# PRSRocker's 75 Gallon Planted Angelfish Tank



## PRSRocker3390 (Apr 20, 2009)

This tank used to be my old 75 gallon journal but it ended in a big algae mess and realized I made some mistakes along the way. I was still very new to it all. Now with much much more experience and knowledge, I decided to redo the whole tank. Plus my angelfish really appreciate a better looking tank, at least I think they do and they deserve one. Enough of the background information, lets get to the good stuff!:tongue:

The tank was already running with old original flourite, a nice established canister, and some alage. All I needed to do was scrub it, drain it, swap the substrate, replant with new driftwood, and start over. No cycling occured so my Angels were happy with that! 

The tank is a 75 gallon tank with the following specs:

Substrate: Flourite Black Sand (about 2 - 3 inches)

Lighting: 8 Hour photo period with an Aqueon 48" Triple T8 fixture:
(2) 32 watt GE Daylight Deluxe 6500k bulbs
(1) Aqueon 32 watt Floramax Bulb. 
Also a DIY LED moonlight system just for fun! Used for about 2 hours after lights off.

Filtration: Rena XP3 and a Marineland Magnum 350 which is being used to drive my CO2 reactor plus extra filtration. Also have a Koralia 750 for extra circulation.

CO2: 5 lb Pressurized with Aquatek Regulator, drop checker with 4dkh solution. Still working on an actual working diffusion method...

Plants: Amazon Sword, Ozelot Sword, Hygrophila difformis, Hygrophila sp. Tiger, various crypts (many various wendtii like bronze, green, tropica, plus other crypt species), Rotala rotundifolia, Ludwigia repens, Echinodorus tenellus (I think!), Anubias nana, Nymphaea sp., and frogbit floating. Possibly more to come with time.

Fish: 1 Phillipine Blue Pinoy Veiled Zebra Angelfish, 1 Phillipine Blue Platinum Marble Veiled Angelfish, 2 Phillipine Blue x Wild Peruvian Green Glitter (F2) Angelfish, 17 Rasbora Hets, 6 Cardinal Tetras, 9 Rummynose Tetras, 5 Otocinclus Catfish, and about 10 Red Spotted Nerite Snails.

Dosing and Maintenance: I dose with dry ferts. Currently dosing Macros once a week and Traces once a week. Dose size is equivelent to EI dosing but only dosing each once per week. Water change once a week usually around 30% to 50%. 

I'll will post some pics up in the next post. So far the tank has been up for two to three weeks only so far. My CO2 diffusion methods have been not succesful yet. First tried a ceramic diffuser and the drop checker only would turn a shade of green, not too bright though. Then tried an 18" Rex Reactor but got small bubbles constantly and can't seem to get the drop checker above a dull green too. So now I'm in the process of building a Cerges Reactor now so we shall see. :biggrin:

Currently battling some diatoms but have otos and nerites for that. I also now have GSA forming and some BBA poking its head in on my Amazon Sword and driftwood. Currently dosing excel with recommend dosing according to bottle to try to prevent the BBA but so far I don't see any prevention. :icon_conf

Any tips, feedback, advice, or anything, please let me hear it! Pics coming up in a few minutes from iPhone 4. Then in the next few days I'll be busting out the digital camera for some much better pics!


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## PRSRocker3390 (Apr 20, 2009)

Sorry again for the bad pics, it was last minute pics from my iPhone 4. I will take some pics tomorrow hopefully or ASAP with my digital camera and I promise to deliver some much much better pics.

*Week 1, a few days after setup (6/11/11)*







































































More to come soon....


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## PRSRocker3390 (Apr 20, 2009)

I have some new pictures. I believe I may up the dosing frequency soon since I think I'm seeing deficiencies. But so far everything is healthy and looking good.

Cerges reactor didn't go through. I couldn't seem to get the house filter to make a good seal on the hose barbs, kept getting leaks. Oh well, currently building another pvc reactor but with a 3" diameter.

So any feedback or comments? You can even just say you hate it but let me know what you think and any advice on scaping or plant ideas.


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## chris.rivera3 (Apr 15, 2008)

what is that foreground plant in the front left corner and front middle??? it looks like its taking over...lol


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## Postal Penguin (Mar 30, 2009)

Tank looks great. 

