proud owner of a 150 gallon tank~

[Tristanyyz]

Tomorrow, i will recieve my brand new 150 gallon tank!!!!! :bounce:

I have never worked with this size tank before...so this will be a new adventure. I have prepared however...i have set up for the ability to change up to 100gallons every two days, and pump the water quite efficiently with a magpump 950...water changes were more difficult with my current 35 gallon tank...the old fashioned way...

My question is...is their any preparations that i might wish to research specific to maintaining a 150 gallon tank??? I will be operating two Ehiem canasters...a 2128 thermal, and a 2215...

Any input would be greatly appreciated!!!

[slicksta]

Good Luck!!!!

To me everything is basicly the same.....just on a larger scale. I do the same for my 155 as I do my 72 and 20........
The only thing I would suggest is on a tank that size you may want to go Wet/Dry.....I did and I love it...........

[Tristanyyz]

Hey, thanks!

I was considering wet/dry, but ultimately went with the filters I have selected.

Any thoughts on cycling a 150 gallon tank? I was thinking of putting my wc's from my 35, (15 gallons/day) plus new RO say about 75 or so...and get it running that way.

I'm not sure I want to mess around with ammonia, raise the nitrates, etc...as suggested in some articles.

Anyways, I am going to recieve the monster tank late this afternoon, I am anxious...its like Christmas!

[pops]

hi "T",
great now what is the size-LxWxH in ins for us dummys in us. ; ??? ??? ::) ;D

[Tristanyyz]

Well interesting you should ask...I was previously looking at a 125 gallon tank that was 72L X 24H X 18W....and then the 150 caught my eye!

What I liked about the 150 was the extra height...being 72L X 30H X 18W...an extra 6 inches to be precise!!!!

I thought, once my juveniles grow out a bit, they would be happy to have the extra height that the 150 offered, which by the way...with that volume calculation, L X H X W X 0.0042, it comes out to 163 gallons, give or take...

Once I get things running, I will have 3 Golden Angels, 2 Pigeons, 1 Super Blue Angel, 1 Solid Red, 1 Blue Scorpion and hopefully 1 Blue Diamond, (he is in the hospital tank right now)...above this, I have on order 2 Wild Rio I'ca's and Heckels which wont be available till the fall.

There is an adult extra large Red Pigeon available right now and my god he looks juicy!!! He looks like a big 8" ketchup flavoured potato chip, I would love to get him for this tank...but i fear he his too big as my other guys vary from 2-3.5 inches, and my Solid Red is only 1 inch...he would gobble him up for a snack :o

Thanks for your reply John...btw...im always very careful with reading my water temperatures....was that 30F or C or 86C or F or the other way around or something...here in Canada, we arent on the metric system...we kind of don't know both systems..."huh, how many litres?, how many gallons is that"

[paulmat]

Tristan
Just make sure your tank is level,with that size tank it is more important than smaller ones that it is level,so you don't blow out the low end.

Paul :guitarist:

[Mr. Limpet]

Tristan, Just wait till you get it filled. A big tank looks good just full of water. Who made the tank? Is it custom or standard? I'm trying to convince my wife that we need a custom tank to build an entertainment system around. I really want a 60x30x30, but I think it is gonna be too expensive. The little research that I have done indicated that anything over 24" high gets expensive quickly. Was the jump from 24 to 30 in height a dramatic change in price? Have fun, Paul.

[Dennis_Hardenburge]

Most important be sure your floor can support the wieght.
Tank and water you are talking about 1,600 pounds
Dennis

[Willie]

Major problem for a 150 gallon growout is how to wipe down the bottom of that tank. You need chimpanzee arms to reach that far down.

Willie

[Tristanyyz]

We shimmed the tank to almost perfect. We were able to find these shims made from engineered composite material...i think this tank is staying put :)


Yes this tank was a standard tank. And it was about $500 more than the 125 gallon i was looking at, that was 6 inches shorter in height. Part of the additional cost was the need for another filter. The tank glass is thicker aswell for a 150...as for "our entertainment center", the tank is set up and about 65% filled at the moment, at the foot of our King size bed...now thats entertainment!!! It looks amazing filled, my girlfriend and I just sat there looking at the tank, watching the one filter now hooked up starting to cycle water...I got really nice lights too, however, its very very very bright....more for a planted tank, I think i spent too much on this special lighting...you can see the glow from these lights from a distance as you approach the bedroom, it looks like an episode from the x-files, with the bright lights, minus the aliens.

