Bluetom's project 4ft tank (with pics)

[Bluetom]

I'm setting up a new tank. the aim is to have a 4x2x2 tank (feet).

I'm going to have it as a planted community tank, with angels and gouramis.

I'm planning on having a sump, mostly to keep pumps and filters and heaters etc out of the way, also may use it to grow some low lying plants dependant on final water turbulence. Plus the added bonus of extra water capacity.

The sump is going to be just under 200L, 3ft long. (approx 620L all up)

I'm just looking to buy a return pump(s).

This is what i've been looking at;

either two of these;

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=73965401

or one of these;

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=73648415

both are resun.

I figure for $80 odd, it couldn't hurt to give them a go. a hell of alot cheaper than $200 for an second hand ehiem 1060.

Has anyone had any experience with these?

I'll post my progress here as the tank comes along.

[Devon]

Sounds like it will be a nice tank!

I used to have blue cobalt gouramis. That tryed to breed. Very cool fish. Used to spit water up from the tank into my fingers and wash some white worms from them. much like a female betta I had. Good luck

[shiuh]

i am using king 4 and couldnt be happier. my breeding setup is something similar to urs and have a pump as well. check this link for pics.

http://www.guppy.co.nz/index.php?name=F ... opic&t=150

[Bluetom]

great, thanks for that shiuh.

I think king 2 is the way to go, then i have a back up.

[Bluetom]

here is a bit of an idea about how it will look, think i might have a black calaco surround rather than wood.

[Devon]

Sump being kept in the bottom of the stand?

[Bluetom]

Yeah, plumbing straight throught the top shelf.

[x matt x]

Ive been using king 3's in my sump's for about a year with out any problems.

[Bluetom]

So have just finished construction of the tank stand, here are some pictures;

If this is taking forever, i.e your on dial-up, they can all be viewed here.

The stand is build out of 4x2, nice and strong

2 of these, one for the top, one for the base;

Supported by four corner posts;

Added an extra support at the back, can never be too safe

Made the top self out of mdf, undercoated with the nastyest paint we had :lol:

The stand is covered in black calco, easierly chaged and doesn't add to much weight. Plus is cheap and looks good;

The top was spray painted black, don't use $3.95 spray, gave a really bad finish but doesn't matter as it will be covered by the tank.

So the finished product (still have to put board in the bottom to put the sump on) ;

[Bluetom]

I fair bit later and the tank is going ok, has been set up for about 12 weeks now.

Have a bit of a hair algae problem, hopefully when i start using PMDD it will reduce it, as has been suggestd will happen in articles i've read.

left hand end

Right hand end

End on view

Have just done a bit of work, algae removal etc so a bit f floating c*** clouding the water in the photos.

Any comments would be apprecated, good or bad. Not quite there yet, still waiting for plants to fill out and really want to get rid of the algae

[sharronpaul]

Good job. Nice looking tank.

Probably one thing I would do would be to put a diagonal brace along the back of the stand, but I am always accused of over-engineering things anyway :lol:

[fishboi]

hopefully when i start using PMDD it will reduce it, as has been suggestd will happen in articles i've read.

i am not sure how feeding the algae with PMDD would help them to die off. or am i missing something? :-?

[HummingBird]

Refer to "Control of Algae in the Planted Aquaria"

[Bluetom]

As far as i've read, most algaes thrive on an excess of phosphate, undebated by most. PMDD contains no phosphate.

So by providing excess of the other nutrients, ie nitrogen, potassium, iron, magnessium, the plants will use almost all available phosphate, efficently make it the limiting factor. And reducing algae growth

I believe PMDD's origins are here

[Bluetom]

lol snap

:lol: :lol:

[HummingBird]

Hahah - great minds think alike eh.

[Bluetom]

Have you experianced similar results to those in the article/paper?

[HummingBird]

Absolutely - I've never had a problem with algae in my planted 3ft tank which I've been dosing with PMDD for ages. I did have a problem in a planted 2ft tank which has recently been set up (fully cycled though) but I didn't add any PMDD initially, since I've started to algae growth has slowed and the plants have taken over - there's still a bit of algae remaining but the ramshorns that are in the tank will make short work of that I'm sure.

[fishboi]

As far as i've read, most algaes thrive on an excess of phosphate, undebated by most. PMDD contains no phosphate.

So by providing excess of the other nutrients, ie nitrogen, potassium, iron, magnessium, the plants will use almost all available phosphate, efficently make it the limiting factor. And reducing algae growth

i see what u mean, using PMDD to help the plants grow which in return uses phosphate and starving the algae of it. i would think u need more plants in this tank to achieve that.

couple of my heavy planted tanks i do use KH2PO4.

[Bluetom]

I'll probably buy more once i start on the PMDD. Just figure it would be a waste to have them all covered in hair algae.

[fishboi]

keep us up to date, even with the algae ur plants look nice and healthy and really like the use of wood and rocks

[Bluetom]

cheer and will do

[quack]

i had had the mad algae problem with my tank,

was green hair alage, bluegreen algae and green water, i just incressed the water changes reduced food and turned the light off for a week and omg theres not one spot of algae anywere.

i agree adding more nutriants in this case(not many plants) will make the alage worse.

i would add a heap of plants and that in its self will probley fix it.

[Bluetom]

Anyone have a heap of cuttings they would like to get rid of? :roll:

[fishboi]

i would add a heap of plants and that in its self will probley fix it.

i second that.