Zabman Posted August 3, 2008 Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 Hi All, I have decided to put together a blog sort of thing regarding setting up my new 4ft Aquarium, any feedback/advice/criticism is welcomed as it will benefit both myself and anyone else reading this. I was lucky enough to purchase a 4ft drilled tank with stand and 2 light fittings from another member (Thanks Rockerpeller!) As my 2 ft is super overstocked with plants and my largest Angel has outgrown his home, Lisa and I decided to have a go at a properly planted and aquascaped aquarium! Over the last month I have been slowly pulling together the parts I need to set this up (slow going as all our money seems to go onto the mortgage!). The first thing we did was suspend the light fixtures from the ceiling - easier said than done as it had to be a DIY jobby! Some Plasterboard anchors, different sized cup hooks, numerous broken drill bits and expletives & a length of chain all combined with 2 hours labour and the lights were nicely suspended above the tank. For filtration we went slightly (very) overboard with a fluval FX5, the price was a steal so really couldn't say no as I would rather have to much than not enough, and if we ever get a larger tank, filtration is sorted! Attaching this to the plumbing of the tank was harder than expected due to the fluval pipe only coming with 2 rubber seals, managed to get it nice and tight with the plumbing with some silicone sealant and hose clamps. Don't have enough media to fill all 3 baskets so am using AquaOne Bionoodles and a fine filter pad in the last basket - plan to fill the other 2 with eheim substrat pro when I can afford it! Next part of the setup was adding the substrate. Because we are looking at a heavily planted tank we decided on Daltons Aquatic mix covered with some daltons propagating sand - about 1.5cm depth for each. After the Aquarium centre brace was repaired and a Jager 150W heater added, we filled the tank for the first time. We did this by siphoning 1 slow bucket at a time - what a waste of an evening - will be trying to work out a faster way of doing this for water changes!!!! Found a nice piece of driftwood on the beach and soaked in the bath for a week and srubbed thoroughly, had to trim it with a saw to fit it into the tank though and then it just floated Somebody suggested fishing sinkers to weight it down so bought some today and tied them on - definate improvement but still not fully submerged, so a couple of pieces of 2 x 4 sitting on top to keep it down! Started planting today as well - will take some time to fill out as the vast majority of plants are cuttings from my other tanks! We drew up a rough plan of how we would like the "end product" to look but it is hard to imagine without seeing the full potential of the plants being used. Some Anubias Nana was planted up the trunk of the wood, but doesnt look nearly as good as A.Prophecies nano! Hopefully will grow out nicely! Also tied some Frilled Java fern (correct me if I'm wrong!) onto one of the pieces of wood sticking out from the trunck! Reseated the wood in the tank, and now can't see a thing! Planted a few more plants completely blind but will have to wait a day or so to see if I got the positioning right! We will be dosing with the recommended dose of Flourish Exel initially - will also start adding PMDD in the next couple of weeks when I work out how to measure them out properly! More to come soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted August 3, 2008 Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 Looks great so far. Cant wait to see updates as you progress. Im not sure if you have already stated it, but what is the lighting? watts etc. I use daltons in all my planted tanks with great success. Are you going to go CO2? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zabman Posted August 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 The lighting is 4 x 36W 6500K. I will be dosing Exel - I would love to go pressurised CO2 but don't know the first thing about it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant N Posted August 3, 2008 Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 I can see something great happening here! Hope the wood sinks eventually. I have boiled the snot out of smaller pieces to make them sink(after a plunge in cold water) but I think that piece is too big for the pot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverBlade86 Posted August 3, 2008 Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 Very nice piece of driftwood. I assume that the parts that were cut at the bottom will be buried under the sand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockerpeller Posted August 3, 2008 Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 Hey mate. The tank is looking good so far. Especially the lights! If you need a hand setting up a Co2 system let me know. I can drop you a few pointers for when I had it running before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaNs Posted August 3, 2008 Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 With a tank that size it would be cheaper to do proper co2 rather than FX long term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zabman Posted August 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 I have some brass attachments that I got from Rockerpeller, but as I said, I know nothing about CO2 and I would not be confident injecting it unless it was regulated and I had some way of measuring how much is going in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whetu Posted August 3, 2008 Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 Excellent! I'm looking forward to following your blog, Zabman. *Settles down with a cup of coffee to wait for the next instalment* Ok now I'm going to put a spanner in the works: If that piece of driftwood is not sinking now, it may take many years before it sinks of its own accord. I would suggest a more permanent solution for weighting it down such as rocks or slate. Do it now while you're first setting it up because you'll never get this chance again! I had a big bit of driftwood (not as big as yours) that "almost" sank - it kind of floated mid-water with just one end poking out above the water. I thought it was pretty close to sinking so I put it in the tank and piled rocks on it. Two years later I bumped the rocks while I was cleaning the tank and the driftwood flew up to the surface! Some wood really doesn't want to sink! So I would suggest you tie some large, angular rocks to the base of your wood and expect them to stay there for the duration. For anyone else doing this kind of setup, I would suggest that the wood is the first thing that goes in the tank, before the substrate. Then build up the substrate around the base of the wood. It gives the wood a more integrated look - as if it's just been uncovered from the riverbed, rather than just sitting on top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zabman Posted August 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 Thanks Whetu, I will look at finding something appropriate to tie behind the wood this evening. I know what you mean about placing the wood before the substrate! Wish I had done it this way as you can see how messy the tank got trying to reseat it into the sand & clay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whetu Posted August 3, 2008 Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 ok now I'm REALLY going to cause trouble! Did you consider turning the wood 90 degrees so the large trunk part is horizontal and the branchy-bits are vertical? Then have the trunk partially buried in the substrate. To me that would be more aesthetically pleasing - it's obviously a personal opinion and I would be interested in other peoples' opinions. Hey team, let's design Zabman's tank by committee - we'll have the ideas and he can do all the work! