Filtration/Lighting for 180 gallon

[PeteJ]

whats the best on budget?

fluval fx5 seems cheap with good features? ie water change system and has a high turnover

Rena/Eheim i've never used but seem good just expensive. i have used one on a marine setup at my work

sump would be good, but dont really want a drilled tank tbh.

currently running a fluval 205 does the job in the tank now, but it aint gonna cut the mustard in a tank nearly 3x the capacity... so would it be best to supplement this filter with a HOB or another canister? Or just go for a new large canister?

Lighting is next port of call, start units = expensive. but the hardware store should do strip lighting holders/starters for fairly cheap?
Also i hear spot lights can be good.. but they dont penetrate or have a broad enough spectrum + hot.. bu they are cheap?

adise please

 

[large_cichlids]

I persoanlly would choose two aquaclear 500 filters.Then in the middle of the tank i would use one magnum 350.That is perfect.

 

[JD_MAN]

When I set my 180 up I didn't want to mess with a sump. So, I had an XP3 and (2) AC 110's sitting around and they have done the job so far.

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

it all depends on what you want to do with your tank. Sounds like a canister might be your best choice. There are three big ones out there: Eheim 2080 (=Pro3), Eheim 2260 and FX5. The latter is a new product line which is still "teething" ... if you go for the FX5, please search this forum thoroughly for preventive fixes. All in all, you may just do it right the first time, bite the bullet and invest in the future of your tank. You get what you pay for.

Regarding lighting, it even more so depends on what you want to do. If you go planted, you should get power compacts (e.g. coralife freshwater). If it's just fish and you don't care about the lighting, you can get the cheapest fluorescent lights possible. If you want spotlights, think about metal halides.

HarleyK

 

[JardiniBoy]

All in all, you may just do it right the first time, bite the bullet and invest in the future of your tank. You get what you pay for.

That's what I was thinking ... thus, why not get a sump? more space for media, more accessible/customizeable, and you can hide all your equipmen in there. That way you only get to look at your fish

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

wet/dry would be best imo

thou i do have a fx5 on my 180g. with no complaints

 

[big train]

get 3 aq110 and a phillips full spectrum natural sunlight flouresent tube lol.

 

[joeytoe]

Id go with 2 tidepool 2 wet/drys an a mag drive 9.5 or mag drive 12 .

other than that id say a ac110s an a good size canister.

I had 2 ac110s an a fluval 403 on my 120 but am switching to 1 ac110 an a tidepool 1.

 

[faststang1]

I would do a Eheim 2080.....