Filter Query.

Does Jager have the built in thermometer, or is that a different brand?  I use th e ones you control by that thermometer, and I also use a floating thermometer too.

I also noticed the other day that many of my heaters **** and eventually will be replaced with stealth heaters. i found that some of my tanks were in the low 80's and very high 70's. I am working to get all the tanks adjusted to 72-74 degrees.

Ray - 72-74 may be a little low unless you are keeping the gymnos that seem to be popular with a certain admin dude.  Maybe calibrate higher a little to account for your heat loss, but my favorite number is 78 degrees.

The stealths are not my favorite because I was zapped once and you can't tell if these are operating by sight without the power light.  A certain master fish keeper in Northbrook suggested Jehmco to me and the Jager submersibles and they have worked very well.  If your gonna change some out, think about Jager.

(My apologies for the derail)

Large Air pumps aren't hard to come by as there are huge ones at Drs. Foster and Smith.

my electric bill is still in the $200's.

I'll trade ya

The problen with sponges in a tank that large is you need a large airpump to run them.

The problem with a wet dry is the are costly upfront and the tanks are even more costly if predrilled. Dragon set up nuth's 220 (i think) to be a wet dry and the tank is not predrilled. 

you can make a DIY wet dry tank by using another fish tank under the 125. you can research how to do that with google .

If you wanted to go planted canister is better than HOB, but i am not sure how a Wet dry would work with a planted tank. i dont think it would make a difference, but might make injecting CO2 dificult if you choose to go high tech planted.

I think that spongefilters are the best, except for when you want to keep plants.  Then I use a canister filter.  I am though getting a 125 hopefully soon, and I want to keep Discus.  The largest tank I have now is a 75 planted comunity with a canister filter.  Should I just get huge sponges or a wet/dry for the 125G?

Mbamba,  I take umbrage with two parts of Ray's response.

1st,  he stated "it should be the ONLY option on anything over 125".  This is simply not true.  My 210 has very large healthy fish,  in very clean water with no use of a wet-dry.  The statement is simply not true.

2nd,  Ray has mentioned in previous threads that he has never had large tanks due to living arrangements etc.  Thus his above comment is not based on experience,  and my tank is proof that it is not fact.

Kind regards,

Bob

if i could get a 125 in the basement i would have, bet your ass i wanted to.

How many filters do you have running on the 210? 3? 4? 5? filters. I know you have at least one fluval fx5. how many AC's.  my point was that on a tank larger than 125, such as a 180+ the best and most economical choice is a wet dry.

and i have 32 of 37 tanks running and each tank has a heater. the house if 108 years old and is poorly insulated on the basement ceiling and walls. If and when i can afford to buy my own house, i will build an inclosed room that is insulated on all walls and ceiling to help keep the heat in the room.

I also noticed the other day that many of my heaters suck and eventually will be replaced with stealth heaters. i found that some of my tanks were in the low 80's and very high 70's. I am working to get all the tanks adjusted to 72-74 degrees.

Mbamba,  I take umbrage with two parts of Ray's response.

1st,  he stated "it should be the ONLY option on anything over 125".  This is simply not true.  My 210 has very large healthy fish,  in very clean water with no use of a wet-dry.  The statement is simply not true.

2nd,  Ray has mentioned in previous threads that he has never had large tanks due to living arrangements etc.  Thus his above comment is not based on experience,  and my tank is proof that it is not fact.

Kind regards,

Bob

Im not gonna lie i dont see what is wrong with rays answer. It makes total sense to me.  Even though i dont like wetdry filter, im a canister filter type of guy. But i understood what ray means.

Hey Bob~

Talk to me, I have a nice extra Wet-Dry........

Ill take this to PM....