JK47's 225 Gallon Build Thread

JK47 · Jun 19, 2009

Hey AC, just thought I would share my new 225 gallon amazon setup. I will be moving for the next two days but once things get settled down, I can get crackin on this tank. It's already at the new house, sitting, waiting! :thm: Dims are 72" x 24" x 30", it's acrylic. My plans are a sandy, wood filled tank with allot of amazonian fish.

I plan after getting unpacked, searching for the right species of Geophagus (Acarichthys Heckelii & Red Head Tapajo) and building the tank around them. I can't wait. I have sitting in a grow out right now:
x1 9" black ghost knife
x1 9" L240 Galaxius Vampire Pleco

Here is the tank, yet to be cleaned:

The wet/dry sump. Will have 2 Eheim 2215 canisters running as well. They are on the 135 right now.

My favorite pleco, I love this guy.......

My ghost knife:

What do you guys/gals think? Nice place to eat dinner with the family huh?

Rbishop · Jun 19, 2009

Very nice! Can't wait to see this develop!

jm1212 · Jun 19, 2009

very nice

JK47 · Jul 6, 2009

UPDATE

So we finally got moved in and I got to work on this tank. It turned out to be too heavy for our dining room so I had to put it in the garage. 3,000 lbs range was a little much for the floor and I could not brace up the floor, the crawlspace is only 8" tall.

There are two holes in the bottom of the tank because it used to be a SW setup. Here is how I plugged them:

I added PVC caps to bulkheads I fit to the holes. The caps run top and bottom just for added strength in case one developes a leak.

Then I used some of the PVC cement and some of the tank sand to cover the caps so they are invisible once the sand is in the tank with wood on top.

The view from inside the tank. Only 1/3 of the sand is added at this point. I have allot more to go in but you get the idea.

The reason I did not just seal the acrylic with a plate is because if I ever decide to sell this tank as SW or convert it or use the holes for a closed loop system I still can. For now I only need the big wet/dry and an Fluval FX5 that I have yet to buy for mechanical.

What do you guys think? :thm:

jpappy789 · Jul 6, 2009

Thats one sexy pleco!

JK47 · Jul 6, 2009

jpappy789 said:
Thats one sexy pleco!

How is this for sexy???? :evil_lol:

Big one / Little one and they lie next to one another under the same log in a grow out tank?!?!?! From what I have been told and others experienced, these two should fight it out to the death but they don't...

"Drake" and "Tannis" are an odd but welcome couple in the new tank....

JK47 · Jul 6, 2009

UPDATE

So I am stuck in the nitrite phase of a fishless cycle.... :irked: A few more days and I should be through it but it seems to take forever....

The wet/dry sump. The blue scrubbies are for the ones that should be under water, the yellow are for the scrubbies that should be above water. Yes I have OCD, whatever, it looks nicer! The digital display is hooked up for temp and the warning speaker is at the bottom. contact points that sound a horrible alarm in case any water leaks under the stand.

The Eheims, x1 2217 and x1 2215 with one more 2215 coming from the growout this week. After the wet/dry catches up and all of the fish are in the Eheims come off. I will replace with an FX5 for heavy duty mechanical:

A full tank shot so far. I have a ton of wood to add and it's all in the growout 135 gallon. These couple pices I just had laying around and added for fun. The water is still cloudy from the first round of sand and the new wood. Allot of tannins.

What ya think so far? :thm: