The 90 Gal setup

The 90 tank has been running now since 8/25/97.
It has two Aquaclear 300 power filters which only have a sponge in them, it also has a sponge on the uplift tubes to keep large debris out of the filters. The Aquaclear 300s are running at minimum flow most of the time. Although I turn them up as they become clogged to maintain some mechanical filtration.

The two Ebo-Jager heaters are 150 watts.
The light is provided by six 40 watt 48" fluorescent tubes. I am trying to find a combination of bulbs that both work for the plants and offers a nice lighting from an aesthetic standpoint. I generally run a mix of GE Chroma 50's, GE Plant and Aquarium bulbs and GE Daylight Deluxe.
My tap pH is about 7.6 to 7.8 but the tanks run around 6.8-7.2 because of the CO₂. I have hard tap water and the tank KH ranges from 60ppm to 150ppm and GH from 150ppm to 300ppm.

I feed the plants a personalized mix of PMDD approximately 2 teaspoons daily and 2 teaspoons at my weekly 20% water changes. My mix now is the basic with Potassium Sulfate replacing most the Potassium Nitrate and a little extra Potassium Sulfate to boot due to my higher fish loads. I also add about a teaspoon of Potassium at water changes with most of it being Potassium Nitrate as I keep running nitrate limited.
The fish eat a combination of Tetra Rudy, Tetra brine shrimp flake, Wardleys cichlid pellets, Tetra floating Dorimine sticks, frozen blood worms and other frozen foods.
I inject CO2 with a 20# pressurized CO2 bottle. I have a very consistent CO2 injection rate via a Nupro metering valve, and am running 1 bubble of CO2 every 2 - 3 seconds. I am maintaining a KH above 3° or 60ppm and the pH remains relatively constant.

And the Numbers are usually around :

pH	6.8-7.2	KH	55ppm
GH	150ppm 300ppm	Ammo	0ppm
NO₂	0ppm	NO₃	<20ppm
Temp	77°F (25°C)	Fe	<.1ppm
PO₄	<.1ppm	CO₂	14ppm

The Fish were chosen with a few main exhibits, and a army of helpers. Also the load is kept at a level to help maintain the water quality necessary for healthy plant growth. i.e. lower nitrates and phosphate. The plecos are of the type that will remain relatively small and the loaches help in snail control and the Cory cats help catch extra food stuffs.

Qty	Common name	Latin name	Size
2	Bristle nose Plecos	Ancistrus sp.	5
1	Clown Pleco	Peckolita sp	2
3	Clown Loach	Botia macracanthus	2+
5	Banded loach	Botia striata	2
2	Yoyo	Botia lochata	2.5
3	Panda Cory	Corydoras	0.75
2	Twig Catfish	Farlowella acus	6
3	Feather fin Rainbows	-Iriatherina werneri	1
3	SAE	Crossocheilus siamensis	5
2	Neons	Paracheirodon innesi	1.25
6	Boesmani Rainbows	Malanotaenia Boesmani	2
2	Yellow Panchax Killie	Aplocheilus panchax?	3
1	Kuli Loach		4
2	Neon Dwarf Rainbows	Melanotaenia praecox	1.5

The Plants I find very hard to positively identify for many reasons. Some plants like Cryptocoryne sp. will look different under different conditions. I found it very difficult to find real aquatic plants in the stores and when I did the sales people really had no clue what they were.

Qty	Common name	Latin name	Description
2	Green Bacopa	Bacopa caroliniana	Nice plant, Grows relatively fast, and a nice brancher. Excellent candidate to top trim
2	Ludwigia	Ludwigia repens	Fast grower, faster with more light. Heavy feeder stem plant
1	Amazon swords	Echinoclorus belcheri	Typical sword, lower light good performer
10++	Jungle vals	Vallisneria	As with all Vals leave the top ¼ to ½ inch of the roots above the gravel.
15++	Spiral vals	Vallisneria Spirials	Now there are more:) Constantly sending out runners. Will be selling some soon.
tons	Crypts	Cryptocoryne Wendtii	Low light hearty plant, spreads by runners, can undergo typical Crypt meltdown with sudden environmental changes.
1	Penny Wort	Hydrocotyle leucocephala	Fast grower, faster with more light. Heavy feeder stem plant When trimmed, replant the top portion and discard the rest
2	Anubias	Anubias batrteri var. nana	Slow but constant grower, low light plant, blooms under water. Do not bury the rhizome
1	Anubias	Anubias Frazeri (hybrid)	Nice plant, about 12inches tall. It just bloomed for the first time, 10/02
1	Ruffle Sword	Echinoclorus martii	Neat plant with long skinny leaves. Seems to get established and grow quickly.
1	Eloda	Eloda densa	Everyone knows Anacharis
1	Cabomba	Cabomba australis	Very pretty fine leafed plant. I still do not quite understand it's needs.
3+		Echinoclorus parviflorus	Undecided yet. Seems to not care for my tank as of now.
1		Bacopa monniera	Weed, but a nice bunch plant.
1		Echinodorus grandiflorus	BIG Started small, and each leave grew taller and taller, now over 20 inches tall!

Jeff Dietsch (jdietsch@ptd.net)

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Last Updated 07/22/02