55 Gallon Vs 75 Gallon? Kinda Noob, Have Questions.

[Jeff000]

Hi, Great site here with lots of info.

I used to have a 20 gallon tank, but left it at my parents house when I bought my Condo. Now I want to buy a new tank, but cant deside on what size.

I have a Fuval 303 (302?) filter right now and I know that it will be at its upper limit with the 75 gallon tank.

I am trying to keep my costs down for now, but dont want to have alot of maintience either.

the 55 with stand is 360 or so, and the 75 with stand is on sale for 500, both are AllGlass brand.
the 55 has a plastic canopy where the 75 has glass with a light too.


The place I wanted to put it would be about 6" from my 52" tv in the living room, I dont know if this is going to be a distraction while watching or what? anyone else have one close to a tv?
The other place I wanted to put it will get 3-4 hours of direct sunlight a day, and I dont know how that will effect it.


For cycling the lfs has a tank set up with bundles of these ceramic balls that have live bacteria on them and are suposed to make the cycling good in less then a week. Can anyone comment on this? the bundles are about the size of a 750ml pop bottle.


Also I plan on having lots of plants, and I thought i read somewhere that plants were good for something, and want to think it extends the water to alow for longer time between changes ?? but I am unsure.

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[smmetz]

I'm just learing myself, had a 29 gallon for about 6 months. One thing I do know is this : don't even consider putting your tank where it will get that much direct sunlight. (you mentioned 3-4 hours)

 

[tttnjfttt]

If you can afford it, go bigger. I always find that I can never get a big enough tank, and always wish it were just a little bigger.

Plants are good because they help remove nitrate once you have removed it. For the ceramic balls, they sound good. If you want to try a fishless cycle with them, make sure they have some source of food, like pure ammonia. Don't leave them sit in the tank without food, or it will kill all the good bacteria.

 

[Torrean]

go for the 75 if you can afford it. If you can and you don't I bet in a week you'll be kicking yourself. =) The ceramic balls should work. Like tttnjfttt said make sure there is a source of ammonia.

 

[Torrean]

go for the 75 if you can afford it. If you can and you don't I bet in a week you'll be kicking yourself. =) The ceramic balls should work. Like tttnjfttt said make sure there is a source of ammonia.

 

[Torrean]

go for the 75 if you can afford it. If you can and you don't I bet in a week you'll be kicking yourself. =) The ceramic balls should work. Like tttnjfttt said make sure there is a source of ammonia.