# My new Tank



## mk4gti (Jun 15, 2010)

Ok so ive been saying i wanted to get a new tank and i did. On craigslist i got a 90 gallon with 48" T8 Triple tube light and double tube light T10. The guy also gave me 6 extra 18,000k lights for the triple tube. So total there are 5 tubes on the tank all rated at 18,000k. Total cost for 11 lights 1 90 gallon tank and 2 light housings. 200$. Right now im looking for a stand and a filter hope to have the tank up and running by mid to late august.


----------



## longtail4711 (Jun 8, 2010)

Man, that is a SWEET deal! What are you planning to put in it?


----------



## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Sweet, why not make a stand for it. That way you can make it the way you want. For a filter I would go with a canister rated for at least 200 gal. other wise you will need 2 HOB's.


----------



## mk4gti (Jun 15, 2010)

Yeah im going to purchase a stand, the one i was looking at is only 160$ and im not much of a craftsmen when it comes to wood work. Ive had bad experinces with canister filters and i think im gonna go with 2 marineland emporor biowheels rated for a 100 gallon tank. Ive used the biowheels on smaller tanks and they have been great for me but i do appreciate any input since this will be the biggest tank i have ever owned. Im planning to make it a community tank with larger schools of smaller fish, cherry barbs, neons, corys, tetras etc. Im gonna fully plant it with a wide selection of plants and moss up some drift wood in the center, some natural rocks, some broken peices of clay pots. The lights that i received with the tank should be enough sustain most any plants. I want to create a peacefull community enviorment with a wide arange of fish that get along and can withstand the same water condtions.


----------



## NursePlaty (Feb 5, 2010)

mk4gti said:


> The lights that i received with the tank should be enough sustain most any plants.


*Congrats on the tank mk4gti . Just for future references, if you plan to grow live plants, the 18,000K bulbs are too far from being the right color spectrum. 18,000K is used for saltwater to grow corals, hence the blue color that it gives off. Same with those Actinic and 20,000K bulbs which literally do nothing for plants. Live plants need 6700K or something close to it. If one of your bulbs ever burn out, replace it with 6700K's *


----------



## jrodriguez (Jul 20, 2009)

Nice DEAL!!! thats why you search craigslist first looks like you have everything planned out pretty food...but patience is of the essence. Good Luck on your tank!!


----------



## mk4gti (Jun 15, 2010)

So 18,000k wont make my plants photosynthesize?


----------



## mk4gti (Jun 15, 2010)

Im going to double check the lights, the guy who i bought this set up from had 3 other tanks in which he was breeding cherry shrimp and growing his own plants. I know the Extra ones he gave me were 18,000k the ones that are actually in the 2 housings may be different. If not them im just going to do a salt water reef tank that these lights work for


----------



## archer772 (Nov 8, 2008)

Sweet deal on the setup. I would just change out 3 bulbs into the 6.5K to 10K range and let the other 2 be the 18K bulbs because it will be considerly cheaper than going SW Reef. The bulbs should be less than $60 and the reef you will have $200-$300 in just a skimmer and NO bulbs wont work for a reef so you would have to change out your entire lighting setup plus filtration, flow, substrate, LR and PH's


----------



## NursePlaty (Feb 5, 2010)

*Theres a color spectrum chart that Ive seen and 20,000K lights show a lot of big blue waves, seemed like 95-99% was blue waves with just a tad smidgen of the other colors. It's specially made for reef tanks. 18,000K might show a tad bit more colors, so the majority of it is still blue.

Plants need a broad color spectrum but mostly red. And I believe 6700K is the best spectrum for plants to utilize. 

You dont have to change all of them out. Just switch some to 6700K or any spectrum close to it.*


----------



## mk4gti (Jun 15, 2010)

Im gonna look into it, right now im at work but when i get home im gonna check out the lights in the hoods becuase the tank that they were on had TONS of lush green growth in it. If not im going to change 2 of the 5 bulbs to 6700k for now. I still dont have the stand yet im waiting for it to be shipped and im up in the air on what filter i want. Can u recomend an inexpensive c02 system? Your tank looks awsome im going for that same effect but in a 90 gal


----------



## mk4gti (Jun 15, 2010)

Stocking this tank is going to be soooo fun i cant wait. Cycling shouldnt be so hard becuase i got my 20 gallon up and running fully cycled so i can use some media from there. Yeah i looked into all the salt water equiptment i would need and i would be in for alteast another 500$ I know salt water is "exotic" but a fully planted well decorated freshwater tank is really attractive too. I think i am partial towards freswater fish anyway.