Our floor is re-enforced concrete, no problems there 8), we are cool! It looks fantastic...I cant wait for the tank to be cycled, so I can start stocking... ::)

[Tristanyyz]

Yes, I noticed that...i guess i will need to start hanging to stretch my arms a bit...or buy a chimp...

[Tristanyyz]

oh yeah, my girlfriend reminded me that SHE infact was the chimp this afternoon when we prepared the tank for water today...lol :o

[Richman]

Congratulations on your new tank! Nothing more exciting than setting up an awesome tank that is the center of attention in the room. I think everyone should have one. Waiting for it to cycle can try one's patience because you want fish in it right away. That is one of the reasons I keep extra filtration on all my tanks. Where I need one HOB, I have two. Where I need one sponge filter, I have two, etc. That way all you have to do is fill the tank, add a couple of already cycled filters and you have enough bio to start adding fish. Then hook up your canisters, and in no time they will be able to handle the load by themselves. Enjoy!!!!

[Tristanyyz]

Thanks ;D

It will take some time to cycle thru, I am using some water from my other tanks to get some biology happening in the tank.

Why have one if you can have two?

I bought a 55 gallon storage tank recently, and set it up with a magpump, power head and heater, all of excellent quality...i liked it so much i bought another one, and set it up with more heaters and power heads aswell, the pump i will transfer over from reservoir to reservoir, as it was kind of expensive.

The tank is beautiful tho, i dont know what i like more, the tank or the pumps and filters and stuff ;D

[Wolf]

Water from your old tank wont help the 150g cycle. Especially, if there is no ammonia for the bacteria to feed off of. I would take all the sponges out of your old tanks and put them in the 150g and transfer the fish over.

[Tristanyyz]

Great idea.

I think i will take my existing canister filter and hook it up to the new tank, and start cycling along with the new filters.

Any objections???

[Dennis_Hardenburge]

Tristanyyz
Sounds like you have it all together.
Like Willie said the biggest pain is the tank cleaning.
What a great place for the tank, my wife won't let me have one in the bedroom, darn it.
Good Luck
Dennis

[Tristanyyz]

My girlfriend and I are laughing right now as we lay here in bed by the new tank....

I can now sleep beside my girlfriend, AND my discus ;D ;D ;D

[Mr. Limpet]

Just be careful not to pay more attention to the fish! As for reaching the bottom, a new sponge type toilet bowl cleaner or some other gadjet can be used, Just make sure it is not treated with anything. Paul.

[slicksta]

Water from another tank will do nothing to cycle a tank....you need to take filter media.....sponges are best.
but don't do that till you have a few fish in the tank.....with no waste to feed the bacteria.....the will die quickly....
best bet is to start with a few fish and a sponge for a month....then you should be set. you will know when you start to get a few nitrates in the tank...........

[Mr.Trips]

Becareful of any hanky panky in front of the Discus, would hate to scare them!
;D

[Tristanyyz]

I made sure the bed doesnt touch the stand...lol.

Think i should put up a curtain? :P

[Shari]

Hey and BIG Congrats!! Boy do I know how your feeling right now. I came home yesterday with a brand new 120 gal for my living room. It's only 60" long but wider and higher than my 55 which is being moved to another room.

Have a question for any of you who may know the answer:
over three tanks in the house I have 15 Discus which includes two wilds.
Now the wilds have been with me 6mos. and more or less have been parenting 4 of the domestics who are now close to 4" in size. When I set up the new tank I can put the wilds into a 55 gallon alone or should I keep them with the others they have spent all this time with - which are going into the 120 gallon. They don't seem to be a couple, I think two females probably, one a Red Spotted Tefe, the other a regular Wild Green. (they are all in tap water 7.6 and lots of driftwood) so waters will all be the same. I just wonder if they would truly be happier along, or maybe later get a couple more young wilds for these two to set up a group together.
All ideas appreciated.

I'm so happy, so happy soooo !!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D :D :bounce2: :bounce2: :bounce2: :bounce2: :bounce2: :bounce: :thumbsup:

[Tristanyyz]

I think it depends on what you plan to do with your 55g tank. Do you want to make babies??? Or another show tank???

IMO, I would be sensitive to the groupings. If you have noticed that those 6, the 2 wilds and the 4 domestic, really like hanging out, I would try to keep them together. A 120g is a big tank and can handle 12 discus no problem...I would put them all in there, and see if they pair off at all, if thats what u are interested in....that would be my interest. Then I would have a smaller tank ready, and transfer the paired off in their own little tank of love ::)

Just what I would do...

