New to the forum

[littleimp]

Just saying hi, new to the forum but not to keeping fish. I currently have a 6x2x2 marine tank which I am in the process of downgrading to freshwater after a disaster with an anemone.

Need some advice about filter system & lighting?

At the moment the filter system as a 4ft sump system with protein skimmer & 3500l/h pump to circulate water from sump to tank & lighting is 2 x 400w metal halide with 10k bulbs.

Was wondering what sort of lighting I would need on 6ft tank as I have never had a tropical tank this large. I would like to have succesful plant growth as have never had much luck with this.

What filter system would be good on a freshwater tank this size??

Any large tank owners out their? All advice much appreciated.

 

[rdd1952]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Try posting your question in the Saltwater section.

 

[littleimp]

It was a saltwater tank but now going to turn it into a big freswater community tank.

 

[Durbkat]

I think you will need a new filter and heater. Do you know how many gallons it is? And you can just ask your lps what to do. And try posting this in the saltwater section because they can tell you how to do it the right way. AndI know your making it a freshwater tank but they can tell how to do it the right way. And by the way

 

[modernhamlet]

Just saying hi, new to the forum but not to keeping fish. I currently have a 6x2x2 marine tank which I am in the process of downgrading to freshwater after a disaster with an anemone.

Need some advice about filter system & lighting?

At the moment the filter system as a 4ft sump system with protein skimmer & 3500l/h pump to circulate water from sump to tank & lighting is 2 x 400w metal halide with 10k bulbs.

Was wondering what sort of lighting I would need on 6ft tank as I have never had a tropical tank this large. I would like to have succesful plant growth as have never had much luck with this.

What filter system would be good on a freshwater tank this size??

Any large tank owners out their? All advice much appreciated.

[snapback]913949[/snapback]​

Actually, given your hardware and desire for a planted tank, I would urge you to chat with the folks in the Planted tank forum. They should be able to give good advice on an appropriate filter and other things related to getting a large planted tank up and running.

Sounds like it could be awesome. Good luck! I look forward to reading about the transformation.

 

[spanishguy111]

Just saying hi, new to the forum but not to keeping fish. I currently have a 6x2x2 marine tank which I am in the process of downgrading to freshwater after a disaster with an anemone.

Need some advice about filter system & lighting?

At the moment the filter system as a 4ft sump system with protein skimmer & 3500l/h pump to circulate water from sump to tank & lighting is 2 x 400w metal halide with 10k bulbs.

Was wondering what sort of lighting I would need on 6ft tank as I have never had a tropical tank this large. I would like to have succesful plant growth as have never had much luck with this.

What filter system would be good on a freshwater tank this size??

Any large tank owners out their? All advice much appreciated.

[snapback]913949[/snapback]​

Actually, given your hardware and desire for a planted tank, I would urge you to chat with the folks in the Planted tank forum. They should be able to give good advice on an appropriate filter and other things related to getting a large planted tank up and running.

Sounds like it could be awesome. Good luck! I look forward to reading about the transformation.

[snapback]914184[/snapback]​

6x2x2 is pretty big. Thats darn near 200 Gallons. Probably like 180 or something. Thats a BIG tank to plant dude. You can do it but I don't know how entirely successful you will be given its your first try. You're going to need to blast huuuge levels of co2 into that thing to keep the count up over 15ppm.. Your lighting will have to be changed as well and you will need to change to a canister filter.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi littleimp

Welcome to the forum!

I am going to move your thread to the Saltwater Hardware section. My thinking is that since most people who have saltwater tanks probably started with freshwater one and so they would know most about the differences between them.

I think you should be able to get some good advice there and hope to see more of your posts soon.

 

[CFC]

This would actually be better in the plantes tanks section

Unfortunately your current set up is not really suitable for a planted set up, sump filtration drives out most if not all of the CO2 needed for good plant growth and your 10k bulbs are too bright which will lead to algea problems. Im sure you also realise that a protein skimmer is useless in freshwater.
If you can get the right spectrum bulbs for your halides (if i remember rightly around 6500k is right for plants but i'm sure one of the real experts will corrrect me) add a large CO2 injection system and filter the tank using a couple of canisters rather than the sump then you will have a great set up.

 

[Navarre]

6x2x2= 150 Imperial gallons

CFC is right, the lights need to be changed toa temperature of 6.5K it will make the tank look like its full of cats wee so i suggest you suppliment this lighting with tubes that are more pleasing to the eye.

CO2 is required for good plant growth also so i suggest that you get some sort of CO2 injection system (sorry but i have no experence with plants so how or what type of CO2 unit you should get is not known to me.

Either put the Skimmer on ebay or store it for a possible change of heart should you return to marines. Protien skimmers simply wont work in freshwater as you need the presence of salt to get the skimmer to work.

 

[littleimp]

Thanks for all the comments people.

This is what I'm upto so far.

I've now sold/selling most of my marine stuff including the halides.

My tank is actually 72" long, 18" wide & runs at 21" deep so this gives me 112US gal.

I have order 2 more twin 55w T5 units to go with my existing 1 & going to fit this into a custom made (by myself) mirrored hood with the new arcadia freshwater lamps (not much too choose from at the moment).

This gives my 324w of T5 lighting = 2.9WPG so I belive this is OK.

