Natalia

Hi everybody,

I have been reading here for more than two years, but never posted before. I love this forum and have absorbed a great deal of advice. I have several planted tanks sizes 20-75G, but I always (or at least for some time) wanted a big tank. Well, the 210G (72”x24”x30”) arrived this weekend and it is BIG! I am very excited and hope you can help me figure out how to proceed without making too many mistakes.

Here is my first set of questions:

1. The tank was previously used for a saltwater setup, it came coated with a thick crust of salt/sand/algae and something purple. The guy who sold it told to spray it with a vinegar solution, let it sit for awhile and the stuff should come off. IT DID NOT! Scrubbing it with baking soda works better, but still will take ages. Are there any other tricks?

2. The original plan was to put the tank in the basement. However, the moving company sent just two guys, both not very strong. It became obvious that the tank would not make it to the basement in one piece, it had to go on the groung floor. I now think that it will not look too bad in the living room. Do I have to reinforce my wood floors?

3. The tank is drilled and has two black plastic overflow boxes siliconed to the back glass. I guess I have an option of using either a sump or a canister filter. What are advantages/ disadvantages of each system?

4. I plan on having at least 10x circulation rate (2100 gph). Does this sound right to you? What kind of filter/ pump will be the best?

5. I am not particularly excited about the overflow boxes. First, I do not like how they look, although if a black paper is mounted on the back they would not be too visible. Second, I can see that a lot of junk can get trapped in the narrow space between two plastic sheets. Is this a problem and how one resolves it? The tank will go against the wall, it is 24” wide and 30” tall, and is on 36” stand. I can see that cleaning those overflows will become a major headache. Is it easy/ wise to get rid of those boxes? What is the right way to do it without damaging the silicone seam on the bottom and how the plumbing should be modified?

I know that some of these topics have been already discussed, but it is difficult to find those posts now when I need it.

Thank you all in advance,
Natalia.