610g setup

[alc11]

I have placed an order for a 610 gallon 130x37 1/2 x 30 stock will be 1 arowana 2 motoro stingrays, some large fish haven’t decided yet something to that will be compatible. I would like to possibly add 2 BD stingray a few years down the road. I am looking at filtration. I have only used canister filters in the past but plan on converting the 125G tank that I have now into a sump and will be purchasing a Ultima 11 1000 aqua ultraviolet filter. The tank will have 2 overflows with 2 2" bulkheads each I am planning on using a Herbie setup for them as the tank will be in our media room.
Current question is what size and brand pump would you recommend I would like to use 2 for safety and what setup would you recommend for the sump.

 

[DIDYSIS]

I would get a bigger Ultima || filter if you are getting one, need to remember they need to backwash and will drain your sump fast, if you hook it up to the tank you will drain the tank and need to refill before the overflow will work again, also they don't filter the best for clarity they are a good bio filter and not a polishing filter, you can do just fine filtering that setup with a 125 gallon sump, I have for years and even added more onto mine with other tanks, As for a pump I would recommend you get a Reeflo Hammerhead/Barracuda hybrid for that size of setup, I have the barracuda impeller running in mine and it has done well, if you can run the hammerhead for a little more flow go for it, With my tank I had a 125 gallon sump and ran 4 7x32 filter socks and had 2 cubic feet of boiling bio media and then setup the sump for a drip system and its been great. Highly recommend that type of setup for anyone running a large load

With the Ultima Filter think about how much media is in the filter to help with the bio load you have and also think about the flow they say should go with the filter you are choosing. Also at the same time look into other filters like the ultima, many other good ones are out there.

 

[alc11]

I have to place everything in my stand because I have no place to put the filter beside or behind the tank. the Ultima 11 1000 is the biggest that will fit in the stand. My stand will be 37" tall to make more room for filters ect. Do I understand you correctly in a 125G sump along would take care of the bio load with the need for anything else

 

[ragin_cajun]

I would start with 2 Laguna Max-Flo 2900's, with an eye toward something bigger if they don't work out. Or perhaps a close loop system, or powerheads in the tank, to maintain high circulation in the display tank. Although everyone shoots for 8-10 turnover rate in their tanks here, it doesn't all have to go through the sump.

 

[DIDYSIS]

Yes a 125 gallon sump has enough filtration capacity to filter and take care of a tank that size easily.

I have to place everything in my stand because I have no place to put the filter beside or behind the tank. the Ultima 11 1000 is the biggest that will fit in the stand. My stand will be 37" tall to make more room for filters ect. Do I understand you correctly in a 125G sump along would take care of the bio load with the need for anything else

 

[alc11]

So I have decided to get a 1 Reeflo Gold hammerhead and 1 Reeflow gold Super dart. Both of the pumps would most like provide me with the amount of turnover I would need at this time by their self. (At least that is what I thank) but I would like to have 2 pumps on the tank as a safety precaution. There are no big fish stores near me and shipping is normally like a week or more for online purchases. I also am only going to use the sump for filtration at this time I can always add a canister filter down the line if needed.
I am having trouble finding heaters and UV filter rated for a tank this size. What do you all use?

 

[ragin_cajun]

For heaters, I use 2 Jaeger 300 Watt heaters on a Finnex Temperature Controller. They keep mine at 79 degrees no problem. My tank is inside the house. It's a 540 Gallon with a 125 Gallon sump.

 

[DN328]

OP, are you planning to use wavemakers or powerheads? If your tank is custom, you may want to go the closed loop as suggested and get some more holes drilled. That will require additional pump and plumbing but could be effective and clean look too.

 

[alc11]

We where planning on using powerheads someone suggested we may not need them if we have enough turn over so we where kinda thinking about weighting and seeing. It is semi custom however I done order there tank and it is in production. Do I understand correctly that closed loop is just using canister filters and plumbing everything into them. If so we would really like to do a sump have minimal equipment in the display tank

 

[ragin_cajun]

No closed loop isn't canisters. Closed loop means a pump under the tank with the inlet and outlet each connected to a bulkhead on the opposite side of the tank. So it creates a constant current in the display tank without putting a powerhead in there. Clean look, big boost to circulation, pretty simple, too. Just drill some holes, plumb a pump to it--maybe a strainer. There's no filtration at all, just teh pump moving water around. Handy if you ever want to drain the tank, too.

Google it, lots of pictures and discussions about it. Reef tank guys LOVE closed loop systems on their tanks. Cheaper than those fancy magnetic powerheads, I guess.