125G planted build

[vance1013]

I picked up this setup for free. Couldn't ask for a better find. I'm in the planning stages as I prep that area in my room and gather supplies. I'm doing a dirt with sand cap. I'm shooting for a heavily planted and terrain style. To allow for a ecosystem type. So I can have levels of fish and invertebrates top to bottom. I usually would run a canister filter or 2, with this big of a tank. Any thoughts on running a matten filter or corner style matten filter, or just larger sponge filters with jet lifters.

 

[Andy Sager]

It will depend on how heavily you plan on stocking the tank. The more fish and inverts you have, the larger the filtering needs to be because you should depend solely on the plants for filtering.

 

[vance1013]

I wasn't planning on relying on just the plants. I was asking for ideas on the different filtering styles. I've always gone with a canister filter on anything over 55g, combined with a sponge filter. I was considering a different approach, since the matten filter is so efficient

 

[Andy Sager]

I wasn't planning on relying on just the plants. I was asking for ideas on the different filtering styles. I've always gone with a canister filter on anything over 55g, combined with a sponge filter. I was considering a different approach, since the matten filter is so efficient

I understand. The point I was making was that you won't need to use a larger Matten style filter system ( in say, just a corner) if you have a smaller bioload but would need to use one that would go the whole width of the tank to have a larger bioload. What people generally forget is that a sponge filter is a thick piece of sponge with many holes in the material to house the nitrifying microbes so to replace something like that, you need to duplicate the amount of space for the microbes to live in for a biological filter to be effective. With a Matten filter, you generally use a thinner sponge mat so you need more of it for the surface area. But here's the kicker, Matten filters are best used in smaller, thinner tanks ( no wider than 12") so unless you want to build a cage for the mat to prevent it from flopping around and use 2 to 3 lift tubes to maximize the flow throughout the whole mat not to add the unsightliness of this with the mulm building up behind the pad, it's not the most efficient system for really large tanks. I assume this tank is at least 18" wide or is it just an illusion?

 

[vance1013]

I understand. The point I was making was that you won't need to use a larger Matten style filter system ( in say, just a corner) if you have a smaller bioload but would need to use one that would go the whole width of the tank to have a larger bioload. What people generally forget is that a sponge filter is a thick piece of sponge with many holes in the material to house the nitrifying microbes so to replace something like that, you need to duplicate the amount of space for the microbes to live in for a biological filter to be effective. With a Matten filter, you generally use a thinner sponge mat so you need more of it for the surface area. But here's the kicker, Matten filters are best used in smaller, thinner tanks ( no wider than 12") so unless you want to build a cage for the mat to prevent it from flopping around and use 2 to 3 lift tubes to maximize the flow throughout the whole mat not to add the unsightliness of this with the mulm building up behind the pad, it's not the most efficient system for really large tanks. I assume this tank is at least 18" wide or is it just an illusion?

It is 18 inches, it's a 125. I'd been researching that particular style for a while now. I hadn't read anything about larger tanks having issues, thank you for the input on that. I'll stick with what I'm used to then. That'll be an fx6 and a good sized sponge filter. I use dense foam sponge filters instead of coarse style.

 

[Andy Sager]

It is 18 inches, it's a 125. I'd been researching that particular style for a while now. I hadn't read anything about larger tanks having issues, thank you for the input on that. I'll stick with what I'm used to then. That'll be an fx6 and a good sized sponge filter. I use dense foam sponge filters instead of coarse style.

Here's what I know to be true as I've been in the fish hobby for 60 years and the fish business for over 45 of those years: There is literally nothing new today about what is going on in a fish tank that wasn't happening all along. The only thing that is new is the ways and methods people are inventing to achieve the same objective as everything we did 60 years ago if not longer ago. I still do inside corner filters and sponge filters in my tanks. Why? Because they worked then and they still work now. That even includes my overstocked tanks of fish in my hatchery you see here: So if you have a method that has worked for you, there is no real reason past curiosity to change things. A 125 is a good sized tank so just make sure you set up whatever filter(s) you use so that there is good circulation around the tank. I've found sponge filters on a whole are not the greatest at large volume circulation so I would use at east 2 large or even 3 in a tank that size so that you can place one on each side and one in the middle for maximum circulation.

