Help!!! Need Ideas!!!

[TinyPatFish]

Hi everyone, i just picked up a 120g tank today and i have no idea what to do with it. It has 2 corner overflows already with 2 holes on both sides on the bottom. I already have a 75 gallon bow front tank that is home to my cichlids. Needless to say i want to try something new. So if anyone can give me some advice on the set up i would greatly appreciate it. Keep in mind i only have the tank NOTHING ELSE, so tell me what i need to get to have a sweet tank. Looking forward to hearing your ideas!!

[Lawngnome]

Any ideas towards what you would like to do with it or what you want it to look like? Tons of information, we just need a little more detail.

[TinyPatFish]

I really dont know since it already has the overflows is it better to do a saltwater? I also would love to have a nice planted tank as well.

[Engel]

Ooooh, a planted discus tank! You could have five or six in a 120 gallon planted tank. This is my next tank, but it is not going to happen for like a year. So far I have read that they like a very low filtration system, like sponge or external canister. I also understand it is best to keep them in a moderately planted tank as opposed to dense since they like to swim, and because they like to feed from the bottom, and need spaces with bare gravel to pick their food from. They are particular about water quality, so I understand they are not necessarily easy to keep. Still they are worth it!

[TinyPatFish]

The discus tank sounds like a good idea and looks really cool but i want to get fish that the average person doesn't have. Like Dragon fish, Arowana, shovelnose, sharks, eel types and just plain old weird fish, i don't know what is compatible with what tho. I want people to look ant the tank and be like "WOW"! I am leaning more towards the planted tank now considering it is hundreds of dollars cheaper than salt water lol....i would also like to have a good amount of rocks in the tank so i can build caves myself.

[Smitty]

Well... I can tell you the average person doesn't have discus that I know of because they are harder to keep than the average.

Just because a tank is pre-drilled does not mean you have to have a sump if you want to go another route. All you need to do is plug the hole (they make kits out of PVC to do this). You can also take off the overflows as well if you want. If you do want to run a sump setup, then it is already set up for that

Don't let the tank make the decision on how you proceed. Get an idea of what you and and plan for that. In the end you will be MUCH happier doing what you want.

[TinyPatFish]

Thanks Smitty i just what to get advice on the filtration i like fluval and have a 405 in my 75g bf tank. I should be getting 1200gph with the 120g tank right? Also would it be cheaper just going with the overflow and getting pumps for that cause it has the fittings with threads already just need to get the hoses and filter? What filters would you use? Thanks everyone for your input i really appreciate it.

[Smitty]

Honestly the tank type would determine which filter I would get over anything else. If doing FW I would use a large canister or 2 canisters and block off the drains (two 405s would be good if FW-I ran a 405 on my 55g tank). If doing SW I would run a sump for more water volume and for a skimmer, etc.

[TinyPatFish]

I probably going to go with a fw planted tank i can use my 405 from my 75 and just get a bio wheel or something for that one and then get another 405 for the 120g. Im also going to have some natural or slate rock caves too that i will build on my own. Check out my tank and tell me what you think i will have pic of the 120g project up soon. Also have 55g that i have no idea what to do with any ideas?

[Smitty]

I really like the drift wood you have set up in there.

If going FW it may be OK to take off the corner overflows (should only be held on by silicone anyway) and plug the holes. Two 405s should work out good.

I've kept a FW eel before and he was a lot of fun. I loved watching him come out of his hiding place to grab shrimp and stuff. Be sure to post up build pictures as you progress!

[AaronH]

how about getting an octopus not alot of people have them

[TinyPatFish]

You know i have actually thought about that but idk if it is legal to own them and where i could even find one. I've been to all of the lfs and haven't seen an octopus. It would be pretty sick to own an octopus.

[TinyPatFish]

And yes i can take the overflows off its just held there with silicone. I'll save them in case i want to use them in the future. Next i need lights and they say for a good light system you should have 2 1/2-3 1/2 wpg am i correct? And thanks for the comment on the tank spent alot of time planning the way i wanted it to look. They are all African Cichlids so i wanted to make it like they were back home. Also have 2 catfish and a loach in there.

[Smitty]

Just like the filtration, lighting is going to be more of a dictate of what you plan on doing. If you are doing to want plants needing med-high light then you will need better lighting. But the more lighting you use then you get into other things like CO2 and ferts.

With today's lighting it is harder to use the wpg rule. T5HO lights put out more light so would be higher than a normal T5 ot T8. I do think 2.5 -3 should be good for many plants and not have to get into CO2 or ferts or anything.

[TinyPatFish]

Yea i def would not want to get into CO2, ferts and all that fun stuff. I was looking at plant and would like to get sword plants, dwarf hairgrass just plants that need medium lighting. How much would a good light cost? I also would like it to have a black light as well for nighttime, its just cool looking at the tank with the black light on.

[AaronH]

i dont think there illegal i have seen loads of vids on you tube of people haveing octopuses as pets there ment to be really cleaver im sure if u ask ur lfs he would be able to orde u one like most things if u gna get one do alot of reasurch i dont think they last that long in captivity so it might be a good idea to do that first and then just keep the setup after and use it as a reef tank etc...

[Smitty]

Octopus are legal but they are not for beginners. They are hard to maintain and need a very secure tank to be kept in. Since he is going FW it doesn't really matter though

[AaronH]

wooo easy there was just a suggestion lool