New Larger Freshwater Fish And Aquariums

[CinBos]

Hey everyone! New to the forum, and from what I have heard from friends and others that this place is the place to be, so here I am.

I have alway had freshwater aquariums throughout my life, but never anything as big as a 125gal tank. I had the oppurnity to buy this tank and stand for only $200, it was a steal so I had to take it.

The thing is, is that I have never had anything this big. Not sure where to start, and I have always wanted to have the larger cichlids, cats and inverts (such as lobsters, ect.).

Where should I start, what should I get, and what advice do you all have to give me? Open for any ideas, and suggestions. I really want to get this going very soon, at least with in the next couple of months. Also, not trying to spend tons of money (one of the reasons I went away from the idea of having a saltwater aquarium).

 

[CinBos]

Hoping I could get some good advice and direction. Thank you all.

 

[CinBos]

Anyone?

 

[Ruskull]

Awesome deal. I would've bought it too & my wife would've killed me.

No really, great deal. I don't know too much about cichlids but good luck. There any many pros here, you're in good hands. Just give it time for the cichlids folks to post.

You should use this thread to document your progress.

You need to cycle the tank & this site has a "sticky" that will explain the pros & cons of fishless or fish-in cycles. Spend an hour or so & read about the good bacteria & how they break down the ammonia & nitrite turning it into nitrate. Once you understand the cycle you won't lose fish.

 

[Xraymark]

Impressive. Sound like a big project, i'm jealous. I am getting excited about buying a 60 litre and setting that up from scratch.

Check out the members aquarium section and planted journal section. Loads of journals there on how members set up their tank. Some big tanks too.

 

[Steve GT]

Jelous!!!!!! I would live an aquarium that big. My biggest is 250l at the min but hoping to go bigger when my synos and Ageneiosus grow they'll need a big home. First thing I'd do when cycled is get a big plec in there. Nice and hardy for a first fish to get the filter working and waste passing through plus He'l keep the place clean a treat

 

[CinBos]

Nice! I'll wait till some more cichlid folks post on here. It is a big project, but i've always like big projects. Appreciate the heads up on the cycling, i will look more into that in the forums.

 

[Steve GT]

Personally of that was my tank I'd transfer my Oscar into it straight away and probably get one or 2 more. As cichlids go my oscars my favourite. There so welcoming and playful such great personalities Id highly recommend them. Only thing is they like there food a lot lol

Maybe for the bottom a couple of nice Synodontis like filamentosa and Multipunctatus. Get a few hidey holes going caves plants etc theyl love it

 

[dwarfgourami]

If this were me I would get some really nice catfish.

 

[CinBos]

Any advice on the filter i should use for a 125gal tank?

 

[balajake]

you want 2 big exernals like fluval fx5s. are you looking at african cichlids or new world cichlids ?

 

[CinBos]

Not sure of the types of Cichlids, but here is the list of what I am looking at. Oscars, Jack or Blue Dempseys, some bottom feeders like 1 or 2 plecos, Green terror, and an invert of some sort, like a blue lobster.

Ive been talking to a guy about a canister he has for sale. He works at a local fish store in town. He said he has a canister that he has only had for 2 months, and cycles 500gal of water per hour. He said he bought it for $280, and he would be willing to sale it to me for $100, has long as I bought the power heads and test kits and such from HIS store.

He mentioned the canister is more than enough for the 125 gal tank I have.

Not sure of the types of Cichlids, but here is the list of what I am looking at. Oscars, Jack or Blue Dempseys, some bottom feeders like 1 or 2 plecos, Green terror, and an invert of some sort, like a blue lobster.

Ive been talking to a guy about a canister he has for sale. He works at a local fish store in town. He said he has a canister that he has only had for 2 months, and cycles 500gal of water per hour. He said he bought it for $280, and he would be willing to sale it to me for $100, has long as I bought the power heads and test kits and such from HIS store.

He mentioned the canister is more than enough for the 125 gal tank I have.

Oh yeah, I was also looking at some sort of catfish and Clown Loaches. I'm not looking to add all of these fishes I mentioned in one tank, just these are the one I have looked at and showed interest in.

 

[CinBos]

Anything? Anybody?

 

[BigFish01]

Not sure of the types of Cichlids, but here is the list of what I am looking at. Oscars, Jack or Blue Dempseys, some bottom feeders like 1 or 2 plecos, Green terror, and an invert of some sort, like a blue lobster.

Ive been talking to a guy about a canister he has for sale. He works at a local fish store in town. He said he has a canister that he has only had for 2 months, and cycles 500gal of water per hour. He said he bought it for $280, and he would be willing to sale it to me for $100, has long as I bought the power heads and test kits and such from HIS store.

He mentioned the canister is more than enough for the 125 gal tank I have.

Not sure of the types of Cichlids, but here is the list of what I am looking at. Oscars, Jack or Blue Dempseys, some bottom feeders like 1 or 2 plecos, Green terror, and an invert of some sort, like a blue lobster.

Ive been talking to a guy about a canister he has for sale. He works at a local fish store in town. He said he has a canister that he has only had for 2 months, and cycles 500gal of water per hour. He said he bought it for $280, and he would be willing to sale it to me for $100, has long as I bought the power heads and test kits and such from HIS store.

He mentioned the canister is more than enough for the 125 gal tank I have.

Oh yeah, I was also looking at some sort of catfish and Clown Loaches. I'm not looking to add all of these fishes I mentioned in one tank, just these are the one I have looked at and showed interest in.

clown loaches are great. Your tank would be a good size for them at 125gal. They get rather large (google clown loach and you will see) and they need a good flow in the tank. They wouldnt do well with the more agressive fish though. They are very playful and would be harassed a lot.

I am going to upgrade to a 125 in the early fall so i can bring my common pleco back in from the pond and i plan on basing that around the clowns and my black ghost knife. They also like oxygen rich waters too. Definately google all of the fish you are interested in, watch videos and get all the info you can before making the purchase. I have a note book i keep for just that. Good luck friend. You are in good hands here!!!D

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the forum CinBos.
I have a tank about that size that I use a Rena XP3 to filter. I have been using that filter for well over 9 years now without any problems at all. I am not mainly a cichlid person so I can't help much with fish selection. As it turns out, the largest fish I have had in my big tank were Herotilapia multispinosa, rainbow cichlids, a rather small cichlid. These are mine in their home.

My daughter has kept much larger fish such as green severums in a similar sized tank with great success, if you can judge that by the fact that I had to supply her with microworms to feed over 300 fry in her tank. She simply did not anticipate the need to feed that many fry and I had the cultures needed.