# easy 75 gallon



## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

I'd recommend a dirt substrate capped something inert. It'll give you the best chance for a fully planted tank. Also switch to a canister filter. A hob will disperse much needed co2 from the tank. No surface agitation.

Also you shouldn't give this too much light. Regular t5 should work, not t5ho.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


----------



## kzimmerman (Mar 15, 2009)

I've done dirt substrates before, and honestly, I've tried to do them more recently too, but all the dirt that I've found was so full of wood that i got nothing usable out of it hardly after the mineralization process. I was hoping to go the easy route and just use some root tabs mixed in with the gravel. I have a double t8 fixture, I may just get some "daylight bulbs" for that instead of the t5s.
Any other thoughts? Focusing on simplicity please!
Kurt


----------



## Tzac (May 18, 2013)

I have had no luck with swords or ludwigia in my reg gravel 75g low tech. Jungle val and crypts however do great.


----------



## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Osmocote"Pot shot's" make good root tab's.IME
Place one under each echinodorus,crypt,and replace maybe every three to four month's.
Would not move plant's once you place these under the plant lest the little prill's surface.
been using these for a couple year's now.
I think the dual T8 daylight bulb's would suffice.


----------



## GadgetGirl (Oct 11, 2013)

In my opinion, dirt needs to be carefully prepared. When it is, you won't have problems. Separate the "trash" from the soil by soaking. All the stuff you don't want will float. Then mineralize the soil (wet/dry cycles) to remove ammonia gasses. This kick-starts the bacterial processes. A bit of work in the beginning but pays off in the end! The tank becomes all most self-sustaining. You have to plant heavily from the beginning though. 

Edit: I reread your post and I see you've done all this before. Yes, you do lose some of the original volume in the beginning, but it is so worth it to have a low maintenance tank! 


Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk


----------



## thelub (Jan 4, 2013)

I just dump in the dirt mix wood and all. It eventually breaks down and helps add tannins to the water. Haven't noticed ammonia spikes yet.


----------



## THE V (Nov 17, 2011)

LOL - Asking about lighting and get all sorts of answers about the dirt. 

Sounds like a pretty good plan. The T5HO over a tank that size will probably work was well if you plant heavy.


----------



## Knotyoureality (Aug 3, 2012)

On lighting, I've found it better to shoot high than low as it's easy enough to adjust your lights down--reduce hours, raise the light, add a biological or mechanical barrier,etc--but not so easy to adjust *up*. 

+1 that a dual T5 should do well. Floaters can help ammeliorate any excess light, gravel works fine with quarterly root tabs if you're not throwing tons of light at the tank. My tanks seem to suck up potassium so they get a 1x week dosing--but that's a quick pump or two from a pre-mixed bottle so it's hardly a burden. Swords have always done well for me in plain gravel--though better when I broke the habit of compulsively gravel vac'ing.


----------



## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Knotyoureality said:


> On lighting, I've found it better to shoot high than low as it's easy enough to adjust your lights down--reduce hours, raise the light, add a biological or mechanical barrier,etc--but not so easy to adjust *up*.
> 
> +1 that a dual T5 should do well. Floaters can help ammeliorate any excess light, gravel works fine with quarterly root tabs if you're not throwing tons of light at the tank. My tanks seem to suck up potassium so they get a 1x week dosing--but that's a quick pump or two from a pre-mixed bottle so it's hardly a burden. Swords have always done well for me in plain gravel--though better when I broke the habit of compulsively gravel vac'ing.


 

Dual T5's throw's plant metabolisim's in high gear,doesn't much matter NO(normal output)or HO (high output).
OP stated he/she want's "Ultra low tech" tank.
T5's without CO2 enhancement,non limiting fertz,is in my view/expierience = quick proliferation of algae due to possible struggling plant's.
My two cent's.


