i just bought the coralife aqualight. you can get it on may of the well known websites but also available at petco or petsmart. it is a 4 straight pin configuration. it is a great piece of equipment and looks good too. well made.
As Angel asked, are you intending to have more plants? If yes, you will not need two filters; even one of those will be excess. It is a common myth that the more filters the better the water quality but that is simply not true. I noticed in your videos that the hatchets were down in the tank, the simple reason being the surface is too rought for them. This puts considerable stress on the fish, constantly (day and night) having to fight a strong current that nature does not intend for them. Same with the neons and small tetras. These fish come from very quiet waters, small streams or flooded forest pools, and they remain among the banks where the current is the least.
If you intend more plants, they will filter the tank. The filter is only needed to gently circulate the water and keep it clear of particulate matter by passing it through the sponge/pads in the filter. I would definitely tyake off one of those filters. And move the other so that it creates the least amount of current possible, or consider a gentler filter.
Re the light, how many tubes over the tank and what is the length of the tube(s) [not the fixture]?
Thank you for the advice. When I took the video with the hatchets in there they had only been in the tank about twenty minutes ( latest Additions). They do now tend to school at the top of the tank, even trying to exit the water at times... Kind of funny to watch. I do wish to put more plants in soon, but I will have to wait till I get a good lighting system before I attempt any thing. I currently have a single bulb hood light with a 48" T8 Power-glow 18,000K light.
If what you are saying is true about going with a single filter in that tank.... I guess I will have to buy another tank. Can't just let a good filter go to waste. :-D
Thank you for the advice. When I took the video with the hatchets in there they had only been in the tank about twenty minutes ( latest Additions). They do now tend to school at the top of the tank, even trying to exit the water at times... Kind of funny to watch. I do wish to put more plants in soon, but I will have to wait till I get a good lighting system before I attempt any thing. I currently have a single bulb hood light with a 48" T8 Power-glow 18,000K light.
If what you are saying is true about going with a single filter in that tank.... I guess I will have to buy another tank. Can't just let a good filter go to waste. :-D
It is good to have a spare filter. But yes, more tanks the better.;-)
If the hatchets are trying to jump, they are stressed out; that is a natural escape from danger, and obviously the perceived "danger" is the water current that they want to escape. I have maintained all species in the Carnegiella genus for more than 15 years, wild caught most of them now, and I have observed that in a large (5-foot) tank with current at one end the marbles always remain at the opposite end where there is no surface disturbance or even current to speak of; forced into a current, they will quickly move behind the filter bar or something to avoid it. No sense in making them struggle and waste energy for nothing. I hate going on about this, but I honestly believe that fighting currents is very hard on all these forest fish. It takes a lot of energy to just be in the tank, and that is bound to take its toll on the fish's health and life-span. It's like driving a car up a steep hill; it takes more energy (gas) and is more wear on the engine than being on the level or idling. The fish are literally buring themselves out.
On the light, this is a 75g tank so I'm assuming it is 4-feet in length. And you have one tube. One full spectrum tube is possible; your Power-Glo is along this line although I personally find it a bit blue over my tanks so I went with Life-Glo which is more balanced with red. If you stay with this fixture, and if my assumptions are correct, I would suggest a Life-Glo tube. There is Life-Glo and Life-Glo 2, the latter is not quite as intense as the former which has a special coating inside the tube on one side to focus the light more so it is a bit more intense light for the same wattage (40w at 48 inches). Alternative, a second tube also T8, with two tubes, one full spectrum and one cool blue would work; I have this arrangement on my 70g in the photos. The beauty of two tubes is being able to mix types, and full spectrum plus cool white have been shown to be best for plant growth. The Power-Glo is comparable to a cool white, higher in the blue, so mix this with a Life-Glo 2 with both tubes and you're set. A third alternative is a single T5 HO fixture and tube, using a full spectrum like Life-Glo 2. Only one tube, but T5's are 1.5 times more intense light than the same size tube in T8. It would be enough for the 75g.
On a 75g I'd recommend you 2 bulbs the length of your tank if you want to go planted. Ideally something such as Lifeglo or no name bulbs that also have a full spectrum and at least 7.000K.
Depending on your source water (rich on minerals such as Iron or not) I'd suggest looking into fertilizer as well and then a ton of nice plants, given your location you shouldn't have any troubles finding plants at your LFS.
I will take out the other BioWheel when I get home tonight....
I also want to add That I am have an awesome job in the printing industry and was able to use my Epson 7880 at work to print and then laminate that custom background in the videos for the back of my tank, I plan on doing it with the 150G I will be picking up this weekend (love Craigslist)
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