Please help, new tank

[tlscott77]

Hi everyone I am new to the forum, I just recently acquired a 180 gallon tank that I would like to put in my basement. It has two holes on the bottom. I am new to this, so any help wold be great. I have questions like:

-what kind of fish
-what are the holes for
-how many filters
-what kind of filters
-how many fish
-etc...

This is the tank
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
Thanks for looking

[Crispy]

The holes are drains for a sump or wet/dry system. They require some piping and a little ingenuity though. Look up DIY sumps or DIY wet/dry. Are there any particular fish you're interested in? That way, you can build your stock from that.

[korith]

The holes you could use for plumbing with a sump. Basically a tank that sits underneath your 180g. Can hide it under your stand. It's a nice way of increasing the amount of water in your system, as well as a nice place to put all the heaters, wires, filters and other stuff in. Will keep the main tank empty of all the stuff, so it'll have a nicer clean looking appearance. May want to read up on sumps to get an idea of how they are set up.

Type of fish you want to go with is up to you, find out what appeals to you. Then people here can help you figure out what kind of filtration you'll need, based on the bioload in the tank. You've got a ton of options with a tank that size.

[tlscott77]

The holes you could use for plumbing with a sump. Basically a tank that sits underneath your 180g. Can hide it under your stand. It's a nice way of increasing the amount of water in your system, as well as a nice place to put all the heaters, wires, filters and other stuff in. Will keep the main tank empty of all the stuff, so it'll have a nicer clean looking appearance. May want to read up on sumps to get an idea of how they are set up.

Type of fish you want to go with is up to you, find out what appeals to you. Then people here can help you figure out what kind of filtration you'll need, based on the bioload in the tank. You've got a ton of options with a tank that size.
I want fish that can live in a community together, fish that school together.

[tlscott77]

The holes are drains for a sump or wet/dry system. They require some piping and a little ingenuity though. Look up DIY sumps or DIY wet/dry. Are there any particular fish you're interested in? That way, you can build your stock from that.
Im interested in this fish
-Gourami
-Discus
-Tetra Fish
-Barb Fish
-Danio
-Neons
-Fancy Guppies

[Afk4Jfk]

First off I AM SO JEALOS, Second before even filling it with water or gravel Read the Ebook [Only Registered Users Can See Links.] It will give you a good basis of Knowledge and that means you know what to ask about based on what you end up going with.
And now for stocking plans, look around on the web, At the stores, in books, ect. and see what big show type fish(es) catches your eye. THIS will be your centerpeice so to speak. and maybe the last to go in. read a bit on that fish specificly and build your community around that. in your searches you will see lots of fish you like or that catch your eye, remember their names and look em up. Important to Know about the nitrogen cycle and grown size of fish.
Now if i had that tank...
I would put flourite and sand mix (enough sand so that after it settles into the flourite it would still be a sand only bottom) I would get a Large peice of drift wood and a few smaller ones. Also some rock formations. I would plant it with Different swords and crypts, hairgrass and anacharin and other variouse plants(which are as much fun as fish) My centerpiece might be a Polypterus Ornate if i were to go predatory, or a mango pleco(or something similar). And build the community around that. One schooling fish i like is Glass Catfish. Check em out. Tetras add color and variety, Danios are always moving, Plecos and otos help with algea control, and cories take care of food that makes it to the bottom. Ask any questions You want we'll try to helpthumbs2:

[tlscott77]

That book is great! I learned a lot but im sure I have a lot more to learn

[Lab_Rat]

Could you post the measurements of the tank please? It doesn't look like a 180g tank in the pics, but if you can measure it we'll know for sure.

[tlscott77]

Could you post the measurements of the tank please? It doesn't look like a 180g tank in the pics, but if you can measure it we'll know for sure.
73"L 28"H 18"w

[iZinedane]

its 159.27 US gallons.. not 180 :ssmile:

[jscurrier]

Tank would probably be sold as a 150g Tall if found in stores. Outstanding find! It would be good for top dwellers and schooling fish. They would have lots of room to play :19:

[brianyu]

:19: 7-10 danio school in fast speed is great to watch thumbs2:

[Lady Hobbs]

Too bad you can't tell if it leaks before starting work on it. It looks pretty beat up but vinegar rubbed on the inside and allowed to sit for awhile will clean up a lot of hard water stains and calcium deposits.
Good luck with it.

[Northernguy]

Nice starter tank!Very easy to establish a cycle in a big tank too!
I find them easier to clean too! lol
Your options for smaller fish that school are wide open! There are so many to choose from.If you were to go with larger aggressive fish you only have room for a few!
I would consider Africans in that tank.Some of the colors are phenominal and you can stock plenty!
If you don't want to go with the sump type filter system those holes can easily be fixed with the right silicone and a coupler of squares of glass.
Are you making your own stand for it?

[PostalPenguin]

You can keep some very large fish in there or a LOT of small fish. You could keep a school of 50-100 neon tetras in there!

Other options:
School of angelfish
Discus
Larger cichlids
Oscar

With that size tank you basically can stock it with whatever you want save for some of the exotic fish that grow very large.

Those holes are for a plumbed canister system. They are as far as I know NOT for sump filtration. Reason being is sumps are open loops and if the power goes out, the return pump stops and the holes being at the bottom will simply drain the entire tank, overflowing the sump and flooding the basement. So it looks to me as if the previous owner had hard plumbed a canister set-up. Likely those two holes at the bottom were the intakes, and the owner had some additional intakes near the surface along with the returns.

[tlscott77]

Nice starter tank!Very easy to establish a cycle in a big tank too!
I find them easier to clean too! lol
Your options for smaller fish that school are wide open! There are so many to choose from.If you were to go with larger aggressive fish you only have room for a few!
I would consider Africans in that tank.Some of the colors are phenominal and you can stock plenty!
If you don't want to go with the sump type filter system those holes can easily be fixed with the right silicone and a coupler of squares of glass.
Are you making your own stand for it?
Yes I'm going to be making my own stand for it, someone told me I should use 3/4 plywood and 2x4s.

[tlscott77]

You can keep some very large fish in there or a LOT of small fish. You could keep a school of 50-100 neon tetras in there!

Other options:
School of angelfish
Discus
Larger cichlids
Oscar

With that size tank you basically can stock it with whatever you want save for some of the exotic fish that grow very large.

Those holes are for a plumbed canister system. They are as far as I know NOT for sump filtration. Reason being is sumps are open loops and if the power goes out, the return pump stops and the holes being at the bottom will simply drain the entire tank, overflowing the sump and flooding the basement. So it looks to me as if the previous owner had hard plumbed a canister set-up. Likely those two holes at the bottom were the intakes, and the owner had some additional intakes near the surface along with the returns.
Do they make them for an aquarium this size?

[tlscott77]

does anyone have an opinion on the Fluval FX5?

[Crispy]

does anyone have an opinion on the Fluval FX5?

FX5s are the best filter for the $$$. They can handle a big tank. I would get an aquaclear 110 along with that (they oxygenate your water better and are super-easy to keep clean).

[jscurrier]

Good call. That is exactly the filtration I have planned for my 150g. A fluval FX5 and an AC110. It would work very well for a medium to high bioload. thumbs2: