large tank setup ?s

[Robert]

Hi all. I am getting ready to move and will be setting up a 265gal freshwater tank. I was previously useing it for a saltwater display. My first question is about filtration. With the saltwater I relied mostly on livesand and rock. Currently I have an UGF and 2 emporer 400's will this be adaquate? My past experience with freshwater is limited to mostly 10gal. tanks, so any ideas on themes for the decor will be greatly appreciated. My next question is in reference to fish selection. I would like a community tank with a lot of color and contrast with out appearing crowded. I am also planning to utilize some type of invertabrate as scavengers, either crayfish, crabs, or shrimp.

[Andy16]

For a 265? for filtration i would go with the two emps. and maybe an Eheim or somehint like that. I would also get a wet/dry filter. Thinking of all the fish possibilities gave me a headache, sorry:D You could plant it and get rid of the UGF and get sand. OR just get rid of the UGF and use gravel although sand works better for platns.

[ChilDawg]

I'd look at one of the two Nature Aquarium World publications that has been translated to English...Takashi Amano is an aquatic gardening god, and he uses Amano shrimp (Caridina japonica). For info on those little critters:

http://www.thekrib.com/Fish/Shrimp/
http://www.jayscustomcomputers.com/wilma/Articles/page1.html
http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/invertebrates/shrimp.shtml has good information, as well as a few other wonderful sources.

[Dtman]

Man!....If I had a tank that big I'd fill it with Frontosa...or if you are made of money....Tropheus.

[ChilDawg]

I hear you, dt, but that might be a little hard on the invert cleaning crew! (Especially the fronts...once a shrimp was dumb enough to "come out and play", the fronts would get 'em!)

I'd probably go with an aggressive community tank...the guys on www.predatoryfish.net/ibforums would be happier than heck to give you info on that...they're probably sick of me and my 10 gallon! :)

[scott]

As a cichlidiot I hesitate to reply on a community. I would go with an assortment of Central American's. You could put no less than 1,234,634,785,357 tetra's in that tank.

Anyway, get rid of the UGF go with a wet/dry sump with a couple big HOB's. Definately check out the site Childawg recommended.

[ROLLIN]

Definitely get rid of the UGF. Since you have emperors with bio-wheels, a UGF would be completely useless because all they do is provide bio-filtration, but the bio-wheels on the emperors will take care of that.