Returning to the hobby

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Chu'Wuti

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Mar 23, 2020
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Location
Norman, OK, USA
Hi, all,

Over 20 years ago, I had several tanks with a 55 being the largest, then I got into reptile rescue and ended up giving away all my fish and converting tanks to snake, lizard, and frog habitats. Now I'm getting ready to retire from my work on the Board of an international nonprofit breastfeeding support organization (this is my final week) and have turned over the reptile rescue operations to others. I am down to the following permanent inhabitants: five snakes, two lizards, and two frogs (along with a rescue dog and cat), and my husband. As I began planning post-retirement fun (started that planning before coronavirus), I decided I want to get back into tropical fish. (Oh, between us, my husband and I also have six adult kids and eight grandkids scattered around the world!)

I bought a 75-gallon tank and cabinet yesterday.

I figure (especially with coronavirus spreading everywhere!) that I have a two-to-three month set-up project ahead. ;-)

Obviously, I need more than the tank, LOL! So I thought this would be a great place to explore for tips and smart information on best substrate, best filtration, best lighting, and so on!

I look forward to learning more from everyone here!

My username is Chu'Wuti, which is Hopi for Snake Woman. I'm not Hopi, but a Hopi friend gave me the name years ago.

My real name is Sandy. I'll try to get a photo up soon.
 
Hello and welcome to the forum! :hi:

You should enter any of your tanks smaller than 29 gallons in the upcoming TOTM (Tank of the month) contest! You could win a cool banner like mine. (Except obviously saying TOTM contest winner. ;))

Tag me if you ever need help with AquaScaping, bettas, or live plants. Hope to see you around! :)
 
I love how you included your husband in as part of your adopted rescue animals:) Im sure my wife feels the same about me.

As for substrate depends on what you are going for. Plain ole play sand bought at hardware store is economical its about 7 dollars for a 50lb bag. To fill a 75 gallon youd need 3 or 4 bags. If you dont want sand pea gravel at a hard ware store is going to be cheaper than at a fish store. As for filters id stay away from fish stores as theyre over priced. Can find some good deals on line with free shipping. As for lighting again depends if you are going to grow live plants if not any old light will do.
Look forward to hearing more about your tank!
 
As far as sand goes, I’d say use play sand. As long as you clean it before putting it in the tank, it is perfectly safe for your fish. I have play sand in all of my tanks and it looks great.
 
Hello Susan and welcome to the forum, I also have taken in resues over the years, currently have just two rescue cats.
 
Hello Susan and welcome to the forum, I also have taken in resues over the years, currently have just two rescue cats.
Same! I have 2 rescue cats and 1 rescue dog. I found the 2 cats on the side of the road and the dog at the dump. I love them, but it was sad to look back and see where they used to live. :(
 
Hello and welcome to the forum! :hi:

You should enter any of your tanks smaller than 29 gallons in the upcoming TOTM (Tank of the month) contest! You could win a cool banner like mine. (Except obviously saying TOTM contest winner. ;))

Tag me if you ever need help with AquaScaping, bettas, or live plants. Hope to see you around! :)
ROFL! The only tank I have smaller than 55 gallons is a 20-gallon paludarium with two Bombina orientalis (Fire-bellied frogs, aka toads) in it! As I am literally just now getting back into fish, it will be awhile before I have any fish tanks smaller than the 75 I'm diving into first! But thanks for the info about the TOTM contest and for the welcome!
 
I love how you included your husband in as part of your adopted rescue animals:) Im sure my wife feels the same about me.

As for substrate depends on what you are going for. Plain ole play sand bought at hardware store is economical its about 7 dollars for a 50lb bag. To fill a 75 gallon youd need 3 or 4 bags. If you dont want sand pea gravel at a hard ware store is going to be cheaper than at a fish store. As for filters id stay away from fish stores as theyre over priced. Can find some good deals on line with free shipping. As for lighting again depends if you are going to grow live plants if not any old light will do.
Look forward to hearing more about your tank!
Thanks for the substrate and filter tips! I am still in research mode on those items! I definitely want to grow live plants, so I'll be searching for lighting of an appropriate spectrum and brightness for healthy plant growth.
 
I use Play sand in all my tanks and no liquid fertilizers. See how good they look in my 29g?
97C0BED5-006C-439C-90DA-1E794E34B1BD.jpeg

(that’s a pretty old phot, it is much more dense now. :))
 
Thanks for the substrate and filter tips! I am still in research mode on those items! I definitely want to grow live plants, so I'll be searching for lighting of an appropriate spectrum and brightness for healthy plant growth.
Anything between 5000K to 6500K is good for growing plants. . In a tank as tall as a 75 gallon the more lumens the better. Typically with LED 20 to 30 lumens/ liter will grow low light plants like ferns floating plants and anubius. 40-50 lumens/ liter for medium light plants and 50+ lumens/ liter for high light and red plants. If going with compact fluorescent or T5 or T8 tubes its 2 watts/ gallon for low light, 3-4 watts for medium and 5+ for high light plants which also require CO2 supplementation. Personally id stick with low to medium light plants like ferns anubius cryptacoryne and swords. Also for lighting the higher the CRI the better, anything with a CRI of 90+ is going to do better. Lumens though in 5000k to 6500k are the key.
 
Same! I have 2 rescue cats and 1 rescue dog. I found the 2 cats on the side of the road and the dog at the dump. I love them, but it was sad to look back and see where they used to live. :(
My daughters were in collage, One found a small cat then about 2 years later my other daughter found a kitten wandering the streets. We took them both in. We also had several rescue dogs over the years.
 
Welcome to the forum!
 
My daughters were in collage, One found a small cat then about 2 years later my other daughter found a kitten wandering the streets. We took them both in. We also had several rescue dogs over the years.
My son and his wife found this kitty in the parking lot of a Pizza Hut, living off scraps and bread ends of pizza. They had to trap her to catch her, as she was pretty feral, though she knew humans could be a source of food. Now, about 10 years later, she's fairly tame except she hates to be held. I'm gradually getting her more accustomed to it; as long as I don't try to carry her anywhere, we do pretty well. I can't let vets take her to the back away from me to work on her, or she will go berserk and shred their hands and arms--they literally cannot hold her down. With me holding her down on a table and talking to her, she merely growls all the way through whatever procedures have to be done. So we usually have three of us--me holding her head, maintaining eye contact, and talking; a vet tech holding other parts; and the vet drawing blood or giving shots as quickly as possible.
 
My cousin found a newborn kitten under her stove. They didnt have any cats. A week later she found an even younger kitten in the woods behind her house. No signs of the mommas
 

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