new to the world of aquariums with my 75 gallon tank
new to the world of aquariums with my 75 gallon tank
I've got a thriving 20-gallon freshwater community tank that's been going strong for about 3 months now. Recently picked up a 75-gallon tank and I'm excited to make the switch to saltwater. I'd love to hear about your favorite saltwater fish - I'm open to any suggestions. Planning to start filling the tank within the week.
Re: new to the world of aquariums with my 75 gallon tank
To TFF, especially those of you who live and breathe saltwater.
If you're looking to get the most out of this conversation, it'd be great to know what type of fish you're into and what you envision for your 75-gallon tank - FOWLR or reef, for instance.
We're a curious bunch and love getting lost in the finer details, so don't be shy about sharing your experience, hardware, and all that jazz. Photos are always a plus, by the way.
Looking forward to hearing more about your setup and, who knows, maybe seeing a journal pop up in the journal section soon.
Cheers, Seffie x
If you're looking to get the most out of this conversation, it'd be great to know what type of fish you're into and what you envision for your 75-gallon tank - FOWLR or reef, for instance.
We're a curious bunch and love getting lost in the finer details, so don't be shy about sharing your experience, hardware, and all that jazz. Photos are always a plus, by the way.
Looking forward to hearing more about your setup and, who knows, maybe seeing a journal pop up in the journal section soon.
Cheers, Seffie x
Re: new to the world of aquariums with my 75 gallon tank
to TFF and the salty side of life
Might be better if you tell us what sort of fish you like and what your plans are for the tank, FOWLR, reef etc. We are a curious lot and love hearing every little detail with loads of photos.
So, tell us about your fish keeping experience, your hardware and anything else us noisy lot would love. Looking forward to you starting a journal in the journal section.
Seffie x
Might be better if you tell us what sort of fish you like and what your plans are for the tank, FOWLR, reef etc. We are a curious lot and love hearing every little detail with loads of photos.
So, tell us about your fish keeping experience, your hardware and anything else us noisy lot would love. Looking forward to you starting a journal in the journal section.
Seffie x
Re: new to the world of aquariums with my 75 gallon tank
I'm excited to share my plans for the 75-gallon tank with you all. To give you a bit of background, I've been keeping a 20-gallon freshwater community tank for about 4 months now, and it's been a great experience. The tank has a mix of zebra danios, platys, cory cats, oto cats, and some african dwarf frogs - it's been a lot of fun to watch them interact.
When it comes to my saltwater tank, I'm looking to create a community that gets along well. I'm planning on setting up a reef tank with some anemones, corals, and peaceful shoaling fish. I love watching shoals swim together, so I'd be happy with 3 or 4 groups of fish that can roam the tank. I'm also drawn to unusual creatures, like my freshwater frogs and ghost shrimp - in the saltwater tank, I'd love to have a seahorse, a starfish, or other interesting invertebrates that aren't aggressive.
As for the hardware, I've got a good starting point - the tank came with a filtration system, a separate tank for the filter, a light, pumps, and hoses. The previous owner told me it's all set to go, just needs water. I'm planning on digging in tomorrow to figure out how everything fits together and start cleaning the equipment. I'm looking forward to sharing my progress with you all and hearing your advice and suggestions.
When it comes to my saltwater tank, I'm looking to create a community that gets along well. I'm planning on setting up a reef tank with some anemones, corals, and peaceful shoaling fish. I love watching shoals swim together, so I'd be happy with 3 or 4 groups of fish that can roam the tank. I'm also drawn to unusual creatures, like my freshwater frogs and ghost shrimp - in the saltwater tank, I'd love to have a seahorse, a starfish, or other interesting invertebrates that aren't aggressive.
As for the hardware, I've got a good starting point - the tank came with a filtration system, a separate tank for the filter, a light, pumps, and hoses. The previous owner told me it's all set to go, just needs water. I'm planning on digging in tomorrow to figure out how everything fits together and start cleaning the equipment. I'm looking forward to sharing my progress with you all and hearing your advice and suggestions.
