# 75g Stock - Newbie



## Au55ieBum (Jun 30, 2014)

Hi All, I have a 75g tank (123 x 66 x 46cm) currently cycling, I have come up with a list and would like everyone's advice.

I would also like to know what order I should add them and at what quantities.

Yellow Lab
Acei
Snow White
Rusty

Any advice will help


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Looks good. How are you planning on cycling the tank?


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## Au55ieBum (Jun 30, 2014)

I am using fish to cycle as per the adivce from my LFS. I do regret doing this now after reading all the post on this forum.

Please be kind to me


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

What fish do you already have?


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## Au55ieBum (Jun 30, 2014)

I have 10 neons in there. These will go into my tropical tank after


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

Why not put them in now? It's the tropical tank cycled?


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## Au55ieBum (Jun 30, 2014)

Okay so my question is about stocking noy cycling.


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

List looks great btw, 8 juvies of each species would be ideal to start with.


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## Au55ieBum (Jun 30, 2014)

Thanks, if i start with 8 of each and aim for a 5 of each to end with? 1:4 ratio???


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

Yes, just keep however many females there end up being. I've only kept the labs and acei from your list, but I've had male heavy groups of both without issue. Other species have been tougher. You could possibly even get away with 1m/2f or even a pair, but it's also possible that you could end up with a male that kills every female you try to put with him. I think with the reputations of the species you've chosen, the ratios you're likely to get with 8 juvies are comfortably safe.


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## Au55ieBum (Jun 30, 2014)

Thank you so much, should i do one group at a time or a few of each and build on that


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Au55ieBum said:


> Okay so my question is about stocking noy cycling.


True. But you're also asking at what rate you should add your stock. This ties into your biofilter.


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## Au55ieBum (Jun 30, 2014)

Okay, so if im doing a fish cycle, at what rate hould i add the cichlids. I was thinking 4 each week until stocked. Thoughts?


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## Au55ieBum (Jun 30, 2014)

I have also been doing daily water during this time around 30%.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Au55ieBum said:


> I have 10 neons in there. These will go into my tropical tank after


Has the tropical tank been up and running for a while?


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## Au55ieBum (Jun 30, 2014)

Yep it been going for a long time now


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

My choice would be to remove the Neons and put them in your tropical tank first. You could then do either a fish-less cycle or buy a bottled bacteria product to add to the 75G tank and follow the instructions for when to add the fish. I'm not sure what bottled bacteria products are available to you in Queensland.

I also don't think that using Neons will provide enough of a bio-load to cycle the tank sufficiently for a cichlid tank with the plan to then stock 6 to 12 cichlids due to the size difference in the fish. It will take a while for the good bacteria to 'catch' up for the planned full stocking.

I also suggest you either buy an aquarium test kit for at least ammonia, nitrite and nitrate OR have your LFS test the water and give you the numerical results. Seeing and understanding the test results lets you know whether your bio-filter is processing the waste from the fish sufficiently to maintain and/or add additional fish.

Are you buying small juvenile fish or are they over 3" in length?


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## Au55ieBum (Jun 30, 2014)

Plan was to buy juveniles, i have been using API quick start as well.

I have order a test kit (master kit) and will have the shop test it until it comes.


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## hose91 (Mar 5, 2014)

A big +1 on rolling over to the fishless cycle, mostly because you can control the ammonia loading, and grow the biofilter to a more robust size. This allows you to add ALL of your juvenile groups at the same time, which has the advantage of minimizing aggression and rejection by established fish each time you add a new group over the next month or so. Find (or order) some pure ammonia (no perfumes or surfactants to contaminate the tank, I got mine at a hardware store in the states, Dr. Tims online also sells bottles of it), and then move your neons and use the ammonia to simulate their waste. Once your test kit comes you can add ammonia and then test to see what level you've introduced. 2 ppm is a good number to shoot for. When your tank can process 2 ppm of ammonia and the resulting nitrites, your tank is more than capable of handling upwards of 30 juvenile fish.

On the stock plan, Acei have been sometimes noted as being too big for a 4' 75G tank. You could replace them with Cynotilapia sp Afra (White Top Haras), for a similar blue in a slightly smaller fish. I'd also consider maybe just doing 3 species groups, but start with larger numbers of juveniles. I have 3 growing in a 75G, and its plenty colorful and active. A fourth species in the tank would be havoc, I think. Since you're buying all juvies, you could try all four and see what happens. I would strongly recommend adding them all at once to a tank with a fully grown biofilter capability.


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## Au55ieBum (Jun 30, 2014)

I do really like the Acei and have read that they do work in a 75, i might drop the rusty though and keep to 3species.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

I've heard getting pure ammonia in Australia is difficult. You could try sending a private message to the member 'ozman' for advice regarding this.

I do agree with Dee and hose regarding removing the neons. I'd steal filter media from the tropical tank and use it in the proposed cichlid setup, no matter which route you choose.


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## Demasoni1 (Apr 9, 2014)

I am assuming this is a 48" x 21" x18" tank?

If so, then I personally think Acei get too large for a 48" tank. Others have had success with it, so If you want to, go for it. But they also tend to be a pretty mellow fish, so you shouldn't run into much aggression.


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## Au55ieBum (Jun 30, 2014)

Thank you for all the advice.


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## Au55ieBum (Jun 30, 2014)

Test kit just arrived in the mail. Will test the water when i get home.


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## hose91 (Mar 5, 2014)

Yellow Labs, Acei, and Albino Socolofi will be a beautiful tank, I think, and although the Acei _may _get too large eventually, they should be fine for a good long while if you buy them young, and they may be ok in the long run. Good luck putting it all together, looking forward to seeing some pictures of your setup.

One clarification from my earlier post is that your tank filter should process 2 ppm ammonia and the resulting nitrites in _24 hours_, thus 24 hours after introducing ammonia (assuming you go that route), you'd have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites (and some nitrates). If you tank can do that, it's ready for all the fish you are wanting to put in it. As Iggy noted, if you get some media from your established tropical tank, it will reach that point much, much quicker than otherwise!


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## Au55ieBum (Jun 30, 2014)

So i've tested my water and got the following










KH - 4
GH - 5

The tank was set up Saturday, fish added monday, 30% water change tuesday and wednesday.

I understand it is not recommended but I'm going to continue with a fish cycle using API quick start and media from my other tank as suggested.


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