# jazz up my 75G



## margolow (Sep 2, 2010)

hi,

any recommendations on what equipment, accessory, etc... i can get as I assemble my 75G Freshwater?

I haven't decided onfish yet, but I am leaning towards some ID sharks, plecos, some platys, mollies, corycats.

no live plants.

how much gravel and kind (i don't know what they are called but have seen some really fine and granular ones and some looks like pebble size)?
type brand and size of filtration (undergravel, power filter, power head, canister)
what wattage of heater?
type of lighting?
what kind of air pump for airstone decor?
how long to run filtration before adding fish?

anyone have any DIY plans for a stand and canopy?

thanks so much.


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## Roberacer1 (Aug 21, 2010)

Hey there. You can in this hobby and retailers count on it spend good money after bad and hoards of it. I have always said buy good filtration and at least double what is recommended by the manufacturers. In everything better components = more choice of what you can do and that is what this hobby is about. We all think we don't want plants in the beginning and then we realize as we go along they are a necessary part of the ecosystem. Straight up there are 2 sources of oxygen to the tank. Surface area of the water and Plants. More oxygen = healthier inhabitants. With that good lighting is important as well. Take your time, do the research and figure out what to buy that is what this hobby is all about.


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## Roberacer1 (Aug 21, 2010)

BTW. Google ID sharks. There is lots of discussion about them as pets.


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## bob123 (Dec 31, 2009)

First google fishless tank cycling. You can also google each type of fish you think are of interest check what their water conditions are you want them to be similar, ie: temp. ph. hardness. bio-type and so on. this can be done while tank is cycling. Check out your fish store for what look you might want ask questions. After finding the fish you might like ask on the forum to see if there is a breeder near you. Also google the type of equipment you need in the tank, filter,heater,lights.  enjoy and good luck. See if there is a fish club in your area and check out their auctions great deals.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

There is a fish club in the area, DRAS and the first meeting of the year is Sept 14 (next Tuesday, and it is in Whitby). I would agree that ID sharks are a poor choice,. Aside from the fact they are ugly, they get very large, very quickly. You can find them in the frozen fish section of your grocery store labeled as Basa fillets.


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## dl88dl (Mar 8, 2010)

The ID sharks will out grow your 75gal in no time and they will eat what ever fits in their mouth and those smaller fishy will make a great dinner.
For a 75gal a 150W to 200W heater will do and any fluorescent lights will also do unless you are planning on keeping plants then go with T5NO or for plants that loves lights then go with T5HO with CO2. If you can get a hold of some established media/sponge it will help speed up the cycle of your tank.


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## qwerty (Dec 15, 2009)

Agreed with all of the above... However I would add that you should never take advice from a pet store employee without cross checking it. Even though they work with fish all day, most of them have no idea what they're talking about, and don't really care what happens to your aquarium.

They aren't all bad, and some stores definitely have great knowledgeable employees, however for a beginner, my advice would be to just not trust the employees until you know enough to determine whether the person you're talking to actually knows what they're talking about or not.

On a semi-related note. You might find it a wise investment to set up a small quarantine tank before you go adding fish into the 75gal...

It only takes 1 fish to infect your whole tank, and there's no shortage of stores perfectly happy to leave sick or dead fish in their stock tanks.

With that said, finding a good store will make a big difference in your overall experience with this hobby. Read the store reviews located on this site


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