125 Gal w/ LMB and other NY natives

[Elohssa6]

Let me start by saying this will be my first 100+ tank......

It wont be my first native tank though by any means....

I was given a 48"L x 18"W x 30"H tank from a friend of mine

Included was the empty tank and stand and 2 plastic (black) hood type light recepticles.....

I have succesfully kept fish of all kinds in many kinds of tanks just never this big (BIG FOR ME)....

I dont have any idea what kind of equipment you guys are using to move/filter this kind of water....

I would like to keep a few different kinds of natives in this tank....

I have a pond on my property which I can legally release anything that gets too big so max size isn't too much of an issue.....

I was thinking about a mix of 2-3" LMB, SMB, Walleye, Perch, Crappie, pick's ect. (not all at once but a good mix) and releasing them when they get too big....

WHat setup would you reccomend....Including lighting (i love the way the LED moonlight looks too) filtration temp control ect.

I know I am going to be spending a good amount of money on startup but I would like to save where I can....

Anyone willing to breakdown EVERYTHING i would need to get going?? including models and estimated prices?

I am good with the chemistry (2 years of environmental engineering) just not familiar with the new larger aquarium equipment

Thanks

 

[mriversinco]

Ok, I'll try to get you going. I'm sure there are many more people that have more experience.

For filtration, I would go with a sump. Something like a 40 or 50 gallon tank under the 125. Divide it in 3 sections, one for bio that has a drip plate, the other end have a pump to get the water back to the tank. 50-100 for the pump, the tank could be real cheap because it can be an old one that's all scratched up.

I'd go with a siphon up top to get the water out of the tank into the sump. Probably something like a CPR 102 or so, ($130), and include an aqualifter in the siphon so it doesn't break sipon ($15)

Maybe a couple of jets in the tank to provide more current.

The rest can simply be PVC pipe that's not too expensive.

Get a free tank, and cheap PVC, then if you need a chiller you have some money left over to get a used one.

 

[MN_Rebel]

It annoyed me when someone mentioned "Ill release them once they got too big" why you want get them in first place where there are lots of species that can live in 125gal whole life? Yellow perch and crappie can live in your 125gal whole life but bass and chain pickerel are not. Walleye are horrible aquarium fish, all they do is laying on bottom all day till feeding time and required chiller. Bass and pickerel are not good combo.

I just dont understand why someone put lots of efforts to raise these fish for long time then dump them into a private pond which you probably wont see them again...

Im sure we dont need a chiller for most natives (except pike, walleye, alaskan blackfish, grayling and trouts)

Stick with crappies, perch, bullheads, smaller natives thats wont outgrow your tank.

 

[Elohssa6]

What is wrong with what I plan on doing?? Releasing the fish into a large private pond is no different than what is done to fish when you buy them from a smaller tank at your LFS and bring them into your larger tank at home.....Its me preference if I dont mind I putting,

"lots of efforts to raise these fish for long time then dump them into a private pond which you probably wont see them again..."

Thanks

Can you buy the sump systems?? Rather than making them? Im not familiar with the wet/dry systems....Are they neccesary?

 

[Noto]

You can buy sumps, but they are very expensive for what they are. Check out the DIY section of the forum for lots of info on making wet/dry filters and sumps. If you want to buy something that will work right out of the box, get a decent canister filter instead.

There's nothing wrong with what you're doing. MN_Rebel has a point, though, that sunfish, pickerel, etc, will be more fun to have in that size tank, since you can keep them even when they are grown and see their adult colors and behavior.

 

[MN_Rebel]

Yeah whats point about dump the fish into a pond which you cant see them? Try check out with these species that you might love.

Longear sunfish
Green sunfish
Flier
Mud sunfish
Rock bass
Warmouth
Redbreast sunfish
Spotted sunfish
Pumpkinseed
Redeye bass
Redfin pickerel
Grass pickerel
Stonecat
Blacknose crappie
Shadow bass
Common shiner
Chubsuckers
Creek chub
Golden shiner
few chub species
Bluegill
Redear sunfish
Black crappie
White crappie
Spotted bullhead
Snail bullhead
Flat bullhead
Yellow bullhead
Black bullhead
Tadpole madtom

Forget LMB, SMB, chain pickerel, catfish, walleye and pike.

 

[Elohssa6]

I agree that it would be fun to keep fish for a longer term, but I am very interested in keeping the GAME FISH that I like so much....

Even if only for a year, it would be cool to have some of those kind of fish....

I could keep both for some of the time I guess, until the ones that will get too big do, and keep the ones that won't....It would make for a cool community tank for a while atleast...


I think the canister filters is where I am looking mostly......

What is the setup I need for 125gal??

I dont know anything about this type of filtration so details are important...

 

[MN_Rebel]

IMO not worth get these big gamefish..

Redeye bass and redfin pickerel reach only 8 to 12 inch long, what is difference between these fish to LMB and young pike when they have same coloration? Yellow perch looks like a juvie walleye.

Walleye, smallmouth bass and northern pike are not really suited to live in the pond due to their likeness of cooler temps.

 

[mriversinco]

By all means, keep the fish you want! LMB are pretty cool, and then when it gets big you can put it in the pond and see it in the shallows and think about when it was young.

Noto is right about buying a sump. Way too much money unless you can find a deal used. If you go canister, then look at fluval fx5. They're about $200 on ebay. That's about all you'd need, although you might want a HOB for top work (hang on back). If that, then look at the Hagen AquaClear for decent cheaper ones.

You don't need a chiller, but if you live where it's hot your bass will have better coloring and less stress in the summer. I'm not saying you need one, just it might be an idea.

 

[MultispeciesTamer]

IMO not worth get these big gamefish..

Redeye bass and redfin pickerel reach only 8 to 12 inch long, what is difference between these fish to LMB and young pike when they have same coloration? Yellow perch looks like a juvie walleye.

Walleye, smallmouth bass and northern pike are not really suited to live in the pond due to their likeness of cooler temps.

I would like a redeye bass where can i find one for sale?