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Setting up my 240 gallon, step by step

30K views 212 replies 31 participants last post by  Super Turtleman 
#1 ·
Here is the story.
I got this beauty at a price I could not pass, the day I was to pick it up I hired movers, since the tank empty and by it self it's 400 pounds..... the movers came...6 hours late, it was raining cats and dogs...when they saw the tank they just said...no, we can't do it...turn around and left.
The gentleman that sold me the tank was perplexed to said the least, I was about to have a heart attack!!!!
Next day a guy at my church saved the day along with his two sons, he came with his truck and pick up the tank for me, delivered it to my house....
here is a picture of the tank finally at my husband's home office.


More to come
 
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#2 ·
Looks exciting. Are you moving your current 100g stock in there with additions or planning something else? Looks like a large Malawi Hap paradise!

kevin
 
#3 ·
LOL, i thought that for a second, but then I thought....well, I always wanted a discus tank what better than this big tank to have a discus paradise?
 
#5 ·
Yes, this is an 8 foot long x 2 x 2.
Can you imagine the possibilities? I have the tank for 2 weeks now and I go back and forth, all male peacock-HAP-Mbunas.....or discus....
I even thought moving all my 100 gallon community to the 240 gallon tank and do the discus in the 100 gallon, but I still think that for such big fish, the big tank is much better.
Tomorrow is the day that I will set it up...work has not let me do it during the week.
 
#6 ·
I remember my first 240g....me a friend went and picked it up in his small nissan pickup truck. Man...that thing was SUPER heavy. Picked it up from glass cages in tennessee..drove it home and it was A NIGHTMARE getting it through my front door. Had to take door off hinges because wrists were scraping on door.

Only bad thing was having to get a step ladder to climb into it to rearrange and whatnot. I should have kept it. I think when I eventually upgrade I am going to stay away from one that big and go with a 125g.
 
#8 ·
Once we got this on the truck it was easy, I am a woman so they did not let me carry anything... the door was wide enough and the room where we set it in was a stright shot from the entrance. It is only a wall away from the kitchen and my RO system so I got the water changes covered. If for any reason there is a leak (I hope we never have one of those, but tanks age) the office has carpet, but everything around it has tile, it wouldn't hurt me to replace that carpet. Underneed we have a concrete slab and the tank showed perfectly level since we set it in....so so far so good....I can't wait to set it up....this weekend....

Discus...I went to a local breader yeasterday, he has gorgeous ones and lots of juvies, that is the route I am going...blue diamond, cobalt blue, snake skin blue pandas, turquoise snake skin and checkerbox...I can really go crazy there....juvies so my wallet might be big enough for what I want.
Tank mates? Yes, lots of them but very well selected. German blue rams, cardinal, glolight and blue emperor tetras, 5 F1 260 queen arbezque plecos, I am thinking some cories and I have to do more research on the siamese flying fox algae eaters....lot's still ahead. But that is part of the fun .
 
#9 ·
Remember hubby is in Afghanistan, I can not move that thing by my self...LOL...but I bought a black background...
 
#10 ·
i would go discus in the 100 gallon since i assume that with a discus tank you will go with a planted tank. A planted 8' tank is gonna be a pain to clean the glass(planted tank more light=more algae), prune plants ect.... A 240 gallon african tank can be really neat and all you need is to do water changes.
 
#11 ·
Shahlvah said:
Remember hubby is in Afghanistan, I can not move that thing by my self...LOL...but I bought a black background...
Speaking from recent experience....if you want a black background I would try and paint it now before you get fish in it. That is if you have access to the back.
 
#12 ·
What paint is a good one?
And to the answer to the planted aquarium is no...at least not with real plants, I have a job that keeps me at least 10 to 12 hours on the job, I commute at least 1 hour each way, I am committed to do the water changes....pruning the plants....I don't know....plastic plants sound oh so appealing.
I went to several craft stores in the area and I got some awesome good looking and realistic plants for cents on the dollar, now I am letting my imagination run wild. tomorrow I will make a trip to a local garden supply center to look for some nice river rocks....
 
