# free 75 gallon.



## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

K first off let me start off by saying everyone here has saved me countless fish and money.

Im getting a free 75 gallon and have talked my parents into letting me put it in the living room because I ran put of room in my bedroom...ooops

This is actually going to be their tank and they want it all to be cheap. And i'm doing all the work. Not sure what else id coming with the tank but I know a few things. They will be doing a fishless cycle and I can use media from my other two tanks. First can someone give me a link to good step by step foot using other media and cycling? And how long it will take ( they will be antsy for fish). They will also like the maintenance to be as minimal as possible for a cichlid tank ae water changes substrate filtration ect. As I am moving out soon and don't want to leave them a huge work load.

The other thing I would like help with is stocking. I know my dad wantslarger cichlids and my mom wants lots of movement and as many as she can get. This is all going to be in a long period of time as I haven't gotten the tank yet. So plenty of time fortalking this through and doing it right. I know we can meet all these perameters and come out with a beautiful 75 gallon.

Thank you, and looking forward to replys.


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

Longest i've waited for reply... Nobody has a link to seeding a tank? Out stocking options?


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## ridley25 (Jan 5, 2008)

If your parents will be handling most of the work I would lean towards milder fish that won't require rehoming due to aggression.

Do you/they have a preference for the kinds of cichlids? Malawi? Tanganyikan? South American?

As for combining a fishless cycle with seeded material, I'll let someone else ring in...

kevin


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## ridley25 (Jan 5, 2008)

Ah, what the heck; I'll offer a stocking suggestion on a Malawi mbuna set up since that's where I'm most experienced.

1m/4f _Labeotropheus trewavasae_ or _Labeotropheus fuelleborni_ - try for "marmalade cat" or "orange blotch" (OB) variants
6-8 _Labidochromis caeruleus_ (sex not very important)
1m/4f _Pseudotropheus socolofi_

This will get you some beautiful yellows and blues, (healthy _caeruleus_ and _socolofi_ are like mirror images, except for the primary colour) while the OB _Labeotropheus_ will stand out for their variety of colours.

It's possible to put 4 species in a 75, but since the _Labeotropheus_ get quite large and tend to be aggressive, I am suggesting 3 species.

If you're dying for a fourth I would throw in 6-8 _Iodotropheus sprengerae_ (rusties). Like yellow labs, they tend to be less aggressive and sex ratios are less important.

kevin


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

The don't have major prefrances just want larger sized fish and my mom wants them to move around alot...


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## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

follow the fishless cycle in the library,it will be the same process,just add the "seeded media"to the new filter,just dont take out too much to affect the used filter
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/f ... _cycle.php


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## ranchialex (Dec 4, 2011)

Yeah check out the cookie cutter setups in a 75. Acei (I have white tailed 'ngara' variant) are basically schooling mbuna and among the largest mbuna you get. Also not very aggressive, and I think, great looking. Acei, labs, rusties, all great options. Another option which I'm trying (too early to claim success) is to add some blue dolphin (same lake but haps) which are pretty, peaceful, and larger: 8" male, 6" female. C Moorii.


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## limpert (Aug 28, 2007)

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/a ... malawi.php


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## SirJAG (Jan 2, 2012)

Here is my 75g mix.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1257 x2 (1m/1f) 
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=713 x4 (1m/3f) 
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1730 x2 (1m/1f) 
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=855 x3 (1m/2f) 
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1371 x4 (1m/3f)


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

Wow now were getting somewhere these selections are great just have to figure out where the **** to pick out my fish...might be easier to just order online?


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## Steveboos (Dec 23, 2011)

Ordering online is definitely the way to go if your doing a fishless cycle. That way you can add all your shipment at once when they come in, and your tank will already be able to handle the bioload.


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## Mike_G (Nov 8, 2011)

mamospreng said:


> Wow now were getting somewhere these selections are great just have to figure out where the #%$& to pick out my fish...might be easier to just order online?


You're only ~35 miles from Portland- I'd check out the fish shops there before paying $25 (or more) for shipping. The Wet Spot seems to be highly recommended, although I haven't been there yet.

I've also seen some pretty tempting deals online recently


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

The wet spot is a great store high quality and they know their fish. The problem is what of they don't have everything I want? I guess they could odder for me rigYouht?


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

got the shaft. She bailed on the free tank now i'm dead set on getting one though...come on craigslist...


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

Well found another 75 gallon but nothing with it... Diy hood easy to build? Could I make it look good...i'm not sure. Can't find a cheap one anywhere...


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## Anthraxx8500 (Feb 11, 2011)

just get glass lids and cheap LEDS online. search topdogseller on ebay. has great stuff at great prices. as for the wet spot you should be good going there for anything ur gonna need.


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

I can't find topdogseller on ebay...that's the user name for the Ebay account correct?


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

Well found the tank 50 bucks... Bringing it home today.


