# My first tank. 300 Gallons.



## rayray74 (Mar 19, 2013)

Hello all, my wife and I were looking to get into the hobby and started doing research on fish and what we might want and what would work for us.
We didnt want to start too small and then go through the hassle of upgrading. 
we started looking at the 75-125 gallon range. 
we stumbled across this 300 gallon all acrylic tank. (even the base is acrylic, its a sump)
Needless to say, its our tank now.
My question (right now) is what media for filtration would be best. I have the blue/white pads in both trays right now. 
Some have mentioned bio balls in the bottom tray or even the sump itself.
The sump has about 150 gallons in right now, water is clear except for some light tannic acid. 
So, any ideas?
*c/p*


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## FishFlow (Sep 13, 2011)

rayray74 said:


> We didnt want to start too small and then go through the hassle of upgrading.


300g as your first tank? YOU sir are doing it RIGHT !! 


Can you post up pictures?


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## Berylla (Mar 4, 2013)

Pictures please!!!


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

You really probably want to keep the pads as only two trays of mechanicals for 300 g is not alot.You do need some bio in there ,a picture of sump will help us tell you where they will work best.
Please check out this as cycling such a large tank with fish is going to take A LOT OF WATERCHANGES!
http://www.aquariumforum.com/f66/fishless-cycle-15036.html
Also you will probably find a python or aqueon waterchange system priceless to help you maintain your tank.
If you already have fish then http://www.aquariumforum.com/f66/fish-poop-you-primer-8310.html will be helpful.
Good luck and go slow as medicating(if necessary) or waterchanges to properly cycle with fish in tank will prove costly and be a lot of work!
Good luck!


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## rayray74 (Mar 19, 2013)

Hello,
Thanks for helping!
I was attempting to post pictures and was given a no no when I went to attach. 
it said to post them in the gallery. So I did.
here is the link.
Aquarium Gallery - rayray74 Gallery

Thanks so much for all your help. Right now I have about 15 minnows and 3 mollies in the tank. wanted to make sure it was going to be able to sustain fish.
We would like to go with cichlids (LM)

I really wanted to fishless cycle, but I cannot for the life of me find ammonia anywhere in town.


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## rtmaston (Jul 14, 2012)

he is right with a 300 gallon he set to go.what are you planning on putting in the tank?


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## rayray74 (Mar 19, 2013)

We are wanting African Cichlids, Lake Malawi, and maybe a fire eel. If we can keep ph at a decent level for both types of fish. I have spoke with several LFS and they said even a local pleco would be fine since we have such hard water there in SW Florida.


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## TroyVSC (Aug 29, 2012)

I'm jealous. If you click on the actual picture there should be some links under the picture. Copy the forum and just paste right onto the post. opening two tabs helps to make it really simple. One for the post and one for the picture.

I posted your pictures so others can see what they are looking at to help give you advice. I will take them down if you want me to.


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## rayray74 (Mar 19, 2013)

Thanks for the tutorial on that.
So does anyone have any ideas regarding the filtration for this?


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

A side profile of sump(filter ) would help,but from what Troy put up(thanks Troy) I'd say definately use pads(mechanical) in trays and the bio(bio balls,ceramic ring) directly under the trays.
You will want your pads to fill the whole tray.If only one 1/2 of the pad gets dirty then you can turn it around after rinsing,but in time and with higher load on tank the whole pad will probably get used.
It really doesn't look like you have a lot of flow?What pump are you using?
Do you have a test kit? If so you need to check daily with fish in and be prepared for large water changes.If you nutrient levels(ammonia,nitrIte,or nitrAtes )are high the % of water you change is how much they will go down(lets say ammonia is3 ppm {and over 1ppm is dangerous,any level of ammonia is dangerous,but since your're fish in you will have ammonia} and from 3ppm you'd like to get under 1PPM YOU WILL NEED TO CHANGE 200 GALLON!This is one of the problems with learning proper keeping with a large tank.
If you don't own a master freshwater kit and you sunk 300gallons of money into this you really should have one(not test strips either),liquid API is what alot here use.


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## Majorrush (Jan 21, 2013)

welcome to the forum. Nice tank. My two cents. Although there are hundreds of beautiful freshwater fish and the maint is pretty much easy. That tank is just saying I want to be salt water all over it. Your choice though, either way it is a great hobby. If your having a stressful day just grab a beverage and sit down and watch your fish and you will actually relax. I do it often. Good luck with that beauty.
Dave


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## rayray74 (Mar 19, 2013)

Hello. I do have an api kit. Tested water before and after fish. Been a week. No change at all in anything drastic. Ph did go up. I agree. It does have salt alllllll over it. However first tank. Ill dip my feet first. 
I have two rows of trays. Should I put balls on second tray or bottom of sump???
The water flow is there. I can drain the tank to the bottom sump in 30 minutes with that pump. I had to zoom in to show the sump setup the whole bottom looks like that 16 trays. 
Pvc runs across the whole bottom over the trays. 

For the 300 gallons of money comment... I got the tank and sump.. all acrylic. 
Pump. Uv sterlizer. And protein skimmer... for a new 150 gallon glass price.

And I am enjoying beverage as we speak. With just minnows and mollies! !


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Place balls under second tray.Both should remain mechanical as far as I can see so far.My bad IF I missed a pic but there are only the three that Troy vsc posted and totall pic of sump and its configuration is not in gallery.Again I wonder how much flow you have,you should be turning the tank over 5-10 times an hour(1500{minimum}to 3000 gallons per hour).How fast it will DRAIN(ESPESCIALLY WITH A PUMP) has nothing to do with how much the pump returns to the tank.You have to consider head(how high tank is) and true pump rating to know your flow.


