# equipment proposal for my 75 gal



## robinc (Jul 15, 2014)

Here is what I have planned for the 75 gal I just bought.

1. Fluval 406 cannister

<strike>2. Fluval C3 HOB</strike> For now

3. Hydor ETH 300 Inline Heater 

4. Finnex Digital Heat Controller

<strike>5. Eco Complete 7 bags</strike>
5. Flourite Black 8 bags

6. Finnex FugeRay Planted+ Aquarium LED Light Plus Moonlights 

How does that sound? Any suggestions of something I missed? 

Any comments on the inline heater or the controller, or anything for that matter, from practical experience would be appreciated.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Just curious why youd run both a HOB and canister instead of just a canister? The fluval 406 is rated up to 100 gallons so its a nice filter for that size tank alone.


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## Chillwill007 (Aug 20, 2010)

Sounds good to me. But I do agree you probably don't need the hob since this is gonna be a planted tank. If your worried about flow I would switch out the hob for a small powe head. As for the heater and heater controller key me know how that goes. I want to go with that combo for my 47g column tank I just got. Saw that combo on amazon is that where your getting it from by chance?


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## robinc (Jul 15, 2014)

Chillwill007 said:


> Sounds good to me. But I do agree you probably don't need the hob since this is gonna be a planted tank. If your worried about flow I would switch out the hob for a small powe head. As for the heater and heater controller key me know how that goes. I want to go with that combo for my 47g column tank I just got. Saw that combo on amazon is that where your getting it from by chance?


I'm a firm believer in having more filter than I need. What I might do is though is start with the canister and if I feel like it's not enough add the HOB later or maybe a sponge. I have sponge filters in all my tanks.

Quite a while back I read that there was a formula that you should have X amount more turnover than most filters are rated. Can't remember where I read it or exactly what X was. Have to look through my notes. 

Yes, I found both the heater and controller on Amazon. I want to investigate the heat controller a little more to see if I'd be better off with the next grade up. I don't know that much about them but if they will stop a heater from going out of control it would certainly be worth 25.00. It'll be awhile before I have everything to get the tank set up but I'll let you know if haven't beat me to it.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Nothin wrong with extra filtration, but you're already dropping a good amount on the canister, so if nothing else I'd up the canister size if thats your concern, and skip the HOB. Just my opinion though.


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## FishFlow (Sep 13, 2011)

What are you plans for the tank? Sounds like you're going to the plant side! muhahaha. 

Ya need to add a 5# bottle, dual reg, needle valve, bubble counter and difuser to the list!


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## robinc (Jul 15, 2014)

FishFlow said:


> What are you plans for the tank? Sounds like you're going to the plant side! muhahaha.
> 
> Ya need to add a 5# bottle, dual reg, needle valve, bubble counter and difuser to the list!


I'm thinking about CO2 but not sure. I'll have to read up on it. I worry about a pressurized tank.... We had helium tanks at my job and their were all kinds of regulations....same with the propane that are floor guys used. Makes me think it might be a tad dangerous.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

No more dangerous than someone having a keg tapped in a fridge.


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## robinc (Jul 15, 2014)

Summer said:


> No more dangerous than someone having a keg tapped in a fridge.


Something to think about. Right now I want to concentrate on getting the funds together to get it up and running. I'll worry about whether or not to get CO2 after that. It would be awfully cool to have plants that grow really quickly.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

If you go with co2, then once the plants have really taken off, you could start making cuttings of your plants. Then sell the cuttings and make a little money back . I would do that if I used co2.


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## robinc (Jul 15, 2014)

big b said:


> If you go with co2, then once the plants have really taken off, you could start making cuttings of your plants. Then sell the cuttings and make a little money back . I would do that if I used co2.


Probably not. I want snails, ramshorns, nerites and mystery and I'd hate to give people plants with snail eggs in them. Not everyone loves the little buggers like I do. Although at some point before I fill I'm going to have to pick between the snails and the Kuhli Loaches or Dojos I'd like to have.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

I have kuhli loaches in with ramshorn snails, pond snails, and mystery snails. They haven't killed any that I know of. But even if they did, I wouldn't notice, there are so many!lol. But I do suspect they may have hurt one of my mystery snails and caused him to die. But then again, he was old. He may just have died naturally.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

robinc said:


> Probably not. I want snails, ramshorns, nerites and mystery and I'd hate to give people plants with snail eggs in them.