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

Well found the tank 50 bucks... Bringing it home today.


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

Also two penguin 350's and two heaters... Are thosetwo hob's enough filtration?


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## Azballa7 (Jul 12, 2007)

mamospreng said:


> Also two penguin 350's and two heaters... Are thosetwo hob's enough filtration?


Not familiar with the penguins I have aqua clears myself. I am going to be using a canister filter (rena xp2) and a aquaclear 110 on my 75 gallon tank.

As far as heaters go check the power on them. I would also suggest not using 2... I have heard the horror stories of peoples fish being cooked from heater malfunctions.

I only have a 1 heater for my 75 gallon thats rated for a 55 gallon tank.


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

I just got two do not plan on using both thanks though.

Also what's the best thing to clean put a dirty algae coated tank? Bleach?


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

The filter is a eheim pro 3 2073 I believe he has dropped the price to 150...


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## lp85253 (Sep 27, 2011)

2 pen 350's :thumb: as far as stock think....sev for dad...big fish...firemouth ,cons, sajica cutteri for moms lots of movement..a mix of 2-3 of the smaller and 1 big sev!


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## tommyt1981 (Jan 5, 2006)

Yes those two should be good with a decent stocked tank. i recomend them because they do not require the spray bars that move the bio wheels and provide almost as much filtration as the emporor 400 counterparts over all.
a whole lot less maintenance.


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

Nice really good to hear. That means this tank should go up under 100$ total... That's the cheapest 75 gallon setup i've ever heard of.


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

Well the stand e got with the tank dost fit the tank...it has a rim around the top that is not removable its short width wise by about 2 inches...could I put a price of plywood on the rim that fits the tank exactly? Would that hills the weight of the tank ok? I think it should because it will evenly disperse the weight and should have no problems?


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

Tank is cleaned and in the house. have not decided fully on substrate yet I know she wants gravel not sand but has not decided on natural or black. Suggestions? Also bio wheels should I even get then mine always stop spinning after running a few months no matter what I do.


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

Positives and negatives for both?


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

Cycled and ready for stocking. Anyone in the Portland area know what haps and peacocks they have at wet spot?


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

2 Aulonocara sp. Chitande type masinje. 
2Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos "maingano". 
2Pseudotripheus socolofI
2 yellow labs.

For starters to get going then w will see what I do from there. Anyone see any problems with this?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Yes. Malawi do not pair. For low-medium aggression mbuna you want to stock 1m:4f. If you are buying unsexed juveniles, buy 2X the number of fish you need so you have a 50% chance of getting 4 females. Then rehome extra males as they mature.

Maingano are aggressive, so for those you want 1m:7f.

Chitande are very timid peacocks and will almost definitely not mix well with maingano and socolofi who are medium and high aggression mbuna.


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

I'd start with 8 yellow labs, go from there.


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

Another peacock you would recommend? She really likes the look of most of them...

So other than them the others are ok with the right ratio? What are good ratios for the rest?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I would not put peacocks of any kind with maingano or socolofi. The socolofi are good with 1m:4f.


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## AulonoKarl (Mar 9, 2012)

Peacocks are amazing fish. If you are dead set on Peacocks, you need to not do doubles of any one specific kind and you also need to rethink adding mbuna in with them. Mbuna are more territorial and aggressive in general, and there are really only a couple of kinds that have a high success rate of working with peacocks and haps. Yellow labs and, from what I've heard, Acei are ok to add.

These two links kept me busy for a while I was stocking my peacock/hap tank over the last couple of months:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/c ... .php?cat=3
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/c ... .php?cat=1

For a 75 gallon tank, I wouldn't go over maybe 7 inches. For the _most_ part, you can put any fish from these two links together. Stay away from hybrids and fish that look too similar to each other though. Once you run out of ideas, you can always stock a couple of bristlenose plecos and a group of yellow labs to finish your stocking.

Some of my favorite: Bi-color 500, Electric blue ahli, ngara flametail, rubescens, otopharynx lithobates.


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

Well not dead set on peacocks. I like mbuna more anyways she just liked that the pecocks were different. I'll make her get rid of them and add another group of mbuna. Any suggestions on adding one more that is far different than my sticking now in looks but will work with what I already have?


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

Well took out the peacocks and added red zebras... Now does my stocking look ok? I'm going to get proper ratios for these just can't afford them all at once.

Also added 2 more yellow labs. And a bristle noise pleco and a albino bristle nose.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

What is your stocking now?


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

4 yellow labs 3 red zebras and the earlier stated I don't know common names for the others if someone could tell me some it would be much easier for me 2 remember.

also 2 bristlenose plecos who seem to be doing nothing? should that be enough for the 75 it is in a sunny room so maybe another or just wait?

Also having algae bloom problem am running the UV sterilizer but it doesn't seem to be doing anything. It helped to a certain point then seemed to stop?

Everyone who helped thank you


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