si_sphinx

Here is a sump I use at the moment Water from the tank enters in right section and passes through media filled baffles then enters a refugium/plant grow out section. It then passes through bubble reducing baffles to be pumped back to the tank.

There isn't really anything to comment on just yet. All you can do is wait and watch :spop:

Got all the timber cut today. Bottom Frame done Top Frame done One of the 4 legs

I only had a few tanks but quite a few lazy students. They liked to leave things on and were forever cold and instead of putting on more clothes they would crank up the heaters and leave the bloody windows open :an!gry My new house is much better, havn't had my 1st bill yet so hoping its much less. Ive always found my tanks don't use much power anyway.

I had an $1100 power bill the other month, you should count yourself lucky. I wish my bills were that low

Difuser, Bubble counter and check valve

Co2 glassware came today, will post pics tonight or tomorrow.

It ended up costing just over $700 to buy and ship into the country and it took exactly 7 days to get to my door. I was quoted $1100 for for the same branded unit but half the size and half the lighting here in NZ.

:mbh: My lights have arrived... :happy1: It came in two packages. One with the hood unit and a small box with the ballasts for th MH All the lights on MH off T5s off It came with the correct plug connections but they are upside down :facepalm: So making drip loops in the wires makes it look messy. I won't be using the T5s or moon leds for this setup but will be handy for my future marine tank I think the fans may need upgrading in the future as they don't sound very powerful for the amount of heat I felt the MHs put out after 5mins of turning on. All up Im happy with the unit and can't wait to fill th tank. I have brought all the timber for the stand and progress will start this weekend hopefully.

Ive just done calculations of my 700ltr tank weight full of water, gravel, rocks etc, glass, stand, sump. I forget the weight exactly now (ive got it written down at home) and I also worked out the kPa/m2 to make sure my floor would take the loading. Ive had to add extra blocking between, and supports below the floor joists. I suggest finding a place with a concrete floor, it will be a lot easier than working under a house putting in extra supports.

To get my filter pipes where I want them I fill them with boiling water to make them really soft, then I put them in the shape or position I want and run cold water through them to harden them again.

I just tapped mine with a small hammer lightly each side until it cracked and the i forced the two halves apart. not perfectly straight cracks but both pieces were usable. cutting would be much more reliable though.

Wasn't it 'Mushu'?

Lighting has just been ordered. This weekend I will hopefully buy the timber to start the new stand. PLan below.

I doubt it but would be cool to see an adult like that

Check out http://www.parkflyers.org.nz or http://www.rcgroups.com there is plenty of information on there for begineers.

It will take a while to build up the fish I want. Yea all the gear would be in the sump. What would be more effecient, CO2 in the tank or in the sump? not sure how it would be plumbed inline with my return pump. I was thinking of adding lights to the sump to grow plants on the side. I haven't thought about what bio type I want. I want lots of swimming room and don't want the overgrown look. Ferns on wood. grass on the bottom. A few columns of stem plants. I guess it would be an amazon type theme??? With the odd crypts here and there.

I know HFF sells little 150 squares of it that clip together but not sure where to get bigger sheets. I would like some bigger sheets of it too.

I’m going to turn my empty 700ltr+ tank into a high tech planted aquarium. 2.0m long 0.6m high 0.6m deep. I did a low tech planted 300ltr tank for a few months and it didn’t really work out while flatting so now with a permanent place, I can give it a proper go. The tank has a 100ltr sump for filtration from my previous cichlid setup. With ceramic rings, bioballs, filter wool etc. I know a sump for a planted tank isn’t recommended but I’ve heard some people have had success with this so I’m going to give it a go. Lighting will be 3x 150w MH and 4x 80w t5 HO bulbs. Pressurized CO2 with 2x diffusers, one each end of the tank. Substrate will be a 4-5cm layer of Daltons aquatic mix with 3-4cm layer of 2mm gravel on top. I’m hoping that the Daltons won’t give me algae problems as long as it doesn’t get into the water and I don’t disturb it too much. I will dose with trace elements, NPK, Iron etc but don’t know exactly what to buy or where from so if someone that has knowledge with these, please let me know. I still have some research to do on this. I have a hollow log and a few tree roots for wood in the tank. I also want to put some stones and rocks in there. I want to make it as natural looking as I can. Plants thank I have so far are various java ferns, anubias, vallisneria and moss. I want to have the ferns up high tied to wood, anubias in the rocks and moss growing on the rocks and wood. Also need to get a few swords, I don’t know what sorts yet, stargrass, hygro, crypts, balansae and affanis, and maybe some hair grass or dwarf sag. AND the fish… 6+ discus, not sure what types yet. A decent sized school of cories, 10-15 bronze or sterbai. A school of tetras, not cardinals because everyone has them. I’m thinking 20+ rummy nose or silvertips. 6 Plecos, I’m hoping to get either L128 Blue phantom or L018 Gold nugget. What ever is easiest to get hold of…? Also would 3-4 blue rams go well with this setup and fish? I’ve thought about making this tank for a while now and have thought it through a lot. Along the way I will have questions and I will put up photos and updates as the tank progresses. At the moment the tank is still empty so there is plenty of time for me to change things yet. If there are things I haven’t thought of, please let me know. Or if you have any questions please ask.

Would it be craig? and the following thread...? http://fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=17110&p=205810&hilit=7+bars&sid=5bfce75083c4cd6c7200c1b17a4bd0e3&sid=5bfce75083c4cd6c7200c1b17a4bd0e3#p205810

I had some but found out it wasn't a good idea so killed them off before they where able to grow and get big enough to reproduce. If anyone can find the native ones I would be very keen to get some.

Im from Manapouri where most of this was filmed and there truly is some massive eels in that lake. And they do swarm in the 10s of 100s. I put a back end of a stag in a creek once and they were everywhere within a few hours. Ive never been bitten before though, they were always scared of me. We use to chase them in the water as kids when we swam at the beach. Thanks for posting that. It was very interesting.

I just got my nintendo 3DS in the mail from the US. $150 cheaper than in NZ.

Ok so from what I've read about them... The older models weren't very good, the parts needed upgrading or replacing. The newer models seem to please a few people and better quality. The legs on them are a flimsy plastic so best to suspend the fixture. Good prices compared to brand named fixtures. but you get what you pay for as everyone says. I think I will take the gamble and purchase one next week. only $750 odd dollars :facepalm: Ill let you know how it arrives and goes and if it is a waste of money or not. :roll:

Thanks, Ill have a read. If I got one, I would probably replace the bulbs with what I wanted anyway.