Nerites don't breed in freshwater, and mystery snails lay eggs above the water line but they sometimes give live birth if you over feed the tank a lot. They once did live birth for me once. And as for the ramshorn snails, you could set up another small tank, like a 5 gallon for the cutting you are getting ready to sell. Possibly put some assassin snails in there in case of an eggs that hatch.


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## robinc (Jul 15, 2014)

I thought all loaches love snails. Interesting. I do like the Kuhli loaches.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

The golden loaches grow to 10 inch I think? So you'll be able to keep more kuhli loaches then you would if you got golden dojo loaches. Plus the kuhli loaches are silly. Trust me, they are super silly. But I have to warn you, they are sooo hard to catch, they are super fast and because they are scaleless, they can squirm out through your fingers.


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## robinc (Jul 15, 2014)

hhhhmmm I really like the idea of a 10 inch loach but I bet they'd eat the snails for sure!


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

If you do dojo loaches that doesnt leave a lot of stocking room after....just something to keep in mind.


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## robinc (Jul 15, 2014)

Summer said:


> If you do dojo loaches that doesnt leave a lot of stocking room after....just something to keep in mind.


Yea, I imagine you're right. I bought six Cherry barbs and I've decided I really like schooling fish. I didn't think I'd like having big groups of the same kinds of fish but it's actually pretty neat. I'm thinking lots of smaller fish in big groups. Cherry barbs, Rosy barb, gold barbs and several different kinds of tetras, Kuhli loaches.....all weaving in and out of a bunch of plants. Should look pretty neat.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Sounds beautiful


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

I was just watching my kuhli loaches play in my plants and let me tell you, it was cool.


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## Chillwill007 (Aug 20, 2010)

For tetras check out Congo tetras they are beautiful and a Lil bigger schoolers. And how about a small school of panda loaches they are cool and stay small


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## robinc (Jul 15, 2014)

Chillwill007 said:


> For tetras check out Congo tetras they are beautiful and a Lil bigger schoolers. And how about a small school of panda loaches they are cool and stay small


I really like the shape of the Congo Tetra's fins, really different. LOL at the panda loaches. They are cute. Both would be great in a large tank with several schoolers.

Thanks.


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## Chillwill007 (Aug 20, 2010)

robinc said:


> I really like the shape of the Congo Tetra's fins, really different. LOL at the panda loaches. They are cute. Both would be great in a large tank with several schoolers.
> 
> Thanks.


Yea there orange color and fins are beautiful and pop really good against the green of the plants. I had them in my former 75 gallon planted tank. Loved them. The panda loaches are new to me never had them look like something I might get.


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## Chillwill007 (Aug 20, 2010)

Since you have the ETH 300 I would just go with the aquatop cf400uv . The heater will connect right the lines with no fuss and between the fluval 406 and aquatop there is only a diffrence of 8 gph. And you can pick up the aquatop for under $100 on amazon shipped. I have to make a video so you can hear how silent it really is. And since your planting the tank you don't really need to much.


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## robinc (Jul 15, 2014)

I haven't actually bought the ETH 300. It's just the one I've picked out. The thing about the fluval I like, I had one before and got rid of it when I thought I was done with fish...haha is anyone ever done with fish? Anyway the thing I liked is that they are sturdy. As I recall they aren't easily broken. Does the Aquatop feel like it's plastic that is going to hold up well? 

I took a look at the 500 and since I don't have the ETH already if I go for an Aquatop I may go for that one. The tanks I have now are over filtered. Every one has a HOB and a sponge filter and I know that's part of why I have so little trouble (knock on wood  trouble with my tanks.


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## Chillwill007 (Aug 20, 2010)

Yea I hear you. I've seen that people have used barbed fittings to down size the hose to 5/8" or if you can fine 5/8" they just connect that to the heater and insert the 5/8" hose into the bigger hose and zip tie or use one of those screw tight bands. Or just do the 400 and a sponge filter for your double filtration. I just think if your getting canister filter the ETH filter is the way to go. And I think any other inline filter starts getting crazy expensive.


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