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What equipment do I need for a 90 Gallon Freshwater Tank???

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  • What equipment do I need for a 90 Gallon Freshwater Tank???

    As some of you know, I just purchased a 90 gallon (48x18x24) tank which I plan to do a freshwater cichlid set-up. Now, we've (my wife and I) have never ventured above 30 gallons, so I've got a few questions..

    1. What size filter(s) do I need, and do I need more than one? I currently have two (2) Eheim 2217 Canisters. I plan on setting them up on opposite ends. Thoughts? Suggestions?

    2. What size air-pump(s) do I need, and again, do i need more than one (or maybe just more than one air-stone on a T-splitter)? How much oxygen do I need to be introducing to such a large tank?

    3. What type of filter media works best with 90 gallons and cichlid varieties?

    4. We want to use Aragonite sand. Thoughts? Suggestions?

    5. How long, with two (2) Eheim 2217 Canisters, should we allow the tank to cycle?

    I'm sure I'll have more questions. We want to go buy supplies tomorrow, so I'm hoping to get some good feedback tonight. Any other feedback will be welcomed as well. Thanks!
    Experiencing an aquatic renaissance!

  • #2
    Re: What equipment do I need for a 90 Gallon Freshwater Tank

    Gonna give my opinion on what I would do if it were my tank.....this is gonna be a bit vague since you did not state what kind of cichlids.

    1. What size filter(s) do I need, and do I need more than one? I currently have two (2) Eheim 2217 Canisters. I plan on setting them up on opposite ends. Thoughts? Suggestions? The two 2217's are a good start! Eheim makes some of the strongest bio-filtration on the market! Seeing as though wyou will be housing cichlids which are some of the messiest fish to choose from. I would add another canister to increase the circulation or add a few powerheads to keep a good amount of circulation which will help the gas exchange by circulating the water to come in contact with the water surface. This will increase the oxygen levels in the tank which will help greatly with the overall tank.

    2. What size air-pump(s) do I need, and again, do i need more than one (or maybe just more than one air-stone on a T-splitter)? How much oxygen do I need to be introducing to such a large tank? Common misconception.....Air pumps only circulate the water as well as agitate the water surface which aids in the gas exchange Co2 --> O2. The air pumped into the tank does nothing else.

    3. What type of filter media works best with 90 gallons and cichlid varieties? Media as in filter media? I would go with something easy to clean since they will need to be cleaned often or just to make life easier for you. There are tons of cichlid varieties to choose from....Tanganyikan, Malawian, Victorian, South American, etc....choose what you like best!

    4. We want to use Aragonite sand. Thoughts? Suggestions? You have to decide on what type of cichlid you are looking to keep.....most will benefit from the aragonite since it will help buffer the water that you put in the tank and help keep the tank parameters stable as far as carbonate hardness goes. But again some cichlids do not prefer this since they come from waters that are not similar to what aragonite will cause.

    5. How long, with two Eheim 2217 Canisters, should we allow the tank to cycle? This is dependent on the the beneficial bacteria itself...hard to put a time frame on it since each tank is different and if anyone tells you otherwise....well whatever. The nitrogen cycle needs to be started either through an ammonia source or through seeding and from there the beneficial bacteria grows and your different bacterias mature. The completion is determined by testing your water....Ammonia shows up first...then gets cycled into Nitrites and after that you get and end of only Nitrates which you would lower/dilute with water changes. So what you want to end up with is ZERO ammonia and nitrites and then a reading of nitrates.
    700g Mini-Monster tank

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    • #3
      Re: What equipment do I need for a 90 Gallon Freshwater Tank

      Those two eheims will work nicely and would do a very good job of keeping your new tank clean. Allow a few weeks to get a bacteria colony established and then a couple more weeks to get a good foothold in the water table. I'd run a dual output airpump on that tank with one nice sized sponge filter on one airline and a air stone or bubble wand on the other if you care for them. But I would have the Sponge filter in there no matter what.

      Go with the Ehiem filter media ...the effiemech and the cocoa puffs and the sponges....or you can use bio balls, but that's not factory recommendations.

      Get yourself some glass lids too, to keep your water from evaporating faster, and purchase the splashguard for the back of the lids....

      And the most important.....Have fun with it..... :)

      CF

      PS....You got a nice tank there you two....let me know if you ever want to part with it.
      Truth is the cement that holds the bricks and stones of a sane and civilized society together. Remove the former and the latter will crumble.

