David R Posted September 29, 2008 Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 I had planned on doing a progress report type thread for the set-up of this tank but never really got around to it. I swear I have never stressed so much or had so many problems setting up a tank. I want to be young and ignorant again because things seemed a lot easier then, the more you know the more you have to worry about! Here's the story up until now, I'll update it as things progress... Back in about April (I think!) I had Greg/Tanks2U build me the tank, 1500 long, 700 wide and 600 tall, he also built a new taller tower for the sump and modified the sump tank a bit. His work was great, but the guy he recommended to build the steel stand wasn't so hot. The top of the stand was really uneven, it had a slight twist and to top it off there were runs in the paint. I pretty much put it in the too-hard basket up until about a month ago when I finally decided to bite the bullet and trust the stand. Barrie kindly helped out with his josters and we lifted the tank onto the stand after putting down ply on a bead of liquid nails to absorb the unevenness. A few weeks later it was full of water and looking level enough. I had last Thursday and Friday off work so I plumbed the sump up, washed all the media and put in about 250L of water from my other tanks. I decided to get some cheap tetras to make ammonia to get the filter running, and also for live food to help my big ornate settle in once its cycled. More problems. I went to Hollywood Mt Roskill and purchased a bunch of tetras, along with some assorted freebies a customer didn't want. I soon learned that tetras aren't smart and had a bad habit of going over the overflow in the corner of the tank. I started catching them to transfer them to the sump, but before I had managed to catch the second one the first one had been sucked through the pump and returned to the tank as burly. Oh well I thought, its all good ammonia. I covered the intake of the pump with a sponge and put the rest of the tetras in there. I now have another problem... It seems they can swim under the grate holding the media up and up through the media, but not back down. I have decided that although it seems a little cruel, it is now a case of the survival of the fittest (or smartest) and I not going to pull all the media out of the sump to catch it, or any others that find their way in there. Anyway. Tonight I put a light on the top and a few big pieces of wood in there to soak, and it is finally starting to look like an aquarium instead of a big glass money-sucking box of problems. There's probably not going to be much of interest for the next few weeks (other than how many stupid tetras manage to get stuck in the media), but on the 18th I'm meeting a friend in Taupo who is bringing me up some white sand from Christchurch. The plan is to have white sand substrate, a couple of big pieces of wood, and some round river rocks. The fish will be added gradually, starting with the big ornate, then the uarus, severum, heckeliis, and lastly my 8 largest clown loaches. As my 14 smaller clowns get big enough to avoid being eaten by the ornate I'll add them too. I'm also growing out a S. leucosticta ["juripari"], surinamensis, two male sajicas, and a group of G. balzani. I'll probably add the first three when they're large enough, but I'm thinking of doing a proper amazon-themed set up in my 4' with the balzanis, corys, tetras, maybe some other dwarfs, and possibly altum angels. Sorry for the epic post, its been a long time coming and I needed to vent/show off. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted September 29, 2008 Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 Thought you were going to set this one up as a South american one.. Its gonna be good anyway though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted September 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 South American style. But with clown loaches. And an ornate bichir. And the odd central american... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracytrout Posted September 29, 2008 Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 Good Luck!! Look foward to seeing more photos as tank progresses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb Posted September 29, 2008 Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 that media would probably do better if you dropped the water level anyway- increased oxygen and the fish couldn't get in it that way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted September 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 I'm going to run the water level in the sump a bit lower than that once its up and running, but I thought I'd have it a bit higher while the fish are in there. The tetra has managed to find its way out [or further into the media] during the night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted September 29, 2008 Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 David R wrote: I want to be young Ah, unless I'm mixing you up with someone else but in the thread with people's pics...YOU ARE YOUNG!!! When I first looked at the piece of driftwood on the right...it looked like a monkey 8) :lol: Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-town... Posted September 30, 2008 Report Share Posted September 30, 2008 nice 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldogod Posted October 1, 2008 Report Share Posted October 1, 2008 Cool, So after all taht, has the stand worked out ok? what did you pay for it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted October 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 Nothing exciting to report, getting 75kg of sand from Christchurch in just over a weeks time. In the mean time here's Pinkie, the worlds happiest convict... Is it too heavily stocked?? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simian Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 Its borderline David, Id suggest 25% daily water changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 If that driftwood breeds you could be in trouble! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheesejawa Posted October 9, 2008 Report Share Posted October 9, 2008 Looks really good sor far, are you going to put any substrate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted October 9, 2008 Report Share Posted October 9, 2008 He's got 75kg of sand coming.... How are you transporting the sand? And are you going to put plants in? Any ideas so far for what kinda plants? And how are those tetras doing in the sump? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted October 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2008 I have friends driving up from Christchurch for a car club event at Taupo, so I'm meeting them there. Bottle of Canadian Club is a whole lot cheaper than the courier! Not all the 75kg is going in there, just want to make sure I have enough for ~2cm layer, and hopefully enough left over for my 4'. No plants, other than what I feed to the uaru... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaide Posted October 11, 2008 Report Share Posted October 11, 2008 David, what are those blue spiky plastic things in the first pic? I purchased a tank recently and it came with all sorts of stuff - much of which I don't know what it is - mine included green spiky things and I have no idea what they are or what they're for :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted October 11, 2008 Report Share Posted October 11, 2008 David, what are those blue spiky plastic things in the first pic? I purchased a tank recently and it came with all sorts of stuff - much of which I don't know what it is - mine included green spiky things and I have no idea what they are or what they're for :-? They are bio spheres which are excellent for use in sumps and can be used in big cannister filters. They help filter the larger bits of muck in the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted October 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2008 Yeah they're bioballs, and as the name suggests they're for biological filtration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted October 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 Two words for tonight. Epic fail. I got the sand over the weekend, washed it and put it in the tank. I only used 1.5 bags (out of 3). Stoked. Looked awesome, but a little on the fine side. Tonight I transferred birchy (the big ornate) across from the 4' using a pillow case, he's close to 17" now!! As I suspected he stirred up the sand every time he swims with a bit of force. But worse than that, the fine sand appeared to stick to him and in about 5 minutes he looked like he had been rolled in icing sugar. So I very rapidly siphoned all the sand out, and I'm back to a bare-bottomed tank wondering what I should use for substrate. I didn't even take a pic with the sand in. I've dumped a heap of stress-coat in to help birchy with his slime coat, he gradually seems to be shedding the sand. Fingers crossed it doesn't stress him too much. So, suggestions for substrates?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 Im using a coarse river sand black and white gives a grey look almost same colour as ornates, doesn't stick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan7 Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 lol, sux bro, how much for a ticket on the fail boat? is it true that it only sails on tues and thursdays to your place? brightwater ftw! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted October 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 I was nearly tempted to go back to using the good old brightwater last night. I think they might do a 2-4mm one as well as the 3'6, so that could look a bit better. Mark where did you get the river sand from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 came from local rock shop i have a lot left over if you are down this way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 stone and water world? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted October 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 ^ they're about 5 minutes down the road from me, so I'll be heading there this weekend. Mark I'm not sure when I'll be down, but I'm longing to visit the park so hopefully this summer some time, maybe before xmas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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