My 300 Gallon Journal

[sawickib]

This will be a journal of my journey to a 300 gallon tank, it will be a couple months before i get started however. I made a powerpoint to show all included, feedback is appreciated ways to make it better and just what else you think i should do! Can you put power point links on here? O well ill figure that out tomorrow but this will be where the magic happpens!
https/mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=69a9813ef6&view=att&th=14467415ea4cfce7&attid=0.1&disp=safe&realattid=f_hs2ntzq50&zw
Tell me if this works guys.

 

[techen]

Why not just make a YouTube video and link it on here.

 

[sawickib]

I dont no how to use youtube never tried ill ask my dad for help

 

[techen]

A youtube video of your progress would be awesome

 

[sawickib]

Well I can post pics of my progress when I start haha, gonna be a few months, the PowerPoint was for all the stuff I'm getting.

 

[Ch4rlie]

300 gallon project! wow, that would be cool to see,
 
Using calculator thats about 1135.5 litres.
 
Good luck and definitely keep us posted on how this goes

 

[sawickib]

So i cant link my powerpoint so ima just give you what im thinking about getting for the tank.

Tanks dimensions are 96x30x25, and when filled with water weighs about 2500lbs
x2 Fluval FX6 536 gallons of turnover per hour each
Corallife turbo twist 12x/ 36 watt, linked to one of the canisters
TMC V2 Model 1500 fluidized bed, linked to the other canister
x6 50 pounds of pool filter sand (300lbs) or do you think i should get different sand? maybe black sand?
x2 15 Quad 48 6500K 216W (night lights!)
x3 Aquatop 500 watt titanium Aquarium
Lots of driftwood and rocks, not sure where to get all these though...
Planting with java fern, java moss, and anubis attached to driftwood

Do you think this is a good set up?

Livestock-
x3 Endlicheri Bichir
x3 Polypterus Senegalus
x2 Polypterus Ornatipinnis
x1 My beautiful Black Ghost Knife Diablo 12" 3 years old
x6 Geophagus Jurupari
x3 Tire Track Eel
x1 Fire Eel
x6 Altum Angel True wild Strain
x1 Synodontis Euruptus

Anymore or less stock?

 

[Ninjouzata]

You'll want black or red sand to bring out the colors in your bichirs.
 
Black will bring out more green coloration. I think I read black for upper jaws & red for lower jaws. You have both so not sure what you'd want to do
 
Am not sure if that's stocked, understocked, or overstocked..it sounds lovely though.
 
Keep in mind altums are very difficult to keep. I'd go for a different angel if I were you. If you insist upon keeping the altums you may want to get in touch with TwoTankAmin.
 
Driftwood..depends on what kind you want. If you're looking for manzanita then manzanita-driftwood.com may be a good place to go. He has rocks too.

 

[sawickib]

You'll want black or red sand to bring out the colors in your bichirs.
 
Black will bring out more green coloration. I think I read black for upper jaws & red for lower jaws. You have both so not sure what you'd want to do
 
Am not sure if that's stocked, understocked, or overstocked..it sounds lovely though.
 
Keep in mind altums are very difficult to keep. I'd go for a different angel if I were you. If you insist upon keeping the altums you may want to get in touch with TwoTankAmin.
 
Driftwood..depends on what kind you want. If you're looking for manzanita then manzanita-driftwood.com may be a good place to go. He has rocks too.

Is there anther angel you know of that is easier to keep?
And ill probably go for black sand because i dont think i really like red sand, and ima go look at that website right now thanks ninj

 

[Ninjouzata]

Pterophyllum Scalare, just common angels I think? Would be the ones you generally find at your LFS.
 
Yeah don't think I'd like red sand either. Most of my tanks have black sand.

 

[sawickib]

I kinda like slate stones like the ones they use in cichlid tanks, id like to make caves out of them. Want a really natural looking tank to.
Whats the difficulty with altums?
And ill probably get a mix of large driftwood and skinny tall pieces.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Wild caught altums are a trip to jeep alive. The last batch I got I spent 6 weeks setting up the receiving tank. here is a brief list of what you will need:
 
A digital meter that can read TDS and another for pH. I decent continuous monitor will run
m about $250 Hens held spot readers are way less cost and way less reliable for pH.
A UV sterilizer.
Bottled bacteria. You can not bring them into an established tank. You will need to start start cycling this tank about 3 months ahead of time maybe 4 unless you use a different system.
Several specific meds must be on hand.
RO or RO/Di unit.
Muriatic acid for lowering pH.
 
I brought mine into a tank set at TDS of under 40 ppm (under 3 dg hardness). An a pH of 4.2. I spent a few months bringing them up to 6.0 where they now live. And once you have done all of this the real danger is in adding the altums to the other fish. Altums have almost no immunity to most of the bacteria ailments that are common in the hobby. When the time comes to mix altums with other fish one wants to have with them, its a coin toss as to whether they will become ill or not. I should also not that it is not uncommon for people to lose most or all of the altums the first time or two they try. I have lost my fair share.
 
You will also have to radically alter your stock. You can not have many of of the fish on your list if you want to have altums.
 
Personally I would recommend you do a more geographically harmonious tank. I would not mix fish from SA and Africa. Pick one or the other for the best results. I would not recommend ay angel with some of the other fish you have listed.

 

[sawickib]

I had a pair of angels with my bichirs before and they were fine is it the geos that raise the problem? And could i have a blue breed or common black and white breed? Ill be ok if u suggest not having any angels at all, but if so do you know any other some what large schooling or top-mid region fish for these other fish?
O and ill add i can be able to grow the 6 angels in my 75 gallon until theg grow up and pair, they will be with a asian leaf fish, 5 small ele noses, and probably going to grow my spiny eels up a little more and teach them how to eat.

 

[sawickib]

Hey TTA is it the wild strain that makes them so sensitive? A person from another forum told me this "I don't think you would have a problem with Altums. I had a few for years and they were no harder to keep than a normal scalare angel. below is an old pic: some have said these were not true altums but I have always thought they were."
http/www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=993429&d=1393382645&thumb=1

 

[sawickib]

• x3 Endlicheri Bichir
• x3 Polypterus Senegalus
• x2 Polypterus Ornatipinnis
• x1 Short fin Bichir
• x1 Weeksii Bichir
• x1 Barred Bichir
• x1 Mottled Bichir
• x1 West African Bichir
• x1 My beautiful Black Ghost Knife Diablo 12" 3 years old
• x8 Geophagus Jurupari
• x3 Tire Track Eel
• x1 Fire Eel
• x2 Synodontis Euruptus
• x2 Synodontis Angelicus 
• x1 large pleco, either royal, green phantom or gold nugget (i know people say they aren't good with bichirs but i had a common with my bihcrs for 2 years and was just fine)

x6 Altum Angel - True Wild Strain
 
When it comes down to the bichirs not definite on the breed but I'm wanting around 15 (to much?)
Not doing planted anymore either
Getting 200lbs black sand