How To Set Up A 125 Gallon Aquarium

A 125 gallon aquarium is perfect for beginners and experienced aquarists alike. Although they are commonly considered to exist harder to maintain, this is not necessarily true.

When it comes to stocking a fish tank of this size, at that place are many species to cull from and throughout this article we will provide you with various popular options to help you get started.

Depending on the setup you lot choose your aquarium is sure to be lit upward by lots of different colors and species.

In this article we will hash out all the essential things you demand to know before buying a 125 gallon fish tank including stocking options, the expected cost, the equipment needed to maintain them and a lot more…

Contents

125 Gallon Aquarium Overview
How Much Does A 125 Gallon Fish Tank Toll?
125 Gallon Fish Tank Stocking Ideas
- Tropical
- Marine
- Coldwater
- Customs Tank
- Species Just Tank
How To Set A 125 Gallon Tank
- Cycling The Aquarium
- Adding Fish
How To Maintain A 125 Gallon Fish Tank
Should You Get A 125 Gallon Aquarium (Summary)

125 Gallon Aquarium Overview

The larger the aquarium, the more options you accept when deciding what to do with them.

So a 125 gallon is the perfect example with it being ane of the biggest abode aquariums available on the market.

125 gallons of water volition provide plenty of space for keeping a diverseness of fish. It besides ways that y'all will exist able to keep larger or more territorial species which are non suitable for smaller tanks. Some of the most cute fish to include in a tank of this size are Bettas, Tetras or Tangs.

Not many people realize that information technology is easier to maintain larger aquariums' h2o chemistry. The more water there is the more stable the water parameters go.

This means that no matter your experience level these tanks are great for beginner and skillful hobbyists alike.

Most 125 gallon aquariums' dimensions are 72W″ 10 18D″ x 22H″, nevertheless the verbal dimensions tin can differ slightly depending on the shape or brand of the tank.

When empty the tank will counterbalance around 206 pounds, but once total it can weigh anywhere upward to 1200 pounds depending on your setup.

How Much Does A 125 Gallon Fish Tank Cost?

A new 125 gallon aquarium will set you dorsum somewhere in the region of $800-$3500.

The cost will vary depending on several factors including whether or not you are purchasing the aquarium as a kit, which will come with items such as a hood and a stand.

Another factor which can influence the price is the cloth the aquarium is made from. Aquariums of this size come in two different materials: glass or acrylic.

Glass aquariums are cheaper and acrylic tend to be more expensive.

Acrylic is very easily scratched whereas glass is more durable merely also much heavier.

Another gene which will bear on the price is the shape of the fish tank. There are iii main options to choose from: classic rectangular shaped tanks (cheapest), semi-cylindrical ones and fifty-fifty pentagonal aquariums (most expensive).

125 Gallon Fish Tank Stocking Ideas

There are a lot of different species to choose from when you have a 125 gallon aquarium.

Because you lot have more than space than other aquariums, you can add together more fish.

A 125 gallon aquarium is perfect for freshwater tropical or common cold water fish every bit well as many marine species.

Below nosotros share 5 different setup ideas perfect for a tank of this size.

Tropical

Tropical species are the most diverse group which means picking the correct fish for your aquarium can be quite a challenge.

Here are a few examples of fish which are ideal for a 125 gallon tank:

Clown Loach: This is a colorful and social species of Loach that prefers to live in large shoals. They can achieve a size of around 12 inches and prefer water temperatures of 78-87°F.

Discus: Discus are vibrantly colored fish which tin can abound to around 6.five inches long. They can be kept with lots of other fish, nonetheless smaller species of Tetra are the virtually common tank mates.

Freshwater Angelfish: A stunning fellow member of the Cichlid family unit which tin can be kept with Plecos as well as other smaller species like Mollies and Platy fish.

Rainbowfish: They are perfectly named equally they come in a variety of unlike colors. They can exist kept with a variety of peaceful species including both large or small Tetras and Corydoras Catfish in water with a temperature of 74-78°F.