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## rayray74 (Mar 19, 2013)

ah ha. I have to pull it out and look for the model number on the pump itself.
but it is a Supreme Classic Mag Drive Pump.
Aquarium Water Pumps: Supreme Classic Mag Drive Pump

I am going to have to spend about $500 to fill the bottom with bio balls. Ill take more pictures today when I get home, anything to help you help me!


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

OK you don't have to FILL the bottom but possibly there is a "compartment" only under trays?A side profile of filter or even a few pics will really help and save you money probably(I really hope you didn't buy $500 worth of bio balls as you really won't need that many,and can probably get a better price on line.)
The pump is a good brand,I use mag drive on my three sumps.You really should have a model 12 at least and preferably larger(like model 18).The model 12 is really under sized as its max flow is 1200 gph(not taking away for head pressure,which would give you a flow of about 900gph at the most)The model 18 has a max of 1800 gph but when you figure in head and pipe size,elbows... it really may not even flow 1200 gph which should be at least how much your overflows can handle(with 1 inch drain).Picture of your overflows will help the experienced people tell you more also(pictures of its profile and inside it along with possibly the bottom of tank where the drains come out)
I know I'm asking alot,but will be able to help you alot with this info for starters.


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## rayray74 (Mar 19, 2013)

Hello all,
I wanted to let you know I have not abandoned the help from everyone. I have been busy attending to some other matters. (IE broken down truck).


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## rayray74 (Mar 19, 2013)

thanks for bearing with me. Trucks running great now.
So I stood back and looked at the tank. The pump is a model 18 - so the output is there. However I started looking at the overflow and draining. 
Only a few holes in each section to drain. I took my trusty dremel tool and started drilling more holes in each section. 
I am going to look for an adapter to add bigger holes, instead of lots of little ones. I am still confused on what media to use in what tray, and in which order.
Carbon? blue/white pads/ sponge?
what goes on bottom of sump?
currently i only have blue/white in each tray with a few ceramic bio balls scattered across the bottom of the sump.
there are 8 compartments total going across the entire bottom of the tank. the photo is hazy. the hazy photo is the back end of the tank/sump.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

OK from the picture it looks like you got a sump that would run several seperate tanks(to their own drip plate )and be returned through a pump with manifold(outlets to individual tanks).You want your bio media under the trays, not in them IMO.If the water is feed through one supply pipe to plates then you want smaller holes over the first plate and larger holes over the last.Having smaller holes first and making the holes slightly larger as(the water ) moves towards the last plate will help get water evenly distributed.
I use a mag 18 on my 120 and it is ok,but if the plumbing to return water is not as large a pump requires then the flow is lowered right away.Add in head and elbows and it may not be flowing to its max potential.
I didn't want to get a mag 24 for my 120,but it may have been a better choice.Possibly I'll upgrade my 180g pump from a mag 24 to a mag 36(or one equall in power) and move that 24 to my 120.


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## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

I am a very not experienced tank keeper but this I learned the hard way right up front. The entire inside of the tank and filter are your bio-filter, not just the
bio-balls. BTW I got my ammonia from the cleaning section in Walmart. I mentioned the entire inside of the tank because some people(which is where I "found
out right up front") like to clean everything all at once including the inside of the glass...bad idea. 
The other info that goes hand in hand/w that is that those helpful bacteria populate in proportion to the bio-load. This is why(your tank, because of it's size
could take just a bit more) people suggest you only add fish in small numbers and by type. A territorial type fish might do better if added last for example.
He will still stake out his aria but it's less likely he will consider the other fish as invading his territory if he is the one introduced. Adding the small amount
of fish would be done in intervals to let the population of the helpful bacteria catch up to the new bio-load from the last batch you added.
These things are basic to most of the members here but you did say "first tank" so just thought I'd mention them just in case.
Tetra Safe Start actually works but I can verify no other bio-starter. In my new tank the ammonia started to drop in 5 hrs and the nitrites were gone
in 72 hrs.
The Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle
Right hand colume "a fishless cycle"
Tips for Cycling Your New Aquarium - The First Tank Guide - Getting Your Fish Tank Up and Running with Minimal Headaches
Since you have fish already I'd just add a large bottle of the Safe Start to speed it up.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Just like Raymond said the good bacteria DO ATTACH to surfaces(your tank,substrate,filter body(not just media).
I'll mention that I have experience(30 + years) and have 0 biological media in tanks.I have sponges that I care for like bio meda(rinsed only in existing tank water)I'm not cheap I have buckets of bio balls,bio wheels....but eventually (for you much farther down the road) the bio media becomes a nitrate factory.
First you need to get your tank and filter cycled (and some bio media will help),but later you may find differently.


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## rayray74 (Mar 19, 2013)

Thanks everyone for the help. 
I was speaking with the breeder I get my fish from, he only uses the hydro sponge and a hang on back filter. all his tanks are perfect. 
I ordered some online and dropped one in for now. 
Tank has 54 fish in it now. 50 Malawi Cichlids, 1 Carpinits and 3 Mollys. Also have 3 live plants. 
All fish are between 1-3 inch so no need for 2 sponges yet. In 3 months with 120 fish all growing up, I'll drop the second sponge. 
Ill just let the sump filter the junk out, I have thought about adding sand/thin substrate layer to the sump in the future for a nitrate filter as its all submerged. Ill investigate that in the future.


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