The ol 150

[toothgrinder]

I recently got this used 150 gallon tank and figured I would start a thread here to log my progress as I get it all rolling. 

I just painted the room last week from a gross pink to a nice blue that I think goes well with the colors of the stand. Today I got the whole ensemble from my buddy’s house and let me just say, moving a tank of this size is insanely difficult, it’s over 300 pounds. I hope to have it cleaned out by tonight and start figuring out the sump.

I still have no idea how I’m setting it up as far as stocking lol. 

[Its Hutch]

Interested to follow along. Good luck.

[toothgrinder]

Today I worked on figuring out the sump and overflow, this is all new to me. In the overflow I put two big bags of bio balls and two pumps at the bottom to constantly recirculate the overflow water back up and over them. This is how the guy I got it from had it running, seems logical enough to me. There will be bio balls floating in the sump too, but I’m not sure how to stack other filter media in there yet.. Of course I can put sponges in but not sure how to force the water through them. 
 

What do you guys use for substrate? I’d like something sandy or neutral colored not black. 

[MickS77]

On 10/30/2020 at 6:00 PM, toothgrinder said:

moving a tank of this size is insanely difficult, it’s over 300 pounds

Suction cups are awesome to invest in. Makes moving larger tanks less stressful. I bought them to move my 110 gallon outside so I could drill the glass for a sump. 

Edited November 1, 2020 by MickS77

[classicshooter]

I'm currently doing the same thing with a used tank I found of FaceBook, just a little smaller. I love the hight of that stand you have, it will really put everything at eye level. 

[toothgrinder]

10 hours ago, MickS77 said:

Suction cups are awesome to invest in. Makes moving larger tanks less stressful. I bought them to move my 110 gallon outside so I could drill the glass for a sump. 

These look badass I’ll definitely end up getting some, thanks for the tip brother.

 

6 hours ago, classicshooter said:

I'm currently doing the same thing with a used tank I found of FaceBook, just a little smaller. I love the hight of that stand you have, it will really put everything at eye level. 

Thanks I like the stand too, the height on this thing is intimidating I can barely reach the bottom on a ladder and I’m six feet tall. Looking forward to seeing your build.

[classicshooter]

1 hour ago, toothgrinder said:

Thanks I like the stand too, the height on this thing is intimidating I can barely reach the bottom on a ladder and I’m six feet tall. Looking forward to seeing your build.

Here is My project . The hurricane last week slowed down some of my progress, but I am hoping to do an update later this week. After some advice from others I am also going to tweak my over all hardscape layout. 

As for the hight, I can see how yours is intimidating as mine is a little overwhelming with a small stool. I would love to have mine taller, but at its current hight it is perfect for my kids to look at. 

[toothgrinder]

Got GFCI outlets installed in the room, and added substrate. 150 pounds of pool filter sand. I also ordered a 200gpd RO system from bulk reef supply, that’s gonna be a pain to install, as I’m planning to put it in the closet in this room and put a sink in there too. I wish I didn’t have to do this but my tap water comes out at like 8.4 ph and is pretty hard.

Im going to take a shot at doing a carpet of dwarf baby tears, if anyone has tips for getting this to spread I’m all ears. I’m gonna shove some root tabs under it but that’s about it. Will the baby tears be ok sitting in here without water for a few days? The sand is soaked from rinsing.

I plan on keeping clown loaches and angel fish in here, not sure what other fish thrive in high temps like them. I have 11 (I think) clowns in a 75 gallon currently, they are such cool fish. Going to run at 84 probably, too hot for plants to thrive?

 

Edited November 4, 2020 by toothgrinder

[toothgrinder]

Got’er filled and cycling, I’m running some mature filters inside the new water to make it quick. Waiting for my heaters to get here from amazon still, then I’ll install those and some air stones next. 

I’m thinking just a few large smooth stones and lots of plants. I really like the height of jungle Val and would love some alternative ideas for tall plants. 

[toothgrinder]

Clowns have moved in. Current decor is “what I had available without spending anything” but it looks ok for now. Heaters are both in the sump, it works great. Still kind of brainstorming how to plant and decorate a bit more, but the amazon swords should look good when they grow in. I don’t think I’ll succeed with the baby tears as I don’t have co2 or crazy lighting. Need to find an easy carpet plant.

[Kriskm]

Love the clown loaches! I miss the ones I had in my 125 gal years ago. It was fun to hear their clicking.

[toothgrinder]

13 hours ago, Kriskm said:

Love the clown loaches! I miss the ones I had in my 125 gal years ago. It was fun to hear their clicking.

The clicking is so strange at first. They do it a lot during feeding! Love these fishes they are full of personality.

