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setting up a 150


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#1 Guest_atzak_*

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Posted 01 February 2007 - 02:34 PM

I've been keeping fish for a long tome and currently have a 210 reef tank and 40 breeder tank I use for coral propagation. I want to set up a 150 for natives, particularly brook trout. I've got quite a few questions, since keeping natives is brand new to me.
-What size and brand chiller are the best for this set up?
-Does it make sense to drill the tank, and plumb the chiller with an overflow?
-What is the ideal temp.?
-I'm looking for this to be a stream biotope, so I was planning on a few good sized power heads, (maybe seio's) hidden in some rock work at one end of the tank. Then on the opposite side, or downstream, have the intake for a large canister filter, plus the possible overflow to the chiller, with both returns on the upstream side of the tank. Does that sound like a good plan?
-Any ideas about filtering, chilling, and water movement would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance

#2 Guest_ashtonmj_*

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Posted 01 February 2007 - 03:18 PM

As far as temperature, you're looking at needing to maintain something between 55-68 degrees F. Above 70 and they're toast. That alone is one reason why most people can't keep brook trout. I've seen industrial chiller motors burn up in months trying to maintain those temperatures when the summer comes around. You need to maintain no less than 5ppm DO.

#3 Guest_Slasher_*

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Posted 01 February 2007 - 04:19 PM

Well this all I know about keeping brook trout.

You're going to need to keep the temp. very cold. I'd recommend keeping it in the 50's somewhere. Maybe consider 2 chillers for summer? I'm not an expert in chillers though. Keeping the tank in the basement would help. You would have to have a pretty fast water flow going through the tank. I wouldn't think the brook trout would get over 10 inches in a tank, some don't even make that in the wild. They establish big territories, so i would stock it lightly. The need very, very clean water. Here in PA theres a difference between drinking water and trout water in classifications, and the trout water is much cleaner.

Seems like too much work for me, personally, but I'd try it if I had the money and time.

Hope that helped a little.

#4 Guest_atzak_*

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Posted 01 February 2007 - 06:56 PM

So the biggest challenge will be finding a chiller that can keep the water in low 60's, at least? Is anybody here running a good chiller, or have a link to some info?

The seio pumps move a lot of water, so I think 2 or 3 at one end will make a great current. I just put one of the larger seio's in a marine tank and it was moving water like crazy.

#5 Guest_edbihary_*

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Posted 01 February 2007 - 08:01 PM

So the biggest challenge will be finding a chiller that can keep the water in low 60's, at least?

At most, I assume you mean.

The biggest challenge will be finding an affordable chiller. If anybody can find one for under a hundred bucks, I want to know about it. The ones I've seen were over a thousand.

#6 Guest_nativecajun_*

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Posted 01 February 2007 - 08:31 PM

I've been keeping fish for a long tome and currently have a 210 reef tank and 40 breeder tank I use for coral propagation. I want to set up a 150 for natives, particularly brook trout. I've got quite a few questions, since keeping natives is brand new to me.
-What size and brand chiller are the best for this set up?
-Does it make sense to drill the tank, and plumb the chiller with an overflow?
-What is the ideal temp.?
-I'm looking for this to be a stream biotope, so I was planning on a few good sized power heads, (maybe seio's) hidden in some rock work at one end of the tank. Then on the opposite side, or downstream, have the intake for a large canister filter, plus the possible overflow to the chiller, with both returns on the upstream side of the tank. Does that sound like a good plan?
-Any ideas about filtering, chilling, and water movement would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance



If you are going to talk drilling you better talk tempered glass on the bottom also or bye bye tank.

#7 Guest_Slasher_*

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Posted 02 February 2007 - 10:49 AM

http://www.drsfoster...Page-_-Chillers

That's the best place I've found personally for chillers, but they're not exactly cheap. Around the $400 range.

#8 Guest_bullhead_*

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Posted 02 February 2007 - 12:25 PM

I have heard of DIY chillers involving tubing run through the refrigerator wall. I can see some challenges to such a project, but some people are up to it.

#9 Guest_edbihary_*

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Posted 02 February 2007 - 07:15 PM

I have heard of DIY chillers involving tubing run through the refrigerator wall. I can see some challenges to such a project, but some people are up to it.

This was discussed here:
http://forum.nanfa.o...p?showtopic=780

#10 Guest_smbass_*

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Posted 02 February 2007 - 11:27 PM

I too feel it can be done but it will not be cheep. You definitely have to keep the temps below 68 (which is the warmest they can live at for short periods) I would want to maintain it at between 55 and 60 personally to keep them well within a safe range. The high O2 should happen on it's own with a lot of water movement and the cold temperature, cold water just holds more o2.

#11 Guest_edbihary_*

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Posted 03 February 2007 - 02:43 AM

... cold water just holds more o2.

It seem to me that's the reason they require cold water, isn't it?




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