# 145 Gallon Build



## BabyNemo

I'm in the process of purchasing a 145 gallon custom pre-drilled tank for my new fish room. I don't even know what I'm doing, lol.
I'm trying to figure out what to do about the sump, water pump, plumbing, and everything in between.
The tank is 52x22x30









I have never had a pre-drilled tank, or a sump, or anything larger than a 75. Even my 75 is mainly a turtle tank, so I haven't really had anything purely for fish bigger than a 36. I'm terrified.


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## big b

It's nice to see that you're back Shay. Wow, a 145 gallon. My biggest tank is a 38 gallon so I'll be of no help here. But I know that susankat will be able to help you, she has a 220 gallon.


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## BabyNemo

big b said:


> It's nice to see that you're back Shay. Wow, a 145 gallon. My biggest tank is a 38 gallon so I'll be of no help here. But I know that susankat will be able to help you, she has a 220 gallon.


For the time being, yeah I'm back. Being a senior is hard work so I'm only on during weekends mainly.
It's nice to sort of be back.


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## big b

Yep, being a student sucks, don't it?


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## majerah1

Bettas! Paludarium. You could do all sorts of cool stuff with it, neat size


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## BabyNemo

big b said:


> Yep, being a student sucks, don't it?


Wait until you're a senior looking at colleges and careers, then we'll talk.
:grin2:


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## BabyNemo

majerah1 said:


> Bettas! Paludarium. You could do all sorts of cool stuff with it, neat size


I love how you automatically say "Bettas!!" :grin2:
I don't even know, omg. I have so many options it's like... I'm a kid in a candy store. I really wanted to do fish I've always wanted before, like an eel or something. But also a community tank or not. Or a saltwater eventually tank, or not.
SO MANY CHOICES!
:crying::fish10:


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## big b

NO SALTWATER. If you think that a co2 set up costs a lot, then multiply that by about 5. Then you will know how much a sw tank costs. Because the tank is 30 inches high that basically rules out making it planted. How about a predator community?


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## big b

BabyNemo said:


> Wait until you're a senior looking at careers, then we'll talk.
> :grin2:


I already know . I want to be an ichthyologist/ herpetologist.


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## BabyNemo

big b said:


> NO SALTWATER. If you think that a co2 set up costs a lot, then multiply that by about 5. Then you will know how much a sw tank costs. Because the tank is 30 inches high that basically rules out making it planted. How about a predator community?


No plants? I will die without plants! What about floating plants? 

If I ever did saltwater it would be wayyyyyyyyyyyy down the road. But I do want a saltwater tank so bad.


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## BabyNemo

big b said:


> I already know . I want to be an ichthyologist/ herpetologist.


I wanted to be a veterinarian since I was 8. I turned 16 and changed my mind to Vet Tech. Then I changed it again to Marine Biology. Then again to Zoology. Then back to Vet Tech. Then to Marine Biology. And now I just don't know.


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## big b

BabyNemo said:


> No plants? I will die without plants! What about floating plants?
> 
> If I ever did saltwater it would be wayyyyyyyyyyyy down the road. But I do want a saltwater tank so bad.


Well you could have plants. Floating plants can be in almost any tank since they are at the top of the tnak and they get the most light. However, if you want plants in the bottom, then I would get a REALLY strong light. The higher the tank is, the weaker the light gets as it goes down.


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## big b

BabyNemo said:


> I wanted to be a veterinarian since I was 8. I turned 16 and changed my mind to Vet Tech. Then I changed it again to Marine Biology. Then again to Zoology. Then back to Vet Tech. Then to Marine Biology. And now I just don't know.


Go to college to be a biologist and then during those years at college, you can decide if you want to go to zoology or marine biologist. If you do become a marine biologist, then call me. I want to work with fish .


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## BabyNemo

I'll figure something out in regards to plants and lighting. And biology is so science and math based and I suck at both of those do I couldn't make it far.


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## big b

Dude, those are my 2 favorite subjects. I can tutor you in them, jk. I can't tutor a senior.


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## majerah1

Planting that beast is not impossible, you just have to get good lighting, and be creative.


