Just Joined :) Had A Few Questions.

[AngelKeeper]

So I've had numerous 10 gallon tanks over my life time though never really kept well I admit and I did everything wrong. I have now acquired a 75 gallon tank and before I set anything up I want to be TOTALLY prepared. As you can guess I want to keep Angelfish. I have looked around a couple of the posts and plan on creating my logs and everything to get my cycles recorded. I did have a few questions though..

What are good products to keep on hand, such as baking soda, and ammonia that I would need to alter the water conditions during the fishless cycle?

I need a filter system that doesn't create a fast current I'm going to get an undergravel but I'd like a secondary as I don't think an undergravel is enough I'd like to have a planted tank but not sure if I can do this with the Undergravel and pretty sure I cant use the sand type substrate with it either.

I also wondered what are good tank mates for Angels every place I have looked has different opinions right now I'm wanting 4 angels corries and some neons for color and schooling effect.. but I'd like something else with a little color but not so much as to distract from my angels if there is anything.

Ok.. lemme cut this short Thank you so much for looking at my post and any information you can share that might help a newbie big tank owner would be welcomed!!

 

[anon02]

Hi AngelKeeper welcome to the forum,
Most members would recommend the fishless cycle, so assuming you go down that route you will be needing a good liquid reagent master test kit, a source of ammonia (if you look in the cleaning aisle you may find a product that is a 9.5% solution that lists only ammonia and water as the ingredients, that is the one you want) baking soda you may need if you get a pH crash

As for a filter, if you choose one that has a throughput 4 or 5 times the volume of your tank, the flow should be ok. An under gravel filter is not compatible with either a sand substrate or plants

Most members would advise against adding plants till the filter is cycled, although I believe with the right substate and the right amount of plants and light you can do what is termed a silent cycle. I could not advise on that but there are some really knowledgable planted guys on the forum who could. If you think you might fancy it ask on the planted tank section

Whichever route you choose good luck

 

[AngelKeeper]

Hi AngelKeeper welcome to the forum,
Most members would recommend the fishless cycle, so assuming you go down that route you will be needing a good liquid reagent master test kit, a source of ammonia (if you look in the cleaning aisle you may find a product that is a 5% solution that lists only ammonia and water as the ingredients, that is the one you want) baking soda you may need if you get a pH crash

As for a filter, if you choose one that has a throughput 4 or 5 times the volume of your tank, the flow should be ok. An under gravel filter is not compatible with either a sand substrate or plants

Most members would advise against adding plants till the filter is cycled, although I believe with the right substate and the right amount of plants and light you can do what is termed a silent cycle. I could not advise on that but there are some really knowledgable planted guys on the forum who could. If you think you might fancy it ask on the planted tank section

Whichever route you choose good luck

Thank you so much I actually purchased a test kit suggested on another thread from Amazon grouped with a GH and KH test I think one is the hardness/softeness of the water?

Im going to run a plantless fishless cycle first.. I wanna know that I can manage levels before I add anything to it.

Debating on a canister filter they are a bit more pricey but I think everything for a 75 gallon is
Thank you so much for your help!

 

[fluttermoth]

I'd definitely go for an external canister filter if you can afford it; much better in the long run.

There's no problems having angels and corys together; you just need to be careful what tetras you pick. Small ones like neons tend to end up as angel food at some point, but there are loads of larger and deeper bodied species that would be fine. You'll have plenty of time to look around and decide what you want while you're cycling!

 

[AngelKeeper]

Fluval 405 Filter -- If I get this the current wont be to much for the angels?

 

[Skins]

Hello,
On the fluval 05 series filters you can adjust the flow rate on the aqua-stop attachment(Black lever).

Skins.

 

[Tolak]

That filter will be fine current wise with angels, I've run double that on a 65 full of angels without any problem.

 

[waterdrop]

Hi Angelkeeper and Welcome to our beginners section!

I'd definately drop the idea of an undergravel and go toward the external cannister type you are considering if you can make it work out. It should save you a fair amount of work in the future. I saw the most beautiful Angel display tank at the new San Francisco aquarium recently - the designer used a whole forest of vallisneria and the vertical plants helped you see why the natural Angels have vertical stripes! It was stunning!

I'd not use carbon in the filter but save it on your shelf if the filter comes with it. You have already figured out a number of helpful things about your fishless cycle: its easier to do a bare tank fishless cycle, with perhaps just substrate but no decorations or plants (so they won't get covered in algae and the plants won't interfere with interpreting your water chem results.) You need the right type of ammonia and the right type of liquid test kits. GH stands for general hardness and is a measure of the calcium and magnesium mineral levels in the water, mostly. KH comes from the German "Karbonate" and stands for Carbonate Hardness and is a measure of the "buffering" capability of the water which tells you how much your particular water will resist changes in pH. Baking Soda (we say bicarb for short sometimes) will raise the KH and buffer your tank if KH is low so that it resists the inevitable pH drops that come from cycling a low KH/pH tank (so its only needed in this special case.)

Other shoals you could consider as alternatives to the neons/cards would be rummy noses or harlequins. Harlequins (Rasbora Heteromorpha) have the added positive feature that they are among the very hardiest and best first introductions to a new tank for a beginner (or "re-beginner" as you may be!) If you were to stick with the neons, there would be a timing issue that might take more patience as best results with neons are achieved when they are introduced at a delayed 6 months of tank life and well prior to the introduction of young Angels (that way the Angels see them as established and tend to leave them alone for many years, rather than munching on them right away.)

~~waterdrop~~
ps. ( just so you are aware - Tolak is an Angel breeder and getting tips from him is like mainlining the best info you could ever hope to receive, in my opinion.)