filtration options/opinions for big tanks, big fish...

On my 265 I run a 3 stage wet/dry rated 200 gallons with twin overflows. I back it up with 2 whisper 3's and a magnum 350 runs 4 hours a day on a timer. The wet/dry is powered by 2 rio 3100 pumps for a est. flow rate of 1200 GPH. The whisper 3 are rated for 300 GPH each. Wet/dry have many advantages over other bio filters. Also If you plan to keep large SA/CA cichlid I highy recommend this style system. It will allow you to place heater and other such out of reach of destructive fish.

From a cost performance point of view, you can't beat a homemade dry/wet sump like suggested, however the drilling issue can get tricky and expensive. Most of the people I have dealt with will only drill at your own risk unless you buy the tank predrilled and that usually comes at an extra premium.

Another alternative is to sacrifice part of the back end of the tank, and build the sump there which has the advantage of not having to drill, but does not necessarily save you any money.

If you have a truck and the ability to tote the tank a glass shop can drill it for you. A wet/dry with cannister/hob back up is definately the way to go on a tank that large. IMO

I don't see why you can't operate a big tank with just HOBs. There is a mom and pop fish store in Philly that operates all big tanks, 100 to 250 gallon with multiple AC-500 and Power heads. Two AC-500 can give plus a couple power heads can easily provide 10 turn over per hour for a 250-gal. In term of energy efficency and problem free maintenance, nothing can compare with simple HOBs. An AC500 uses only 15 watt and provides over 400 gph that few canisters can match. But if noise and visibility are the concern, I agree that the wet and dry and canisters are the way to go.

My overflows do not use up any floor space in the tank. nor is the tank drilled. The bottom of my tank is 3/4 inch thick tempered glass (tank was special ordered through perfecto custom engineering dept.). The overflows hang on the back each box has 2 u tubs and 2 one inch return hoses to the wet/dry. each overflow box is rated for 1000 GPH. But the wet/dry is only rated to handle 1400 GPH max. I do not know of any site off hand that talks about wet/drys. You can run all HOB filters on a big tank but it's not a good idea.

The problem with HOBs or Canisters is their relative expense for such a large tank. To get effective filtration and appropriate water current you need two filters as a minimum. There is no question that if you have the money, then HOBs or Canisters are a far neater and easier option to go for but do you really want to spend >$500 on the filteration system alone!!

Actually, HOBs are the cheapest filtration you can get $ per gph and $ per watt. Canister and wet-and-dry are a lot more expensive. But $ is not the only consideration in selecting filters. Ease of maintenance, noise and appearance do matter. If you keep tank busters that are out there to destroy your equipment, wet-and-dry can have an advantage because you can hide the heater in the sump and there is no target for distruction. Also, you only have to change filter in one place, and not in multiple filters.

Gregg, on my 220 I use an Amiricle Maxi-Reef 400 wet/dry that has a 1400gph HOT overflow box that has dual outputs with dual prefilters, the sump part holds two Visi-therm heaters out of site and a MAG 12 pump for water return. that filter is my main biological filter. For mechanical filtration I use 2 Emperor 400s. AC500s might be better for pure mechanical thought, but ive never used one so im not sure. I do 50% water changes every week and i have never ever had a water problem. Extremely Low maintainence system. The tank is stocked with 12 clown loaches, a male synspilum, a young adult nic pair, a red-headed tapajos Geo, and its got a C. spectabalis that doing some grow out time in the same tank.

BTW: i bought the wet/dry and emperors, and the two heaters at big als at it was under $400 shipped for everything!