input needed: getting info on setting up a big tank

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T

TheLub

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 30, 2006
5
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0
Salem, Or
I am currently in the planning stages of setting up a 'big' tank. I'm thinking at least 120gal depending on what i can find to fit my budget. Maybe someting as large as 200+ if the price is right.

Information i'm looking for: Filtration, Heating/Cooling, and Substrate
Population i plan on having in the aquarium: peaceful to slightly aggessive community tank, sort of like what i have, only bigger/more fish.

Filtration: I've been reading about sumps and wet/dry. i've read about canister style. what is the best and most efficient setup for a large tank? i hope to be able to have a large population of mid-sized fish so i need something that is fully capable of handling the bio-load. I have a 29gal aquarium that i'm not currently using. Could this be used for a DIY wet/dry sump setup? Would that be enough volume to correctly filter 100+ gallons? could it filter 200?

Heating/Cooling: I live in a pretty temperate area where we get a few days of REALLY hot weather (100ish) in the summer, and a few days of really cold days in winter (not much below freezing). I think that maybe 2 300w heaters in the sump will work fine. I heat my 55gal with one heater just fine.

Substrate: I want to be able to grow live plants so i'm thinking some sort of sand substrate. I want as natural as possible looking substrate, so a Fiji black type sand is not an option. I've read about live-plant friendly substrate and one option is putting peat under burlap which lies under the sand. Is this a viable option?
 
oops. forgot to mention this is a freshwater setup.
 
120gal ? That ain't a big tank! :grinno: Just kidding. Take that 29 and build yourself a wet- dry. When you buy your tank, make sure it has overflows. It will make life easy. 2-300 watt heaters should do fine. Eco-Complete or Flourite will give you the iron rich substrate that plants love. If you do live plants, don't forget good lighting. Good luck! My 2 cents. By the way, if you go with a bigger tank, I would get a bigger sump. I have a 55 under a 240, I really like the extra space there.
 
the 30 gal will do it for a 120 but you need a bigger sump for somthing in the 200 gal range
 
There is no such thing as too much filtration, always better to over-estimate than vice versa. Keep it simple, a complicated system makes for complicated maintenance. I am running a very understocked 160 gl tank on a single 404 (the other 2 filters died). Planning on rectifying that soon. Oddly enough I have a single giant gourami in a 336 gallon tank with an atman internal filter. No problems with water quality. Unfortunately she is going through a fishy version of pmt and killed a sailfin and 2 pairs of severums that she has had as tankmates for a number of years. A quick shift to the larger tank which was about to be stripped, desiliconed and rebuilt.


Think about how you would do your lighting, keeping substrate clean and warm. At this point I would seriously think about using heating pads or developing a water system to keep the plants and tank warm. Where exactly would you have entry points to the tank etc. Think about how you would like it and plan plan plan.
 
I checked this post out because I saw your complaints about no response and the 5 posts thing.

First, your question is so open-ended that the answer would be several times the space of your original post. Few people are going to reply to that. Too much time- too many directions. You should flesh out what you're considering for us and then allow us to make comments. You're pretty much asking us to tell you what you like. I lack the ESP required to do that.

Second, the 5 post thing. Most people want to show the fish they have in their tank. Right? How interesting do you think a thread of beginner fish posted again and again and again by different beginners would be? Here's a guppy, here's a different colored guppy...or here's a fantail, here's a different fantail...(insert whatever fish they've chosen to start their tank.) You wouldn't even want to look at that thread more than the first time. Then no one would get a response. There's a similar problem with experienced fishkeepers posting fish photos for the first few times... ten photos of the same fish from different angles. How boring.

After you've posted a few times you'll have indicated some knowledge of fishkeeping or been called out by more experienced fishkeepers pointing out errors in your ideas. That's fair. Until you've indicated your experience no one wants to read you posts anyway unless its a question.

The people that have responded have been really gracious.

IMO, if this is your first tank you should go with a closed system vs an open system. Even advanced hobbyists have problems with fluctuating water levels, flooded floors and wet carpets using sumps. Budget allowing, more is always better. Tanks and filters are one time purchases unless you intend for upgrades to be a major part of the project.
 
go for the sump dude. any idiot can figure water levels with a little trial and error. That what its all about learning and creating the best possoble enviroment. I am happy to contribute to any thread and consider anyones advice regardless of their experience.

Keep posting any questions anyway you want to post them. If someone doesnt like it they do not have to contribute.
 
As far as substrate goes, I would use a cable substrate heater or two if I was you. You canc use the peat it will benefit the plants but it will also tint your water brown and soften you water some I would put down laterite and then pool filter sand or maybe some well rinsed playsand.

Do you plan on adding co2?
 
For substrate, if you use the peat and the sand you will be fine. Flourite, or eco complete will work quite well also. Don't forget good lighting, CO2, and ferts if you want to do plants right. I assume that you want the fully planted, tanks? Wet dry and sumps are a no go if you have live plants. These will release all of your Co2, and strangle your plants. Closed system canister is the only way to go, no HOBs, sumps or w/d filters. For heating I prefer the eheim jager heaters, they are able to heat much better than the stealths IME. I'd do at least 2 for a 120. Since you will be using a canister with plants, you won't be able to do a heater in the filter, unless you get a thermofilter from eheim, or similar product. These are great, and if you get extra tubing can be used in place of a heater cable, thus avoiding extra electricity use, and extra volts in your tank. PM for more details.
 
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