Did you try using hose clamps to get a good seal on the barbs? I have trouble getting off brand Eheim hose to seal onto my in-line heater, a simple hose clamp works great. Just make sure to not overtighten as you can crack the plastic.


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## PRSRocker3390 (Apr 20, 2009)

Its a pretty dense carpet of just E. tenellus. Its a very happy plant!

Thanks Postal! I did try using clamps but to no avail. It leaks I believe from the threads but I used thread tape which works with everything else, just doesn't seem to make it leak proof this time.


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

Rocker, your tank looks absolutely superb. Getting better by the week, I'm sure.
Great job, Congrats ! I love it.


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

looks great! beautiful angels you've got there!


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## PRSRocker3390 (Apr 20, 2009)

Thanks a bunch Discuspaul! It does seem to get better each day!

Thanks orchid, I love my angelfish very much!

I'm thinking of eventually taking of the E. tenellus and replacing it with another foreground. Maybe staurogyne 049? Or something smaller and grassy. I feel like I should try something even like a patch of hc in the tank foreground just to see if it would do fine and take off. I like pushing my limits of what will grow in my tank with lower range lighting but with good co2 and frets.


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

stauro would look great!


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## The Dude (Feb 8, 2011)

Tank looks awesome. I've got a 75g heavily planted and trying to get Staurogyne bit the Angels keep eating it. Either way it is barely filling in, but oats been awhile and everything else has taken off.


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## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

Your tank is looking great! its really come a long way in a short time. Im sure it will look like a jungle in there in no time


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## PRSRocker3390 (Apr 20, 2009)

Thanks Dude and Chad320! Just had to trim it up today. Its becoming a jungle so fast even with the low light i'm running. 

Yeah I think stauro would be nice. I want a foreground plant but this e.tenellus is just too wild and tall. I want something small but also will do well in lower light but with good ferts and nice co2 levels. 

I agree with the angels eating plants, they seem to like only certain ones. Usually the ones I like of course! They are just trying their hand at rescaping the tank lol!


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## PRSRocker3390 (Apr 20, 2009)

Any suggestions on plants for the background. I love my Amazon sword but I am still not sold on the others. I want something that will be very full and go well with the sword. Any aquascaping ideas? I feel like some plant choices should be changed up.


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## 10galfornow (May 13, 2011)

damn i like that black sand. i'm also digging the big angelfishes and the small tetra schools, you should get more tetras and it would look awesome!


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## 2in10 (Feb 8, 2011)

Beautiful tank, great work


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## TickleMyElmo (Aug 13, 2009)

Awesome angels man! Unfortunately I'm horrible at choosing plants, so I can't help you there....I still haven't wrapped my head around all the plant types out there lol...


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## PRSRocker3390 (Apr 20, 2009)

Check back soon, maybe tomorrow, I'll have some more pics of the current look of the tank and updated/better angelfish pics! I may even post an awesome pic I have of my Veiled Koi Angel that is in my 46 bowfront crypt tank(possible journal, who knows?)


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## TickleMyElmo (Aug 13, 2009)

Sounds sweet, I'll be checking tomorrow....you better do it! lol...


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## PRSRocker3390 (Apr 20, 2009)

I will work on getting the pics up after work, tomorrow night! My new avatar pic is a great look at my Pinoy Philippine Blue Zebra angelfish. She is pretty nice looking with the right picture. (My camera is only a nice point and shoot, my girlfriend does photography with all her expensive stuff...the whole ridiculously crazy DSLR thing that I'm new with.) She doesn't know how to photograph the fish properly, she was always more outdoors and portrait stuff. So I keep trying to beg her to start trying it and learn the proper settings for my taking sweet pictures like yours!


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## gonzo.njexit9 (Aug 21, 2011)

great tank looks awesone-thats how i want mine to look


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## PRSRocker3390 (Apr 20, 2009)

Thanks gonzo! Okay, I may not have time to take new tank pics tonight since college course have started up again.... But I may squeeze them in late tonight! Until then I'll share a nice picture of my Pinoy Veiled Zebra angel and then as the promised bonus I'll share a picture (okay two...you caught me!) of my Koi Angel from my not yet developed 46 bowfront crypt tank. I'm just so proud of these angels so I need to share them. The Koi is only a sneak peek at my future project with him and his 46 bowfront.


