# New to cichlids, 75g set-up



## BigOtto (Dec 4, 2013)

Started setting up a 75 gallon tank. Got the tank, replacing the top frame due to a missing center brace. I'll be running 2 marineland biowheel 350's.

I'm going back and forth with substrate though. I like PFS but the benefits of aragonite are a factor as well. So I'm thinking of doing a 70% PFS, 30% aragonite mix. Does anyone do this?


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Welcome to the forum...

What are your tap water readings? pH, gH and kH. May not need the aragonite at all...


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## BigOtto (Dec 4, 2013)

Have not checked them but I've been told it's like liquid rock.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Purchasing your own aquarium water test kit would give you an advantage in knowing how your water quality is and getting a feel for what you may or may not need to adjust. A test kit for ammonia, nitrite (NO2), nitrate (NO3) and the ones Iggy suggested is a basic kit.

Or you can have your Local Fish Store (LFS) do the testing for you and hope they provide the actual numbers instead of just saying everything is OK.


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## BigOtto (Dec 4, 2013)

I'll pick up the API master test kit for freshwater.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Good choice. It does not have a gH or kH test though. That has to be purchased separately. I would have an LFS test your tap water one time for these. Also, test your tap water for pH, and test again after 24 hours to see if there is any fluctuation. A stable pH is very important, and ties into your kH.


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## BigOtto (Dec 4, 2013)

I have petco, Pet Supplies Plus, and a little further away I have a Pet Smart. That's about it. Can any of those test my water?


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## billbunton (Nov 18, 2013)

BigOtto said:


> I have petco, Pet Supplies Plus, and a little further away I have a Pet Smart. That's about it. Can any of those test my water?


My "local" PetSmart said they'd be happy to test water for me. Of course, they're 70 miles away so I prefer to test my own...


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## BigOtto (Dec 4, 2013)

I found a petland 10 minutes in the opposite direction from work on my ride home. So I can pick up testing supplies.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Not sure about Petco testing, but Petsmart uses strips and the employees I've dealt with don't know much about water parameters and cycling a tank.


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## BigOtto (Dec 4, 2013)

Went to three places today and none have gh or kh tests. Ordered regular ph, high ph, gh, and kh online oh and a 300w hydor heater.


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

If you're water actually liquid rock you probably don't need the argonite. PFS does buffer your ph up a bit too.


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## BigOtto (Dec 4, 2013)

I'm just northwest of Chicago.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Hey just a heads up since you're in the area...

I assume you're posting here because you are planning cichlids. There is a cichlid association that holds swap meets regularly. Next one is in February. There's a nice classified section on the site to check out what people have for sale. Definitely worth a look...

http://www.gcca.net/docs-events/upcoming-events/swap-meet-2-16-14

Oh and I'm sure your water is good to go. Just get a quality dechlorinator.


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## BigOtto (Dec 4, 2013)

I'm on that forum as well lol. Getting as much info as I can.


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## BigOtto (Dec 4, 2013)

So far I'll be setting up the 75g. Using two marineland biowheel 350's, Two 300w heaters, PFS, Wondering if I need a Hydor Evolution 1150 or is there going to be enough surface movement with the two biowheels. That's my next thought.


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

BigOtto said:


> So far I'll be setting up the 75g. Using two marineland biowheel 350's, Two 300w heaters, PFS, Wondering if I need a Hydor Evolution 1150 or is there going to be enough surface movement with the two biowheels. That's my next thought.


A circulation pump might help. The BWs will create good surface agitation oxygenating he water, but they want help keep debris off of the sand bed .I have a 1250GPH circulation pump on my 75G tank and it helps a lot. 1250GPH is a bit of an overkill so 1150 should be ok, even less would work.

Also, you don't need 600W of heat on your tank unless its in an ice box1 Ok, a bit of an exaggeration there, but you don't really need that much. Two 150W heaters on a 75G would be plenty. I only have 200W on my tank and it keeps it perfectly stable.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

Yeah you dont need 2x 300w heaters. I'd agree with what clhinds78 said above. Just put 1 on each side of the tank your golden.


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## BigOtto (Dec 4, 2013)

My thinking behind having two is if one goes down I still have the other as back up.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

The other side too is having 2 being used they spend less time being on prolonging the life of the heater. Just dont cheap out on the heaters. Cheap heaters are just that. Personally i'm a fan of eheim ebo jaggers which i have in everything except one tank has a fluval which is turning out to be ok so far.


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

Even if one 150W heater goes out you should be just fine with just the one 150 running. If you have two 300W heater and one sticks on chances are you will cook your fish, if one 150W heater sticks on chances are slimmer you will cook your fish.


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## BigOtto (Dec 4, 2013)

I'll probably just use the 300w then. Thinking of using two Hydor Koralia Evolution 600 gph to keep the sand clean and move the heated water around so there are no cold spots.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

For what it's worth...

I used a 250 watt on a 125, and currently use a lone 300 watt on a 180. Rock solid 78-79. I second the Eheim.


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## BigOtto (Dec 4, 2013)

Tested the tap water today.

PH = 7.6 (after letting the test sit for ten minutes it went down to 7.2)
kh = 196.2 (11 drops)
gh = 176 (10 drops)


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

I would check again after 24 hours. Your kH reading indicates that your pH should be stable. But I would still check a day later to be on the safe side.


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## BigOtto (Dec 4, 2013)

I cleaned the PFS and filled the tank a little more than 2/3 of the way with water and turned on the heater and power heads, water is moving around well. I can't turn on the filters yet due to the level of the water. It would splash like crazy with where it's at now, the water lvl is also bellow the tube extensions on the biowheels I don't want it sucking in air. I could fill it the rest of the way and then drain it some but I don't want to waste the water just yet. I know when I add rock it's going to raise the water so I've been holding off on that. Otherwise no leaks!

I also got glass lids for christmas and I picked up material for a canopy and LED's


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