Project Tank

[czeiszler]

So I found an awesome deal on craigslist and I didn't share :tongue: because I knew it was destined to be mine. First of all it is 84x27x17 in dimensions and came with its own really nice stand. This is a 165 gallon tank. I bought it for 150$ from a woman whose hubby put his foot down and said lower the price or I am taking it to the dump! I want my garage back. Now for the pictures. BTW the thing is heavy as hell! Also the tank looks shorter than it is.

The last pic is of it when they had it set up.

Includes Hayward G250 filter cartridge, Lifeguard AF92 Heater Module, Under tank trickle system with Bio material, he also gave me all of his decorations. All a custom build. He also built the stand. It is huge. I am already dreaming of the possibilities and I also got a 10 gallon tank and with lid and an extra light. I am so excited my hubby says if I get the downstairs clean we can set it up so goodwill here is all my crap I don't need LOL!. Anyways tell me what you all think. I am wondering if I should bother with the trickle system or if someone on here would be interested in trading for some canister filters.
Forgot to add the hood got broken so I am hoping to convince my loving hubby to build me a canopy for it.
unk:

 

[larry.beck]

Ha! I seriously considered buying that tank as well. Glad someone from here got it.

 

[czeiszler]

cool I am pretty excited. the glass is a 1/2 inch thick.
:spoton:

 

[VsKitchen]

Exciting! I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with it

 

[Madness]

So any ides yet as to what is going to live in it?

 

[Spyral]

KEEP THE FILTER YOU GOT WITH IT!!!!!

No need to go nuts with canister filters, the filtration from the trickle system is awesome.

 

[DMD123]

I saw that one and thought it looked a bit short. The picture with the canopy made it look good, so get that husband to working on it.

Now that you have a tank with some gallons on it are you ready for the dark side? CA/SA cichlids calling?

 

[czeiszler]

Ha I have been very tempted but also intimidated by ca/sa cichlids! :shock:

 

[czeiszler]

KEEP THE FILTER YOU GOT WITH IT!!!!!

No need to go nuts with canister filters, the filtration from the trickle system is awesome.

Well does anyone else use a trickle system and if so I am ready to learn all I can. I am also going to do some research on it.

 

[DMD123]

Ha I have been very tempted but also intimidated by ca/sa cichlids! :shock:

They can be total puppy dogs or pit bulls.... I like the puppy dog types, but even then they take an occasional nip at you.

 

[sounguru]

I personally would go micro/dwarf all the way planted to the gills on a tank that size but hey that is me.... or with the length and shallow depth that tank just screams river...

Nice find.

 

[Spyral]

KEEP THE FILTER YOU GOT WITH IT!!!!!

No need to go nuts with canister filters, the filtration from the trickle system is awesome.

Well does anyone else use a trickle system and if so I am ready to learn all I can. I am also going to do some research on it.

I have used them and am more than happy to help.

 

[czeiszler]

I

KEEP THE FILTER YOU GOT WITH IT!!!!!

No need to go nuts with canister filters, the filtration from the trickle system is awesome.

Well does anyone else use a trickle system and if so I am ready to learn all I can. I am also going to do some research on it.

I have used them and am more than happy to help.

Awesome so the guy had already torn down and I have been researching but I can't find anything quite like the one he built he explained it last night but their are so many pieces ale: I ended up with so much stuff. Wish i had remembered batteries for my camera. So lets start with what he uses as filter media it is hair curlers and plastic dish scrubbers? He also created his own pre filter that can be washed since there are so many of them. There are three chambers each, 2 are stacked and the third is next to them they each have slanted floors. There is a HOB custom that connects the trickle sytem to the tank. The equipment is as follows walchem iwaki magnectic drive pump max capacity 10 gpm, max head 17.7ft.,Hayward star clear cartridge filter specs effective filtration area 25sqft, design flow rate 25gpm. max working pressure 50 psi...So what I need to know is how I set it up! I am sure my hubby and I could muddle through but I have other questions like do I have to add regular filter media. How often would one need to change the filter in the hayward. I would also like to put out there that I now have a crap load of large aquarium rocks and more I will post more as I go but I am curious if anyone would be interested in the rocks for a nominal fee?

On a side note I amexcited about the in line heater. I had to order a replacement cap, but not having to see the heater in the back of my tank is pretty awesome. Anyways still have decided what kind of fish I want but I am looking at all my options and I am considering all suggestions. :sunny: I appreciate all the input.

