Alright, so when I'm done water proofing the basement I will have to pour a new floor and hang some drywall. After that I want a big friggin tank. I'm thinking like 15' x 2' x 2'. Freshwater river scene with south American cichlids. I think that comes in around 400 gallons or so. I'll probably do a sump tank for filtration, seems like that would be the most economical with the most options. I would probably also rig up an auto drip system to avoid water changes. The tank and stand would definitely be a diy acrylic and wood combo. Am I forgetting anything...
Big fish tank pipe dream
- Thread starter FishDad
- Start date
haha, don't you have your hands full with you reef?
but yeah that sounds awesome though expensive. choosing FW is great because water changes would be easier (I still recommend one once or twice a year). you can just use tap water i am assuming.
you can get some epic SA plecos in there! and some of the biggest species of corydoras and hoplos too. let us know when you'll be doing this
How would you filter it?, i know you said sump, but with algae scrubber? with carbon? will it be planted or just driftwood and rocks with sand/river gravel?
I always wanted to do a big 125gal+ tank for FW but have it filled with sailfin mollies. idk what it is about them but they are just awesome fish. and plecos+ cories of course.
Will you be getting any SAEs for that tank? you'll want a good CUC unless you're making it a biotope tank. I have some great ideas for a CUC for FW tanks.
but yeah that sounds awesome though expensive. choosing FW is great because water changes would be easier (I still recommend one once or twice a year). you can just use tap water i am assuming.
you can get some epic SA plecos in there! and some of the biggest species of corydoras and hoplos too. let us know when you'll be doing this
How would you filter it?, i know you said sump, but with algae scrubber? with carbon? will it be planted or just driftwood and rocks with sand/river gravel?
I always wanted to do a big 125gal+ tank for FW but have it filled with sailfin mollies. idk what it is about them but they are just awesome fish. and plecos+ cories of course.
Will you be getting any SAEs for that tank? you'll want a good CUC unless you're making it a biotope tank. I have some great ideas for a CUC for FW tanks.
When I lived in Florida, I snorkeled a lot in rivers (careful of the alligators!). We used to see huge massive shoals of sailfins. They were about 4-5 inches long, some individuals topping 6. What a beautiful fish (and often overlooked for fresh, brackish, or full marine tanks), indeed. And when they all changed direction, their fins shot up as they banked around. Awesome!
yeah male sailfin's behaviors are truly beautiful with that huge dorsal. I used to have one harlequin sailfin male at one point but sold him when i stopped planted tanks.
also had wild sailfin mollies from Florida that you speak of! though i did not get a good strain and none of the males grew large and all had short dorsals, what a letdown
also had wild sailfin mollies from Florida that you speak of! though i did not get a good strain and none of the males grew large and all had short dorsals, what a letdown
Don't water proof too good. That 400g might need a way out. LOL!
Sounds like a nice future plan. If I ever get a big tank, that's where mine would go. In the basement. I've got a large, finished room down there that's pretty much all a kid play room at the moment.
FWIW, I have no idea what I've got in regards to water proofing, but the fella who built the house in 1972 had to do something right given the house it basically at the bottom of a hill. No sump-pump due to the slope of my property.
Sounds like a nice future plan. If I ever get a big tank, that's where mine would go. In the basement. I've got a large, finished room down there that's pretty much all a kid play room at the moment.
FWIW, I have no idea what I've got in regards to water proofing, but the fella who built the house in 1972 had to do something right given the house it basically at the bottom of a hill. No sump-pump due to the slope of my property.
I live on the edge of a ravine and I had to gut a room to waterproof it after the foundation cracked. and for some reason instead of running the tile around the house and directing it over the hill they ran it to a sump inside the house and then pump it back out of the house into the front yard. we dug up the sump outlet and reran it over the hill. but dumb that they put in a sump to begin with. 20 feet off the back of the house is a ravine with a creek. seems like a natural logical choice to run it down there instead of inside then back out. my dad and I thought about redoing the whole thing next spring.
Newman I'd probably do a ton of bio balls for filtration. Probably wont run mechanical though. In fact I have stopped running mech filtration on all my tanks. Not necessary imho.
Some big plecos would be nice. No plants, never really been interested in planted tanks. It will be a nice home for my electric blue JD. Maybe a jaguar cichlid too.
Thyra they'll just inherit fish tanks. I see no problems there...
This is still more than a year away. I have 2/3 of the foundation to still water proof. Plus finishing the interior.
Some big plecos would be nice. No plants, never really been interested in planted tanks. It will be a nice home for my electric blue JD. Maybe a jaguar cichlid too.
Thyra they'll just inherit fish tanks. I see no problems there...
This is still more than a year away. I have 2/3 of the foundation to still water proof. Plus finishing the interior.
but aren't bio-balls kind of mechanical? and why not run mechanical? I collect tons of garbage every few days from my filter. I am amazed how much only a few fish produce. It's those darned snails! it's all their fault lol.
mechanical isn't best for reef, but for FW i do not see a problem using a sponge in a filter...or filter floss sometimes. that's what mechanical is (It also helps the bio filter at the same time)
Did you mean chemical?
mechanical isn't best for reef, but for FW i do not see a problem using a sponge in a filter...or filter floss sometimes. that's what mechanical is (It also helps the bio filter at the same time)
Did you mean chemical?
No I mean mechanical. No chemical either. Just bio. My wife and I are very good about not over feeding. If on the occasion the substrate looks a little grimy I'll vacuum it but I had to do that with mechanical anyway. I really haven't seen any obvious problems. No deaths, algae, smell, coloration or anything like that. Saves me maintenance. Plus those stupid marineland cartridges can get pricy as they add up. Probably been about 6 months now.
Btw this is very close to what I am thinking for color scheme and over all mood, if that makes any sense.
Btw this is very close to what I am thinking for color scheme and over all mood, if that makes any sense.
