180 Gallon Set up

[mareshow]

alright, so i just got my 180 gal today and its HUGE (compared to my old tank that is) anyways what i'm doing with it is i've already put some whitest white sand on the bottom and i've put the driftwood in (so hopefully it will sink!) i would take a picture but all you can see is white lol (sand needs to settle)

for the technical side i went with:
FX5-Flows really nicely not too fast as all
2 250W Jagers
2 36" T5 HO with a color enhancing bulb and a 67k daylight bulb in each
i found that this is pretty bright so i'm probably going to tone it down ALOT
and a Fusion 700

As for Decor... Rather than explain this your all just going to have to wait for the pictures of when its done because frankly i think its going to look gorgeous!

Stocking the tank has been an issue for me as i would like to keep it with just South American Fishes so i've chosen these

10-20 Cardinal Tetras (this is an iffy, depending on if the tankmates eat them or not!)
8-12 Discus (i have eight but i'm mighty tempted to get 4 more!! )
2 Potamotrygon Scobina (stingrays for those wondering)
heres a couple pics of them (they are currently in Germany but will get shipped to me very soon!)


The reason for my Upgrade was for these beauties, they grow to be about a foot across and i'm hoping to breed them.
anyways back to tankmates...
1 Black or Silver Arowana- yeah yeah yeah i know what all of you are saying, it will eat everything but i plan to get a tiny one and raise it with my discus, if i notice fish disappearing the aro will disappear lol

I'll give you more information and take some pictures the moment i can because currently unless you like staring into dense fog, my pics wont do you much good!

thanks for reading
Marek

P.S. If you have any suggestions as to plants please let me know, i would like to attach some java ferns to the wood but we shall see about that. As for any other suggestions i'm all ears! i want to hear what you guys think, from one enthusiast to another

[bettebulldog]

Sounds like a really cool tank. I dont think arrow's are from SA and they get huge. That would be quite a load with the rays and all other fish. I would keep the bottom open with nothing in the way for the rays. Just a sand bottom. Would love to see some pics.

[Harriett]

Hi, nice set up and congratulations. I do have a few suggestions, since you have asked for feedback. [I also have a 180g planted discus tank].
1. I found that the 180 pushes the FX5 a bit further than it can go and I ended up supplementing with a 1200 Cascade canister filter to get the level of filtering needed for my set up, so plz be watchful of filtering quality and see if your FX5 is covering the tank needs solo. [I also use the smaller canister to run CO2 through]
I made a spray bar from PVC for the FX5 which is set up like this: The output pipe into the tank attaches to a vertical PVC pipe and goes to the sand substrate. The spray bar comes off an elbow at the bottom of the vertical PVC and the holes are pointed up, so the water coming out of the spray bar runs up the bar wall and gently over the water surface.
This is positioned in the middle of the tank. The cascade has a spray bar that is about 2" below the water surface and is on the tank short side, so that spray bar pushes water down the length of the tank. Because of the footprint size of the tank, I was still getting a bit of protein scum on the surface at the far end of the tank so put in one of those $12 or $15 surface skimmers from Foster smith which is hooked up to the FX5 intake pipe.
2. If you are going to have the rays in there, any plants you have should probably be fixed to the driftwood with fishing twine or unwaxed dental floss, because the rays are going to plow up anything you plant in the sand..
3. I think your fish load as described is certainly doable for the tank, but I wouldn't go beyond what you have said for numbers. I suspect you will need a supplemental filter, to be honest.
4. Putting an arrowana in there I think is a poor idea. I think it may be that you are fascinated by them and think it would look cool, but in terms of your discus, they are going to vibe it as a predator when it gets to a larger size and they will probably be stressed out. Stress makes discus vulnerable to all manner of health issues.
Start an arowana tank now or another time and have a peaceful discus tank....
5. Sometimes dumping cards in with discus goes just fine, other times not so much. Don't buy cheap cards, they just die. They require a VERY slow acclimation period and as you already know, QT anything going into this project with the 8 discus you already have.
6.Shortcuts rarely work out well for the fish.
Very best regards and good luck on this great project.
Harriett

[mareshow]

thanks for the input i really appreciate it! i dont think i'm going to add the aro (if i do) until the tank is established, also i was planning on attaching the plants to the driftwood and the rocks but thats further down the road when i can see into the tank! lol as for another filter do you really think it is necessary? apparently this thing is good for a 400g tank and i'm on a 180 not even 50% so... but i would like to add another canister for small filtration.

[Harriett]

I know it's rated for 400gph [I believe companies ALWAYS overrate that figure]; I have had mine since they became available in the US several years ago, but I gotta tell you, I felt it wasn't doing as strong a job as it should on its own....I have a fairly well planted tank, usually 12-14 adult discus in there, a bunch of loaches and cories, etc. Sometimes a few other fish in there as well. Basically not at the upper limit of the 10g per discus rule, and even with the bio-filter from the plants, it just didn't quite do it. When I added the Cascade, the tank went to crystal clear and I felt the tank was humming, you know?
Also, it was an easy way from me to inject CO2, though I had other options to do that, of course.
On this size tank, I also feel a bit more secure knowing that if there is a filter failure, there is still another one going to keep the tank from going south while I fix the problem.
At one point I goofed up and ended up with a boat load of sand in the FX5 and I cracked the impeller--it took several days to get a new one and the Cascade kept the tank going.
Over the years I have learned to veer on the slightly understocked and over filtered side of the hobby--healthier more relaxed fish, healthier tank in general.
Just my advice.
Best of luck,
Harriett

[ChloroPhil]

Good advice Harriett! How's your tank looking these days?