 

[DMD123]

On a side note I amexcited about the in line heater. I had to order a replacement cap, but not having to see the heater in the back of my tank is pretty awesome.

Getting the heaters out of the tank add a lot to the realism of the set up. I have been using in-lines and am very happy with them.

 

[Spyral]

Follow this, water should flow out of the tank to:

Over flow to intake hose to trickle chamber/rain plate to bio chamber to filter media to ballast/refugium/collection area to pump to return line to tank.

Now, I am not sure where he has the Hayward unit, and I would really love to see pictures of the entire thing. That way, I could give you an exact plan, including where to put the heater, etc.

 

[czeiszler]

Follow this, water should flow out of the tank to:

Over flow to intake hose to trickle chamber/rain plate to bio chamber to filter media to ballast/refugium/collection area to pump to return line to tank.

Now, I am not sure where he has the Hayward unit, and I would really love to see pictures of the entire thing. That way, I could give you an exact plan, including where to put the heater, etc.

So here are the requested pictures.

This is the homemade filter and he used to run them through the washer.

The last three are bio media

So those are the pics I have tell me what you think.

 

[czeiszler]

Started cleaning the great room this evening going to try to get the tank in there tomorrow. Then we are going to clean it and decide what to put in it. I was thinking Dwarf Cichlids? or Dwarf Puffers or gosh the possibilities are endless. I am also looking for quality apple snails. So any suggestions? I am ready to have this tank up and running so I can sit and watch my fish.

 

[DMD123]

I was thinking Dwarf Cichlids? or Dwarf Puffers or gosh the possibilities are endless. I am also looking for quality apple snails. So any suggestions? I am ready to have this tank up and running so I can sit and watch my fish.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo :no:

Say it isnt so... :evil:

That many gallons and you want "dwarf" fish? :affraid:

Some of the larger more gentle cichlids would be great in there. Something like a chocolate cichlid, with some smaller firemouths, blue acara or cutteri, add some larger schooling fish like Buenos Aires tetras of silver dollars, a school of pictus cats, bristle nosed pleco. A nice mix, might even be able to keep larger live bearers in there.

I am not all about cichlids, I have got a nice mix of larger community fish, but I will say the larger cichlids are true wet pets and you will find they will soon become your favorites.

 

[czeiszler]

So one step closer one step back I just paid a buddy to help move my tank and all he did was slide it into the back of my hubbys truck. Got me my truck back but wasted my time to be honest. He was like not worried about the money right now but his wife wanted it so now I have my fish tank in another vehicle and not really any closer to being in my house. I used to be able to call all my friends and say come help me but now I live 100+ miles from anyone I really know and it is frustrating. Anyways not trying to complain just felt the need to unload a little of my irritation and grief.

I was thinking Dwarf Cichlids? or Dwarf Puffers or gosh the possibilities are endless. I am also looking for quality apple snails. So any suggestions? I am ready to have this tank up and running so I can sit and watch my fish.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo :no:

Say it isnt so... :evil:

That many gallons and you want "dwarf" fish? :affraid:

Some of the larger more gentle cichlids would be great in there. Something like a chocolate cichlid, with some smaller firemouths, blue acara or cutteri, add some larger schooling fish like Buenos Aires tetras of silver dollars, a school of pictus cats, bristle nosed pleco. A nice mix, might even be able to keep larger live bearers in there.

I am not all about cichlids, I have got a nice mix of larger community fish, but I will say the larger cichlids are true wet pets and you will find they will soon become your favorites.

:laughhard:
Like I said I am still looking. I wouldn't mind having larger cichlids I just wasn't sure how well they would do in a 17 inch tall tank also wouldn't the larger cichlids eat the tetras eventually? :violent:

 

[DMD123]

I wouldn't mind having larger cichlids I just wasn't sure how well they would do in a 17 inch tall tank also wouldn't the larger cichlids eat the tetras eventually? :violent:

Yes if they are the smaller type, they slowly start to disappear :suspect: one by one. Possibly faster schooling fish like rainbows might not get eaten or giant danios. Silver dollars are a safe bet but are considerably larger. They are always the first fish people seem to notice in my tank, asking if they are piranha's : Then everyone asks about the big Midas, asking if he is a goldfish :scratch: