How Would You Stock A 120 Gallon

I got my sand from petco for my 120g. for a 3 inch sandbed cost me about 100$ Wasnt to horrid.

 

ya i guess it isnt too bad. what should i do to heat this dang thing?

 

Your skimping on things of importance but if you search craigslist or ebay you might find a deal on a skimmer. The sand is a different thing. Make darn sure there are no silicates in any sand you get. Most all the sand at the box stores have silicates in it.
You are going to need 68 lbs of sand for each inch of sand bed in your tank so you can figure from that how much you want. I always buy low and add later if I need to. Carib Sea live Bahamas oolite sells for $25 for a 20 lb bag. It's your call I'm just the messenger. The skimmer is a very important part to developing the kind of ecosystem that can work in a confined tank.

 

what heater and how many should i use? for the lighting will it be a problem with the glass middle support on the top? also what is a good skimmer for less than 300 and even better if less than 250. thanks

 

oops same time post haha. i know the skimmer isnt one of those things to skimp on but i just dont have too much money but im always checkin craigslist for deals. right now ill at least need the heaters to get the system going so got any ideas?

 

Hey ya' Adam... glad someone else is giving you some advice! FYI my sandbed is argonite sand and about 1 1/2 inches.... you can check my pics but don't forget the tank is only 8 months old and I am taking my time.... just to re-emphazise the importance of patience in this hobby.
Wishing you a great monday!!!

 

And like I also said... do get a skimmer.. very important to get rid of the waste and keep everything balanced. Like I told you I let the tank run for the first 2 weeks without it but it is very important to get one, especially with a tank your size.
I will keep following your progress. Best of luck and keep us all posted!

 

Just researched the Petco Sand for you and think it's a good choice. Others have had good experience with it.
Have a wonderful day

 

ok thanks for the sand report. now about the heaters. still need help with that.

 

I just bought a new marineland heater, it's good for up to 75 gallons. I like the features and has done well so far. I believe it's a 250w heater. I would use two of them and see how that keeps things. You want to try for stability. What I would do is setup the tank with rock and water, then run your lights as you normally would and see how high your temp gets and then at night, how low it gets.