Help! I have a new 180 gallon and I could use some advice

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Good Setup. The sand looks nice though you might have to take some extra efforts to keep it white over a period of time.
 
sand is always good looking.. i love it.. but hard to maintain.. I had sand before with oscars.. BAD IDEA...
they produce more waste and if not clean correctly.. waste will rot and cause some bad fungus/ disease to build up.. never went back to sand again....

your plan for rays is good.... and silver arowana would be perfect.. for a 180 gallon.. u can disregard any decoration as the less the better for rays and arowana... some slate rocks will be nice with white sand...

Heater wise.... 2 250watt is perfect.. although ur having it indoor so one should be enough.. but just in case it fails.... (i have a 300watt for my 150 gallon outdoor, winter i add an extra 150watt to be safe)

Stocklist:


Clown loaches are a good clean up crew as well....

I've seen people do Datnoids with sand.. which is not a bad combination along with silver...

Also, tetra type fish like red belly pacu/ fei feng/ are a good addition to a tank
too..

i also find Geos to be a good with sand as well..

I also attach a picture of what i would do if i ever get a chance for a new setup...

20070722167.jpg
 
BTB0923;3155222; said:
I didn't have a fourth bulkhead, so I just plugged it with something I got at Lowes.
Click to expand...

Not trying to steal your thread at all but I want to get the same size tank you have and this should or might not help you as well IDK.

For the guys that have the same tank as BTB0923, I have a question: If you have two overflows and two returns but you are only using one wet/dry sump like BTB do you use both returns or plug one up like BTB has done? I thought that you would just come off the motor with a Y fitting or a T fittiong and go up to both returns. BTB plugged one of his holes up ( he could not find another bulkhead ) and that seems to me like a lot of pressure on just one of his returns. I know some MFKers use two wet/dry filters but wanted to know what you would do for one.

Thanks BTB
Tank is looking great so far!!!!!!!
 
Hey BTB, what size are your drain holes? Was thinking about getting a mag18 for my 180g as well, but with my dual drains only being 1", thats only 1200gph... I could always split the return line and add a ball valve and have that feed back through the sump if it out pumps the drains...
 
CDickes1988;3160736; said:
Hey BTB, what size are your drain holes? Was thinking about getting a mag18 for my 180g as well, but with my dual drains only being 1", thats only 1200gph... I could always split the return line and add a ball valve and have that feed back through the sump if it out pumps the drains...
Click to expand...

Mine are 1 3/4". That sounds like a pretty good idea, but I do have an idea that might be a little more simple. Assuming you have four holes drilled like mine, maybe you could hook up only one of the return holes and use the other as a third drain. I have one of my two return holes plugged anyways and the one return is doing just fine with my mag18. I'm actually waiting for somebody to answer JohnM's question as to whether or not it is really ok that I am using only one return with such a strong pump, but it does seem to be working without any problems.
 
Hye BTB, are you planning on using a UV filter in the near future? If so think about this, you have way to much flow to utilize a UV. You could cut in a Y fitting above the sump, install a ball valve,install your hose and up to your other return. This way if you do end up adding one down the road just stop the water cut in your UV. Plus w/ the ball valve you can control how much water flows through it. So what I might suggest is think about this before you start cycling and adding fish.

Just trying to help
John
 
JohnM;3161851; said:
Hye BTB, are you planning on using a UV filter in the near future? If so think about this, you have way to much flow to utilize a UV. You could cut in a Y fitting above the sump, install a ball valve,install your hose and up to your other return. This way if you do end up adding one down the road just stop the water cut in your UV. Plus w/ the ball valve you can control how much water flows through it. So what I might suggest is think about this before you start cycling and adding fish.

Just trying to help
John
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion! That sounds like something I may eventually end up trying if I need to. However, unless someone can give me a really good reason why using a magdrive 18 with only one return is a bad idea I'm just going to go with what I have for now. Its not bad for the pump is it?? I don't see why it would ever be difficult to add a y fitting even after the tank has been cycled. I'd just have to empty the overflows and then I'd be free to add on whatever I need to.

BTW, do you happen to know of any websites that sell a good variety of realistic tank decor? Specifically floating plants?
 
I was mostly thinking of what you asked earlyer about your return pushing your sand around to much. So I was just thinking of ways to relieve that.
I dont think its bad for the pump.Just thinking about all the pressure but you should be okay. Sorry IDK any good plant websites for you but somebody will chime in.

Can't wait till we see pics of the tank with fish in it.
 
Bio-media showed up this afternoon. I decided to go with all bio-balls. Now I'm just waiting for the tank to cycle before I start fish shopping. I'm putting some serious thought into getting a couple black aros....there are some deals going on for small ones right now. I'm still looking for some good tank decorations so if anybody has suggestions lemme know. Here is a vid of some of the other future inhabitants:

[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/E1MdKBWfxbw&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/E1MdKBWfxbw&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]

bio-media.jpg
 
I was doing some maintenance on the pump when I realized I might have a future problem with this set up. When I turn the pump off to do water changes the water stops flowing over the bio-balls, and if I do a really huge time-consuming water change they may dry out and lose any beneficial bacteria they have on them. My solution.....more filtration! I took a Cascade canister filter and put the intanke in the bottom of the sump and hooked a spraybar up to the return so water will cycle over the bioballs even when the main pump is off.

I've also added a penguin bio-wheel HOB that was precycled from my 55 gallon to jumpstart my cycle. I'm thinking in about another week and I can probably start adding fish. Already put in a tank divider to keep my black ghost knives away from the baby black aro I'm going to get.

I also switched to a regular fluorescent strip light...the light I had was meant for a reef tank and had very loud fans, probably would've heated the water up, and also used way more power than necessary. Anybody want to buy a six foot long reef ready light with built in moon lights??

filtration5.jpg

filtration6.jpg

filtration1.jpg

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