 

[vance1013]

Here's what I know to be true as I've been in the fish hobby for 60 years and the fish business for over 45 of those years: There is literally nothing new today about what is going on in a fish tank that wasn't happening all along. The only thing that is new is the ways and methods people are inventing to achieve the same objective as everything we did 60 years ago if not longer ago. I still do inside corner filters and sponge filters in my tanks. Why? Because they worked then and they still work now. That even includes my overstocked tanks of fish in my hatchery you see here: View attachment 391715 View attachment 391716 So if you have a method that has worked for you, there is no real reason past curiosity to change things. A 125 is a good sized tank so just make sure you set up whatever filter(s) you use so that there is good circulation around the tank. I've found sponge filters on a whole are not the greatest at large volume circulation so I would use at east 2 large or even 3 in a tank that size so that you can place one on each side and one in the middle for maximum circulation.

Oh I know sponge filters aren't great at circulation, it's why I prefer to run them I. Tandem, that it's nice to have a cultured sponge filter ready to start an emergency tank up on the fly. I've dealt with long tanks before, my biggest being a custom 5 footer. I understand circulation all to well. Thank you for the advice. I've been keeping fish for about 20 years now. Always learning something new.

 

[Andy Sager]

Oh I know sponge filters aren't great at circulation, it's why I prefer to run them I. Tandem, that it's nice to have a cultured sponge filter ready to start an emergency tank up on the fly. I've dealt with long tanks before, my biggest being a custom 5 footer. I understand circulation all to well. Thank you for the advice. I've been keeping fish for about 20 years now. Always learning something new.

There are definitely new things to learn all the time. It can even be overwhelming at times. Most people can't even fathom the library of books and magazines I used to have because if I was going to read something, it was going to be about pets. ( I've had quite a number of them over the years)
Here's something to consider: instead of using a canister filter, one of the best inventions for filtration was the wet dry filter which means using a sump below or alongside the main tank(s) so that everything you needed ( biological/ mechanical filtration) was contained in a more easily accessible location. You can also keep your heater and extras in the sump as well as it also adds more water to the system volume making it take that much longer for things to go bad in the system. They can also be more effective than canisters and you can keep your sponge filter in there as well for those emergencies. In the end, it clears the way for more desirable viewing without having to look at things like heaters and sponge filters. This is a pic of my old 75 gallon saltwater tank. There is a sump under the tank. As you can see, there was no room for a heater or a spare filter IN the tank but they were there in the sump.

 

[vance1013]

There are definitely new things to learn all the time. It can even be overwhelming at times. Most people can't even fathom the library of books and magazines I used to have because if I was going to read something, it was going to be about pets. ( I've had quite a number of them over the years)
Here's something to consider: instead of using a canister filter, one of the best inventions for filtration was the wet dry filter which means using a sump below or alongside the main tank(s) so that everything you needed ( biological/ mechanical filtration) was contained in a more easily accessible location. You can also keep your heater and extras in the sump as well as it also adds more water to the system volume making it take that much longer for things to go bad in the system. They can also be more effective than canisters and you can keep your sponge filter in there as well for those emergencies. In the end, it clears the way for more desirable viewing without having to look at things like heaters and sponge filters. This is a pic of my old 75 gallon saltwater tank. View attachment 391718 There is a sump under the tank. As you can see, there was no room for a heater or a spare filter IN the tank but they were there in the sump.

I've considered sumps, but I'm limited on space at home so I need to maximize my storage space under that tank

 

[Andy Sager]

I've considered sumps, but I'm limited on space at home so I need to maximize my storage space under that tank

It was just a thought.

 

[vance1013]

It was just a thought.

Oh I know and it's much appreciated. Someday I'll do a sump. Do you own your own store? If so do you ship, I do my best to buy from solid breeders and suppliers. Also would live advice on the business side.

 

[Andy Sager]

Oh I know and it's much appreciated. Someday I'll do a sump. Do you own your own store? If so do you ship, I do my best to buy from solid breeders and suppliers. Also would live advice on the business side.

No, I'm out of the business end of fish these days. I did my time and paid my dues. LOL In fact, one of my last friends from the business side retired the middle of last year after 50 years of being in the store. I was just talking with him today in fact. I've worked in a number of stores but preferred in the import/export and breeding sides better. As for advice on the business, it's going to be interesting here now with the new tariffs on things including fish and supplies. There could be a real reckoning for U.S fish keepers coming up. You can read about it here: Impact of US Tariffs on Aquarium Imports