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shekoi,

I would recommend using the supplied carbon pad that comes with the tetratec 700 (not to be confused with yours truly).

Use it for a few weeks it will help with algae control until the biofilter get's going than throw out the carbon pad and fill the filter with more bioballs.



My Scapes

i'm having a black background, putting it on now.

got luminaire on it's way 4 x 39W with reflecors.

also got a second 150W heater on its way so should have water in by wed

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

shekoi,

Nice waxing job

But I hope you are going to put a background on the back glass, right?

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

decorating taking longer then planned.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/shekoi/My%20setups/60g/decorating009.jpg

this is link to how my tank looks now i've waxed it, can see new wallpaper behind.



www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

Decorating almost complete. i'll have alll finished by next weekend hopefully, so i'll begin the tank setup on sunday, week today.

i'll start by cleaning substrate 5 bags of flourite.

i've ordered a luminaire 4x39W blubs so should be plenty of light for my plants.

shekoi

starting the varnishing of the tank cabinet tomorrow - only varnishing areas that come in close contact with the tank for example the hood. the rest will be waxed to match the mirror above the fire place - this is done by order from the boss - ie the girlfriend.


Last edited by shekoi at 18-Jan-2006 17:52

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

your math is fine - i was using uk gallons whish gives 2.6.

as for the hood issue the condensation tray would be below the wood. about 1-2 inches below where the hood sits on the tank. so that should be no problem - even so i am painting and varnishing the wood to protect it.

cheers.

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

think going to go for it - to get same output from normal T8 like have now need to have about 5/6 tubes thats 3 starter units so 3 plugs etc.

still would need 3 normal T5 55W thats again 3 starter units.

so the ts luminaire looks the best option with in my means.

off the subject now - cleaning flourite substrate.

would it be alright to wash the substate all together in the tank then remove the water after. the grains a so small i could loose loads washing in buckets etc.

ideas?

shekoi

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

cheers LF that luminaire of yours is nice and its what i just been looking at - but not cheap! :%) i've seen these http://www.aquatics-online.co.uk/Z319140.asp i'd go for the fresh water T5 40inch one, i can just afford one - unless she goes mad with the decorating would this light be ok should give about 2.6wpg.

on your tank LF you have a black rim which hides the surface away - mine doesn't so i was thinking i could cut out the top of my hood and then sit the luminaire on the hood rim, then have glass tray over the tank to stop - or help against condensation and water lose and stop cat jumping in.

shekoi

ps my tank is 40inchesx18x24, with hood rim the length would be 42 inches

Last edited by shekoi at 10-Jan-2006 10:46

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

shekoi,

I really like the CoraLife lights, I think in your case 2x65w would be 130w and you could also try the 2x96w. I don't know how long your tank is (forgot it or it actually was never mentioned).

A picture of who this light looks on my big tank can be found on [link=Page 37]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/Planted%20Aquaria/64425_37.html" style="COLOR: #ff6633[/link] of my Log. I have the system raised on legs ($7) and this way I can even remove the glass withough having to take the light off. Oh, good that I write this, it is strongly suggested to have a glass top between lights and water.

Hope this helps,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

i'm now back from my short break over new year really needed.

tank setup is to be delayed as while away we decided (should say i was told) to decorate the room before setting up the new tank, so now its in the middle of the room with a dust sheet over the top.

this however has give me time to think everything over, because of the problem stated earlier about lighing in the hood, i would like sugestions of different lighting options. photos of your lighting and notes on how connected to hood or no hood etc. would help me greatly.

need at least 2wpg so about 120W plus would suit.

cheers shekoi.

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

shekoi,

so much to think about and i haven't even filled it yet

That is the best time to think about it. You would most likely run into problems if you set up the tank first and then start thinking .

