75 Gallon Planted Tank

My 75 gallon All Glass Aquarium planted tank was started in Autumn of 2006. It became home to fish in March of 2007 as an upgrade to my 25 gallon. The tank is journaled here.

Equipment

  • Digital Aquatics Reef Keeper Lite with two PC4s
  • Eheim 2028 Canister Filter
  • Eheim 2217 Canister Filter
  • Hydor Eth 300 Watt Inline Heater
  • Hagen Elite Mini modified for CO2
  • Current USA Gamma 25 Watt UV Sterilizer
  • 48″ Sunlight Supply Tek Light 4×54 Watt T5HO
  • 2X APT Instruments Peristaltic Pumps
  • Cornelius CO2 Regulator
  • Swaglok Needle Valve
  • Clippard Solenoid
  • 5lb Aluminum CO2 Cylinder

Fertilization
The tank uses the EI method, autodosing via peristaltic pumps 7.5ml of Seachem Flourish and the following solution daily.

  • 55g KNO3
  • 15g KH2PO4
  • RO/DI water to reach 250ml solution

The solution is mixed monthly in a 250ml Erlenmeyer flask. Flourish and the macro solution are both dispensed from opaque HDPE bottles. The macro solution is calibrated to provide the following per dose:

  • 3.6 ppm NO3
  • 1.1 ppm PO4
  • 2.7 ppm K

Iron level is bolstered by the addition of 5ml Flourish Iron after the weekly water change.

Schedule
The inside bank of lights is on between 1:00 PM and 6:00 PM. The outside bank of lights is operated between 4:00 PM and 9:00 PM. This provides for a two hour overlap of full intensity. The CO2 solenoid and Hagen Elite Mini are active between 12:00 PM and 8:00 PM. The dosing pumps operate for fifteen minutes between 12:45 PM and 1:00 PM. All timing services are provided by the Reef Keeper Lite.

Water Parameters
Carbonate hardness (KH) is approximately 1 German degree from the tap, it is not adjusted. General hardness (GH) is also approximately one degree from the tap, but is adjusted weekly. One teaspoon of GH Booster is mixed with tank water and slowly dispensed while refilling from the 50% water change. This maintains GH at approximately 3 German degrees and the KH at approximately 1.5 German degrees. It would seem the GH and KH is also slightly buffered by the Eco Complete substrate.

Water changes are accomplished via a Semi-Automatic setup, with tubing connected to a tee on the Eheim 2028’s outflow.

Filter Media
Both Eheim filters are packed, from the bottom up, with the following:

  • EhfiMech Course Mechanical Media
  • Coarse Blue Filter Pad
  • EhfiSubstrat Pro
  • Polyester Fiber Fill
  • 100ml Purgien Pouch
  • White Fine Filter Pad

Lighting Details
The Tek fixture sits on the available adjustable legs at their lowest setting. It houses the following bulbs and runs for a total photoperiod of eight hours:

  • 2X Current USA 10,000K
  • 1X Geisemenn Aquablue+
  • 1X GE EcoLux 6500K

Inhabitants

  • 2 Blue Gouramis, breeding pair
  • 9 Sterbai Corydoras Catfish
  • 3 Otocinclus Catfish (confirmed, six stocked)
  • 10 Furcata Rainbows
  • 8 Head and Taillight Tetras
  • 1 Corydoras Catfish, unidentified
  • 1 Cockatoo Cichlid, female

Plants
Lots and lots and lots.