----------



## NursePlaty (Feb 5, 2010)

*Thanks! Took a lot of trial and errors . I used to do DIY CO2 with yeast, sugar, and water. Even linked up 3 bottles to maximize my CO2 for my 20g. But it barely did anything, my CO2 ppm was still low and I had major staghorn algae along with 20 other species of algae. I had to reduce the lighting from 3.45wpg to 2.45wpg or else a lochness monster will appear. When I bought pressurized, it was like everything was lifted off my shoulder, no algae outbreaks whatsoever and everything became so easy. All my plants grew so fast and no algae were growing. So I increased my lighting back from 2.45wpg to 3.45wpg and I still dont have algae outbreaks. 

Since you have a 90 gallon. The tank is too big for the DIY to work. It barely even worked for my 20g. I suggest go straight to pressurized. Plus with that size tank, the cost of the sugar will catch up to you within a month if you go with DIY. I used at least 6 cups of sugar every 2 weeks. 

Most CO2 systems cost ~$300 new including tank and regulator. I got my entire setup used off Craigslist for $90. Check craiglist is all I can say *


----------



## mk4gti (Jun 15, 2010)

Yeah im definatly not in a rush to spend 300$, there are some things on craigslist and the LFS owner might have some used things he can sell me. I ready about the DIY c02 set ups with yeast and sugar, im not intrested in that, i want the real deal. When do u recomend planting? Once the tank is fully cycled or during the set up stage when i put the substrate in?


----------



## archer772 (Nov 8, 2008)

I just got this regulator and dont see any problems with it but like I said I just got it.

CO2 Pressure Regulator w/Solenoid

I would guess $100 for a 10# CO2 tank
You can build your own bubble counter with a pint canning jar and build a reactor with some PVC along with end caps and a couple hose barb fittings and some Bio Balls.


----------



## archer772 (Nov 8, 2008)

I would load it up with plants as soon as you set it up because it will help the cycleing as in it will give you a soft cycle.


----------



## NursePlaty (Feb 5, 2010)

*Oh yes, like Archer, I made my own bubble counter also out of a gatorade bottle, because the previous owner of my tank broke the bubble counter. Rather spend $2 on a gatorade bottle than $30 on a new counter hehehe. 

I would say fast growing plants at first to remove toxins. Then after its cycled, gradually replace them with the plants you are going to wanting to permanently get. 

I used water sprite for my initial plants. Grows like weed and I hate it. Or get anarcharis, wisteria, or hornworts. DO NOT get duck weed... some people recommend it and I think its worse than algae... impossible to remove from the tank. I dont even let 1 leaf of it get into mine, or else it will multiply and become a swamp. *


----------



## mk4gti (Jun 15, 2010)

You guys are super helpful. Im going to go with a marineland C-360 Canister Filter and a hanging marinland 350 biowheel. I think that along with the plants should provide enough filtration. I usually remove the activated carbon from the filterpads but i think im going to leave it in the canister filter. We are going to have to talk more about C02 set ups once i have the tank up and running.


----------



## archer772 (Nov 8, 2008)

I would consider this filter
4 Stage CANISTER FILTER + 9W UV Sterilizer Free Media - eBay (item 360223705543 end time Jul-04-10 18:15:04 PDT)
it will save you some cash and they seem to work very good. I am running 2 of them on my 120, I have the 302 and 303 and they are dead silent.


----------



## mk4gti (Jun 15, 2010)

yeah those look prety impossiable to ge replacement parts for. Im unfimaliar with that brand and generic stuff on ebay tends to suck in my experience. On of my friends has a old fluval rated for a 200 gallon i might take that off his hands if he is willing to part with it for a case of beer


----------



## archer772 (Nov 8, 2008)

Here are a couple links to reviews on other sites.
My Review: SunSun "Outside Filter" HW-302

My review of the Sunsun External filter for 250g Aquariums HW-304A - Aquaria Central

??


----------

