My set-up. PASS or FAIL?

[toehead11183]

This is the first tank that i have really customized on the filter and water flow. Does this set-up seem sufficient for a large tank with big fish or have i wasted my time and money?
I have a 175 (72"Lx20"W and 30"T) I use sand, large rocks and driftwood. I run a 1200gph pump through a single right rear overflow and returns through a single return on the left. I have modified my CPR 194 wetdry by adding a 7"x16" filter sock that i change 2x/week and tons of biomedia (bioballs rated at 140g and ceramic rings rated at 200g+, plus the bio-floss that came with the wet/dry rated at 200g) I don't know how most feel about carbon but keep 2lb and change is bi-monthly or more. I have the water routed so that it flows through the sock, then carbon, then filter floss then it falls over bio-floss, then through submerged pot scrubbies, bioballs and ceramic rings. I do 30-40% WC a week and will increase as fish grow is size and number. I test weekly and Amm-0, nitrites-0, nitrates are always undetectable and my pH is stable at 7.2 so i assume my system works. I shut my system down when i feed so that the food doesn't end up in the filter. when this happenes my sump fills up to the rim and i leave it off for about 10 minutes. Am i loosing any of the BB in my wetdry by leaving it submerged for 10 min?

 

[Peter McFarlane]

This is the first tank that i have really customized on the filter and water flow. Does this set-up seem sufficient for a large tank with big fish or have i wasted my time and money?
I have a 175 (62"Lx20"W and 30"T) I use sand, large rocks and driftwood. I run a 1200gph pump through a single right rear overflow and returns through a single return on the left. I have modified my CPR 194 wetdry by adding a 7"x16" filter sock that i change 2x/week and tons of biomedia (bioballs rated at 140g and ceramic rings rated at 200g+, plus the bio-floss that came with the wet/dry rated at 200g) I don't know how most feel about carbon but keep 2lb and change is bi-monthly or more. I have the water routed so that it flows through the sock, then carbon, then filter floss then it falls over bio-floss, then through submerged pot scrubbies, bioballs and ceramic rings. I do 30-40% WC a week and will increase as fish grow is size and number. I test weekly and Amm-0, nitrites-0, nitrates are always undetectable and my pH is stable at 7.2 so i assume my system works. I shut my system down when i feed so that the food doesn't end up in the filter. when this happenes my sump fills up to the rim and i leave it off for about 10 minutes. Am i loosing any of the BB in my wetdry by leaving it submerged for 10 min?

good thinking turning it off while they eat, but that'll get annoying really quick if you have to do it daily/twice a day.

also i'd be worried about the water level in the sump being so close to the rim.

i think your media setup wise is fine.

any bb loss would be minimal (if any) i wouldn't worry about that.

 

[Dr Joe]

Well, it's hard to argue with success.

If your chemistry is holding solid, stick with it.

Now for the BUT...

Your didn't say how big the fish are and/or if they're still growing...(know where I'm going with this?) You don't have any room for expansion from what I can see in the picture.

As far as the bio-media, there's no problem with it being covered, if you have to shut it down over 20-30 minutes, just circulate some tank water thru it manually.

Good work, now time for you to build a bugger tank ,

Dr Joe

.

 

[Drags22s]

media works much better if its not underwater. The more oxygen the media/water gets the healthier your tank will be(not to say it doesnt work, it works better with oxygen) plus a loss of power might flood your home. overall it is a real nice set up.

 

[toehead11183]

I keep an eye on the water level in the sump, it won't overflow. The fish are all juvies.
6" veil tail tiger oscar WILL PROBABLLY SELL LATER, DON'T REALLY LIKE HIM
6)2-6" BPs. WIFES FISH, HAVE TO KEEP
5" senegal bichir KEEPER UNLESS PROB WITH LOACHES
7" O.niger. GROWING SLOWLY BUT FUTURE ZOO FISH
3" pictus FUTURE SELL, DON'T LIKE
3" Spotted bullhead FUTURE POND FISH
4" albino pleco I TRADE THEM OUT WHEN THEY HIT 6-9"
14) 3" clown loaches GOING NOWHERE

 

[packer43064]

Well, it's hard to argue with success.

If your chemistry is holding solid, stick with it.

Now for the BUT...

Your didn't say how big the fish are and/or if they're still growing...(know where I'm going with this?) You don't have any room for expansion from what I can see in the picture.

As far as the bio-media, there's no problem with it being covered, if you have to shut it down over 20-30 minutes, just circulate some tank water thru it manually.

Good work, now time for you to build a bugger tank ,

Dr Joe

.

Bugger tank, lol. What kinda bugs you keep Dr. Joe, lol.

 

[Peter McFarlane]

Bugger tank, lol. What kinda bugs you keep Dr. Joe, lol.

i hear he's got a few wild caught buggers

 

[Muske]

Once the BB has been stagnat for an hour+ is when concerns start. If it is only for a few minutes your fine. I was thinking the water level is really high in the sump as well...