I need some LARGE top swimming fish I am having trouble figuring out what to go with.. Maybe rainbow fish but I would love one big centerpiece fish if anyone has ideas. The clowns are sturdy I’m not worried about fish messing with them if I were to go cichlids or something instead.

[Ken Dyer]

Angels are a classic tankmate for clowns 🤡 

[Nataku]

Angels, discus, denison barbs, rainbowfish... thise are the main big schoolers I know that are typically put at those temps.

But with 8.4pH? Drop the temp back down a bit and you could swap it up and run a lake Tanganyika tank, no need to soften the water at all if you did that. Frontosas or tropheus for your big midwater swimming fish. Then if you wanted a still good sized but not as big schooler, cyprichromis leptosoma - there's several varieties.

[Kriskm]

I had Frontosas in my 125 gal and really loved them--more peaceful than most African cichlids, but they do get big. You could also try some pretty peacock varieties from Lake Malawi, or other big Malawi cichlids.

[toothgrinder]

On 11/22/2020 at 12:44 AM, Kriskm said:

I had Frontosas in my 125 gal and really loved them--more peaceful than most African cichlids, but they do get big. You could also try some pretty peacock varieties from Lake Malawi, or other big Malawi cichlids.

I added 8 rams and three small angels, I probably will add quite a few more angels at the moment, but, frontosas look interesting. I’m sure they’d mess with the smaller guys I have added though

[toothgrinder]

So, while I was away for work in Orlando for nearly two weeks, my clown loaches all got the ICH. I was home for a few days, removed them all and placed them in a 55g quarantine tank. I treated with ICH-x and I am completely convinced it is not good for loaches at all. After dosing I lost 4 within 24 hours, and that is not even a full dose. There’s all sorts of contrasting information about it all over the internet, aquarium coop says they’ve never had an issue but what I just experienced seals it for me, it is BAD for clown loaches. Only one teeny tiny guy had died in the tank before I dosed. After the quarantine failure I just put them back into this 150 with everyone else, and switched to using paraguard, which is not nearly as potent. A couple more have slowly passed over a couple days, but I think the remaining guys are going to make it. First sign the clown loach isn’t going to live long is when he stops schooling with the others.

Now, these same fish (some of them, my school was smaller in this instance) had the ICH a few months ago in their 75g home. That set up had UV sterilization built into the filter. I turned it on and raised the temp 2 degrees (keep them at 84 to begin with) and they all recovered over the course of a week with no loss. I think the importance of UV is under appreciated.

Anyways, back to the tank. 

Dealing with small fish in a tank this height with rock work, and trying to plant it nicely, is just too much work. It feels impossible to maintenance well. I am three steps up on a ladder and I can just barely push plants down into the substrate. The next step is wearing goggles so I can get in there deeper. I’m a 6 foot tall guy, too. So, I am changing directions on the stocking.

The clown loaches specifically are going to go into a 125 (the 6ft long one) that I intend to purchase shortly and put in my living room where I can keep a better eye on them. It will be equipped with UV for sure since they love getting the ICH so easily it seems. They are my favorite fish at the moment and I am not giving up on keeping them, I won’t replenish my school until after I have this PROPER set up for them.

For the 150, I am going to plant a bunch of jungle Val, add a few log caves, and that’s it for deco. I intend to have like, 3 large fish in here now. I am definitely going to put a large catfish in here, undecided on what else. Maybe an Oscar or two. 
 

On a more positive note check out the roots on this Amazon sword I pulled out of this tank! It is thicc and matted.

Edited December 20, 2020 by toothgrinder

[Colu]

Do you quarantine newfish before adding to main tank

[toothgrinder]

32 minutes ago, Colu said:

Do you quarantine newfish before adding to main tank

This happened while I was gone for 2 weeks there are no new fish. It is stress ich

[Hobbit]

Sorry about the ich. ☹️ My yo-yo loaches have done fine through two runs of full strength ich-x treatment but every fish/tank is different. I’m glad you’ve had success with other methods. Those clowns are sooooo cute!

You have a really cool tank. At 5’4” with short arms I’d never be able to handle it—unless I got those goggles you mentioned!

[toothgrinder]

The tank is healthy again it seems there are no more signs of any ich or other illness. I just continued using paraguard and doing some water changes and it’s all cleared up. Some of the clowns made it thankfully, but more than that died. Not planning to build the school back up until I move them from this tank.

Heres my two plecos in here, the common sailfin will stay in this tank but the sabaji will come out, I don’t think he’s going to get too much bigger. The sailfin is the biggest in the tank but still is chased off at times by the sabaji. The sabaji is only aggressive towards other plecos/cats and doesn’t mind the clowns or other fish.