proposed layout for my 125

[andruboz]

heres a sketch of how i may try to set up.

would love to know what filtration other people use on tanks of this size. any input will be appreciated.

do i need the third filter? the tank will only hold a puffer, his friend the redtail BS, maybe a firemouth. even though the puff can be a messy eater, i consider 3 fish to be a fairly light bio load for this volume.

ideas on how to light the right half so the plant area gets plenty and the non plant area doesnt, would be cool too. 24" flourescents would leave about 10" for running an incandescent or maybe some 12 " bulbs sideways?? haven't done much research into lighting yet.

[andruboz]

heres another puzzler. say i mounted the heaters vertically and place a piece of pvc tube [cut in half length wise] over it. screened the top and bottom to keep the fish out. then have the underwater current jet take suction at the top of the heater. it sounds like it would circulate the heated water thru the tank faster than just letting the heaters lay on the bottom.

does this make sense? or did i forget something?

[carpguy]

I put my heater diagonally underneath my filter intake to try and get some of that extra circulation effect going. My lights seem to do most of my heating for me though.

In any event, I wouldn't bunch them towards the center as in the first diagram.

I also don't get the pyrex tray with the pvc stilts. I try to keep the tank looking as natural as I can with a minimum of artificial objects visible.

[andruboz]

well. i went and whacked the visa at big als online.

just ordered 2 emperor 400's and a magnum 350 pro. and 2 200w submersible heaters and a python. total w/ shipping: $230.

total item cost at my lfs: $338

i can wait 8 days for $108.

now i just have build a light box and custom cover, rearrange the living room, fill and cycle for 20+ days and add fish. simple isnt it? many headaches to come. but the fish are worth it.

[andruboz]

update 4-16.

big als order came in today.

1. dont know how i ever got along without a python. filled the tank with out spilling.

2. thought i had the tank level [i shimmed it level when it was empty], but now that its full looks like its an 1/8 th inch off from end to end. is this going to be a real problem? i suppose if its off 1/2" by morning, it means the house cant handle it.

3. set up the 2 emperors with one new filter cartridge and one old nasty filter from an existing cycled emperor. the path of least resistance will be through the new filter cartridges but i hope enuff water is going thru the old filters to do something positive.

4. havent set up the magnum 350 pro yet, as the biowheels wont sit flush on the tank rim until i trim it down an 1/8th inch. [probably should have done that when the tank was empty]. the magnum also didnt quite look as solid as i thought it would be. but if they say that little o ring seals it, i'll have to believe it.

5. tomorrow its back to home depot for materials for the light hood.

[NJ Devils Fan]

I would recommend placing the filters like my man carguy and I did, horizontally next to the intake of the filters. The most efficient way really.

[Macromatt]

To level the tank, you could just do an extra large water change amd shim under the entire stand to level it out, With most of the water out of the tank you could have a friend or 2 help you lift the stand(with the tank on it) a fraction of an inch, just enough to slide a shim under there without damaging anything... Just go slow and be very very carefull.

Matt

[cpr4cpu]

I lost 3/8 inch from front to back in my 125 due to floor joist being bent back in place by the weight of the tank.
Without the weight, it's level, with the weight it's off :-)
I used a bottle jack under the frame of the stand to jack it up and shim the whole stand using carpet tack strip (along the entire length of the front)

[andruboz]

i posted an update of the tank status in the newbie forum. ... its up and running on the 2 emperors. for some reason i am too chicken to set up the magnum- its unfamiliar territory to me.. will watch my water quality closely and see if its really necessary.
would rather just get a powerhead and a bio wheel 30 or 60 to bio-filter and move water in the middle of the tank.
i might set up the magnum as the main filtration on a 55 so i can move the emperor on the 55 to a 29. on the 55, the magnum will be easier to get to. a filter crisis wont involve moving furniture and crawling inside a tank stand like it would on the 125.

i leveled the tank by shimming between the stand and the 3/4 plywood i put under it.

[Heady]

I'll have an Eheim 2028 and an Eheim 2213 running on my 100 gallon when I'm finished setting it up.

[mkpeters6]

I run two Aquaclear 500s on my 125, and I have two air stones for oxygen. I keep an oscar, sevrum, 2 balas and a african knifefish so I have a lot of waste. I usually have to do a least one 30-40% water change a week. I am interested in how the Magnum 350 works for you, They look like they are freat filters and I would like to try one.

[tnlguinn]

i have a 125 and a 135 with two fluval 404 w/biowheel 60 on each. had a magnum 350 on the 135, and hated it. its noisy and hard to maintain. had a whisper five and one fluval on the 125 at first, and traded it for the other fluval. if yo haven't used the magnum yet, i'd send it back and get a fluval or filstar(just my opinion).the heater thing, mine are hung diagonally with an airstone flowing across them under my filter outputs. i wouldn't use the incandescent lights if you can afford flourescent, they add heat to your tank.