150g New Tank

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

FireGirl

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Feb 20, 2004
Messages
15
Location
California
I just acquired this new tank and stand. Currently, I have a 36g Bow Front which houses African Cichlids. I will be setting up the new tank and relocating some of the larger Cichlids to it.

I would like suggestions on which filtration systems may work best with the larger tank. It came with a UGF, which I plan to incorporate into the system. The 36g tank has a UGF which is attached to a Fluval cannister, in addition to the hang-on filter. This setup works great with the smaller tank.

The dimensions for the 150g tank are:
48" - width
24" - depth
30" - height

I have placed this tank in our main entrance - a dramatic effect when you first open the door to enter - and will be visible from my home office. I will attempt to post a few photos.

I look forward to any suggestions. TIA

Patti
 
This is totally a matter of opinion, and one that gets a lot of discussion time, but I would skip the UGF, just because it is one more thing to have to maintain, and in a tank that size, running an airline hose under there periodically to suck out the accumulated debris is just not worth it. If you are happy with the one you have, then go for it. Many cichlids are diggers and sometimes it is hard to have a UGF with them, so keep that in mind.

I recommend a couple of Rena Filstar XP3 canister filters. Can't say enough good things about them, and Big Al's has the best prices. This is the best price performer, IMO.

Congratulations on this soon-to-be-fabulous tank, and do post some pics so we can drool!
 
I had never used a UGF, but don't the cichlids try to dig it up?
IMHO, I would scrap the UGF and go with a canister and HOB, or a couple of canisters. How many fish/what types are you going to be putting into the 150g? How many cichlids/which ones are currently in your 36g?
 
Hi FireGirl,

Yep, this is a loaded question as everyone has their own opinions. However, I like the Rena Filstar XP3 as well - in fact I run one on one of my 55 gallon freshwater.

Something I'd do if I was setting up another FW is grab an idea from the SW side, i.e. run an overflow box and use a sump. Not sure why this has not caught on in the FW arena - but this is the answer to excellent filtration as you are always extracting the water with the highest levels of DOC. Also this greatly aids in the diffusion of O2 into the water. Additionally considering your tanks dimensions, your tank has limited surface area per gallon of water (1152/150 = 7.68 sqIn/gallon, as an example a 125 long has 1296/125 = 10.4 sqIn/Gallon) and the additional surface area of the sump would be helpful.

I wouldn't use a trickle system though or bio-balls (i think this concept has had it's day). I would instead combine the sump approach with the canister approach.

Anyway seems this would be the ultimate: Overflow to a 30gallon sump, run a Blueline or Iwaki Pump (MD55R style) extracting from the sump and feeding into one of the oceanclear or nuclear canisters and then back up to the main tank. These canisters come in a veriety of styles you can even gang them together. You can load them with a huge variety of media and they have a huge capacity (I think something like 5 or 7 gallons).

I agree with Menagerie on scrapin' the UGF, though I think they get a worse rap then they deserve.

Just some thoughts.

Tom
 
In my current setup for the 36g, I use the UGF which is attached to a Fluval cannister. The cannister is pulling from under the UGF and runs through the filter. I also use the HOB to keep the water nice and clear. As far as the digging issue: Yes, they certainly do dig. However, I have a layer of gravel on top of the UGF which is covered by nylon screen. Another layer of gravel is placed on top of the screen. When they dig, they can only go down to the screen which prevents them from disturbing the layer on top if the UGF. It seems to work really great for this particular tank. In the larger tank, I will be using a larger gravel, such as crushed lava or something larger than what I currently have. This should take care of the issue of the digging.

The Cichlids I currently have are as follows:
1- Cyphotilspia frontosa Burundi
1- Neolamprologus leleupi orange
1- Neolamprologus pulcher "daffodil"
1- Aulonocara baenschi "Benga yellow"
1- Cytocara moorii "hap Morrii" (Blue Dolphin)
1- Metriaclima estherae "red zebra" (currently brooding in the nursery tank)
1- Pseudotropheus aurura Mozambique
1- Pseudotropheus elongates Chewere
1- Pseudotropheus socolofi albino "Snow white socolofi"
1- Pseudotropheus estherae Minos reef
2- Pseudotropheus polit
1- Labidochromis caeruleus "electric yellow"

I will be moving the larger ones to the new tank, such as the Frontosa, the Socolofi , the Hap Moorii, etc. The smaller fish will remain in the 36g tank.
 
Thanks for the input. Your suggestions are fantastic. I will skip the UGF and concentrate on the cannisters vs. the sump setup.
 
Very good suggestion, TheMad, and I am certainly interested in the sump concept whenever I get a larger tank. I've got an XP3 on my 55, and some might say it is overkill, but for me there is no such thing - I love that filter!
 
Thx TankGirl,

I too use that XP3 and love it - and I agree - there is no such thing as overkill on filtration, especially if you care about your little critters. If you have any questions on the Sump concept please feel free to ask away - I've done this in a few tanks one of which was a 125 fresh a while ago. My current FW tanks I did not, and every time I see that film on the surface I shudder. I know you can get some of this with a surface extrator but bottom line - the overflow really is a great approach.

The XP3 is 350 GPH (rated) But I measured mine with media and it barely clocked 280 GPH.

Obviously rated while empty :)

Tom
 
I think most filters are rated while empty ('tis the rumor anyway), and that is why I usually bump up to the next larger filter than what is recommended for my tank. Even though it is a heavily planted tank where you don't generally want heavy water movement it is doing great and I am pleased.

I have an Eheim on my 44 and am equally pleased, but spent a lot more $$ on that than the Filstar.
 
Hello Everyone,

I did post a few pictures of the new tank in My Gallery. As soon as it is setup, I will post more photos.

Have a great day! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Patti
 
Nice lookin' tank! Can't wait to see it full of fish (...and water...and decorations... and substrate....)!
 
It is a very nice looking tank! :) Can't wait to see pics of it filled! I noticed it was half on carpet and half on the foyer flooring. Did you have to do something special to level it?
 
Yes - I measured a piece of plywood, cut it down to match the dimensions for the stand. The carpet is 1/2" pile and the tile is 1/4". With the weight of the full tank/stand, the carpet won't matter - it will be squished completely to the concrete slab. The issue is to compensate for the 1/4" tile. By adding another piece of plywood to the carpeted side (1/4" plywood piece attached to the full-size piece) it will make it level. I had another tank in this location and did this...made it perfectly level!

Also, cutting the plywood down to the exact size of the stand and running a router around the edge gives it a nice smooth edge. It also lets me place the plywood in a manner that will not be visible once the setup is complete.
 
Fantastic! Thanks for the quick explanation on this. I might have to do this myself some day, so I was interested. I was told by a family member I would not be able to level a tank very well that crossed from carpet to tile. So they're wrong! :)
 
Back
Top Bottom