Okay, I love this pic!











Okay and here are two pics of my Koi. I promise no more side tracking to other tanks after this! You guys just seem to love looking at the angelfish as much as I do, well maybe not as much as I do. :icon_mrgr






















Hopefully pictures of the tank currently coming later or real soon!! Probably the last pics before I do some changes. I think I'm planning on trying out some Blyxa japonica in the midground area, then maybe some Staurogyne sp."tropica 049" and/or some HC in the foreground. Then maybe moving the tiny ozelot sword to an area with more light. And possibly trying to work in some Alternanthera reineckii in the background. I know that foreground/midground plans sound like something in a high techish high light tank but I think we sometimes need to push the envelope and see what works. I know I'm working with lower light but with good co2 and ferts, I think I lot can be grown that people normally think simply cannot. Tom Barr has shown us on several of his tanks that you can use lower light with good co2 and ferts, and still have no problem growing some things the high tech tanks are growing. I've read up a lot on his posts about light limiting systems and that is what this tanks main feature is. The goal of this tank is that I want it to always have great ferts and great co2, with light being the main and only limiting factor.

That's all for now guys... Later!:icon_mrgr


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## sevenyearnight (May 1, 2011)

Oh wow, those angels are gorgeous! And so is your tank sir or madam!


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## PRSRocker3390 (Apr 20, 2009)

Thanks sevenyearnight, I do love my angelfish! And I am indeed a sir! Lol! :icon_bigg If I would of signed my posts or my forum signature with my name (it's Bryan...) it would of been easier for you all who don't know me to be able to tell. Sorry about that!:icon_wink

Well I did manage to take a whole bunch of random pictures of the tank but I'm going to resize them, get rid of the the bad or really out of focus stuff, and post the good ones here later on, hopefully tonight in a couple hours!:biggrin:

Next post will have the new pics, until then.... Talk to you all later!


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## sevenyearnight (May 1, 2011)

Yeah, I'm super jealous because I can't have angels right now, and you have both of my favorite kinds 
lol!
Can't wait to see the new pics!


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## PRSRocker3390 (Apr 20, 2009)

Okay guys, as I sort of promised, I managed to get some time tonight and snap a few really quick pictures. Sorry for any GSA appearing on the glass!:hihi: I have 10 pictures here for you all.

Here we go!















































































































Let me know what you all think! :biggrin:


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## 2in10 (Feb 8, 2011)

Gorgeous Angels and tank, great looking scape


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## sevenyearnight (May 1, 2011)

Oooooh!


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## PRSRocker3390 (Apr 20, 2009)

Thanks for the comments guys! I really appreciate them all! 

I've never really had to work with a planted tank this big before so I'm still working some kinks out. I want to put some really nice plants into the scape to replace some others but I can't seem to get my co2 stabilized and at a high level. What I mean is I can't a diffusion method that will get me a nice yellowish drop checker like I used to get in my old 20 gallon. Getting the co2 levels to be that high seem to be challenging me. I'm using a PVC reactor now but still don't seem happy. The 2" PVC at 24" length didn't work and shot out bubbles. Needed to go bigger so I made an 18" reactor with 3" PVC instead. No bubbles being shot out now but I'm using about 4 to 5 bps I would say and my drop checker is a darker green I would say. Don't think the filter has either enough flow to push co2 rich water around or the output on the marineland magnum 350 is to high right near the surface. My wisteria and lotus were pearling today for instance but just those and they are the closest to the outtake. Everything else away from the outtake isn't pearling. I also have minor BBA showing up so I have to fix this co2 issue ASAP. I use an XP3 as the main filter, with the magnum 350 just for extra polishing, circulation, and co2 reactor, and a Koralia for extra circulation. Do you think I should just go back to misting with a powerhead or glass diffuser? Or glass diffuser under my koralia? I just don't seem to be having luck with reactors giving good results. 

Feel free to give me ideas on how to diffuse the co2 in a larger tank like this! 

Thanks guys!


