Thinking of 90g planted.

[Mek0ng]

I have had a 29g planted for many years now. I am really pleased with how it turned out and was wondering what differences I should be aware of when trying this in a 90g.

The 29g:
Easy low light plants like anubias nana
Florite 2" base
1 20 watt day light T8 and 2x18watt T5 sun/day (48watts)
A breeding pair of blue platies (few babies but we remove some when there look to be too many and sell to the LFS)
two white clouds
Tons of tiny snails that dont eat the plants
AC50 filter.

The tank is super easy to care for, and is overgrowing with plants, some of which flower often, even with no cO2

What would I need filter and lighting wise to re-construct this in the 90g. What would a good fish stocking to keep this ultra light bioload? I want to have a red tailed shark, any suggestions on what would work with that? Maybe a moonlight gourami?

Ive been into reefs for so long I haven't really even given much thought about freshwater in a long time till today when I had to move the 90g in the garage...

(edit: no longer thinking of open top due to the glass center brace)

[purplecandle]

You made no mention of puffers for this new tank at all I am sure few SAPs could work!

Just kidding, sounds lovely! Red tails are cool, can be aggressive, but I am sure it would like the planted tank...

IDK...if I had a 90, that I could not find a puffer to keep in, and I wanted something aggressive..I would pick something bigger...if a fish is going to prevent me from having tank mates..it better be interesting enough all on its own...sorry, that is not nice to say (that was the puffer lover in me talking)

[Pufferpunk]

I keep discus in my 90g planted:

[purplecandle]

I keep discus in my 90g planted:

Now that is what I am talking about!!!!!!!

[Mek0ng]

You made no mention of puffers for this new tank at all I am sure few SAPs could work!

Just kidding, sounds lovely! Red tails are cool, can be aggressive, but I am sure it would like the planted tank...

IDK...if I had a 90, that I could not find a puffer to keep in, and I wanted something aggressive..I would pick something bigger...if a fish is going to prevent me from having tank mates..it better be interesting enough all on its own...sorry, that is not nice to say (that was the puffer lover in me talking)

Ive kept plenty of agressive fish before (Arrowhead Puffer, Takifugu Puffer, Jack Dempseys...) I am really getting more into plants and corals. I am not setting up the 90g till I am done remodeling my house and then getting my reef stable again, so just in the brain storming stages of the 90g freshwater.

Is a red tailed shark really that aggressive? I know moonlight gouramis are very shy, but I wonder in a densely planted 90g if it would be fine?

What filter would be good for this tank? I have a the largest size Aquaclear, would that be too much or too little?

I thought I read some where the more lighting, the more C02 you need, is that true? How much light could I get away with when I have no C02?

Great tank PP, I am looking for less fish and more plants. I already have tons of various anubis species, Brazilian Sword, overgrown with Rotala, and I think Red Rubin, and java fern. Id like the tank to be so densely planted with those you cant hardly see the back.

[timwag2001]

plants need co2 to photosynthesize. if you have too much light, you wont have enough co2 for the plants to do what they need to do. you also need to consider fertilizers. most algae issues in a planted tank are because of LACK of ferts and not excess, too much light, and not enough co2. if you really want a luch full planted aquarium, go with co2

if you are going to go with co2 (pressurized or do it yourself) you do not want a hang on back filter because it offgasses the co2 that you are trying to inject, so a canister filter would be the way to go if you take the co2 plunge. now most people will say that 2 watts per gallon is a pretty good place to be with lights, although the watt per gallon rule is kind of old and outdated now that there are stronger light setups like t5ho. it really matters how much light reaches the bottom of the tank, and for that you would need a PAR meter. but again, saying 2 watts per gallon is a good start. more than that needs co2, less than that maybe not.