Re: new to the world of aquariums with my 75 gallon tank
Before you start filling that tank, I'd say get familiar with the process of cycling a marine tank - it's a whole different ball game compared to freshwater.
For a full-on reef setup, you're going to want to look into some serious lighting - think halides or a bunch of T5 tubes. Don't forget about skimmers and pumps, they're essential for keeping your tank healthy and thriving.
I'm excited to see how your project turns out, just make sure you're prepared for the challenges that come with a saltwater tank.
For a full-on reef setup, you're going to want to look into some serious lighting - think halides or a bunch of T5 tubes. Don't forget about skimmers and pumps, they're essential for keeping your tank healthy and thriving.
I'm excited to see how your project turns out, just make sure you're prepared for the challenges that come with a saltwater tank.
Re: new to the world of aquariums with my 75 gallon tank
rileyon said:
You need to get familiar with cycling a marine tank first.
If you're going for a full-on reef setup, you'll need to look into proper lighting - think halides or a bunch of T5 tubes. You'll also need a good skimmer and some solid pumps.
You need to get familiar with cycling a marine tank first.
If you're going for a full-on reef setup, you'll need to look into proper lighting - think halides or a bunch of T5 tubes. You'll also need a good skimmer and some solid pumps.
Re: new to the world of aquariums with my 75 gallon tank
Welcome to the salty side of life.
You've got a great start with that 75-gallon tank, and I'm excited to see it come together. I do have a few questions to help you along the way, though. Is your tank drilled, or will you be using an overflow? It's essential to consider this for proper water circulation.
I also want to caution you about keeping seahorses in a reef tank. As far as I know, seahorses require low flow, which might not be suitable for a reef environment. Please correct me if I'm wrong, as I'm always eager to learn.
Another crucial thing to check is whether the previous owner used any copper-based medicines in the tank. Copper is toxic to invertebrates, so it's vital to ensure the tank is copper-free before introducing any reef inhabitants.
For filtration, you'll need a substantial amount of live rock - at least 1 lb/gallon or more. Additionally, powerheads will be necessary to achieve the desired water flow. I'm currently getting about 3600gph in my 90-gallon tank, which is roughly 30x the tank's volume.
A good skimmer is also a must-have, and I'm sure the other members will be happy to recommend some options. You'll also need a return pump from the 10-gallon sump you mentioned. What kind of lighting is included with the tank? Pictures would be incredibly helpful in giving us a better understanding of your setup.
Lastly, I strongly advise you to come up with a livestock plan before buying any equipment. This will help you make informed decisions and ensure a harmonious balance in your tank. Some excellent shoaling fish for your consideration are anthias and chromis - you've got plenty of room for both.
You've got a great start with that 75-gallon tank, and I'm excited to see it come together. I do have a few questions to help you along the way, though. Is your tank drilled, or will you be using an overflow? It's essential to consider this for proper water circulation.
I also want to caution you about keeping seahorses in a reef tank. As far as I know, seahorses require low flow, which might not be suitable for a reef environment. Please correct me if I'm wrong, as I'm always eager to learn.
Another crucial thing to check is whether the previous owner used any copper-based medicines in the tank. Copper is toxic to invertebrates, so it's vital to ensure the tank is copper-free before introducing any reef inhabitants.
For filtration, you'll need a substantial amount of live rock - at least 1 lb/gallon or more. Additionally, powerheads will be necessary to achieve the desired water flow. I'm currently getting about 3600gph in my 90-gallon tank, which is roughly 30x the tank's volume.
A good skimmer is also a must-have, and I'm sure the other members will be happy to recommend some options. You'll also need a return pump from the 10-gallon sump you mentioned. What kind of lighting is included with the tank? Pictures would be incredibly helpful in giving us a better understanding of your setup.
Lastly, I strongly advise you to come up with a livestock plan before buying any equipment. This will help you make informed decisions and ensure a harmonious balance in your tank. Some excellent shoaling fish for your consideration are anthias and chromis - you've got plenty of room for both.
