Need some advice on starting a 150 gallon freshwater community aquarium?

Question

Since its such a big tank I'll need some worthy equipment for it. Any particular filters, gravel vacs, air pumps/stones/wands you recommend. Should I get a kit that has everything to test the water conditions? What are some good plants I could add and what type of lighting will they need? Lastly what type of fish would you recommend?

I have a betta, cory cats, dwarf gouramis, and neon tetras at the moment. I figure I'll definatly get some corydoras as a clean up crew. How many do you recommend? What about some otocinclus catfish?? If so, how many of those? I'm also interested in tiger barbs and bala sharks. What about Cichlids?? What about some frogs or snails? Types??

I WANNA KNOW EVERYTHING I CAN ADD! PUT YOURSELF IN MY POSITION AND THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WOULD DO. I WANT ALLLLLLL THE DETAILS, PLEASE!!! THANKS!!!!!

Answer 1

Personally, with a tank that size I love it as a planted tank, but only consider that is you are willing to shell out big bucks for lighting and CO2. No, DIY CO2 wouldn't work well for a tank that size and regular shop lights won't cut it either lol.

For filtration I would recommend 2 large power filters. Get each rated for a tank your size.

Air pumps, stone,. etc are totally optional and up to you. If you are planting the tank, you don't want one.

Gravel. I prefer dark browns for gravel, it just seems "natural" Especially in a planted tank.

Lighting. For a tank that deep youwill probably need to investigate metal halide for plants. Normal flourescents will be fine otherwise. For plants, get about 750 watts of lighting.

As faar as specific plants, I like vals in a tank that deep because them will grow like mad and form a nice dense stand of plants that also lays over on the surface nicely. Microswords are almost a must as a short foreground plant. Red ludwigia gives a nice contrast to the greens of most plants, while anubais of all types have a rich, dark green leaf. If you are going to plant the tank you will of course be getting a plant book ( I HOPE) and you will be able to plan your tank looking at the different plants in the book.

For this size planted tank, I would also add a few roicks, pieces of driftwood and a few caves.

Fish. Personally, I would stick with small fish. Tetras and rasboras for the mid water fish, various killfish for the top water area and corys for the clean up guys. Add to that 2-3 pairs of small apistogrammas ( your cichlids) that will take up residence in the caves and breed for you.

By the way, Bala sharks get quite large, need to be in schools and would actually be a bit cramped in that tank in the long run.

Test kit. The basic Master freshwater kit will do fine. If you are keeping a seriously heavily planted tank, you will also want an iron and a phosphate test kit. As you read up on plants you will see why.

A planted tank like this 150 gallon is not hard to do and requires little in extra equipment:
http://www.trilbytropicals.com/coralpictures_files/DSCN1212.JPG

This tank however is another story entirely, it would take extra equipment and expense in lighting and CO2 etc. So it's up to you for the look you want in a tank.

Personally, I like the second one... see the vals in the back?

MM
http://rockymountaindiscus.com/images/drwatson.jpg

Answer 2

Well with that big of a tank there are alot of fish you could add.

Fish:
I would recommend guppies, swordtails, more corydoras catfish but get 3-4 because they are schooling fish, platys, mollies, danios, fire gouramis, kissing gouramis, otocinclus would be more then fine, chichlids would be a no because some can be aggressive, you might be able to put sharks in but talk to a petsmart or petco worker first, neon tetras will be good but get at least 6-7 because they are schooling fish, Barbs would be ok too.

Frogs:
African dwarf frogs or African clawed frogs would be about the only ones you could keep but watch them and make sure the fish don't bully them.

Snails:
Any type of mystery snail would be good. I do not recommend cone snails because they reproduce like crazy.

Plants:
Most freshwater plants would be ok. Like java ferns, water sprite, Malayan aqua fern, but it depends on what plant you like best.

If you need any more info you can email me.

Answer 3

I dont know plenty approximately filters yet purchase gravel it particularly is rather super or purchase rocks for the backside. I say no bala sharks and tiger barbs yet get abot 20 neons 10 corydoras 15 zebra danios no otos additionally some guppies yet start up out with approximately 7 and rather quickly youll have 20 and probly cichlids wont be sturdy yet i might perhaps positioned a 2 or 3 snails and 5 black skirt tetras

Answer 4

For filtration try using Eheim biological filters since your aquarium is big, overhead filters are not so effective. For a 150 gallon aquarium i wouldnt mind putting nice big fishes like Arowanas, Large Cichlids, Peacock bass, Giant Gourami etc.. but to each his own..