Large Tank Remodel & Questions

So I have some general questions about fixing up an old tank I recently acquired.

1st question. It looks like the previous owner took out the central support, leaving the tank with the risk of bowing. I have been doing some reading and it looks like I can actually order a custom from for it. It would be about $47 for top and $48 for bottom frame plus the shipping. Not bad for a 125 gallon tank. Does anybody have experience in doing this and have any helpful tips?

2nd question. How does one filter something like this without one of the $250 canister filters? Can I use something like a Tidal or Aqua Clear 110 plus a pair of sponge filters?

3rd question. Stocking. I have a very tentative idea of what I want. 1 Electric Blue Jack Dempsey, a few Firemouth Cichlids, hoplos, maybe dojo loaches?

I know it is a long post, but I have a lot of questions.

The tank is 125 gallons, 72 x 18 x 21

Here are some pics. It looks like the middle support was originally glass.

Circus said:

2nd question. How does one filter something like this without one of the $250 canister filters? Can I use something like a Tidal or Aqua Clear 110 plus a pair of sponge filters?

Click to expand...

Wow, very nice price for a tank that big.

1( Not 100% sure, but I think you can order them
2( Sponge filters, HOB filters, etc. - no need to blow $250 in a canister filter.
3( We would need to know the pH, GH, and KH of your water, so we could suggest stocking.

That tank has a lot of potential, good luck!

My hardness swings between 6 and 7 dH. My city water pulls from several sources so the mineral levels will fluctuate.

My ph sits at 7.6 or so.

I am willing to buffer with salts to raise gh and ph, but I don't want to use r/o or distilled water to lower them. With a tank this big I imagine it would get expensive. I also don't want my own r/o set up.

A group of paradise fish would be really cool: https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/macropodus-opercularis/

(Make sure to off set 2 or more females per male)

Also most rainbow fish species:https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/melanotaenia-boesemani/#habitat

(Boesemani Rainbow fish are pretty cool, my LFS has a huge tank full of them)