Neon Tetra: A spectacularly colorful species which prefers to be kept in large shoals. A tank of this size could easily proceed a shoal of upward to 100.

Bettas: Both males and females can be aggressive and territorial. A tank of this size volition provide plenty space to continue either a sorority of females or a single male, with fast, peaceful fish like Ember Tetras.

Guppies: This is a live begetting species which are certain to breed like crazy. They come up in lots of different colors due to selective breeding. Guppies are a very peaceful fish which should be kept with other fish of a like nature.

Bristlenose Pleco: A nocturnal bottom feeding fish which would make a dandy addition to any community tank. They abound to a size of upward to five inches and require a water temperature of 60-80°F.

Read 25 Most Popular Freshwater Fish For Beginners for more stocking ideas.

Marine

A fish tank of 125 gallons besides provides you lot with the opportunity to set upwards a marine water ecosystem where many different species can be kept.

There are a variety of species to choose from including:

Ocellaris Clownfish: The Mutual Clownfish is a charismatic trivial fish which grows to around iv inches. They can be kept with fish similar Damselfish, Tangs, Angelfish and many others. Just keep the water temperature between 75-82°F.

Yellow Tang: This is a popular marine species with a bright yellow coloration. They prefer to be kept in modest groups and get forth well with other peaceful species like Trick-Face and Clownfish.

Royal Gramma: They are a small-scale colorful species which grow to around iii inches. Their vibrant purple and yellow color is perfect to brighten up the aquariums of experts and beginners alike.

Blue Tang: These beautiful fish tin can reach a size of up to 9 inches in length. They tin live in a tropical marine aquarium with a temperature range of 73-82°F and can be kept with other peaceful species.

If you need more suggestions then read Summit 21 Near Pop Saltwater Aquarium Fish.

Coldwater

In that location are not as many cold water fish to choose from, but some good picks include:

White Cloud Mountain Minnows: This is a shoaling species that looks similar to Neon Tetras. They are besides available in golden and long-fin varieties and prefer a water temperature of 60°F.

Hillstream Loaches: An algae bottom feeding species that prefers faster water period and a temperature of lx-75°F.

Paradise Fish: This is a vibrantly colored lilliputian fish. Males can be territorial so it is recommended that a single male is kept with multiple females. H2o temperature should be stable in the region of 50-71.5°F.

Also don't forget about Goldfish!

An aquarium with lots of different species living in it is referred to as a community tank.

With this type of tank yous can keep your favorite species in one tank, providing they are uniform with each other and share the same water parameters.

The key to a good community tank is to have different species which occupy different levels and parts of the tank. To go this balance correct you should choose fish which inhabit different regions of the tank.

One example could exist to accept Mutual Hatchet fish who stay at the surface layer of the water. Then take fish similar Congo Tetra who will occupy the mid-regions of the tank. Mid-level fish such as a shoal of Neon Tetras will also piece of work well.

Bottom dwelling house fish like Plecos or Corydoras volition act every bit a clean-up crew and eat any uneaten food and algae.

Species Simply Tank

I kind of aquarium you might choose is a species only aquarium.

This is where yous volition keep a unmarried species inside one tank.

A species simply setup is oft used for species similar Piranhas or other predatory fish, as well as territorial species like Oscars. Live bearing fish species like Mollies, Guppies and Platys are also kept in species merely aquariums in order to proceed selectively bred strains pure.

How To Set Upward A 125 Gallon Tank

The first matter y'all should do before calculation anything to your aquarium is to requite information technology a thorough cleaning.

One time the aquarium is clean you are going to need a couple of extra hands to assist you place the tank into its final resting place. This should ideally exist on a stand up away from any windows which receive natural sunlight.

When in position you can brainstorm to add things to the tank.

The start thing on your list should exist the substrate. Make certain it is cleaned correctly to avoid cloudy water. Add a 2 inch layer of substrate and spread it out evenly throughout the aquarium.

Adjacent you need to add together any ornaments or hardscaping materials like rocks and bogwood to the aquarium before adding the water. The reason for this is that if you fill the tank up prior to calculation decorations then they will displace the water and can crusade the tank to overflow.

