My New (First) 180Gallon Tank

[JustinKScott]

I've never setup a fish tank before. I had a couple turtle tanks, but never was able to get them right as they continuously stayed pea soup. So when I told my wife (to be) that I wanted to get a 180 gallon tank from craigslist and setup a fish tank she thought it was a terrible idea. Well, I bought it anyway.

I started setting it up 22 days ago, or so my fluval G6 tells me. And up until yesterday, I was starting to think that (once again) she was right. It had been pea soup, and really gross.

As of yesterday morning, the tank instantly cleared up. It was amazing!

I have a topic about why this happened: here

Right now, it has:
Fluval G6
aqueon water mover 1250 (underwater fan)
two pieces of mopani wood
350W heater (which is somehow keeping up)
330Watts of T5HO lights in 6x 48" tubes

Two angels
Two black moors
15 neons
small army of ottos
4 corycats
4 goldfish
and 4 other starter fish

For plants, I'm not really sure @ the moment.
I have a bundle of Spirial-something wasilli; I think
---I bought several plants from petco only to find all but one was a houseplant. ;( I wasn't happy when I returned them. I only kept one.
And several that my wife liked that look to be house plants and aren't doing so well.
Water lettuce from my pond.

I am going on Sunday to the LHS to find some proper plants after their shipment arrives... but I'm not sure 'how much light' I have. 330W into 150 actual gallons; is 2W/gallon. So dim lighting? Anubis only?



I plan to add (much) more live plants and definitely more fish slowly as time goes on.

I also plan on doing some aquascaping as time moves forward. For example, for live plants I understand I need a thin layer of nutrient rich substrate. My wife (to be) really likes the blue & black popcorn gravel; I want to go all natural tan river bed. Of course she won (for now) and I now have blue and black. But if I have to dig it all up to add nutrient substrate, I have another chance to remove the circus from the floor of my aquarium. How disruptive will replacing the gravel be on the ecosystem? Will I have to start the nitrogen cycle again?


I think I'll keep this thread alive as I grow my aquarium and share my victories and screw ups.




Side View with a few fishies...

 

[snowflake311]

Have you ever had fish before? You know about how to cycle a tank right?

A 180gal tank is a really large tank to have as your first tank. a 30gal would have been good or a 55 gal. How long x wide x deep is the tank?

Since this is your first tank don't do live plants till you have more experiance. You could just foat some Anacharis(Egeria densa) or stick them in the gravel they are so hardy.

 

[Rafael Dilone]

Wow that Fluval G must of been very expensive. Its a very amazing filter with the LCD screen and all :]
Hope that you learn to love the hobby in the time to come and see how addicting it can be

 

[markandhisfish]

you need to re-think your mix of fish . the goldfish and black moors are coldwater fish and shouldnt be kept in a tropical setup. what are these 4 other starter fish?

 

[walkers101]

As said you need to think about re homing a few of your fish and do a little research before you jump into a stock list. Dont worry to much as the goldfish/black moors can survive at 26C but not on a permanant basis.

 

[england]

I think ok you have a 180g then fine, Just need to set it up,once set up it will be much easier to maintain than a smaller tank, sorting out the fish stocking as you have cold water and tropical fish, but as you have fish already i reccomend you find someone with a fish tank,maybe even your local store, ask for a nice squeeze of mature filter media, or even some floss from a mature filter to help seed yours.....very easy to do, best way would be take the sponges and squeeze into a tub then squeeze out the others...

 

[shelaghfishface]

very nice ( fancy that very expensive filter myself) but on constructive critisism note.. that gravel is awful! spoils the look of your tank
sorry

 

[djultimate]

you need to re-think your mix of fish . the goldfish and black moors are coldwater fish and shouldnt be kept in a tropical setup. what are these 4 other starter fish?

As Markandfish said , black moors and goldfish shouldnt be kept with tropical fish

 

[Shelby]

Did you soak your Mopani wood for a few weeks before you put it in the tank? It will turn your tank water orange/brown/tea colored as it leaches out tanis if you didn't. It won't harm your fish any but having wood in your tank leaching out tanis will lower your PH (so I've heard) If your water starts to change color that is probably it.

 

[walkers101]

just had another read through this and although its seems like we are vultures and getting at you but the help you get here is priceless please dont take offense to the onslaught lol

 

[Verminator89]

Its more like a barrage of advice - but its all helpfull!

I see in your first post you put "330Watts of T5HO lights in 6x 48" tubes". Now i'm no master at plants but in a tank this bare its asking for algae trouble for sure! I know its a big tank, but in a planted 3ft tank 2x39W or 4x39W is sufficient, but 6x48 Oh my lol