# 75g salt to fresh planted. Advice and suggestions welcome!



## SnakeBlitz33 (Sep 1, 2011)

I've never had a tried and true planted aquarium before. I have had freshwater fish in a tank before, but nothing as demanding in freshwater like a planted tank. 

I have been a saltwater reef tank enthusiast for nearly a decade now. I'm frustrated with my reef tank - with all the algae and diatoms and mixing saltwater and blah blah blah that comes along with it. I want a fish tank, but I need something that is pretty easy to maintain and doesn't cost as much as a full blown reef tank. Spending time with family and doing homework (I'm almost a college grad!) is more important to me at this point then maintaining a reef tank. So, that's my background! 


I need some advice... Here's a list of the equipment that I already have that MIGHT be of some use in a freshwater tank... 

Photon 48 LED lighting system. I can customize the colors - and it's plenty strong for plants. 

75g tank with a 20g sump. The sump system has to stay, since it's easier for my auto top off system to top it off. 

I have a phosphate reactor that I can put carbon in for some chemical filtration? 

The return pump is a Quiet One 4000 pump - which is PLENTY for a freshwater tank, I would think, as the sole provider of water movement. If not, I do have quite a few low flow broad range powerheads available to me. 

What substrate should I use? I was thinking of washing up some pea gravel from home depot... or should I buy the ecowhatever stuff? 

I have some driftwood available to me,... not from a fish store, but basically from the back yard. A lot of interesting shapes that I think would do nicely. Do I have to cure it or prep it in any way to use it? 

Where do ya'll buy your plants online? Fish online? 

I think it's a little too early to start talking about fish selection... however, I am extremely impressed with a lot of Amano tanks out there... 

I'd definitely appreciate some help and advice on this build. I'll be getting rid of my saltwater stuff over the course of the next week and prepping to set up the tank as freshwater by the next weekend or the next.


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## herns (Jul 16, 2012)

SnakeBlitz33 said:


> What substrate should I use?
> 
> Where do ya'll buy your plants online? Fish online?
> .


ADA Amazonia is so far the best in my experienced. Hands down.
Eco Complete also works but very light substrate.

I always buy plants at theplantedtank.net


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## SnakeBlitz33 (Sep 1, 2011)

Two other people have said to go with amazonia. 

How many 9 liter bags cover a 75g footprint? 48"x18.5". How deep do substrates need to be?


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## TroyVSC (Aug 29, 2012)

Another option is going with a dirted tank and topping it off with a cheaper substrate. That's a lot of money to cover a 75 with amazonia.


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