120 Gallon Setup...here we go!

[Codefox]

I thought it'd be fun to post pictures as I slowly get my new tank set up. I was debating going with either a 60G or 120G tank several weeks ago and since size does matter...I went with the 120. Of course, this is significantly bigger than any tank I've done before so I haven't quite been ready for the amount of stuff I need!

The hardest part so far was just getting it upstairs since my house has a somewhat narrow staircase combined with a 90 degree turn at the top. I bought my friend dinner for helping me move it in. This was done on Dec 14th:

 

[Codefox]

I let the tank sit a couple weeks since my Python wasn't long enough to reach the tank to do a test fill and I got a bit busy with other things, so this past weekend I picked up a new Python (mine seemed kinda nasty anyway) and did a test fill.

I was thinking of using the UG filters to just have something on the bottom of the tank under the gravel but I ended up pulling those out in favor of egg crate since I didn't feel like trying to hide all of those tubes in the back and didn't want fish getting in there.

 

[Codefox]

So yesterday I finally got the gravel in the afternoon before the LFS closed. I wanted to use CaribSea African Cichlid Mix Rift Lake Authentic for the gravel since it really had a neat look with the gravel & shells mixed together. All the LFS had was the normal cichlid mix with mostly gravel. I ended up mixing half of that with half of crushed Aruba shells. Then I spent a few hours cleaning it out in my driveway and carrying it up to the tank. As you can see...I still ended up with very cloudy water! I also applied a black background...but you really can't see it atm.

I also put the egg crate in which took quite a while itself to cut to the right size.

And a closeup of the substrate:

 

[Codefox]

That's it for the moment. I need to go back to the LFS this weekend for the rocks. I'm planning on building the caves out of a combination of probably pagoda and quartz.

My filter hasn't gotten here yet. I'm hopeful but not expecting it to get in tommorrow. I think Monday is when it is scheduled to arrive. I figure it'll be another week or so before I get all of the rock formations in. Any suggestions on adhesives? I'd prefer not to have a collapse...

 

[Codefox]

Well my filter finally made it to Jacksonville so I guess I will get it on Monday as scheduled. I was really hoping it'd get here a little early but at least I'll have something to look forward to when I get home from work.

Tommorrow I may take a trip to a LFS called Marine Warehouse to see what rocks they have. I really want to get started on building the rocks up this week and if I can find some Safe Start, I'll try and pick up some fish next weekend! I'd like to start with a couple Synodontis njasse cats but I don't know how easy/hard it will be to find them.

 

[neilanh]

Congrats on the new tank!

Getting rocks from your LFS is a good idea because you don't have to ship them, causing major amounts of die off, but the cost is more than double what you can get on the 'net. Just something to think about.

I also think you should consider swapping out your substrate for sand. in the long run it will give you much less issues.

 

[Codefox]

Well, considering this is a rift lake setup I'm working on...I don't think I need to worry about either rocks dying or sand

 

[neilanh]

Hey, look at that, this is the FW forum.

My bad - just ignore me (most do anyways)

haha - that's kinda funny.

 

[Codefox]

I will keep the advice in mind for my future saltwater tank!

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

I would of had some sand in there because with rift lake setups, i'm guessing your getting cichlids in there. My cichlids also pick up sand in their mouths and spit it up somewhere else so they can make deeper bits in some caves i've made. I would have also skipped out on the underground filterr, those are just a big pain to clean, once you have to it's not going to be fun.


Besides that though, it looks pretty good, I do like the shell and gravel stuff you used.

 

[Codefox]

They can pick up gravel just as easily. And I'm not using a UG filter...I was only thinking of using it as protection for the bottom but changed my mind and went with egg crate.

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Ok lol, thats good.

 

[marchmaxima]

Congrats on the new tank Codefox. I like the substrate. I've not seen that type of substrate before.