# 150 gal drilled converted to FW



## Stellaluna (Jan 20, 2009)

Hello!
I am a very experienced aquarist, having kept FW fish and plants for 25 years. Currently I have a 55gal heavily planted, a 10 gal heavily planted, and a 40 gal nonplanted Lake Tang tank. 

I have an opportunity to get a used drilled 150gal tall (5' wide) tank with stand and hood, no sump or other equipment, but this is stoopid cheap and I hate to pass it up. It is a size that I have wanted for a long time, since I don't have a 6' space to put your typical 120, but have always wanted a large tank so I can finally keep some of the tank busters that I've never been able to have. 

I've never used a drilled tank, sump, etc. so I have no idea how to utilize the drilled nature of this tank. I can take down my 55g and use it as a sump, or I also have a Rena XP 4 and a couple of classic Eheims that I can use also. I have tried to google this but need someone to point me in the right direction for articles on setting up a sump, or a wet/dry system, etc. I have no idea how to do it in terms of the plumbing, or even what would be the simplest way to filter this tank. Don't have loads of bank to spend on this project, either! 

Thanks for any help you can give me!


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## djrichie (May 15, 2008)

What you looking at is called a wet/dry filter system. If you research that, you will find alot of info. As I was looking into them for a 125 I just got, that is drilled will center overflow tower. Not the best for a Planted tank is one thing I discovered, as the CO2 is lost in the gravity feed to the filter, but I have hope.


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## Stellaluna (Jan 20, 2009)

Yes, that is definitely a consideration for a planted tank. I have a CO2 dosing system that I am not using currently and I could hook that up. I will look into the wet/dry systems and see if I can construct something. 

Thanks-


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## MediaHound (Jul 19, 2006)

Check out this thread:
http://www.aquariumforum.com/f2/help-needed-sump-filter-setup-806.html


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## MediaHound (Jul 19, 2006)

and this fwiw
http://www.aquariumforum.com/f2/wet-dry-bio-filter-fresh-water-899.html


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## Stellaluna (Jan 20, 2009)

Forgive me if this is obvious and I am not seeing it, but what is to prevent the entire contents of the 150 gal up top to drain completely out onto the floor in the event of a power outage? Hardwood floors - this would be entirely uncool.... 

Edit: BTW, thanks very much for the links - very helpful!


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## Dmaaaaax (Nov 20, 2008)

"All Glass Aquarium" sells a sump kit that has the intake and outtake pipes. You just need to silicone them in place....hopefully your sump holes are together and in a corner though.
All-Glass Mega Flow Overflow Accessory Kit at Big Al's Online

The intake is basically a skimmer near the top of your tank. If the power goes out it will continue to suck out the water until you get below the skimmer line. That is why it necessary to know where to mark your "full" line in your sump so that it still has room for more water in case of a power failure.

However if I were to have live plants and injected CO2, I would use a sealed sump setup using a filter like this:
http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl3684/cp17290/si3478855/cl0/hagenfluvalfx5canisterfilter


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## Stellaluna (Jan 20, 2009)

I really apologize but I don't know what you mean by a "sealed sump setup." Do you mean just run a canister filter or two on the tank like I do now?


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## Dmaaaaax (Nov 20, 2008)

Yes, except that you hook it up to the drilled holes in your tank with PVC instead of using the hang over tubings that they come with. This "sealed sump" keeps your CO2 levels from dropping unlike a typical trickle-down sump setup.


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## djrichie (May 15, 2008)

Will to answer the question about what stops it from over flowing the Wet/dry... I can only speak for the tanks I've see and the one I have...... I have a sealled box around mine drainage pipe that would only let 1 to 2 inchies of water to continue to flow out if the power went out. As it stnad now the pumps the water into the tank and only the water that fill up higher than the the box falls back to the filter. if the filter is turn off the water will flow until it below than the box and then stop.


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## Stellaluna (Jan 20, 2009)

OK - thanks so much. I might go with the large canister filter closed sump system for now, and then I can switch to a wet/dry if I decide to go with large, dirty fish and no plants. 

I really appreciate the help!


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