Habitat - Indoor :: 300 gallon Rubbermaid stock tank

[Kansasslider]

Ok I need a bigger tank and watched a video on you tube about a 300 gallon stock tank and I'm going for it. It will be in a basement in KS cold winters. Any ideas how to keep water temp good. How many heaters etc? Any suggestions really. Thanks.

[Diamondbacks4Life]

How low do you think the temp will go your basement. IF it stays low enough and consistent hibernation will be very simple.

[Kansasslider]

Part of my basement is heated I would say half of it is heated. Is that your tank on you tube? It shouldn't get below 60° or 65.I'm thinking 2 heaters?

[steve]

Do you want to hibernate? Can you fit a 300 gallon down there? They're pretty huge.

[Kansasslider]

Yea Steve its 69"x63"x25" . I have plenty of room and I would rather not hibernate. I really like the stock tank Idea. For $220 its a lot cheaper than a glass tank of the same size.

[Kansasslider]

Only one problem door was only 23" wide. Problem solved!

[Kansasslider]

Oops picts are backwards .Just needs trim and stain.

[steve]

Yea, I would probably get 2 heaters. If your guys are old enough, having the temps in the low 70's shouldn't be a big deal.

[Kansasslider]

Well my Slidy should have been named slidet. I have only one question. I have them in a 40 gal tank and only one fx5. What would be the best way to cycle the stock tank water?

[steve]

You're going to use the same filter? Do you mean circulation cycle or nitrogen cycle?

[Kansasslider]

Yes same filter not really sure what you call it when first setting up a new tank. But I had to cycle my 40 gallon before adding fish and turtles. Getting Ammonia etc in check.

[ljapa]

Yes same filter not really sure what you call it when first setting up a new tank. But I had to cycle my 40 gallon before adding fish and turtles. Getting Ammonia etc in check.

If you can elevate the stock tank enough that you can use the FX5 and even better, if you can add the substrate from your existing tank, you'll be in good shape. The biomedia in the filter and the substrate is coated with both kinds of bacteria to process ammonia -> nitrite and nitrite -> nitrate. You'll lose some because it's also growing on the glass and any other surface in the aquarium. But the important thing is the bacteria colony was already dealing with the bioload. As long as you don't kill it off with chlorine/chloramines, your cycle, if any, will last days.

[Kansasslider]

I just realized I worded my question wrong. What do I do with my turtles while the new tank cycles?

[Diamondbacks4Life]

I just realized I worded my question wrong. What do I do with my turtles while the new tank cycles?

Turtles aren't like fish, its okay to throw them in. It wont hurt them.

[Kansasslider]

Ok thanks