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zabman Posted August 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 Vetoed! I kinda like it how it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whetu Posted August 3, 2008 Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 Awww I forgot that the person doing the work has the power of veto :-? It's definitely going to be a stunning setup. I can't wait to see the next stage of progress. :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rozski Posted August 4, 2008 Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 Ooooo I love tank blogs. That tanks got heaps of potential, and I love that bit of driftwood. What fish have you got planned for it too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zabman Posted August 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 TBH I haven't giev a whole pile of thought to the fish just yet. The Angel will be going in there and my 5 whiptails but other than that..... I have a medium sized plec that needs relocating but I don't think he/she will co-operate with the plants! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockerpeller Posted August 4, 2008 Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 I have some brass attachments that I got from Rockerpeller, but as I said, I know nothing about CO2 and I would not be confident injecting it unless it was regulated and I had some way of measuring how much is going in. With that regulator (provided you can get it cranking again), all you would need is perhaps a better needle-valve (that one was a freebie from an old job), a bubble counter with a diffuser, and a solenoid to kill the Co2 when the lights are off. I just turned the flow off when I turned the lights off. Although going all out and using a BOC bottle and a regulator/solenoid combo would be my personal pick. I only used that reg as I was short on money at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zabman Posted August 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 Any idea what sort of $$$ the above would cost? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaNs Posted August 4, 2008 Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 Your looking at $170+ for a regulator and solenoid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zabman Posted August 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 Any CO2 experts around that can help me on Mirc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paekakboyz Posted August 4, 2008 Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 hey that looks like a primo setup! just wondered about adding another heater though... for back up in case one goes kaput but also to help keep temp consistent? one at each end? that is a cool piece of driftwood! hope you manage to get that bugger to sink! keep the updates coming - it's really cool when someone sets up a new tank... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheesejawa Posted August 5, 2008 Report Share Posted August 5, 2008 Great work so far, That drift wood is a really good piece. I would get some more plants to fill the tank a bit more though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zabman Posted August 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2008 Thanks Cheese, The plants that you can see on a couple of the first photos weren't "planted" as such, just popped in the tank to keep em alive for when I do plant. Which, subsequently, was last night! Will take some pics tonight and post - was from cuttings so still a lot of empty space! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zabman Posted August 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 Hi All, Time for a little update I have been away from home since last Thursday to visit my parents in Fielding (got to visit Wet Pets!) and tramping over Tongariro - on a side note, if anyone read about the guy that was rescued from a snowcave - he was one of our party! Got to see how my tank was looking yesterday... Not so great The plants seem happy enough, lots of growth new growth, however, have a bit of an algae problem!! Lots of green stringy stuff! I am not to concerned at this stage and will be doing a water change every day if I can and removing as much as possible with a toothbrush. I am a little worried about the red pine as it seems to have got the worst of the algae and is fully covered in it. I got a bit of a shock when I saw my 2 ft though! The tiger lotus has gone bananas and its double the size I remember with pups bein spat out all over the place, and my crypts need some SERIOUS thining out (If anyone is interested in the crypt - pls PM me) Will have to trim the whole thing back tonight. Regarding my CO2 - looks like I will have to wait a while to get this up & running. I bought a new regulator and have a needle valve to use but cannot afford a bottle atm so am being patient I do have things to do in the meantime - Make the diffuser thingie and work out how to monitor flow with the setup I will be using! The CO2 will be going straight into the diffuser so I don't think a bubble counter will work! Pics to come later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whetu Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 pics! :bounce: pics! :bounce: pics! :bounce: Sorry to hear about your algae problem - I thought you were just talking about your standard slimey stuff you get on the glass, but your description sounds like hair algae? I'm fortunate not to have encountered hair algae in my long algae-keeping career but it sounds like a real pest from what people say. Good luck with it. Hopefully once your tank has aged a bit you'll achieve some kind of 'balance' and the algae will just disappear of its own accord. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zabman Posted August 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 Pics as promised. Apologies for any incorrect id's please feel free to provide latin names and correct names they will be noted for next time Blurry photo of the whole thing thus far: Algae growing on my red pine: Tiger Lotus from Angel spawning tank - somewhat light & nutrient deprived atm. Windelov fern Rotala Rotundifola Hygrophilia something As you can see, there is a LOT of growing still to be done! Hopefully it doesn't take to long! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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