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## TickleMyElmo (Aug 13, 2009)

PRSRocker3390 said:


> Thanks for the comments guys! I really appreciate them all!
> 
> I've never really had to work with a planted tank this big before so I'm still working some kinks out. I want to put some really nice plants into the scape to replace some others but I can't seem to get my co2 stabilized and at a high level. What I mean is I can't a diffusion method that will get me a nice yellowish drop checker like I used to get in my old 20 gallon. Getting the co2 levels to be that high seem to be challenging me. I'm using a PVC reactor now but still don't seem happy. The 2" PVC at 24" length didn't work and shot out bubbles. Needed to go bigger so I made an 18" reactor with 3" PVC instead. No bubbles being shot out now but I'm using about 4 to 5 bps I would say and my drop checker is a darker green I would say. Don't think the filter has either enough flow to push co2 rich water around or the output on the marineland magnum 350 is to high right near the surface. My wisteria and lotus were pearling today for instance but just those and they are the closest to the outtake. Everything else away from the outtake isn't pearling. I also have minor BBA showing up so I have to fix this co2 issue ASAP. I use an XP3 as the main filter, with the magnum 350 just for extra polishing, circulation, and co2 reactor, and a Koralia for extra circulation. Do you think I should just go back to misting with a powerhead or glass diffuser? Or glass diffuser under my koralia? I just don't seem to be having luck with reactors giving good results.
> 
> ...


First of all, awesome shots, awesome angels, and awesome tank!

For diffusion, I used to use a glass diffuser, but now I just stick the c02 line directly into one of the little slits on the side of my koralia powerhead.....works great, you should try that...As long as you dont push it in too far it won't hit the blade, but yet you can put it pretty far in....Mines been that way for months and it's never came out or even moved...

Like so (I usually use black tubing, gotta' switch that back! Woops...)


C02 Diffusion Example by Hyer Expectations Photography, on Flickr

Although I'm sure thats what you were already doing lol...I too tried the diffuser under the powerhead thing, but found it wasn't as effective as putting the c02 line directly into the powerhead....


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## PRSRocker3390 (Apr 20, 2009)

I will try it out. I've used the glass diffuser under the Koralia with alright results, better than the reactor I felt. Now I'll try it directly fed into the side. If still bigger bubbles and not getting high enough levels of co2, I'm going to probably get a MaxiJet 1200 or similiar and modding it with a DIY Needle or mesh wheel impeller and inject the co2 into that.

I don't know why diffusing co2 into this 75 has been so annoying and full of failure so far... I keep trying. This is the largest tank I've injected co2 into so I guess its a learning experience. The last tank with pressurized co2 was my 20 high and that worked perfect with a tiny powerhead.

Hopefully the next big update will be a permanent solution that works for my co2! Then the experimenting will start by introducing some new interesting plants, even the possible introduction of HC to try in the future for this light limited system.


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## VeeSe (Apr 16, 2011)

I had the same problem as you when building the cerges reactor in that I couldn't stop the hose barb adapter to filter house connection from leaking with regular teflon tape. I took it off and applied pipe joint sealant instead (non hardening kind) and it sealed it right up.


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## BoxxerBoyDrew (Oct 16, 2005)

FREAKIN WOW!!!!! 

Man I love the tank!!!! Angels are beautiful as well! I WISH my 55 was a 75, BAD!!! 

I LOVE the Flourite black sand too!!! Makes the angels color POP! I am going back to RE-Read the whole post again and maybe I can get my 55g looking as good as this tank, or at least close!

Keep up the GREAT WORK!
Drew


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## BoxxerBoyDrew (Oct 16, 2005)

OK,

I just reread the post, and I have a few suggestions on the reactor. I too have the cerges type reactor, and the regular teflon pipe joint compound will seal the threads. It is usually sold next to the teflon tape! I used to run the Plumbing/Kitchen & Bath departments at Depot, and MANY people have trouble with the tape! If Ya don't wrap it tightly and the correct direction it WILL LEAK! I have had it leak on me even when doing it the "correct way". SO I stick to the teflon pipe joint compound and be done with it! IT IS MESSY, so have plenty of paper towels handy!

I try to find the "GOOD" pipe clamps too! They have a sleeve inside them to protect the hose from the screw slits in the pipe clamp used for tightening. They are double the price and are HARD to find, but they are much easier on the hose! 

