Author Topic: The big tank upgrade (Read 4023 times)

keepontrying · « **Reply #15 on:** May 31, 2010, 10:28:40 am »

That is some bargain and some size of an aquarium...Do you have to start the whole cycle now when you bring it inside?

Please take more pictures when you have it inside and mind your leg whilst doing so..

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zoon · « **Reply #16 on:** May 31, 2010, 09:28:12 pm »

I am transfering the contents of my existing tank including using my Tetratec 1200 external from this tank that is fully mature. So it will not need to be cycled. I am going to be running 2 tetratec ex1200 on this tank, so I'll simply add the other and the bacteria will establish in that filter fairly quickly. As long as I don't add more fish in for a little while it'll be fine as the bio load will be the same. Over time I'll be adding another pair of silver dollars, about 30 more rummys, another 5-10 corys and another 4 kuhlis. The main reason I'll be doing it over time is so I don't bankrupt myself, but it'll also mean the existing filter is not overloaded while the 2nd filter cycles.

A bit more to add to my cost list...
Juwel Vision and stand - £200
Extra Tetratec 1200 external - FREE
Extra heater - FREE
Small bogwood - FREE
One Juwel light unit (as tank was stripped of its lights) - FREE
3m Tetratec hose - £9.96
Tetratec intake and outflow kit including spray bar - £9.98
XL bag filter floss - £5.96
2 XXXL pieces of bogwood - £10.50 from Ebay (but have to drive to Crawley to collect so about £10 fuel)

So far totalling £246.40

zoon · « **Reply #17 on:** May 31, 2010, 10:04:01 pm »

I am getting some window tint film to put on the back of the tank; shall I go for black, mirror, blue tint mirror or bronze tint mirror?

Adam · « **Reply #18 on:** May 31, 2010, 10:09:30 pm »

I think Alex used black limo tint? I don't think mirror would look too good, reflections tend to make the tank look a bit tacky.

plankton · « **Reply #19 on:** June 01, 2010, 09:51:43 am »

about mirror types, it can upset some fish as well.

zoon · « **Reply #20 on:** June 01, 2010, 08:17:48 pm »

Didn't think about that Plankton. Limo tint has been ordered.

Bought sand today too. £11.50 for 25kg - is that expensive?

Decided I'm going to have to go with silk plants because I love my silver dollars and don't want to get rid of them just so I can get real plants. So can anyone find me some really good silk plants? I already have some silk plants, but I want grasses and Amazon sword type plants rather than leafy plants. Will also go for plastic if they are realistic (I can dream!)

zoon · « **Reply #21 on:** June 06, 2010, 07:53:27 pm »

Tank is now up and running and to be honest looks stunning! No pics yet as I have massive bits of rock holding the wood down, so give me a few days for it to become water logged and I'll post them. Second filter not yet running as LFS gave me the wrong size intake and outflow tubes for it!

Also a change of plan with stock - silver dollars are going to a new home tomorrow so I'll be able to plant the tank out. I am going to have various swords of different sizes, java fern, some of that long grass stuff (I am highly knowledgable with plant names!) and possibly some moss.

Suggestions for replacements for the dollars anyone?

billko · « **Reply #22 on:** June 06, 2010, 08:34:15 pm »

Great size of tank for keeping Discus or Angels.
Billy

zoon · « **Reply #23 on:** June 06, 2010, 09:05:22 pm »

As soon as I saw your reply Billy, I knew a discus suggestion was on its way. Unfortunately, with our water down here I'd need RO water.

Thinking about angels though.

Atargatis · « **Reply #24 on:** June 06, 2010, 09:36:23 pm »

I love the angels that I got by default really as they came with my last tank.

Some people on the site have advised caution and said they can be ---- unpredicatable(?) with some tank mates. I do have mainly larger fish in there.

4 came together. When I acquired a 5th there was a bit of bullying amongst themselves then they all settled down.

They're lovely to watch --- sooo graceful!

zoon · « **Reply #25 on:** June 09, 2010, 02:15:37 pm »

Was considering altum angels, despite price, but couldn't find a supplier with more than 2 in stock. So saved some pennies and went for some nice zebra angels. Searched high and low for some really good fish and found 3 and 3 from differnt suppliers. 6 angels now in and have mixed with no issues at all. Giant wood still weighed down as it's determined to float!

Now searching for cheap supplier of large quantity of rummy nose. Waiting for chens discus to get back to me as they sometimes have them in for £1 a fish and I can meet up with him on his trip around uk!

OH is very annoyed with the pieces of vine sitting on the dining table, but I don't want to put them in until plants arrive in a couple of weeks time as I'll just need to get them out again anyway. Good chance for them to totally dry out anyway, although I did take them from a dead part of the plant.

Also managed to cut one of my "roots" an inch too short, so you can see the top of it just below water surface

Plan is to buy more sand to raise it up a little. Better anyway to have deeper substrate for plants, it's currently only about 1-1.5inches.

zoon · « **Reply #26 on:** June 09, 2010, 02:25:28 pm »

Here is a pic of it after I somehow managed to haul it onto the unit with help of OH. This is the worlds heaviest tank! The black on the rear glass is actually limo tint - it came out really well. I was concerned you'd be able to see the filter pipes and wires running behind tank as it's not totally opaque, but you can't. Infact, because it is slightly transparent it looks less "fake". That's the only way I can describe it!

zoon · « **Reply #27 on:** June 21, 2010, 11:28:49 am »

Tank has been set up for a few weeks now, but only just got round to taking a pic. Should take it in the evening really - hard to find an angle without reflections on the glass!

Bought plants from Tony - there are radicans swords along the back which should fill up the expanse of black, and the java fern growing on the rocks in the corner to cover up heater number 2 and filter 2 inlet. A few amazon swords in front of that and pygmy chain swords in the foreground.

Any advice on anything to improve?

Juwel Vision and stand - £200
Extra Tetratec 1200 external - FREE
Extra heater - FREE
Small bogwood - FREE
One Juwel light unit (as tank was stripped of its lights) - FREE
3m Tetratec hose - £9.96
Tetratec intake and outflow kit including spray bar - £25
XL bag filter floss - £5.96
2 XXXL pieces of bogwood - £10.50 from Ebay (but have to drive to Crawley to collect so about £10 fuel)
30kg sand - £16.45
Plants from Tony - £11
Extension lead with 8 sockets! - £3.95
Juwel light unit - £84.95

So far totalling £377.27

Not including price of new fish

plankton · « **Reply #28 on:** June 21, 2010, 11:35:59 am »

It looks very nice on it

zoon · « **Reply #29 on:** June 21, 2010, 11:47:28 am »

Should be good once plants start to grow - looking like I'll need a pressurised co2 system though

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Author Topic: The big tank upgrade (Read 4023 times)