After adding both the decorations and h2o to the fish tank, the water now needs to be treated with a dechlorinating solution to remove chlorine and chloramine.

With the substrate, ornamentation and h2o at present added to the fish tank, the next things you lot are going to want to add together are a filter and a heater.

Cycling The Aquarium

The 2nd stage of preparing the aquarium for your fish is to bike your tank.

This pace is the most important one in the setup process because every bit fish excrete waste they produce ammonia which beneficial bacteria then turn into nitrites. A second type of leaner and then converts these nitrites into nitrates.

Ammonia and nitrites are toxic to fish and other organisms whereas nitrates are not-toxic if kept at lower quantities. A great way to keep nitrates low is to accept a planted aquarium.

Plants will absorb nitrates as it is an essential nutrient required for growth. High quantities of nitrates in the aquarium with minimum live plants will outcome in the growth of unwanted algae. When plants or algae absorb nitrates, they consummate the nitrogen cycle.

Read How To Cycle A Fish Tank: The Complete Beginner's Guide.

It should take effectually 6 weeks to fully cycle – a similar time to the 75 gallon aquarium.

Adding Fish

By this point you should take called the different fish species and/or other inhabitants.

Y'all now need to brand certain that your nitrogen wheel is fully completed and that both the h2o temperature and pH are suitable for the fish y'all intend to go on.

In one case these checks have been completed you lot can starting time to add your fish to your 125 gallon aquarium.

The first affair you should do is place the send bags into your aquarium to begin acclimating your fish to the temperature of the aquarium. This helps to avoid shocking your fish and they should be left there for anywhere between 30 minutes to 1 60 minutes.

When the h2o temperature in the bags is the aforementioned as the tank, you lot should then open the numberless and beginning to fill your aquarium water into the pocketbook. A ratio of 1 cup of aquarium h2o every5 minutes works well.

It will probably take effectually thirty minutes until the ship bags are full of aquarium water.

After this you lot should place a clean net over a saucepan and pour the contents of the bag into the net. The water will pass through the net and into the bucket leaving but the fish inside. Now you should place the fish into your aquarium.

Invertebrates like shrimp will need to be drip acclimated inside of a bucket using a small siphon for a period of upwardly to two hours as they tend to be more sensitive to temperature and pH shocks.

How To Maintain A 125 Gallon Fish Tank

A 125 gallon tank will require the aforementioned maintenance processes as other smaller aquariums although they will accept longer due to the larger size of the tank.

A weekly 20-30% water change should be performed. At this fourth dimension you can also clean the gravel and remove any fish waste.

Cleaning the filter is some other maintenance chore required for any aquarium. To do this, yous simply need to rinse out any filter media or sponges into a saucepan of aquarium water to remove any waste. This should be done every three-iv weeks.

Another common maintenance task you will need to carry out is algae cleaning. This should only be done one time every few weeks, but if the tank receives natural sunlight then it may need to be carried out more frequently. Cleaning unwanted algae off the tank can be washed using either a magnetic scrubber or a simple make clean dish sponge.

You can sometimes come across the trouble of light-green water. This is due to an imbalance of nitrates and/or lighting which causes algal blooms within the h2o. There are a couple of ways to prevent this. First, yous tin can purchase algae destroying chemicals which work great but may harm live plants. Or, you can keep lights in the tank switched off for a few days and go on the tank covered with towels to preclude light getting in.

Should You Get A 125 Gallon Aquarium (Summary)

A 125 gallon aquarium gives you lot lots of space to keep lots of freshwater, brackish or marine species.

They require the exact same maintenance as whatsoever other sized tanks although some tasks may accept a little longer. Also due to the size of these aquariums and as with all fish tanks, each gallon comes with an added cost. More often than not speaking larger fish tanks are more than expensive.

The good news is that with larger aquariums it is easier to maintain stable h2o parameters.

They provide plenty of room for various possible setups ideas and different fish.

How would you stock a 125 gallon aquarium?

Let u.s.a. know in the comments section below…