Re: new to the world of aquariums with my 75 gallon tank
I've been doing lots of research and learning over the past week. I've got my 75 gallon tank set up and it's reef ready with the drilled holes and an overflow. The 10-gallon filter/sump is hooked up and I've got a pump running - it's pretty loud, but I'm hoping it'll calm down once everything is up and running. My water parameters are looking good so far - salt levels, pH, and temperature are all where they should be.aflux wrote: ↑Sat Apr 26, 2025 9:05 pm Welcome to the salty side of life.
You've got a great start with that 75-gallon tank, and I'm excited to see it come together. I do have a few questions to help you along the way, though. Is your tank drilled, or will you be using an overflow? It's essential to consider this for proper water circulation.
I also want to caution you about keeping seahorses in a reef tank. As far as I know, seahorses require low flow, which might not be suitable for a reef environment. Please correct me if I'm wrong, as I'm always eager to learn.
Another crucial thing to check is whether the previous owner used any copper-based medicines in the tank. Copper is toxic to invertebrates, so it's vital to ensure the tank is copper-free before introducing any reef inhabitants.
For filtration, you'll need a substantial amount of live rock - at least 1 lb/gallon or more. Additionally, powerheads will be necessary to achieve the desired water flow. I'm currently getting about 3600gph in my 90-gallon tank, which is roughly 30x the tank's volume.
A good skimmer is also a must-have, and I'm sure the other members will be happy to recommend some options. You'll also need a return pump from the 10-gallon sump you mentioned. What kind of lighting is included with the tank? Pictures would be incredibly helpful in giving us a better understanding of your setup.
Lastly, I strongly advise you to come up with a livestock plan before buying any equipment. This will help you make informed decisions and ensure a harmonious balance in your tank. Some excellent shoaling fish for your consideration are anthias and chromis - you've got plenty of room for both.
I added some live sand yesterday and I'm planning on adding live rock next. I've also started thinking about fish and I'm really excited. I've been looking at chromis, anthias, and threadfin cardinals - I love them all, but I think the chromis are my favorite. I'm wondering if it would be too much to have three small schools of fish in the tank? And would it be possible to add a couple of clown fish as well? I'd also love to have some invertebrates like a starfish, snails, crabs, and shrimp.
Re: new to the world of aquariums with my 75 gallon tank
It really depends on the type of chromis you're interested in keeping. I think seveflake shoals might not be the best choice, but blue-green chromis could work well for you - they only grow to around 3 inches, so that's a plus. Instead of having three separate schools, maybe consider getting a group of six blue-green chromis? They're a great choice for a 75-gallon tank.
As for the clowns, I think you should be able to keep a pair of them in addition to the chromis. Just make sure you provide plenty of hiding places and visual barriers for them.
When it comes to starfish, you might end up with a hitchhiker like a lunate star, but there are other options available for a 75-gallon tank. I'm not super knowledgeable about starfish, so you might want to do some more research on that.
One thing that's really important is having a good test kit to monitor your water parameters. You'll want to be able to test for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate at the very least.
Once your nitrate levels reach around 0 ppm, you can start adding your clean-up crew - things like crabs, shrimp, and snails. Then, after a couple of weeks, you can start adding fish. The exact timeline will depend on how much you add and how quickly your tank cycles.
As for the clowns, I think you should be able to keep a pair of them in addition to the chromis. Just make sure you provide plenty of hiding places and visual barriers for them.
When it comes to starfish, you might end up with a hitchhiker like a lunate star, but there are other options available for a 75-gallon tank. I'm not super knowledgeable about starfish, so you might want to do some more research on that.
One thing that's really important is having a good test kit to monitor your water parameters. You'll want to be able to test for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate at the very least.
Once your nitrate levels reach around 0 ppm, you can start adding your clean-up crew - things like crabs, shrimp, and snails. Then, after a couple of weeks, you can start adding fish. The exact timeline will depend on how much you add and how quickly your tank cycles.