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## susankat

You can have all kind so plants in a tank that tall. If you look at the 220 it's 30 inches tall and I just used 3 shop lights for the planted. Just add tall pieces of wood and taller plants like vals and swords and smaller plants on the wood. The link is in my signature


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## big b

I just meant it would be more difficult to plant a tank of that height. She would have to use a stronger light to get the light down to the plants.


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## BabyNemo

Stronger light = more expensive?

So someone offered me a 100 gallon tank with three oscars and a redtail catfish? I don't think that's a good idea. They want 180 for it but I don't want to be stuck with those fish so I think I'll stick to the 145. I'm doing more research tonight on my only day off.


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## big b

Yes, that is also what I was getting at. The stronger a light is, the more expensive it is. 
HA they want 180 for a 100 gallon with a RED TAIL CATFISH???? Dude, those fish shouldn't even be in the aquarium trade.


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## BabyNemo

Yeah a max size of like four feet? No Thank you.


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## big b

Yep, I think that he must have been thinking this. "Oh, so she is an 18 ( am I right?) year old girl, she must not know anything about these fish. She probably will just think they are pretty fish. "


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## BabyNemo

Close. 17. 18 in like three months.
But he gave me his kik to send me pictures of the tanks and he looks younger than me. But he even said "This fish gets four feet" I was like uhhh I don't want a fish that's going to get that huge.


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## big b

Really? What is a kid younger then you doing with a 100 gallon?


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## BabyNemo

Probably a rich mommy and daddy or spoiled kid.... Or both.


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## big b

Meh, I know another 14 year old that has like 2 100+ gallon tanks. He breeds and sells shrimp online. He makes $700+ a week, but his parents take most of it because he uses their basement for his fishroom/ breeding shrimp room.


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## BabyNemo

That's my dream. Make money off of fish.


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## BabyNemo

Still trying to figure out stuff for the sump and plumbing... What sized sump is smart for this size? How do you plumb a tank with a sump? Different parts of a sump?


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## big b

Start small, and grow your breeding operation.


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## BabyNemo

See, I breed guppies but I don't breed a certain strand and they're not from known lines or anything. I have people who will buy them from me for two dollars a fish, but that's about it.


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## big b

No, no, no. You have to do what he did. Start breeding shrimp. I myself would start breeding cherry shrimp so you can get a feel of how they breed and learn about breeding shrimp in general. Once you have done that for a while and have made a nice bit of money, then buy a group of a little more expensive shrimp shrimp. Then breed them, and do that again until you are breeding $20+ shrimp. However, I would still keep a few colonies of each shrimp you breed. That way, you are not dependent on just 1 certain type of shrimp.


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## BabyNemo

That means a lot of small tanks, I'm done with small tanks. I want bigger tanks now.
And it seems some shrimp are so hard to come by, expensive, and hard to care for (get sick easily)


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## big b

Says the person who does not make $700 a week .


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## BabyNemo

Small tanks just aren't my thing anymore.
People make a good amount breeding chichlids, don't they?
But the upkeep and fish themselves to get started are expensive..


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## big b

It was expensive to start up your aquarium wasn't it? What's the difference?


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## BabyNemo

Not nearly as expensive as it would be to set up a breeding project.

It's a possibility, just not going to happen soon... Like at all. First I need to figure out how to set up the 145, then I can decide on how to stock it and go from there.


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## big b

I could argue that it would not be as expensive but I don't want to use a bunch of time posting it, so I will just agree with you.


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## BabyNemo

Went to a local fish store today, well it's thirty minutes away but still.
We talked about the tank and he said it would be safer to find a standard 125/180 something like that. Because finding a top is going to be hard, building a stand is risky, and it's expensive to get all these things custom made.


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## BabyNemo

My mom wants a square tank? Where in the world can I find a square tank upwards of 140+ gallons


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## big b

I'm not trying to be rude to your mother but, does her opinion really matter for your tank? Again, not trying to be rude to your mother.


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## BabyNemo

She's my mom. Of course her opinion matters. It's her money.


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## big b

Oh, now I understand. She is buying the tank. I was under the impression that you were buying it. Sorry, tell you mom that I said sorry .


