heating and filtering a monster tank

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contractor078

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 26, 2008
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delaware
I not really new to monster fish/tank keeping. I have a sweet 330 bowfront build into the the wall in my basment with 2 Fx5s and 2 400watt heaters. My question is I am looking into buying a new monster tank 675 gallons 120"x36"x36" how do you heat a tank of this size? Also what type of filtration system would you use? I am not apposed to a sump but I would rather some type of closed loop system with a pool sand filter and a few ocean clear filters with another pump. The tank is going to be set up as a south american tank. I want to put alot of Peacocks in there maybe a RTC.

let me know what all you experts out there think.

thanks
 
Don't get a "pool sand filter", get a fluidized bed filter (can use pool filter sand). I would personally go with a few DIY FBFs and forgo the OceanClears and get a plain filter housing with a coarse filter or some other mechanical only filter. The Mech. with be accomplished the filter housing or other mech. filter and then the hose would split into a manifold and you would run a few DIY Fluidized Bed Filters off of the manifold.

That would of course require a relatively high pressure pump (Reeflo makes some nice pumps). The pump would indeed be the most expensive as a filter housing should be well under $50 and a filter for it (reusable) should be no more than $30. Then from there the PVC and sand for the DIY FBFs should be under $100.

The "Nice" way to do it would keep the OceanClears, and have a pair(or two) of Penatair 900 Fluidiezed Bed Filters. This would of course cost several hundred dollars and probably wouldn't function much better or possibly even worse than a comparable DIY setup.

The point is, for the price, you could have a whole stand full of DIY FBF filters and get great mechanical and excellent biological filtration for a very affordable price.

EDIT:
Just re-reading and realized it is the 600+ gallon, not the 330. For a tank that big, you need multiple filter housings (or bigger ones) and will indeed need a manifold running several DIY FBF filters.

I would personally go with a Wet/Dry for simething like that since it would provide superior Bio, decent Mech, and always the possibility for more and make a easy place to hide heaters and other equipment. It would also be much more affordable if you go DIY.
 
your on the right track with ocean clear filters. ive heard nothing but good things about them, and have for my 250g. their tons of different models available to link together a system that will suit your needs. their expensive, but i personally havent seen any complaints about them from anyone.

as for adding a RTC to a 675....its tons bigger than most ppl add their rt's to, but it could potentially still outgrow your tank. just gives you an excuse to get a bigger tank in the end :D
 
here is a bit of an update I am thinking of using an Ultima II filter but i would still think that I would need the sump. Can someone help me with plumbing it in with the tank as well as building it. I am not to sure how to build one or add it to the system.


Pix of the 330 are up in my album for those that want to see it. if you want more let me know.
 
thanks for the comments. Wife tells me that I am nuts to want to get something bigger! but i am hooked have been since i was a kid really want to get a 1500 gallon tank but that would mean the wife could not park her car in the garage any more so its a deal breaker at that point. Maybe i can put an addition on the back of the house just for a tank.

anyone out there can teach me about sumps
 
600 gallons would be absolute minimum for an adult rtc, and only if the floor plan was right. if you put an rtc in there it will wind up a solo fish tank. where the only fish in the tank is the rtc. just my 2 cents.
 
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