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      • #4
        Re: What equipment do I need for a 90 Gallon Freshwater Tank

        The 2 2217s would be fine.

        You dont need one, make sure the spray bars on the filters ripple the surface of the water.

        With canisters i use the filter pads and ceramic media. Ive never used Aragonite sand.

        If you throw in a couple dozen rosy reds it'll speed up the cycling. Probably 3-4 weeks.

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        • #5
          Re: What equipment do I need for a 90 Gallon Freshwater Tank

          Yes! Thanks for the quick replies. Here are some follow-up questions:

          1. Sponge Filters.. I've seen these in all the stores. I think I've seen some of these used as filter intakes, and some used with air-pumps. Could this be further explained?

          2. We will be buying glass lids, as well as the matching canopy. But on that subject are lights. I love the deep blues that the Actinic lights throw off, and I'm even considering getting a moonlight LED set up from here as well. Any other suggestions? What can anyone tell me about UV lights that kill bacteria?

          3. So basically, air stones are more decorative than functional? The important thing is to ensure that the water surface is continually broken?



          Hey CF, if we ever decide to "upgrade" from this tank, you've got first dibs.
          Experiencing an aquatic renaissance!

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          • #6
            Re: What equipment do I need for a 90 Gallon Freshwater Tank

            I appreciate your thoughts...I'm going to turn in, but if there is still a need for me to answer tomorrow, I will....

            Gnite
            Truth is the cement that holds the bricks and stones of a sane and civilized society together. Remove the former and the latter will crumble.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: What equipment do I need for a 90 Gallon Freshwater Tank

              1. Sponge Filters.. I've seen these in all the stores. I think I've seen some of these used as filter intakes, and some used with air-pumps. Could this be further explained? It's just a sponge that will circulate water at a low rate which will filter the water and provide something for beneficial bacteria to host just like anything and everything else porous in the tank....used on filter intakes to keep fish off them and used with air pumps as another means of filtration....IMO very unsightly in a tank and poor performance compared to all other means offered today.

              2. We will be buying glass lids, as well as the matching canopy. But on that subject are lights. I love the deep blues that the Actinic lights throw off, and I'm even considering getting a moonlight LED set up from here as well. Any other suggestions? What can anyone tell me about UV lights that kill bacteria? Lighting is to your preference, with the glass lids though....If you are gonna use a canopy I would just leave the hoods off....they trap in heat and evaporation will help cool the tank....if you buy them save it for the winter time.

              3. So basically, air stones are more decorative than functional? The important thing is to ensure that the water surface is continually broken? Most are decorative.....I mean look at all the things made for an airpump. The main concern is surface agitation and circulation.
              700g Mini-Monster tank

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: What equipment do I need for a 90 Gallon Freshwater Tank

                Air driven filters, HOB filters & Canaster Filters are all basicly redundant- they serve the same purposes - filter out the suspended particals, house the benifical bateria & circulate the water so that more of it comes in contact with the air and exchanges CO2 / O2 with the air.  Two filters are better than one because if you only clean one each week you will not cause the tank to start cycleing again.  I prefer the ceramic media for bacteria and reuseable spong filter inserts for suspended particals.  Keep your intake high to keep from sucking in sand and place your spraybars at water level to get maximum adgitation.  Which means you need the glass covers to keep the water vapor in.   Houston tap water is hard so it is a natural for rift lake cichlids but if you have a lot of money invested in your fish a UV steralizer is cheap insurance.  It will kill the bugs that the water company's chemicals (chloramine) misses.  If you chose South american cichlids (or any other rain forest fish) you will want a RO system or other source of soft water.  If you want an all fish aquarium, any light will do but if you want to grow plants, then you'll need two.  Don't forget to invest in a water test kit & an asortment of meds for your firstaid kit.  You need to be ready to move an injured fist to quaranteen and treat him as soon as you notice the problem, not tomorrow after work when you bring home the meds.  

                Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.
                'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust ...'
                He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four-year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'

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                • #9
                  Re: What equipment do I need for a 90 Gallon Freshwater Tank

                  If you need any equipment for your set up I can help.

                  I have some 2217's and 48 inch lights for sale.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: What equipment do I need for a 90 Gallon Freshwater Tank

                    delock, thanks for the offer. I'm going to check with my fish hook-up tomorrow, and if he's dry, then I'll be sure to get with you.