----------



## kzimmerman (Mar 15, 2009)

At this point, I think that I am going to go with the dual t8's. As far as the dirt goes, if I put some in under the gravel, or possibly pool sand, but probably gravel as I already have it, how much dirt should I put in? I'm not going for the full mineralization process, I think I'll just clean off the floaters and call it good. So, what is the general concensus of a 1/4" of dirt under about a 1 1/2" of gravel?


----------



## fish h20 (May 5, 2009)

As far as lights go, I think dual T8s would be good. The farther away from each other they are in the fixture (better spread) the better with a 75G (deep front to back). You could also use two single fixtures. I think that would be even better.


----------



## fish h20 (May 5, 2009)

I think a 1/4" of dirt under 1 1/2" of cap would be fine. I worry about the fact you are using the term "gravel". I would use something finer than that. Blasting grit or something would be better. The dirt would have less chance of making a mess, planting is easier, and the plant roots do better in something finer.


----------



## kzimmerman (Mar 15, 2009)

Well, the gravel was because I all ready had it, all though pool filter sand is cheap. So is sandblasting sand for that. Has anybody used black beauty sand blasting sand? I really want a darker colored substrate, I feel it brings out the colors of the plants and fish better. I believe it is made out of volcanic rock, but am not 100% certain of that.


----------



## fish h20 (May 5, 2009)

black beauty would work great.


----------



## GadgetGirl (Oct 11, 2013)

Is black beauty OK for corys. Or is it too sharp? Quote from Amazon : " Star Shape has more sharp edges...." 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk


----------



## darthmilmo (Feb 19, 2013)

GadgetGirl said:


> Is black beauty OK for corys. Or is it too sharp?
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk


I am assuming you have the fine grade, correct? If yes, then you shouldnt have a problem.


----------



## GadgetGirl (Oct 11, 2013)

Oops, I edited at the same time you were posting. The quote from Amazon is regarding medium grade. 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk


----------



## SouthernGorilla (Mar 22, 2012)

Our 20T is about as low-tech and hassle-free as you can get. The substrate is "custom made" by me; organic dirt out of a plastic bag I bought at one of the big box stores, red clay from an arts supply store, and playground sand. Mixed it all together in a top-secret, magical recipe ("that looks about right"), and capped it with a bit more playground sand.

Lighting is also simple, if a bit fugly. We kept the T-5 light that came with the original canopy.
Added one of these at the front of the tank under the new glass canopy; http://www.petco.com/product/118304/Marineland-Hidden-LED-Lighting-System.aspx

And set one of these on top of the canopy at the back;
http://www.petco.com/product/121139/Aqueon-Modular-LED-Aquarium-Lighting-System.aspx

The top of the tank looks cluttered with all the different lights and it is a bit difficult to access the tank when needed. But it works and is fairly cheap compared to some of the options.

The lighting is apparently adequate. Our plants are going insane. I attribute that to the substrate. Every tank I build in the future will be a dirt tank.

As for the filter, I set up a mettenfilter in the corner with a plain powerhead behind it. I plumbed the powerhead with PVC to a vertical spraybar in the opposite corner from the filter. The spraybar sprays at a slight angle.

The mattenfilter is as maintenance free as you could ask for. I haven't touched it since I built the tank several months ago. The water may not be show-quality. But it is certainly crystal clear enough to make a respectable home tank.

The only improvement I would make to the system is to add a reservoir or two of some kind between the powerhead and the spraybar so I could add charcoal or chemical media to the system as needed.

But, honestly, I haven't needed to add anything. We had a yellow tint problem for a while that turned out to be the flake food we were using. But the fish are happy, the plants are ecstatic, and the snails are prolific. And the only maintenance we ever do is to occasionally prune the plants, remove the duckweed, or clean the glass. I haven't even done a water change since we solved the tint problem.

We've had both our mollies and our serpae tetras produce babies. Our apple snails produced so many babies I had to commit genocide on them. And our vegan loach can't keep up with the pond snails and trumpet snails. What I'm getting at is that our tank is quite a vigorous one. If there's any discontent amongst the critters I don't see it.


----------