[Harriett]

How thoughtful of you to ask! It's holding steady, you know I am the nitwit of the century about posting phtos, but anyhow at this point I have pulled all stem plants and it is a happy assortment of various swords and crypts meandering down the length of the tank, taking up the footprint of the middle third of the tank so they can swim freely behind and in front of the plants. I pulled the various driftwood set ups I have used in favor of visually finer branchy wood that stays mostly in the column and off the floor. There's a baker's dozen of discus, my colony of 9 Leopoldi angels, about 10 clown loaches and a bunch of cories, bristlenose, etc. It's holding nicely! [I had my first tank failure in an 80g planted Leopoldi tank and the 180 was the only place reasonable to toss them in that emergency--they all settled in well and so I have left them to it!]
Derek [D!INGO] gave me a dozen teeny Tiger pigeons when they were maybe 3/4 " long from that line he has--originally from Kenny--so I have been growing those guys out since August. I just landed an old 125g with the thick glass and no center brace in terrific condition for a $90!!!!! great deal, and actually this weekend I am going to get them into that tank to finish growing them out. At a year, I will introduce sand and plants, etc. We'll see how carried away that one gets!
Hope all is well with you and your tanks are sailing along well! What projects are you doing now, Phil?
Best regards,
Harriett

[DiscusFreakaZoid]

Cant wait to see the fish in the tank. Id get a jardini instead of a aro. jardinis dont grow as fast as aros and dont get as big.

[Cakes]

Cant wait to see the fish in the tank. Id get a jardini instead of a aro. jardinis dont grow as fast as aros and dont get as big.

This is bad advice. A Jardini is an arowana, and possible the meanest of all. They will dominate that tank leading to the Jar being in a tank all by itself.

Your original choice, a Silver arowana would be your best bet if you are dead set on an Arowana. 90% of them are very peaceful and if you get a juvi and grow it out on sticks. It should remain peaceful if well fed and unless you kept under 2" discus it would leave them alone. With that being said it is still not an ideal setup for your discus.

Silver Arowanas are found in South America and Asia, it is a very old species.

[Disgirl]

Harriet, I would love to see your tank! Maybe someone can help you with pic taking and posting?
Barb

[Cakes]

Harriet is dead on regarding the FX5. I have a 180G and the FX5 cannot do it alone. Generally speaking you can cut tank size in half when it comes to ratings. I have mine setup in tandem with a wet dry. You should supplement the FX5 with another filter.

[mareshow]

hmmm i understand what you guys are saying and i think i'll get an XP3 or XP4 somewhere down the road. Cakes you are so right, Jardinis (from Australia originally) are the cruelest. and i will correct your statement Silvers and Black/Blue arowanas are from SA, Asian aros are very different and on the CITES list so pretty tough to import. The tank is still pretty Murky however so i think i'm going to siphon a lot of water out and then sift through the sand to get rid of the really small chunks. I touched the sand last night and there was a film on top so i think i'm going to try and remove that film

[ChloroPhil]

Mareshow,

What will you be feeding the rays? Have you considered buying a used Wet/Dry filter with HOB overflow? They've got the best filtration for the buck as far as I'm concerned and a good pump will give you all sorts of flow options.

Regards,
Phil

[DiscusFreakaZoid]

This is bad advice. A Jardini is an arowana, and possible the meanest of all. They will dominate that tank leading to the Jar being in a tank all by itself.

Your original choice, a Silver arowana would be your best bet if you are dead set on an Arowana. 90% of them are very peaceful and if you get a juvi and grow it out on sticks. It should remain peaceful if well fed and unless you kept under 2" discus it would leave them alone. With that being said it is still not an ideal setup for your discus.

Silver Arowanas are found in South America and Asia, it is a very old species.

jars are aros but common aro is the silver and jardinis are a type of aro. ive had both and noticed jars dont get as big and grow slower. its hard to label temperament of fish but silvers are more peaceful but would have to have a huge tank to accomodate them.

[Cakes]

hmmm i understand what you guys are saying and i think i'll get an XP3 or XP4 somewhere down the road. Cakes you are so right, Jardinis (from Australia originally) are the cruelest. and i will correct your statement Silvers and Black/Blue arowanas are from SA, Asian aros are very different and on the CITES list so pretty tough to import. The tank is still pretty Murky however so i think i'm going to siphon a lot of water out and then sift through the sand to get rid of the really small chunks. I touched the sand last night and there was a film on top so i think i'm going to try and remove that film

My statement was correct. Silver arowana are found in Asia. I am not talking about Asian aros.

Australian Aros can also be a leichardti, and they are much more peacful then a Jar.