                    Okay, back on topic...

                    Originally posted by PhishPhreek";p="
                    Two filters are better than one because if you only clean one each week you will not cause the tank to start cycling again.
                    What did you mean by this exactly?

                    I prefer the ceramic media for bacteria and reuseable sponge filter inserts for suspended particals.  Keep your intake high to keep from sucking in sand and place your spraybars at water level to get maximum adgitation.  Which means you need the glass covers to keep the water vapor in.
                    This is exactly how our 30g is set up.

                    Don't forget to invest in a water test kit & an asortment of meds for your firstaid kit.  You need to be ready to move an injured fist to quaranteen and treat him as soon as you notice the problem, not tomorrow after work when you bring home the meds.
                    My wife is super aggressive in this field. In fact, we are going to set up a 20g isolation tank just for standby purposes.

                    So at this point, I'm looking to set up the two Eheim 2217's, with the intakes on either side, and spraybars running across the top. I'm hoping someone who uses Aragonite as their substrate can give me some feedback as well to the pro's & con's.

                    I'm also debating on installing an under gravel filter across the floor bottom. I figure it would help with aeration, as well as provide a buffer between the big rock and the tempered glass bottom. Experiences anyone?
                    Experiencing an aquatic renaissance!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: What equipment do I need for a 90 Gallon Freshwater Tank

                      I can beat your fish hook up prices.....by a long shot

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: What equipment do I need for a 90 Gallon Freshwater Tank

                        1. What size filter(s) do I need, and do I need more than one? I currently have two (2) Eheim 2217 Canisters. I plan on setting them up on opposite ends. Thoughts? Suggestions?

                        You have two of them.. that is all you need for what you are going to do I am sure.   See point 2 and see what I would do.

                        2. What size air-pump(s) do I need, and again, do i need more than one (or maybe just more than one air-stone on a T-splitter)? How much oxygen do I need to be introducing to such a large tank?

                        Airpump - NONE -- but here is what you want to run down to your local fish store (LFS) and pick up one of these.

                        Eheim Discharge Pipe-Tube 400494


                        While you are at it.  Pick up one of these too.
                        Eheim Shepherds Crook Outlet Pipe 12mm 4004710



                        The first one replaces the spray bar -- this will give you a fast flow of water over the surface so you can a lot of oxygen into the tank which is what you want.  This also gives you a current in the tank so you can get the water movement you are looking for.
                        The second one is added in before the spray bar on your second filter.  This will allow you to not put any stress on the spray bar and it will keep horizontal.

                        Here is an example of how I would install the filters.   Spray bar left glass at the top, pushing the water from left to right.  Pickup the water at the opposite end on the back right hand side of the tank.  Install the discharge pipe next to the spray bar, but on the left back glass pushing the water from left back to right front, across the water flow of the spray bar.  Pickup water just below the discharge, on the back left side of the tank.  Install your heater on the back right hand side of the tank.

                        I hope this makes sense.


                        3. What type of filter media works best with 90 gallons and cichlid varieties?

                        Use the filter material that came with the filter.   This will work well.


                        4. We want to use Aragonite sand. Thoughts? Suggestions?

                        I dont know -- if you are going to keep African's I think this would work well, or do what many people do which is using Pool Filter sand (white sand and very clean when it sold to you)  If you are going to keep South Americans, I would put more of a pebble style substrate in the tank.


                        5. How long, with two (2) Eheim 2217 Canisters, should we allow the tank to cycle?

                        Remember that you will need to add ammonia to a tank to get it to cycle, and since fish is one of the best ways to add ammonia to the tank, I would see if there is a way for you to drop about 10 fish into the tank for a week first from one of your other tanks, and then remove them, as you are ready to put your new fish into the tank.  The filters will have started to cycle and will allow you to add more fish.   You really need to explain more what you are looking to add into your tank and we can give you a good advice on what to do.

                        What fish do Jesper have
                        180 WC T. Moorii Chilambo +1 Petro trewavasae.
                        110
                        Cyps, WC Xeno Spilopterus Kipili WC/F1/F2 T. sp red Kiku
                        58 S. Decorus

                        "The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." -Margaret Thatcher

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                        • #13
                          Re: What equipment do I need for a 90 Gallon Freshwater Tank

                          Originally posted by Zulaab";p="
                          The first one replaces the spray bar -- this will give you a fast flow of water over the surface so you can a lot of oxygen into the tank which is what you want. This also gives you a current in the tank so you can get the water movement you are looking for. The second one is added in before the spray bar on your second filter.  This will allow you to not put any stress on the spray bar and it will keep horizontal.