I am doing away with the sump & have ordered 2 x fluval 404's to handle the filtration & chemical control.

I have order 9 bags of seachem flourite to give the recommded substrate.

I picked up 2 massive pieces of Bogwood today also from my local seapets.

I have also ordered the deltec CO2 kit. I choose this one at the moment because.
1. Deltec equipment is extremely high quality.
2. It comes with the solenoid for night time control with the lighting.
3. It uses the standard 500g disposable tube & these are available quite cheaply locally. Their are no aquarium shops within 100miles of me that can refill cannisters so for the time being this will do.

I am looking at feeding the output of this into the input of one of the filters (or another smaller eheim I have to increase it's effectiveness so if anyone has any experience with this, i.e. adaptors & equipemtn to use, this would be helpful.

In the meantime here are a couple of pics.

This one is when I first built the tank & cabinet (the smaller tank in the middle is a 4ft one to give an idea of size.

This one is when the marine tank was in full swing.

 

[zig]

Whats your lighting setup at the moment without the addition of the 2 extra lights that you intend to order, the reason i ask is because you probably have sufficient light allready as long as the lighing is even across the tank, you may not need any more.

The WPG guideline breaks down for large tanks so you dont need 3 WPG to have whats considered a highlight tank, like i say as long as the existing light is even across the tank i think you probably have enough.

What way have you planned to fertilise this tank? id suggest you look at the EI pinned topic at the top of this section as this will be the cheapest option for you by far especially given the size of the tank.

Whats your location btw sounds rural if no lfs is within 100 miles.

 

[Lateral Line]

As zig says, the WPG "guideline" is for typical sized and shaped tanks, it is not a simple linear relationship. I also believe you will be okay with what you've got.

I feed the output from my CO2 into the inlet of an Eheim canister. Very occasionally I see a bubble from the return, but not often. Remember, you'll want to arrange the returns from your filters to create minimal surface agitation, or you will knock the CO2 out of solution before the plants can use it. I have extended my spray bars, made extra holes in them, and have them angled down the rear wall of the tank, almost no agitation.

You do not need to go to a fish shop to get CO2 cylinders filled. In England, I had mine refilled by the homebrewing/winemaking shop.

 

[jimbooo]

cool project little imp, i'm missing a days sleep (just back from holiday) so wont dish out any dodgy advice just yet. it's definatly possible if set up right from the start. good substrate, co2 (which is the hard bit) and light. the lighting you have will be ideal once you change the tubes. i'll follow this with interest.
good luck.

 

[littleimp]

Just to comment on the lighting.

The lighting for the marine tank as pictured was 2 x 54w actinic blue tubes +
2 x 400w halide lowbays.

I am changing to flourescent lighting becuase

1. It's cheaper to run!!!!
2. 100 or 150w halides are difficult to obtain in the correct colur temperature. Currently 10000k.
3. The lowbays are large & look pretty ugly. I am going to contruct & mirrored hood for my tank to house the 6 tubes. (I am going to contruct it in marine ply & line the inside with sticky back plastic as sold in craft shops. it's made by fablon & is highly reflective/specular.
4. Halides give off a tremendous amount of heat. If you go into marine forums you will notice that this is a big issue, especially in the summer. To control properly you have to run a cooler which again is horrendously expensive to run.

My electricity bill to run the marine tank went up by around £40/month because of all this!!!

I'm constructing the flourescent units myself using T5 ballasts & lampholders.

Twin 55w T5 ballast £21each + vat
IP64 lampholder ends £0.47 + vat

I will make an aireated angled enclosing hood with an extra aireated section on top to keep the ballasts & electronics in.

If your'e making your own hood & are handy with electronics it's muuch cheaper than buying the arcadia's @ £61 each

Whats your lighting setup at the moment without the addition of the 2 extra lights that you intend to order, the reason i ask is because you probably have sufficient light allready as long as the lighing is even across the tank, you may not need any more.

The WPG guideline breaks down for large tanks so you dont need 3 WPG to have whats considered a highlight tank, like i say as long as the existing light is even across the tank i think you probably have enough.

What way have you planned to fertilise this tank? id suggest you look at the EI pinned topic at the top of this section as this will be the cheapest option for you by far especially given the size of the tank.

Whats your location btw sounds rural if no lfs is within 100 miles.

We have quite a few lfs but none of them do the more advanced stuff like T5 lighting. I mentioned CO2 to one & he didn't have a clue what I was on about. One of them is pretty good for fish but again lacking in hardware.

As zig says, the WPG "guideline" is for typical sized and shaped tanks, it is not a simple linear relationship. I also believe you will be okay with what you've got.

I feed the output from my CO2 into the inlet of an Eheim canister. Very occasionally I see a bubble from the return, but not often. Remember, you'll want to arrange the returns from your filters to create minimal surface agitation, or you will knock the CO2 out of solution before the plants can use it. I have extended my spray bars, made extra holes in them, and have them angled down the rear wall of the tank, almost no agitation.

You do not need to go to a fish shop to get CO2 cylinders filled. In England, I had mine refilled by the homebrewing/winemaking shop.

To feed the co2 in did you have to use a one way valve??
What type of connector did you use to connet the hose to the inlet one??

What type of hose do CO2 kits come with anyways??