First Tank Build - 400 Gallon
- Thread starter Grant427
- Start date
I filled up the tank yesterday after work, been full about 15 hours and still nothing getting wet in the area I had the leak, fingers crossed! I'm working on the top today as well as cleaning the glass up real good. I put my Aquaclear 110 back on the 80 gallon and hooked the FX5 on the 400, stacked my rocks in there again as well. If no leak by tonight I think I'll put my substrate in, if still no leaks by the weekend I think I'll start putting all my fish in 
Found a clown knife for sale close to where I live, soooo just had to snatch that deal up, put him into the 400 and he's looking real good! Also, got my buddy's oscar, it's in the 80 for now. So here is what the tank looks like as of now, you can see the clown swimming around, still no leaks and really hoping not to have anymore cause this guys 14.5"!
Decided to throw a little substrate down to see what it's going to look like, it's called traction sand, and it's real fine gravel, think it'll look good. Need some more slate I think.
Almost 48 hours with no leaks! Got the rest of my substrate in today, also put a few more fish in from the 80 gallon. I'm measuring each fish I put in the 400 to monitor growth rates. Also got my top all in place, I'll take pictures of it later, just did glass on the front half and wood doors with handles on the back half. Simple, cheap and functional!
Sailfin Pleco - 6.5" (Purchased at 1.5")
Smallest Jaguar Cichlid - 6.75" (Purchased at 1.25")
Tiger Oscar - 5.5" (Received at 5.5")
Yoyo Loach - 2.75" - (Purchased at 2") - He's lasted 6 months with all my big cichlids, see how long he'll make it in the big tank!
Clown Knife - 14.5" - (Purchased at 14.5")
That's what's in the 400 now, will be adding the rest soon.
A question for anyone with a large tank. Everything I read about large tanks said it was usually an issue keeping the tank cool, rather than warm, I have mine in the basement with the top on and my FX5 circulating and the water won't stay about 70 degrees, my fish obviously aren't going to thrive at that temperature, I would like 74-78 degrees. So do I insulate the tank? Or heat it or what?
Sailfin Pleco - 6.5" (Purchased at 1.5")
Smallest Jaguar Cichlid - 6.75" (Purchased at 1.25")
Tiger Oscar - 5.5" (Received at 5.5")
Yoyo Loach - 2.75" - (Purchased at 2") - He's lasted 6 months with all my big cichlids, see how long he'll make it in the big tank!
Clown Knife - 14.5" - (Purchased at 14.5")
That's what's in the 400 now, will be adding the rest soon.
A question for anyone with a large tank. Everything I read about large tanks said it was usually an issue keeping the tank cool, rather than warm, I have mine in the basement with the top on and my FX5 circulating and the water won't stay about 70 degrees, my fish obviously aren't going to thrive at that temperature, I would like 74-78 degrees. So do I insulate the tank? Or heat it or what?
And added the last of the fish, seem to all be enjoying there new big home!
Female Jaguar - 7" (Purchased at 1.25")
Male Jaguar - 8.5" (Purchased at 7.5")
Black Ghost Knife - 7" (Purchased at 2.5")
Frontosa Cichlid - 3.5" x3 (Purchased at 1.25")
Frontosa Cichlid - 5.5" (Purchased at 3.5")
Frontosa Cichlid - 6" (Purchased at 5.5")
Here is the tank with all the fish I currently own! Still to come are Silver Aros, Florida Spotted Gar, Motoro Ray along with some more Cichlids! As for the decorations, I will be getting more slate and building another structure on the opposite side of the tank, putting in a few fake plants and taking out the big chunks of driftwood and replacing it with lots of long skinny driftwood. Also going to add a powerhead for some flow (like a slow moving river). Will take a while to get all the aquascaping done, right now priority is getting the temperature where I want it.
Female Jaguar - 7" (Purchased at 1.25")
Male Jaguar - 8.5" (Purchased at 7.5")
Black Ghost Knife - 7" (Purchased at 2.5")
Frontosa Cichlid - 3.5" x3 (Purchased at 1.25")
Frontosa Cichlid - 5.5" (Purchased at 3.5")
Frontosa Cichlid - 6" (Purchased at 5.5")
Here is the tank with all the fish I currently own! Still to come are Silver Aros, Florida Spotted Gar, Motoro Ray along with some more Cichlids! As for the decorations, I will be getting more slate and building another structure on the opposite side of the tank, putting in a few fake plants and taking out the big chunks of driftwood and replacing it with lots of long skinny driftwood. Also going to add a powerhead for some flow (like a slow moving river). Will take a while to get all the aquascaping done, right now priority is getting the temperature where I want it.
Well I insulated the tank sides and top with 1.5" foam insulation, just the one 300w heater in there now, holds temperature about 74 degrees, still want it maybe a little warmer.
Thinking instead of power heads the create the slow moving river effect to do a spray bar. Looking at maybe an Ehiem 5000 and pumping to two spray bars along the right side, one on the top and one in the middle, this would give me a much more even flow without a concentrated blast. What do you guys think, and how many gph should I be going after to get the slow river effect?
Heading to the city tonight to get some fish, got the 80 gallon moved to the fish room and set up for the JD's, Green Terrors and Silver Aros.
Thinking instead of power heads the create the slow moving river effect to do a spray bar. Looking at maybe an Ehiem 5000 and pumping to two spray bars along the right side, one on the top and one in the middle, this would give me a much more even flow without a concentrated blast. What do you guys think, and how many gph should I be going after to get the slow river effect?
Heading to the city tonight to get some fish, got the 80 gallon moved to the fish room and set up for the JD's, Green Terrors and Silver Aros.
The tank looks great. The one thing I would say is you might want to rethink the motoro with your current stock.
Sent from my SCH-I400 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Sent from my SCH-I400 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