I have never tried the PVC type reactor, so I can't help out there, sorry! Also correct me if I am wrong, but with the 4dkh solution in the drop checker, we are shooting for a good green correct? I was thinking that Yellow is BAD, as the Co2 is getting too high for the fish. 

Lastly, all I can say is FREAKIN' WOW, You have some AWESOME ANGELS!!! That Koi is BEAUTIFUL!!! The forground in Your tank has exploded!! I really like it, as well as the Sword. The Drift wood is perfect for the tank as well!!!

Keep up the GREAT WORK, and let us know how the Diffuser goes!
Drew


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## PRSRocker3390 (Apr 20, 2009)

Thanks Drew for the awesome comments! Comments like yours make me love my tank and keep on doing what I do! It means a lot to get comments from all of you! Thanks so much, I really appreciate everything!


I will give this journal a big update in the next couple days, stay tuned! Here is a quick run down on the newest details. A more detailed post with pics will be in the next couple days!

Well first off, my pair of blue angels are now spawning! Had their first spawn but he didn't do a good job fertilizing the eggs so they didn't go anywhere. That's okay, we are now in spawning mode so fry should be coming soon! Anyone interested in some beautiful blue angels? According to genetics, I should possibly have a lot of Pinoy Zebras, Pinoys, Philippine Blue Silvers, possible Philippine Blue Platinums and Philippine Blue Platinum Marbles. Most should be veiled with 25% being possible super veils so I'm working on some beautiful angels! Stay tuned and let me know how you all feel about possibly wanting to buy some. I promise some of the lowest prices around if so! And possibly some for free as an ROAK if all goes well.

Next order of business, CO2 is now injected in a powerhead that I modified with a DIY needle wheel type impeller. We will see how this goes. So far since doing this my rotala that has been green now all have tops with orangish sunburst color. I am now doing pretty much full on EI dosing so everything is maxed except for lighting. Lighting is the limiting factor in the tank at still only 96 watts of T8 (3x32 watt). Loving the tank and will love it more once I see the tiny BBA is in check with good co2 levels!

Last little teaser, the foreground is out and up for sale in the S&S and it is a monster carpet! Check it out! The new foreground so far is Staurogyne repens "Tropica 049". I just love the look of this plant so I'm trying to make it spread as the new foreground. I planted 30 stems of it so we will see what happens!

I've been really excited lately though! Especially with my favorite pair of philippine blue and pinoy angelfish finally starting to spawn now.


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## 2in10 (Feb 8, 2011)

Congrats on the spawn and everything else.


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## zenche (Feb 9, 2011)

subscribing  i'm getting a 75G on Wednesday, and my plan is to make it an Angelfish tank...was googling for image inspirations and stumbled across your tank. As of now, I'm still leaning on keeping this tank w/o much vegetation. If I do plants, not sure what types I'll get either.

Right now, I'm going more hardscape with either large DW or river stones, with a white sandy base. it's gonna be a work in progress, slowly but surely type of thing. the fish will come last, but I'm planning for 4-6 super veil white kois. I've one right now in my 56G, love him/her...fave fish in my tank right now.


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

Any updates on this?


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## xxbenjamminxx (Aug 8, 2011)

I would also like to see this tank now. I am in the process of switch out my tanks inhabitants and really want cardinals with some angels but want to hear more peoples experiences with mixing the two. So many accounts of mixed results......... but it seems like its always, "I heard the angels will eat them" or "they naturally prey on them in the wild"


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## charliemyers (Apr 18, 2012)

I don't have pics, but in the past I've kept several tanks with angelfish & cardinals. As long as the angelfish are too small to eat the cardinals when they're introduced, you'll not likely have any issues. I've found that the angelfish will ignore the cardinals once they've become accustomed to their presence. 

Introduce some scrawny cardinals into a tank with mature angelfish that have never been kept with cardinals before, and I'd say that the angelfish will likely have a quick snack especially if they don't otherwise have a regular feeding routine.

My favorite tank was a 55 gallon planted tank with about 4 angelfish and 2 dozen cardinals. I painted the back (outside) of the aquarium black which really lets the cardinals stand out. I haven't kept any aquariums for the past few years, but I'm planning on purchasing & setting up another largish tank sometime over the next few months, and this is exactly how I plan to stock it.

Charlie


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