New 400 gallon Freshwater setup

[williamrandel]

I am in the process of installing a 400 gallon (72" x 37" x 36") freshwater display as part of a custom interior for a client. I have 20+ years under my belt with salt water systems from FO to full blown reef. My problem is that my freshwater knowledge is somewhat limited, primarily in the equipment side of things. My biggest concern is filtration and flow inside the tank. The client has been vague to this point in regards to species of fish. The only answer I have been given is "indigenous to the area" (Central Alabama). I am planning to use a sump, which raises the question, do I use a wet/dry or ...(insert suggestion here!). I would never even consider a W/D for salt, but the more I read, this may be the way to go. The current plan is to not have a planted tank, but the option is still there. I do have a large budget (+10k) that will allow for anything needed. I have attached a rendering of the thru-wall side for reference. Thanks in advance for the advise and suggestions

 

[1986com]

waste of a tank in my eyes I would of put some nice monster in that tank lol

 

[Deep Blue Sea]

^agreed

 

[tanharold]

+1

 

[williamrandel]

Never said it was what i wanted to do with it. When it is someone else's $$$ it kind of forces your hand. Now with that out of the way, are there any suggestions for this application?

 

[BayArea_510]

a bunch of fx5's or whats the stock big fish or little fish and how many

 

[thecoolguy]

i would make it easy....

120-180gal sump - 3 chambers

1) filter socks
2) bio media / heater / air stones --- this will obviously be the largest chamber by far
3) pump

with sponges in between each chamber, and i guess you could add in a UV loop depending on the lighting/sun conditions that the tank will have

2 x 1.5" drains, 2 x 1" returns

if need be - you could add in an fx5 for extra mech and some additional water movement - i doubt it will be needed

sounds like a nice budget you get to work with

 

[lungfishlover]

i would go with bluegill, red ear sunfish and some smallmouth bass. having done some research they are all native to alabama - you could even throw a chanel cat in there though i dont know how it would fare with the rest of the inhabitants.

as for decor - a large pece of bogwood in the centre with some moss growing on it to give it a natural feel. and some rounded river stones on sand for the base...

 

[jcardona1]

Never said it was what i wanted to do with it. When it is someone else's $$$ it kind of forces your hand. Now with that out of the way, are there any suggestions for this application?

Don't listen to those guys. Most guys on this site are close-minded and live in a bubble, and think that only monster fish are where it's at. I couldn't disagree more. Planted community tanks are much more beautiful than a boring tank with a few big fish.

Sumps are the way to go for large tanks. I run sumps on all my tanks, I even had a 10g sump on my heavily planted 57g tank. I usually try to get a sump that's 20-30% of the tank's volume. And just because you run a sump doesn't mean you can't have a planted tank with co2 injection like most folks believe. I've done it, and it works perfectly. I would also recommend installing a Herbie or Beananimal overflow system. Not only will this cut down on noise, but it reduces the excessive gurgling and water splashing that would gas off your co2 - if you go the planted route. Here's a thread I posted on another forum about making a silent sump/overflow setup for use with co2: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/equipment/130344-sumps-bad-co2-myth.html

For the sump, I'd use filter socks for the mechanical filtration. I'd also avoid the conventional wet/dry. I like using sumps with no drip trays, dividers, or baffles, and using submerged ceramic media. Again, helps with co2 loss, and just makes for a cleaner setup, not to mention how easy it is to build!

Just my two pennies

 

[pshtex]

sunfish, bluegill, pumpkin seed, spotted bass, white bass, redeye bass. u could even possibly do crappie, bowfin, trout, flounder, pike. i am not sure on max sizes for all these fish but they can all be found in alabama and all over the south u have your choice of monsters you can put in there. i know nothing of compatibility.

and i agree with the sump idea it will be easier of you clients to deal with than a bunch of canisters.

i would also recommend a drip system be installed to make it easier on your clients.