125 gallon Sunfish Tank

So, the tank is now clean and in my possession! It's HUGE! I'll post up this tank's "diary" tomorrow night.

I don't really think it makes a huge difference, I think just numbers and lots of hiding places are more important than what sex they are.

Okay, Day 1 of work is done! I don't you want to hear my ramble on so I'll just get on to the pictures!

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Here it is in the back of the shop truck we used to transport it along about an hour of highway. I was itching to get it inside, but with pouring rain my assisstants weren't very willing!
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Here's the beast in our basement. It's definately going to need a good cleaning.
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Here it is after a nice vinegar scrub.
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In place with all of the driftwood and rocks in their spots.
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This is how it curently sits. Kitty litter subtrate in place and looking good.

Well, that's it for tonight. The fish from the 75 gallon are sitting pretty in an 18 gallon rubbermaid tub equipped with 60 gallons of fitration! They should be in their new home tomorrow because their owner happens to be equiping the tank with a cycled canister filter.

Edited by Yeahson421, 04 September 2011 - 09:29 PM.

Nice looking set up. I can't wait to see pictures of your crappie hanging out in the midst of the verticals. Well, it sure looks like a place crappie ought to be hanging out. Thanks for sharing.

Steve.

Nice job. I like the vertical features.

Usil

Very nice. I, too, like the vertical drift wood and think I'll try that in my next aquarium.

Thanks for the compliments. I'm going to be finishing up today, and was wondering your opinions on something. I have been debting doing a light duxting of sand just to add a little bit color wise and/or Adding 1-3 inch rocks around the base of the driftwood and rocks to make them blend differently

I also just checked on the fish in there little holding pen, and they are all doing well!

If you can, fill it very gently with either a siphon connection to your sink or a garden hose on the lowest flow setting. Filling slowly avoids the dusty water that you can get if you pour buckets of water in directly onto the substrate. Also, push the litter down with your hands when there's just barely enough water to cover it, and then let it sit for a half hour and continue filling.

Edited by EricaWieser, 05 September 2011 - 01:44 PM.

If you can, fill it very gently with either a siphon connection to your sink or a garden hose on the lowest flow setting. Filling slowly avoids the dusty water that you can get if you pour buckets of water in directly onto the substrate. Also, push the litter down with your hands when there's just barely enough water to cover it, and then let it sit for a half hour and continue filling.

I didn't get a chance to read this until it was full! HA! Well, it wasn't TOO bad. It wasn't very cloudy at all until I put the plants in, stirring up about 4 inches of kitty litter. Oh well, here's what it looks like right now. The picture makes it look worse than it is.

Edited by Yeahson421, 05 September 2011 - 02:41 PM.

I have been debating doing a light dusting of sand just to add a little bit color wise and/or Adding 1-3 inch rocks around the base of the driftwood and rocks to make them blend differently

I've got dark rocks and driftwood on light colored sand in my 150. The contrast really looks nice although it doesn't look like the environment the fish came from. When I'm vacuuming the sand a light dusting will always get on some of the rocks and driftwood as I'm moving the vacuum wand around. It creates highlights that add kind of a tasteful looking effect to the decor, but it doesn't stay. Don't know if the flow from the filters slowly pushes it off or if the water movement from a 12" SMB swimming around pushes it off.

Not sure on the rocks around the base of the driftwood. It'd probably be good either way. From what I've seen of this tank so far, I'm sure whatever direction you decide to take it will work well.

Your set up is giving me some new ideas for the 75 gallon I'm getting ready to start in a week or 2. Thanks for sharing.

Steve.

I've got dark rocks and driftwood on light colored sand in my 150. The contrast really looks nice although it doesn't look like the environment the fish came from. When I'm vacuuming the sand a light dusting will always get on some of the rocks and driftwood as I'm moving the vacuum wand around. It creates highlights that add kind of a tasteful looking effect to the decor, but it doesn't stay. Don't know if the flow from the filters slowly pushes it off or if the water movement from a 12" SMB swimming around pushes it off.

Not sure on the rocks around the base of the driftwood. It'd probably be good either way. From what I've seen of this tank so far, I'm sure whatever direction you decide to take it will work well.

Your set up is giving me some new ideas for the 75 gallon I'm getting ready to start in a week or 2. Thanks for sharing.

Steve.

Thanks for the compliments! Do you have any pictures of your set up anywhere on here?

Try putting a synthetic sea sponge in the filter. I've found that their really small pores help clear out the fine dust more quickly than larger pored filter sponges. Here's a link to a good sponge: http://www.walmart.c...e-1-ct/10322263

Remove it and squeeze it out in a sink every few hours.

Edited by EricaWieser, 05 September 2011 - 04:09 PM.

Thanks for the compliments! Do you have any pictures of your set up anywhere on here?

This isn't a very good shot of it, but it's the best I've got right now. The empty space in the upper left doesn't really look as empty as the photo shows. I don't have any plants in it because it's all sand substrate and at 31" tall, I don't like reaching in there to fix things any more than I have to. My SMB fills it up a little more now than in this photo. He was 11" then. He's now 12" and has bulked up some more.

Wow, that looks really nice! what are the dimensions?

Wow, that looks really nice! what are the dimensions?

Thank you. The tank is 48" long, 24" wide, and 31" tall. Before I got this one, I was looking more toward the 125 gallon like yours because I like the longer length, but knowing this guy will keep getting longer, I figured I needed something at least 24" wide. I was concerned about the depth, but he seems to actively use every bit of the water column. In fact, he's hyper enough that the whole 150 gallon tank stays interesting with just one fish. I'd still like to have a 125 someday, but I'm just plum out of space. The 75 I'll be starting will have to be my last for a while. My wife wanted to be able to put more fish in the 150, but it works best with just the SMB so the 75 will be my bigger community tank. Thanks again.

Steve.

I like that foot print. If you ever want a longer tank look into a 180. It's 6 feet long and 2 feet from front to back. That is my favorite commercial tank size, but A) I could get my 125 free where as a 180 would be running me big bucks and B) My counter was only 20 1/2 inches from front to back.

I like that foot print. If you ever want a longer tank look into a 180. It's 6 feet long and 2 feet from front to back. That is my favorite commercial tank size, but A) I could get my 125 free where as a 180 would be running me big bucks and B) My counter was only 20 1/2 inches from front to back.

The 180 would've been real good, but I found the 150 used for a lot cheaper......not as good of a deal as you found though. Sounds like you've got a perfect fit for your 125.

Steve.

Well, the tank has, for the most part, cleared up and I added my fish. Until I get my lights on the tank there won't be any fish close-ups, but this is what I have for now.

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Here's the cleared up tank. It is far clearer in person.

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And here are some of the quarter-pound of blackworms I put in the tank.

I guess that's it for now, but there should be more tomorrow.

I had to laugh at myself, I looked for so long trying to see your fish in there and then I finally remembered you saying that they were all still small. Just then I saw all of those eyeballs shining right there in the front of the tank. Have they spread out and found their own favorite spots yet?

Steve.

Have they spread out and found their own favorite spots yet?

To some extent, yes. The White sucker and sunnies like to school together, while the Crappie really likes the vertical area. The Yellers' really enjoy cruising around the tank together, but have been spending a noticeable amount of time in the "weed bed". The Logperch has found a spot between the two pieces of horizontal driftwood that he seems to like. Every time they get spooked they all retreat to the vertical pieces. Overall, I'd say it was a success. I am, however, thinking that I'm going to want to put plants in the back of the whole tank to add a little color.

Edited by Yeahson421, 07 September 2011 - 04:12 PM.