[Lance_Krueger]

Tristanyyz,
Funny. I just bought a used 150 gallon Oceanic (72x18x30) that I was planning to put at the end of my wife's and my water bed. I'm planning on making it a see through show tank that can be viewed from either side. I'm planning on building a custom cabinet stand and hood that will look like all one piece (wood will be on all sides, top, bottom and sides), since it will cover each end, and have a gap of about 6" on each side that will be a vertical extension of the stand. This covered area on each end of the tank will allow me to run hidden hoses for the overflow and return of my wetdry below. Of course my heaters, CO2 reactor, and everything will be hidden in the wet-dry below in the stand. I plan to have each of the ends heavily covered with tall plants (to cover up any pipes, returns, overflows, etc.), and only sporadic plants in the middle so it can be see through, and will give my discus a place to swim.
Originally I was going to put my 200 gallon Oceanic at the end of our bed, but with it being 7' long, it was just too wide for the end of a king sized bed. The 6' length tank at the end of a king size bed seems about right.
Good luck with your venture. Let us know how it goes.

Mr. Trips,
I have two of my breeder pairs in 30 gallon tanks right next to my side of the bed. When there's hanky panky going on between my wife and I, both pairs like to watch. :o It cracks my wife up. One time, my wife and I and one of the pairs were spawning at the same time. ;D Yeah, I know, I'm weird. :-\
Lance Krueger

I have two of my breeder pairs in 30 gallon tanks right next to my side of the bed. When there's hanky panky going on between my wife and I, both pairs like to watch. :o It cracks my wife up. One time, my wife and I and one of the pairs were spawning at the same time. ;D Yeah, I know, I'm weird. :-\

Ay yi yi, hope you don't get into swapping. You'll never get rid of that fishy smell.

[Wolf]

Your one lucky man ;D. I can't tallk my girlfriend into letting me put a tank in the bedroon yet and when my fish spawn she won't even watch she thinks it's gross.... ???

[Carol_Roberts]

Fish tanks in the bedroom can be an integral part of the decor.

Every bedroom should have an indoor water feature. The sound of the water circulating in the tanks lulls you to sleep, the extra moisture in the air reduces snoring and the 86 degree heat given off by the tanks makes the room toasty warm. . . I had three tanks when this was taken, now I have four . . . ;)

[seagul]

i agree. But my parents find them a bit noisy to fall asleep :P

[Tristanyyz]

Preliminary 150g set-up pics...

[Tristanyyz]

and another...

[Tristanyyz]

some more.... ;D

[Tristanyyz]

one more... ::)

[Shari]

Beautiful pics. Thanks for sharing - a little blurry but Discus look like they have great color too.

Hey Carol - as usual I must tell you how much class you have. The past pics I've seen with the Discus and lovely wallpaper behind, now the bedroom - YUMMY!!!

Actually since I work for a living, and have two dogs, I can't get into the breeder thing seriously - YET at least. But everyone told me I should keep my wilds seperate so now I'm confused - I'll have 2 55 gallons and one 120 gallon - I would think putting my wilds alone - or getting a few more young wilds for them to set up a nice group would be best, but still unsure if the four domestics they more than not raised should be removed from them - they are getting pretty large now and the wilds mostly stop them all from their little internal squabbles.
Carol and Brewmaster in particular can you give me your opinions please. By the way all my little worm and fungus problems are gone in part thanks to your prazi and temp information in past. Thanks in advance.
P.S. the tank goes up next Saturday so I've got to make decisions.

[Carol_Roberts]

Since you are not breeding right now I'd just do it the way you want to. You can group by pleasing color combinations, size, type or compatibility . . . .

[Shari]

Carol thanks for the info. I have actually also thought of the color issue per your writing to me. I love my discus totally in part I think because they, of all fish I've ever had, actually seem to have feelings that they show very well.
Question - I've got two couples also, about 2 years old each, maybe mated for about 6 mos to 8 mos each couple - a few spawnings and a few hours of free swimmers a couple times, that's about it - is it cruel to split couples up? Both of these pairs happen to be female Pidgeon Bloods with Red Turquoise Scribble males so I wouldn't even be producing 'good bloodlines' - asking because I have thought very seriously of putting my reds/oranges in one tank, the blues in another-pondering it.
Again, don't want to 'hurt' them if you know what I mean. ???

[Carol_Roberts]

Lol. most of them are happy to swap mates from time to time.

[Shari]

Oooo, I love your answers. If they seem heartsick, I'll work it out for them! ;)