#13 ·
Shahlvah said:
What paint is a good one?
And to the answer to the planted aquarium is no...at least not with real plants, I have a job that keeps me at least 10 to 12 hours on the job, I commute at least 1 hour each way, I am committed to do the water changes....pruning the plants....I don't know....plastic plants sound oh so appealing.
I went to several craft stores in the area and I got some awesome good looking and realistic plants for cents on the dollar, now I am letting my imagination run wild. tomorrow I will make a trip to a local garden supply center to look for some nice river rocks....
You can roll or spray it on. I have done both. When I get a chance to do my current display tank I am going for semi gloss black latex about 5 coats....maybe more. You can use flat or gloss in spray also. SOme like flat...some like gloss. I prefer gloss but flat is nice as well. There is not a huge difference in the two.

Trust me....I would paint before you get your fish in. I bought a black background for mine and I knew...just knew I should have painted it before I set it up but thought for some reason I would like it without. I was wrong.
 
#14 ·
:popcorn: I'm drooling!! I see discus (15/20) juvies w/ maybe some cardinal or rummynose tetras (50) to keep them calm. 5 or 6 bristlenose plecos all on a bed of med/ fine gravel or sand. An 5 foot piece of manzanita driftwood centerpiece for all to sail in & out of........ WAIT!! Let me stop spending your money like water! lol lol lol! "T"
 
#15 ·
Wow, you are in my wallet, how does it sound that I already bought 5 f1 L260



100 cardinals and I have 15 juvies discus on order, I have order blue diamond, cobalt blue, red panda snake skin, red malboro, some tangerine, sun merah, checkerboard blue panda....how many do I have so far?...O Lord....I like them all! ( they are holding them for me until my tank is cycled...)
I will see once the cardinals arrive, but I think I also want runny nose and black cardinals there, and maybe either way electric blue rams or german blue rams....(or both if I can?)

The driftwood is soaking....I need to pick p the rocks....what else do "we" need?
And yes, I have a fine grain quartz sand, light beige, very natural in color.
 
#16 ·
I am working LOTS of Over time to make this happen by the way....
 
#17 ·
I guess for the paint then I can just get a can and roll it as you said, I think the rolling it's easier because you don't get the paint all over the place (I just painted that room) and I will try just pushing the whole thing to open it from the wll, I might be able to move it, that will be the determining factor if I will be able or not
 
#18 ·
The driftwood is soaking....I need to pick p the rocks....what else do "we" need?
And yes, I have a fine grain quartz sand, light beige, very natural in color.
:popcorn: I believe "WE'RE" doing just fine.!! lol lol Love that L260. Great choice. "T"
 
#19 ·
:D

I thought so....LOL
 
#22 ·
I wil, the tank is cycling now, I will post some pictures of the set up hopefully tonight....and of course as soon as I get the cardinals in.
 
#24 ·
Answer to your questions....
Filtration: FX5 and a 90 gallon sump with an overhang
Ladder: definitely I will need a ladder, I have a 4 step one made of aluminium...I am not too heavy so I think it will hold...
Booking a week of work...to swim in the tank....I think this is an awesome idea, specially if I can find some power heads that give me current enough to do laps.....
Here are some "before" pictures












So these are pictures of all that I start this with.
If you have work with a sump similar to mine, let me know because I don't know how to start it.
 
#25 ·
Help me make a decision on this one....I am not sure if I want to use the rocks I have or if I should go with some nice, different sizes, Colorado river rock.
my sand is very light beige quartz ceramic coated sand., since I am using lots of plants and driftwood, I am not sure what would look better.
 
#26 ·
My only advice on rocks (if you want it to look realistic) is that you choose multiple sizes of one kind of rock. Mixed rock just ends up looking like a garden.

kevin
 
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