Some pointers:

- Make sure that you provide enough space to even remove the tubing etc completely without having to move the tank. It can always be that some piece of hardware (filter or what not) breaks and needs to be replaced.
- You say your light sits on the glass of the 40G, right? Is there a glass top on this one as well? If not, I think (never had a canopy) that bulbs directly exposed to the water could have problems with condensation on the contacts and ballast etc.
- Get another 150W heater of the same type that you have.
- Planning to do a water change through the hood opening doesn’t sound good. Although you don’t have to do gravel vacuum (as there is no accessible gravel in a heavily planted tank), you should still stir up the water above the substrate and suck it up. This means that you hose will have to reach pretty far down in the tank no matter what. Couldn’t you place the hood wires in a fashion that you could take off the hood after unplugging them (maybe you can explain what thinks would be attached to the hood)?
- Think about your plants before you even add the first drop of water to the tank. Setting up the tank right away with plants is much easier than adding them later.

That should give you some brainfood for the time you go away over New Year

Have fun,

Ingo

PS: Don’t see this preparation time as stress, it is actually fun and part of the game .

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

the cabinet is one problem i'm trying to over come at the momment its solid 1/2in pine. guy who built it suggest cutting large holes where ever i need them, i might try to remove half the wood to give a large gap for the wires and pipe work.

hopefully i should be able to put all the pipe work in place before filling the tank then i can slide it into place and fill.

i've now got 4 bags flourite and one on its way to me.

still not sure what size heater to add to the 150W i already have? any suggestions.

the lighting i have is the t8 tubes - on my 40g they just sit on the condensation glass with little holders - how else could i do with them

if i screw into the hood how do i remove the hood for water change etc because the wires will go below the tank so can't just lift lid of.

should i do water changes through the hood openning cause don't have to worry about gravel vacs on heavily planted tanks - this way don't have to remove hood.

so much to think about and i haven't even filled it yet.

hope everybody had good christmas. i;m going away friday so i'll start the setup next year!!

so wishing you all good new year.

shekoi

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

It might be a little tricky getting good access to the equipment in the back there.

That is a good point that LF brought up. I assume the back of the cabinet is pretty much open. This way you could just drop down tubes, wires, etc and pull them into the base. When I had my 46G there were a few times I had to move the tank I took out about half the water and slide the tank on the tile.(I don' recommend this), Looks like yours might be on carpet anyway.

My Scapes

that's a very nice tank, i'll have to have one like that one day. not a lot you can do while out of work.:#(

no idea about any your questions sorry, just like you tank.

NFB

shekoi,

Your tank bottom is about 3.6 times the size of a standard 10G (20x10). As such you will need 3.6 bags to get the 2 inches; your calculation of 4 seems to be right .

If you add another 2 bags you should get evenly about 3 inches, if you slope it then you should have 4 in the back and 2 at front.

As you know, I am the careful one of the gang () and as such I would say it could be a little low. 4 will be fine, but 2 might not give enough space for vertical root growth. NowherMan6 seems to be the specialist on roots as he had all these tangled messes.

Also, I have no idea about the feasibility of Flourish.

About the spraybar: You can place it anywhere you want as long as:

- it doesn’t create undesired strong currents in parts of the tank
- its current reaches all areas in the tank and no “dead” zones develop (could be circumvented with a small powerhead in these areas)
- and, in my opinion, points way from the intake, except if the intake is at the other end of the tank

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

It is pretty wild how there are so many logs and threads running with planted tank stuff. All I have to say is that it is way fun! Welcome to the club!

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

shekoi,

A new log, how wonderful

I can't wait to see all the pictures

I just wonder why you put it in the General Freshwater, as it is a planted tank.

Come on over

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Hey, come over to planted tank forum! Logs in the planted forum have their beginnings with Mattyboombattys log, but LF was the one who really popularized the whole thing. He's the Elvis to matty's Chuck Berry

Anyway, the point is, we've got a cool thing going over there, join the Gang.

Also, if you're going for a heavily planted low light tank, look around for pics of Cup_of_Lifenoodels tank. I'm pretty sure he has a fairly large tank filled with java fern, looks amazing.

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Back in the saddle!

i'll look out for those pictures.

