Tank, setup, filtration, water changes

Justin Martin

Candiru
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Aug 11, 2018
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howdy boys and girls,

I know there is already a thread In the general dedicated to this topic, but I’d like to hear what specifically works best for you guys housing these Amazonian monsters.

I’m tetering on pulling the trigger on a 375 to be a temporary forever home for at least two peas and a silver aro.

We all know managing a 180 is much different than a 300+. How many of you guys are using drip systems? How do you guys efficiently handle such a large bio load? What are your monthly running costs? Do’s and donts. Lessons learned. Minimizing maintenance. Any and all information is greatly appreciated!

Ps, I love pictures! Please share!!!
 
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Bertie07

Peacock Bass
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Aug 27, 2017
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One thing I’m building to help keep nitrates down is a nitrate reactor. I’m doing a external one as I don’t have a sump but I’m sure if you get a 375 you would get a sump on is so it would be much easier. It’s to help me cut down on large water changes every week and hopefully just stick to 50% a week.
 
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cigars

Goliath Tigerfish
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May 3, 2011
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So I guess I will show what I have set up for my tanks

For the 600 gallon I have a 110 gallon Rubbermaid stock tank for my sump stuffed with ceramic media, marine pure blocks, I have a 5 gallon Home Depot bucket full of eheim media. 2x jebao 12000lph return pumps that pump through 2 nu-clear canister filters with extensions one is converted to k3 reactor the other I still use the pleated filter 2x 100 micron. Three 7”x36” filter socks and a UV sterilizer

6E5DE27A-E22E-422B-B429-3873ECD889AE.jpeg
1C0EBAD9-6D87-45D6-BBA6-72FFEDBC569E.jpeg


I also run a closed loop filter with a wlim pond pump that pumps 3k gph through a (poor mans ultima) 21” Hayward pool sand filter stuffed with ultima 2 media

E5E7F7B2-3FD5-4ABB-A76B-43CB7E7FDC16.jpeg

In addition to these two set ups I also have a Rubbermaid trash can with about 50 liters of K1 maybe a little more can’t remember

0C4A0351-EFCE-4B7B-AF56-933D2D9B3762.jpeg 7EBBE3C4-E2CD-4D2D-BFB0-52D17D0991E6.jpeg

So that’s My filtration setup on my 600 gallon I would love to add a drip system but as of right now old fashion water changes I just flip the sand filter to waste or backwash when I want to clean it and dump the water out the basement door i do about a 500 gallon water change once a week on it. I add prime at the amount to treat 1000 gallons my total system is close to that

The 180 gallon I run just a 75 gallon sump I diy’d into a K1 reactor it has one 7”x36” filter sock and a jebao 5000 lph return pump

D806C806-CF26-49DC-B3E9-F0E9A15CE131.jpeg

Future filtration addition to this tank will be a wlim glass filter with a reeflo hybrid gold pump haven’t installed it yet I have everything. I change approximately 90% during water changes I add prime to treat 300 gallons with the sump it’s probably close to 250 gallons give or take.

I’m not sure on monthly running cost but I know when I added the wlim pond pump it added approximately $35.00 dollars to my monthly electric bill small price to pay for the hobby I love so much.
 

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Goliath Tigerfish
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Here is a pic of my 600 gallon from the end it’s pretty clear looking through 8ft

24275015-2F36-4115-94DA-5AB7B29884ED.jpeg
 

Justin Martin

Candiru
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Aug 11, 2018
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Wow crystal clear. I’d say you’ve got more than enough filtration on the 600. I’m planning on running a 180 gallon sump at this point but I’m still not sure how this is all going to pan out. I rent right now so I may use an old 275 tall acrylic tank and sump out an 80 gallon I’ve got in the garage.


Can’t get over how clear that water is. My growout is a Blackwater tank and I’d really love my end tank to be as well, just messy. I can tell your fish are loving the water. A1 colors, beautiful fish brother.

I hope you don’t mind the 21 questions you’ll be receiving as I build my big setup lol
 

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Goliath Tigerfish
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Justin Martin Justin Martin lol I know it’s overkill this is monster fish keepers right? To be honest I was inspired by Hulon he started a thread if I remember right it was called evolving with your fish, as your fish grow the demand on your filtration increases (bio load) so what worked with the fish at 8-12” may not keep up at 20”+ so I went as big as possible from the beginning a lot of planning and diy went in to it. I know it’s not pretty but the filtration on this tank has worked flawlessly it took a lot longer to fully cycle than other setups I’ve had but K1 reactors and ultima media I believe take longer than ceramic media to seed so patience is key maybe it’s just me. Redundancy redundancy redundancy so different and multiple pumps are important in case you have one fail the system doesn’t fully shut down. I have come home to fish at the surface (low o2 levels) because of a pump that failed in a singular sump/pump filter set up. I also tend to stay clear of canister filters not that they don’t work but have not had great results using them. Also not saying simpler filtration set ups don’t work this is my preference from my lessons learned, still learning btw

Hopefully others will chime in good thread.
 

mrrobxc

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Nov 29, 2012
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Wow. Totally blown away by your system cigars cigars

With my 690 (535 internal dimensions), I have a 125 gallon sump running four 7” filter socks going through some potent foam before hey hit the chamber where I have a ton of seachem matrix. I supplement this with an Ultima 2000 pond filter.

I backwash 2/3’s of the water each week into my backyard. I may have to add to this overtime but my water is crystal clear.
 

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Goliath Tigerfish
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mrrobxc mrrobxc I followed your build thread for your tank post up some pics your set up is pretty damn sweet and clean! I am of the is it functional kind of guy it needs to work and work damn good.:)
 

mrrobxc

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mrrobxc mrrobxc I followed your build thread for your tank post up some pics your set up is pretty damn sweet and clean! I am of the is it functional kind of guy it needs to work and work damn good.:)
Thank you cigars cigars .

Here are some pics.

EDEAFF70-8862-43C8-9728-C12F366036F9.jpeg D14840A6-3743-4525-BDB0-7057074CDEAF.jpeg 2BEC9AE8-B0B7-403A-BD9B-6D16E927A581.jpeg
 

Justin Martin

Candiru
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Aug 11, 2018
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Damn both of you have me more pumped about my future system more than my fish!!! mrrobxc mrrobxc post some photos of that tank please !!!! What are you keeping?
 
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