Aquariums

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Recently i have been looking up readily available and custom made tanks as i am looking at getting a new house and i want to get a tank somwhere in the region of 6ftlong, 2-3ft at the ends and 2ft high. As i have been researching various inet sites on custom made tanks i have noticed many that claim to specialise in making marine aquariums; up until now i thought the only difference between a marine and freshwater aquarium was what you put in it and not the tank structure, is there a difference between the two tank structures?

 

[OohFeeshy]

Not that I know of. If so, its probably to do with filtration.

 

[vantgE]

The only difference i believe tends to be marine tanks are drilled and sump ready which would be a good thing to get if you are planning on a tank that size, if you go through with it I would love to hear all about your tank, though so keep us updated a diary thread would be really cool if you have the time

EDIT- i'd check i the marine section to be sure if you can't get a matching answer hear they might know better

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Cheers for the info; i've never had a sump system in any of my tanks and i have always considered up until recently them to be a marine thing; can you use them for freshwater tropical tanks and do they make much of a difference- are they easier to maintain than normal filters?

If you like i can keep you updated with the tank thing but when it gets started all depends on how quickly i can find a house; i was originally just intending to get a 5ft long, 2ft at the ends and 2ft high tank for my plecs to grow up in together but i thought to myself since i was going to be spending so much money on the tank i might as well get as bigger one i can afford- i've always wanted to have a massive tank ever since i took up fish keeping 2yrs ago )

 

[Paul_MTS]

Sumps are great to have on freshwater aswell, also if you think about the selleing possabilites salty people would also be after your tank!

I run a sump on my 5x2.5x2 fresh water tank at the moment and very happy with the performance, i barely ever need to touch it. Getting tanks with wiers/overflows to run silently is a bit of a art to master if it's going in a social room.

The only issue to consider is cost, depending on the type of marine tank you want it will cost you hundreds in live rock and another few hundreds in proper lighting if you want to grow anemones and similiar!!

I'ved just ordered a 4x2x2 freshwater tank with a sump aswell, simply because for big messy fish you want a big bulky filter. The only thing to consider on them is cost.

I could of bought a Ehiem Pro to run the tank for around 150-200 probable but here's the break down of sump costs-

Having weir built- £10
having tank drilled- £10
Plumbing £50 (my plumbing has just cost 6 but that has 3 ball valves in it)
the sump it self £90 (built to spec by a company although a diy job would be cheaper)
Pump- £100 (i use pond pumps on my current sump and will do on this one)
Filter media- £20-40 depends on what you what really.

so in total thats about £300 for the filtration

of course all these costs will be less if you find a good 2nd hand system, i gave up searching though so bought new.

the good thing about sumps though is you can chuck everything in there from heaters to skimmers!

 

[vantgE]

Sumps have the same benefits for freshwatter as they do for salt, It gives a bit more watter volume so that toxins and wastes are diluted, hides unsightly heaters and filters, creates good surface movement, and helps disolve oxyegen eficiently, plus usually include or are part of a trickle filter these wet dry filters are among the most efficient availible, these also often allow for a small grow out or hospital tank if the need arises in some instnances.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Cheers for the info Paul_MTS

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Sumps have the same benefits for freshwatter as they do for salt, It gives a bit more watter volume so that toxins and wastes are diluted, hides unsightly heaters and filters, creates good surface movement, and helps disolve oxyegen eficiently, plus usually include or are part of a trickle filter these wet dry filters are among the most efficient availible, these also often allow for a small grow out or hospital tank if the need arises in some instnances.

Is the sump placed inside of the tank or outside or can it be either?

 

[vantgE]

Outside usualy under, but a aquarium set-up for it might have a corner set into it so along the corner there will be a glass box that the tank overflow into and then runs down that into the sump, I am however not sure on the specifics in this sort of things but there are parts inside the tank with a resivior kinda thing usually under the tank

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Cheers

 

[Paul_MTS]

have a look through the pictures of me setting up my tank it might explain a few things for you (hopefully!!)

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=66277&hl=

bu the break down from top to bottom it...

inside trhe tank is a weir, this is a glass box made at the back of the tank, the water over flows into this box.

the hole!! this is inside the weir where the water flows.

a bit of pipe work, this connects to the hole inside the wier and carries the water into the sump.

inside the sump you have all your filter media, heaters and pumps.

the water is then returned to the tank via the pumps and up through some more pipe work.

the sump does need to be below the tank as gravity takes the water into the sump. this can be places any where best for you after that, although taking it further away from the tank means more plumbing and more powerful pumps. the traditional place is directly under the tank in the cabinet.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Thanks for the links i was wondering roughly how long it would take to cycle a tank of the size i mentioned using fish to cycle it? would there be much difference using a sump or normal filters in this?

 

[Paul_MTS]

nope no difference, just use bigger tough fish.

i didn't need to cycle mine as chucked in some filter media from another tank and that did it fine.