don't have the time to do any more teardowns and re-do's with it. Large ponds, tanks, gardens; tons in the past decade.. but aquariums over 20g.... none since more than 10yrs ago, and even then did not do full planted, just decoratively.

So any offer of criticism, opinion or other help would be greatly appreciated.

So it is a 75g Marineland (?) tank at 48"x18"x21"
On a walnut stained birch ply and spruce frame; stand.
Lights:
•48" current USA satellite plus RGB LED @30w, 2000lumens, [email protected]"= 35+
(Optional
•2 sets of 48" dual T8 @ 6500k - 37w/per
Single bulb: 1850lumens/[email protected]"=10

{Bare in mind, I've never used LED bar lights on aquariums at all, only T8, T5, CFL, and LED spot/flood}

Substrate: bottom to top;
•Inert gravel in mesh to bank the rear (form)
•Muriate of potash (amendment)
•Potassium chloride (amendment)
•Mexican pottery clay (amendment)
•pure organic sphagnum moss (base)
•Remineralized topsoil (soil)
•montmorillonite calcined clay 2-4mm (cap, e.g. Fluorite w/no nutrients)
•PFS for front and low areas *20 (inert substrate)

Hardscape:
•Tons of small/med lava rock (1"-5")
•some medium granite pieces (4"-10")
•large black walnut driftwood stump 26"Lx10"Wx19"h. (Treated)
•various oak, walnut, and other driftwood tree roots (All treated)

Hardware:
•Eheim 2217 classic
•Eheim 200w heater
•(Brand) 30w internal UV
•Hydor Koralia Evo 1050
•overhead wet/dry emmersed growth refugium @ 300gph (DIY in progress)

At current I do not know which plants to use in it, nor the stock; for plants I will probably just buy a decent package from someone when nearing and fill in the rest;
Stock I have looked into previously on the forums here, but will tackle that when the tank is established, community though.

At 20-21" would the current USA be enough for medium lighting? I'm assuming no by my math as at 12" it's simply rated at 35+ for PAR, but curious.
Is the Eheim 2217 (4xturnover) enough for filtration? (Never used, but highly recommended?)

But most importantly, any dirted experience here; the above is how I used to setup my ponds and smaller dirted tanks in the past.. 2 - 20g, 1 - 15g and a couple water gardens are setup as such and grow various plants exceptionally, though I admit, majority of the plants I have do well in simply PFS once the tank is established. I want to avoid anaerobic problems but have found the combination of sphagnum (10%/.25")soil (40%/.75-1") and calcined clay (50%/1-1.5")to be quite effective together.

As I've been reading up on various sites and forums it continuously goes back and forth as to what is good and what is not; reminiscent of political debate, and though it has worked for me in the past, looking for anyone's experience in the matter.

I would prefer to stay to a more Walstad type tank, remaining low tech and without pressurized co2 if anyone has any advice to give. I have read up endlessly of Mrs. Walstad, as well as Tom Barr, but trying to achieve some nice aesthetics of an aquascape as well.

Though not pretty, can get things diagnosed and growing somewhat decently in the tanks I have already setup, in extreme low tech (and low-budget) conditions.. just I've only been growing jungles. Haven't found anything related to aquascaping dirted tanks, just aquasoil or like. 
















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## Jeepcarpenter (Sep 29, 2018)

Crapola.. had just finished cutting the lexan for 'peace of mind' tank bottom support with all the rock.. then realized..

I forgot to order a sheet of coarse sponge filter foam!









I haven't paid attention to who has while I've been out and about. Anyone know where would be best to find?

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## Jeepcarpenter (Sep 29, 2018)

So.. found the filter foam coarse sponge sheets at Flourish Aquarium for $19.99.

Got the 75g setup as quickly as possible, with the aid of some plastic canvas, as well as soil and driftwood I've been prepping for a year ( though definitely not needed for the soil). 
I have to say the Eheim 2217 is certainly a very quiet and powerful canister.. far more powerful than I had expected, at 264gph baseline, running a 28" head height it is still achieving about 240gph, but creating far too much movement and turbidity even with the spray bar. Had to dial down the shutoff valves until I can sort a diffuser for the flow. The Koralia has not yet been fired up as I'm pretty sure it's far from necessary.
The current satellite freshwater plus LED bar light, though it has a variety of options and functionality... I am not entirely impressed. Used an additional dual T8 and it seems decent for the moment.
Have as yet to check numbers on the tank, but it's already quite clear, a bit of melting on the crypts and swords, and some uprooting from the turbidity.. but all in all, happy to have it running finally. Waiting to plant another batch of plants as filler once the existing ones take, then onto finding more stock, plants, and setting up the ponds.









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## ksimdjembe (Nov 11, 2006)

This looks great. I'd think you'll have good success with this.
I think if you are going Walstad type tank that you need to match the lighting to a slower productive system, but not having LEDs myself either, I'm no help here.

I'm interested to hear/ see how this progresses!


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## Jeepcarpenter (Sep 29, 2018)

Thank you sir. . And Well that is essentially my dilemma. I'm using a few things I've never used before. I'm usually one to make the things that I want, to fit certain needs. With this setup I was basically handed everything turnkey without actually knowing how it would perform in the setup I would like to achieve.

I'm also going outside of my 'trusted and true' experience with planted and Walstad types, trying to get a bit of an aquascape as well. It didn't exactly work as I had planned, but parted of the learning curve.

The aesthetics so far have definitely met what I wanted to try for, but I've crashed smaller designs like this in the past as well. So far it is looking good, but time will tell. I need to get more plants in, but I'm trying to figure out how things are doing before proceeding further, which may be walking a fine-edged sword between beauty and disaster.. but I love experimenting and haven't had much council, lol.

I will do a write-up a some point if there's interest, just really haven't had the time and been rushing through. 

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## ksimdjembe (Nov 11, 2006)

Just continue this thread with photos and write-ups as a way of tracking the progress and changes made?


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## Jeepcarpenter (Sep 29, 2018)

So in answer to a lot of questions had;
•yes the entire tank is dirted with mineralized topsoil, though the outer perimeter is banked with PFS for aesthetics and flow, as well as an 8" x 8" grid pattern throughout, essentially barriers of PFS to divide the soil areas and allow -some- flow between, not necessary but a preventative measure.

•no the height of the islands is not simply lavarock, hardscape or driftwood. In the area's I knew I wanted higher (though not as high as I'd hoped) I used mesh filter bags filled with aquarium gravel to build it up from the base of the aquarium itself, then surrounded by lava rock and filled crevices with STS clay before adding soil and finally capping.

•the driftwood is held together by a culmination of zip ties, plastic canvas, and some banking structures made of cut pieces of plastic canvas and sewn together with monafilament line.

•no this is not finished product, this is just me testing, playing around and experimenting. 

•No I do not have many pictures of it coming together, for that I am very sorry but I was on a very short window of time to achieve this, will try to do better with the next build.

At current the tank is home to a couple white clouds minnows, some random guppies, a variety of snails and 'Big Boy' as my daughter aptly calls my largest mystery snail.
There were no major spikes, ammonia or nitrite; after setup. The tank cycled in less than 48hrs surprisingly and so far is quite stable, though I worried I did not have enough plants in play while prepping others. There has been some minor GDA on some of the crypts, melting only lasted the first day; and some hair algae did manage to evade the peroxide baths but will be remedied shortly. I have dosed a small amount of excel as there isn't much organic carbon available being young, so just to give a helping push to remain stable. I am using all 6000 lumens of light for 10hrs a day with no midday rest period as of yet, and all in all I am quite pleased so far. Will update with a few haggard pics.

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