Scaping options for a 75g

[Intrepyd]

I'm wondering if using all fake plants along with wood and rock could create an attractive aquascape for a larger tank like a 75g. My plans initially called for a 55g, but those tanks tend to have a very narrow depth, and the larger tank will fit my stand better. Is there enough variety/size of fake plants to attractively decorate a 75g?

Second question -- do I absolutely need an air pump with this size tank?

 

[bmoraski]

when i get my bigger tank its gonna be all about the fish
75 gal is sweet. theres so much you can do
what are you thinking for substrate ? and stocking ?

 

[unwritten law]

with africans you dont need plants to make it attractive, just rocks. No, air pumps are never needed.

 

[Intrepyd]

This is my first tank. Haven't thought about stocking yet. For substrate, probably just gravel. I want lots of rock, but I can't find any! My LFS and the usual Petco's have just a few token pieces. I'm just not sure how to go about scaping it. Starting with a smaller tank might have been more sensible, but this is the only size that "works" in the room as a showpiece.

 

[Avalon]

75g's are great fish tanks, one of my personal favorites. The added depth really allows you to do more in terms of the fish you can keep, or may keep in the future. There is a large variety of fake plants you can get...not all LFS's carry what's available and very few do. As for gravel and rocks, try a local nursery (a larger one). They typically have tons of the stuff (literally). You can walk in, find just about anything you're looking for and walk out having spent less than $10 for everything you need and then some. Buying rocks at LFS's is crazy, unless they have a certain type popularized by aquarists. There's only a 300-1000% markup on that stuff.

 

[Monoxide]

I d say for that size of tank do rock work.. Like maybe slabs and some other stuff.. Search around on other places... and check out there pictures.. of fish tank with rock work. Also Id suggest doing some cichlid of sort. It be really pretty and really pretty fish!

 

[unwritten law]

Yeah, even at home depot you can get gravel, pea gravel, large stones for dirt cheap compared to petco.

 

[D'Cecilia]

You should look at some South American Setups.
they look great whit discus, cardinal tetras,
maybe some angels, ahah and lots and
lots of plants of course

 

[Smark]

You should have plenty of aquarium shops that would carry the rocks your looking for. The larger chain stores don't have much for selection. I'd go with a sandy bottom and lots of rock with plants. Good luck on your picking.

 

[misterking]

It's very easy to have an attractive tank with fake plants - some of the purists wouldn't agree, but I've had some pretty nice set-ups back in the day when I had fake plants. I still have them all somewhere and plan on using them again for a future set-up. I think the ones to avoid are silk plants, they attract algae and are very hard to clean without damaging. My personal preference is plastic stem plants, the tall ones that look like your typical water weed, in varying shades of green. With different sizes your tank could look really natural.

And actually I praise you for getting a big tank for your first - with larger tanks it's MUCH easier to maintain a good water quality and allows for a lot more fish. I wouldn't, however, recommend going down the discus route just yet as D'Cecilia said, they're expensive fish and if you don't get it right, you're literally flushing money down the toilet. Cardinal tetras are also known to be quite fussy. Let us know when you have stocking ideas