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## big b

i found a square (more or less) 140 gallon for sale online. But I have bad news. It is $867 Glasscages.com - Glass Aquariums


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## BabyNemo

Saw that, too. We are in the process of finding people to help us go get a 120. Five foot long, 22 tall? or like 28 tall? at and a half deep? Something like that.
Comes with lights, stand, gravel, but no filter.


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## big b

BabyNemo said:


> Saw that, too. We are in the process of finding people to help us go get a 120. Five foot long, 22 tall? or like 28 tall? at and a half deep? Something like that.
> Comes with lights, stand, gravel, but no filter.


Do you have any ideas of what type of filtration you are going to use on a tank of this size?


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## BabyNemo

big b said:


> BabyNemo said:
> 
> 
> 
> Saw that, too. We are in the process of finding people to help us go get a 120. Five foot long, 22 tall? or like 28 tall? at and a half deep? Something like that.
> Comes with lights, stand, gravel, but no filter.
> 
> 
> 
> Do you have any ideas of what type of filtration you are going to use on a tank of this size?
Click to expand...

 of course not. Lol. Probably two canisters?


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## big b

Nah I wouldn't do 2 unless you like spending lots of money. Eheim filters are very good. Many people swear by them, I think Bev is one of them people that swear by them. Or it might have been Susan. I found a link to some of there canister filters. Aquarium Filtration & Water Quality: Eheim Advanced Canister Filters 
The Ultra G Series160 Model is rated for 160 gallons with a gph of 330 and it costs $254.99. The Professional 3 1200XL Model is rated for 320 gallons with a gph of 450 and it costs $424.99. The later one is more expensive but can filter your tank with a lot left over. The first can filter your tank with a little left over. What I mean by "left over" is the bare minimum gph the canister has to move. and then it has more gph then the bare minimum.


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## BabyNemo

big b said:


> Nah I wouldn't do 2 unless you like spending lots of money. Eheim filters are very good. Many people swear by them, I think Bev is one of them people that swear by them. Or it might have been Susan. I found a link to some of there canister filters. Aquarium Filtration & Water Quality: Eheim Advanced Canister Filters
> The Ultra G Series160 Model is rated for 160 gallons with a gph of 330 and it costs $254.99. The Professional 3 1200XL Model is rated for 320 gallons with a gph of 450 and it costs $424.99. The later one is more expensive but can filter your tank with a lot left over. The first can filter your tank with a little left over. What I mean by "left over" is the bare minimum gph the canister has to move. and then it has more gph then the bare minimum.


No way I could spend more money on a filter than the tank itself. That's crazy.


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## big b

Aren't we all crazy?


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## BabyNemo

big b said:


> Aren't we all crazy?


Yup. But that's crazy expensive. I couldn't.


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## big b

You know how to work a lawn mower right? Ask your neighbors if they need their lawns mowed, it adds up pretty quick. Do it about every 2-3 weeks, the grass is starting to grow a bit slower now that summer is over.


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## majerah1

I paid five bucks for my hex, and 60 for the filter LOL>


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## BabyNemo

big b said:


> You know how to work a lawn mower right? Ask your neighbors if they need their lawns mowed, it adds up pretty quick. Do it about every 2-3 weeks, the grass is starting to grow a bit slower now that summer is over.


Lol let me know how much time you have in your week when you do color guard Tuesday through friday


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## big b

What is color guard? Also I meant during the weekend.


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## BabyNemo

big b said:


> What is color guard? Also I meant during the weekend.


You know half time shows in marching band? like football games? 
The flagline. We practice Tuesday-Thursday until 6pm, we have games that go well into the morning hours on friday's, sometimes we have weekend practices. We work 24/7.
My weekend is devoted to my animals and water changes.
On top of being a senior and having to manage every little bit of my time down to the minute because of the amount of projects and stuff I have to get done within a week.


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## big b

I will probably lose this argument if I continue this. So I'm just gonna stop arguing.


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## Summer

oooh [MENTION=11261]Baby[/MENTION] nemo you do guard? I have a group that i run I teach baton twirling, friend teaches guard  love meeting new guardies around the nets. Anywho, I think two canisters would be excellent for a tank that size, i used to run two on my 75 gal. You can get sun sun canisters at a pretty decent price and they work a ton better than a hob. What's plans for stocking?


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## big b

I think it's time for an update .


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