What do I need for a 75 gallon aquarium?

You will need:

- Filter. I highly suggest that you get one rated for more than your tank's volume, as filter manufacturers are notorious for exaggerating their product's abilities. AquaClears are great. An AquaClear 110 would do.

- Heater. 300 watts should do it. Or 2 heaters at 150 watts each.

- Thermometer. Choose an interior, stick-to-the-glass type one. Exterior strip sorts are not reliable.

- Test kit. Choose a good liquid kit that includes tests for Ammonia, NitrATE, NitrITE, and pH at least. Skip the strips, they're cheep for a reason...

- Gravel siphon/vacuum.

- Substrate of some sort. (Some fish like Loaches require sand or other soft substrate, others are fine with gravel, etc.)

- Net.

- Food obviously. Most fish need a good staple flake food and some frozen foods.

Step one:

Set up aquarium and make sure that it's level.

Step two:

Add substrate. Rinse WELL before adding!

Step three:

Add water.

Step four:

Turn on filter.

Step five:

Put heater and thermometer in tank. Do not turn heater on yet. Let the heater acclimate to the aquarium water temperature for at least 1/2 hour or as long as the directions indicate. After that time turn it on. You'll have to adjust it as it heats. The temperature it's set to is almost guaranteed to not be the temperature it heats to. Just turn it up in stages until your desired water temperature is reached. (This will be a lot easier if you fill the tank with the temperature water you want it to be in the first place.)

Step six:

Begin the Nitrogen Cycle. This is an annoying and long process. It takes around 6 weeks to complete. The aquarium CAN NOT support life until the cycle is completed.

- Nitrogen Cycle -

http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm

http://www.firsttankguide.net/cycle.php

While the cycle is being done, you'll have plenty of time to research what your stock will be.

Good fish profiles that include minimum aquarium size, grouping needs, and compatibility:

By species/kind: http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/aquarium-fish-s...

http://www.seriouslyfish.com/knowledge-base/

Alphabetically: http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profile_alpha.html

Search-by-name: http://www.aquariumlife.net/fishprof.asp

Mollies are best kept in brackish water. Keeping them in fresh greatly increases the likelihood that they'll be affected with stress-related illness and disease.

When it does come time to add the fish, do so SLOWLY, only 1 to a few fish per week, depending on the type, and test your parameters often to ensure that you're not getting any spikes.

Once the tank is cycled, you should perform weekly 25% water changes using the gravel vacuum. It's a good idea to perform a water parameter test prior to each water change to make sure things are in order. At the very least, a water test should be performed once per month.

Never, but NEVER replace the filter media, as this is where the majority of the beneficial bacteria that was cultivated during the Nitrogen Cycle is found. Instead, rinse the media in a container of aquarium water should it become dirty/clogged. The only media that needs to be replaced is Carbon, but healthy tanks don't need Carbon to begin with.

If the filter you choose comes with throw away cartridges, replace them with a sponge/floss and some sort of biological media before cycling.

That's the basics.

Good luck!

75 Gallon Aquarium Kit

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RE:

What do I need for a 75 gallon aquarium?

I'm looking for a check list basically...I've been looking on line and haven't found a check list for a fresh water 75 gallon tank to follow to set one up...all the supplies I need! Thank you :)

What do you intend to have in there fish wise will vary the actual gear you need.

Freshwater, marine, tropical ?

You need to research the nitrogen cycle, learn how to safely cycle your tank for which you will need a good liquid water test kit like the api master kit.

Are you thinking HOB or canister filter ?

Do you need a heater ?

do you know what your tap water parameters are ? P.H etc to decide what fish will be ok in that water.

There is no set check list as different fish need different things, so first you need to figure what fish will be best for you water and then see what they need, like bottom dwellers with barbs would need sand or smooth substrate. Are you planning on a planted aquarium, if so different lights, substrate, CO2 and ferts will be needed