                          Here is an example of how I would install the filters.   Spray bar left glass at the top, pushing the water from left to right.  Pickup the water at the opposite end on the back right hand side of the tank.  Install the discharge pipe next to the spray bar, but on the left back glass pushing the water from left back to right front, across the water flow of the spray bar.  Pickup water just below the discharge, on the back left side of the tank.  Install your heater on the back right hand side of the tank.

                          I hope this makes sense.
                          It does, I just had to draw it out. This is actually something I considered, so I could create a current in the tank. It sounds like at this point, as long as the water surface is continually broken, I don't even need to worry about an air-pump/air-stone, correct?

                          This way also, it seems like I could potentially end the need for a blower, which I had been debating on as well.

                          if you are going to keep African's I think this would work well, or do what many people do which is using Pool Filter sand (white sand and very clean when it sold to you)  If you are going to keep South Americans, I would put more of a pebble style substrate in the tank.
                          I'm going to keep Africans. Here's a novice question however that is semi-unrelated. What are Flowerhorns exactly. By flowerhorns, I'm referring to the pale blue fish, with red tint bellies, black spots with silver rings, and big humps on their foreheads? I ask only because we are moving ours from its 20g home to a bigger 30g home. It currently has gravel, but we were going to give it Aragonite.

                          Also.. We currently have pet-store bought white sand in our 30gal. It's very light and tends to kick up pretty easily. Is this the same as Pool Filter sand? again, I ask only because the pet-store bought sand we have somewhat matches the Pool Filter sand description.

                          Remember that you will need to add ammonia to a tank to get it to cycle, and since fish is one of the best ways to add ammonia to the tank, I would see if there is a way for you to drop about 10 fish into the tank for a week first from one of your other tanks, and then remove them, as you are ready to put your new fish into the tank.  The filters will have started to cycle and will allow you to add more fish.   You really need to explain more what you are looking to add into your tank and we can give you a good advice on what to do.
                          Okay, so once the water is clear, I know to add hardy fish. We did Tiger Barbs in our 30gal and then gave them to a friend who was starting a tank 3 months later when we started adding African Cichlids. As for our fish, we've all but given them away to friends in preparation for this new tank.

                          So.. Should I consider a small school of Yellow Labs in this tank perhaps? We plan on doing all African Cichlids. Unfortunately I don't know (and am too tired to look up) all the genus names, but we want Yellow Labs, Rainbow Red Trophuse, and other fish from these immediate families.

                          Again, to everyone posting, thanks for your patience with this novice. I'm hoping to start a thread (or maybe just continue this one) tomorrow (today already... Sunday..) on the entire process of setting up this tank. I know it with your replies and input it will surely help other novices out there like myself who are just too timid to ask.
                          Experiencing an aquatic renaissance!

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                          • #14
                            Re: What equipment do I need for a 90 Gallon Freshwater Tank

                            What do I mean ?

                            When I clean my filters, I dump everything into the deepsink and spray it with a high pressure hose nozzle.
                            This blows away the suspended crud thas has accumulated and the skum that is growing on all the parts.
                            If it is really nasty, I will take a brush to it or dump it into a bucket of bleach and then rince it again.
                            All of this spray washing scatters most of the benificial bacteria and if it was the only source in the tank
                            that would cause the tank to start a new cycle until the bacteria had grown back.  
                            Fortunately I like to use 2 filters or a HOB 60's with dual filter packs so all I have to do is change one at a time
                            so half the bacteria is always there.
                            'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust ...'
                            He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four-year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: What equipment do I need for a 90 Gallon Freshwater Tank

                              Originally posted by PhishPhreek";p="
                              When I clean my filters...
                              Wow. Talk about thorough! Well, I don't know if I'll go that far with my cleaning. I have a Rena XP1 on my 30g now that when I clean I do everything you listed EXECPT:

                              1. I don't wash the bio-media.

                              2. I don't use bleach on the other parts that I do wash.

                              But I do appreciate the advice! Okay everyone, last chance before we get going for the day, any last suggestions before we go spend the last of my paycheck on this tank?
                              Experiencing an aquatic renaissance!

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