# What Did I Get Myself Into????



## user43007 (Feb 9, 2011)

Ok so i bought a 150 gallon fish tank yesterday. Im still tired from moving it! It was a saltwater but i want a freshwater african cichlid tank. Im trying to use what i have here to get it up and running. i have a 55 south american cichlid tank now but i have a canister filter for that, that was simple. This filter and tank I am completely unfamiliar with. Soo anyone who can tell me what im looking at and what i can do with it or any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

OK HERE ARE THE PICS. I KNOW THE TANK IS FILTHY I JUST PICKED IT UP YESTERDAY IM WORKING ON IT! I WANT TO SET UP AN AFRICAN CICHLID TANK AND YES IT WAS SALT WATER. I WANT TO USE WHAT I HAVE TO MAKE IT WORK. I ALSO HAVE A LIL BIG PUMP I THINK ITS CALLED, AN EXTERNAL PUMP (NOT PICTURED). AGAIN ANY HELP TO LET ME KNOW WHAT IM LOOKING AT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.


BACK OF THE HOLES ON THE INSIDE TOWARDS THE BOTTOM


ALL THE PIPES AND FITTINGS THAT IT CAME WITH


TWO HOLES ON THE INSIDE CENTER OF TANK TOWARDS BOTTOM


HOLE IN BOTTOM OF INTERNAL OVERFLOW BOX


HOLE ON THE INSIDE BACK OF UPPER RIGHT CORNER


TOP VIEW OF FILTER


INTERNAL OVERFLOW BOX


SIDE VIEW OF FILTER


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Looks like it was set up with a sump. Unless you want to go that route I would cap most of the holes. The 2 in the back would be a great way to hide any hoses to a canister.


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## user43007 (Feb 9, 2011)

Thanks for the reply. If thats what that is, a sump i wanna stick with it. Im just not sure where to start. where do i attach the pump? and all the pipes and...???? again thanks!!!!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

The filter doesn't look near big enough for me for that sized tank. I have a 125g wet/dry setup that is twice the size. I know with saltwater tanks as long as you have enough live rock you don't really need any type of filtering...wondering if that is the reason it is so small. I agree with using all the parts, just don't know if I would use the same filter box.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

I would replace the blue ball with live plants.


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## user43007 (Feb 9, 2011)

Thanks Jr Thanks Bob. Jr I Really Have No Idea Where Anything Goes That My Main Problem. If I Need A Bigger Box Thats Fine. He Had It Set Up Saltwater I Want Fresh. Its A Sump Filter? The Intake Is At The Bottom Of The Overflow Box? Then Which Is My Return? I Also Have An External Canister Filterraated For 200g. Its Just A Pain In The *** To Take Apart And Clean. Most Other Tanks I Have Seen With A Simalar System Have Two Holes On The Bottom Of The Overflow 1 Intake 1 Return. And Bob What Kind Of Plants? Its A 150 Gallon And I Want African Cichlids. Im Not Going To Be Ready To Stock For At Least A Month So Im Open To Allideas. Thanks Again Guys


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## thenewseverum (Nov 23, 2010)

May I ask where you got that?


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## user43007 (Feb 9, 2011)

i dont mind. i bought it used from someone off craigslist in NJ. why, missing a 150 gallon tank that looks like this?!!!?


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## M1ster Stanl3y (Dec 10, 2010)

i love craigslist for supplies and aquariums. reseal them as i get them but great deals compared to stores.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

I don't know what to do with it but it's going to be a great tank!! Thanks that big are hard to filter even for FW a sump might be a good option, or two canister filters.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Wow thats alot of pipes,lol.Ive no experiene with overflows or wet drys,but you can do a google search for diagrams,or possibly email the seller and see if they can guide you through it.I do agree the box is a tad small.As far as plants in the overflow,java moss would work exceptionally well as a nitrate sponge.Cichlids are rough on plants in the tank though right?(no experience with them either,lol)

I would reseal the silicon before filling,regardless of if they said no leaks.It would be a shame to fill it and then discover a few days later it does get a leak.


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## thenewseverum (Nov 23, 2010)

user43007 said:


> i dont mind. i bought it used from someone off craigslist in NJ. why, missing a 150 gallon tank that looks like this?!!!?


YES!!!




No lol, I was wondering because I went out to a LFS by me and they had a tank, same size, used for salt water, that looked exactly like this one. I'm out on the Island so I was jw lol


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## user43007 (Feb 9, 2011)

thanks guys all you were helpful. i know the south american cichlids i have now are hell on my tank! not just the plants (fake one, live wouldnt last a minute with these guys) everthing in it. but they are pretty big. like i said, i would like to use what i have here to get this tank up and running. i know a filter similar to this is a couple or a few hundred dollars so if i need a bigger 1 i have to sell this 1. i feel it might be a little small as well. it is bigger than my 200g rated canister though and thats a four stage. im goiing to keeep digging around here to find out exactly what i got going on. specifically what the hell are the 2 holes in the middle for???? i would assume the hole on the right top would be thi return but that wouldnt circulate enough, would it? and if that is the return, WHAT THE HELL ARE THE HOLES IN THE MIDDLE FOR??!!?!?!!? THANKS FOR EVERYONES HELP!!!!!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

The overflow fills from the tank level getting up over the overflow box, the water would then drain down into a wet/dry system where typically you have the bio balls and a sump all in one (most fw systems I've seen anyway), in the sump would be your return pump to pump the water back to the tank to keep putting the water above the overflow box. The ones I've seen always had the return spout coming from the back top. Your tank may have had some other design to return the water in the back somehwere mid-tank height. I have seen some purposely drill their tank that way.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

You might want to buy a could plastic storage constainers from wallmart, plumb them up and play with them in your driveway/garadge/yard. then way you could make mistakes and flood those things instead of your carpet.

I am at work and there are "tricks" to setting up a sump so it does not flood. Short answer is test 1) for power out, 2) power return,3) overflow failure.

my .02


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Well....personally I think you'll be looking at something different for the wet/dry if you use the wet/dry option. The filter looks way too small to me. It is much smaller than the 125g rated one I have.


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