my 150g :D

[Jon M]

It is normal for the "crap" to stay on the ground. Sometimes fish kick it up and it eventually gets filtered though.

One of the down falls of sand. It doesn't have the crevasses that gravel has for feces to sink in between so sand doesn't hide it as effective as gravel. Plus side is regular vacuuming is simple because feces and other waste floats right off the sand while cleaning.

You will need some grabbers and other tools as I am sure you are realizing you cannot reach the bottom of your tank even with a step stool! Good Luck and enjoy!!

My 125 gallon is actually 24" tall and I can reach the bottom while stepping on a dining room chair no problem. Well, it's not a problem but is quite uncomfortable. Never thought of getting a grabber tool. They sell those things for a few dollars at the flea market. That's genius!

Careful! The tank presents a much heavier footprint than a 180 gallon. 1500lbs spread out on 48" is rough. i have mine on the first floor and braced the joists with a 18,000 lb floorjack and the floor still sagged a bit

You seem pretty knowledgeable with second floor large tanks. Quick question. I'm on a second floor in an apartment and I'm working on getting a 5' long 90 gallon from a gentleman on craigslist. I'm a bit worried about setting the tank up in my bed room. I already have a 125 gallon 4.5' long very heavy acrylic setup in my living room and it's fine but I have that one diagonal or "caddy cornered" and it's on an outside wall. I was planning on doing the 90 against the wall in my bedroom not caddy cornered and that wall goes to another apartment on the opposite side of building. Think it should be okay?... I have my girl friends 40 gallon and 30 gallon that are stacked in the same room on another wall and they seem fine but that's like 70 gallons not 90 gallons. Plus that's already weight in the room. The 90 gallon would be directly across the room from those two. What do you think?

 

[Gruntking]

Sand is so much easier to clean... I spend about 2 minutes cleaning up ALL the feces in the tank. On the other hand, it took me about 4 5 gallon buckets to clean gravel, and there was still feces left under!

 

[fishyzoo]

i find sand easier to clean too. Just shove your syphon in to it and your done, if you have one with a wide end then you wont suck any sand out. The fish will soon level out any pits you form.

 

[Chefken]

One of the down falls of sand. It doesn't have the crevasses that gravel has for feces to sink in between so sand doesn't hide it as effective as gravel. Plus side is regular vacuuming is simple because feces and other waste floats right off the sand while cleaning.



My 125 gallon is actually 24" tall and I can reach the bottom while stepping on a dining room chair no problem. Well, it's not a problem but is quite uncomfortable. Never thought of getting a grabber tool. They sell those things for a few dollars at the flea market. That's genius!



You seem pretty knowledgeable with second floor large tanks. Quick question. I'm on a second floor in an apartment and I'm working on getting a 5' long 90 gallon from a gentleman on craigslist. I'm a bit worried about setting the tank up in my bed room. I already have a 125 gallon 4.5' long very heavy acrylic setup in my living room and it's fine but I have that one diagonal or "caddy cornered" and it's on an outside wall. I was planning on doing the 90 against the wall in my bedroom not caddy cornered and that wall goes to another apartment on the opposite side of building. Think it should be okay?... I have my girl friends 40 gallon and 30 gallon that are stacked in the same room on another wall and they seem fine but that's like 70 gallons not 90 gallons. Plus that's already weight in the room. The 90 gallon would be directly across the room from those two. What do you think?

I am no expert....I do not know how solid your home is. A 90 gallon is still heavy but sounds like it will be OK. Just dont set it up in the middle of the room. Problem is it is tough to know how the floor joists run. It would be nice if the tank could sit on 4 beams rather than just 1 1/2.

 

[Chefken]

should I take my filter media out and like swish it around my 150g? or should I just put the filter in there and let it run? Also the carbon in my fluval u4, can I take the holder out and clean the carbon in the 150g will that help at all?

Just run the mature filter. Keep the old media intact and do it quick. Do not let the filter sit without running more than an hour or so. It will pick up right where it left off....if it could handle the bio load of your 55 and the stock is no larger initially it should prevent a cycle. I moved from a 52 to my 150 on January 10th. I used my XP3 and Bio350 filters straight from the old tank along with all the sand, driftwood and fake plants. No cycle at all.

 

[Chefken]

I can reach the bottom with a latter. our house is old so our bracing, and truces etc are all made from actually hard wood compared to that soft pine like it is now. the dimension are 48"Lx24"xWx31". The stock is going to be a oscar, 1 lima shovel-nosed catfish, clown loaches and bala sharks.

I am 5'10 and with a step stool I can reach the bottom of my 30" tall tank.....with my shoulder and face in the water!!! Trust me. Buy a pair of 9.95 grabbers and some long handled nets!!!!

 

[Jon M]

I am no expert....I do not know how solid your home is. A 90 gallon is still heavy but sounds like it will be OK. Just dont set it up in the middle of the room. Problem is it is tough to know how the floor joists run. It would be nice if the tank could sit on 4 beams rather than just 1 1/2.

Okay cool. That's for the input. I wish there was a way of knowing which way the floor joints moved but I really have no idea how to tell. That's why I caddy cornered the 125 gallon. I figure 4.5' 125g with super heavy stand is okay, a 5' 90 gallon should be fine since it's longer and less gallons. Not to mention I've got about 30 gallons in my w/d sump below the 125 gallon.

I am 5'10 and with a step stool I can reach the bottom of my 30" tall tank.....with my shoulder and face in the water!!! Trust me. Buy a pair of 9.95 grabbers and some long handled nets!!!!

I'm 6'3 so I guess that helps me out some. I need to get a larger net anyhow. Getting to hard to catch my damn fish in my 125g with that smaller net I have. I'll definitely look into one with a longer handle. I was totally just considering a small pond net provided it fit through my top opening, lol.

 

[Garrett.turbo]

i got a long handled net thankfully. I have a way you can tell what way your joices run. take a circular saw and cut a opening in your floor put your hand under and feel what way one of the joices runs lol. not a good idea but it would work. or you can get one of the laser beam finders i wonder if that would work i may have to try tonightand see and maybe ill cady corner mine?

 

[Garrett.turbo]

Just run the mature filter. Keep the old media intact and do it quick. Do not let the filter sit without running more than an hour or so. It will pick up right where it left off....if it could handle the bio load of your 55 and the stock is no larger initially it should prevent a cycle. I moved from a 52 to my 150 on January 10th. I used my XP3 and Bio350 filters straight from the old tank along with all the sand, driftwood and fake plants. No cycle at all.

iight sweet! I did that when I moved my 55g to my house from brittani's cuz my parents finally said I could and then they let me get my monster. well monster to me probably not to most on here haha. but its huge compared to my 55g

 

[Jon M]

i got a long handled net thankfully. I have a way you can tell what way your joices run. take a circular saw and cut a opening in your floor put your hand under and feel what way one of the joices runs lol. not a good idea but it would work. or you can get one of the laser beam finders i wonder if that would work i may have to try tonightand see and maybe ill cady corner mine?

Yeahhhh, ever heard of a security deposit? I want mine back... Haha. The laser is a possibility but I'm not positive how those work. I dislike mine being caddy cornered but it was the safest way. Just make sure you keep checking the floor while filling. In the middle area of my room when I was filling it there half full my floor started to turn into a trampoline and we were like "oh ****, better move it."