Moderator move the thread over for me then to planted aquaria forum.

plants i've look for at so far are.

anubias
crinum natans
cryptocoryne beckettii, undulata 'broad leaf' and wendtii
hemianthus callitrichoides
hydrocotyle levcocephala
lilaeopsis mucloviana
sagittaria subulata
Vallisneria all types
microsorium phteropus
microsorium pteropus windelov.

i'll also add some shrimp for even more algae and dead matter control.

shekoi

just read you log littlefish or should say read part goes on abit. nice tank how is it now? any problems setting it up you wish to warn me about

Last edited by shekoi at 16-Dec-2005 10:19

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

this is the tank design i've gone for mine will be 40x18x24 inches

new tank

and this is rougly what i'm basing my layout like, but with the plants i've chosen.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v138/shekoi/ideas/4731.jpg


Last edited by shekoi at 16-Dec-2005 10:28

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

That tank is awesome! I also LOVE that tank stand! Where did you get that? It matches your Hutch SO well! Is it custom-made or store-bought? Please give us more pictures. Preferably some close-ups and such. That would be great!

Keep up the GREAT work!

Christina

i've had it custom built due to the fact i have an old victorian house so the only space i have for tanks is the sides of the chimneys. with the biggest alcove being 43inches i couldn't really get a tank bigger then 40g from a LFS cause they are all X gallon longs, i needed wide and tall.

i found the guy on ebay to build it for me, it comes untreated so that will be my first jb next week, i'll probably do the same as on the photo, just a clear protective vanish of some sort.

cheers shekoi

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

Well, Matty wasn't the first one either. Dr. Bonke was the first one I saw, but I am sure there were others as well

And I can't take all the credit for popularizing "the Log", tetratech and I started at the same time

we've got a cool thing going over there, join the Gang.

Yeah, maybe you want to start off by picking your alias from one of the people [link=HERE]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/Planted%20Aquaria/64425_32.html?200512160956" style="COLOR: #ff6633[/link] (scroll down a little and you will know ).

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

i've just brought a tetratec 700 exturnal cantistor filter, it's cycling at the moment on my 40g.
remember earlier in thread i asked about the new spary bar!

still moving the spray bar it's now on the right side of tank pointing towards the end where the intake is.

would it be better pointing away from intake?
or put it bACK ONTO THE rear of the tank pointing forwards.
or pointing down the rear glass towards the gravel.

i have now got 4 bags of flourite is that going to be enough? one 7kg bag =

This bag is sufficient for about a 5 cm (2 inch) deep bed in a typical 40 L (10 gallon) tank. Recommended use is 1 kg (2 lbs) for approximately each 200 cm2 (31 in2) of tank bottom at a depth of 5 cm (2 in).

i calculate that 4 should give me enough for 2 inches all over the tank bottom so should another 2 give a good depth for plants

Last edited by shekoi at 23-Dec-2005 04:34

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

Very nice tank. Plants and fish look really healthy. I think that the red irian rainbow really sets the second pic off. Any chance we could get a close up of the red irian rainbow?

shekoi,

Either I am not getting it or all others that refer to "your nice tank" are off.

This is not your tank, right? This is a sample of how you would your tank like to look when it is all said and done.

Please explain,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

I think the others are all off and you are on the right track LF.


55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

Yes, you are right LF, I've seen that tank online before in one of the gallaries.

My Scapes

yes the tank is off a website, it's how i would like my new tank to look, apart from i'm having flourite substrate not sand.

i pick the tank up tommorrow evening so i'll post pictures on wed i think, then i'll have to choose how to paint it. and put it into place.

shekoi

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

tanks coming tonight - filter has just this minute been delivered i'm moving furniture around at the moment to get room to bring the tank in.

fingers crossed it goes through the door.

alcove where the tank will be going, its 43 inches wide so the tank should fit nicely.

just going to have play with filter now and connect it to forty gallon to start its cycle.

cheers shekoi

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

shekoi,

It looks like a nice spot for the tank.

I noticed the fireplace on the left, is that one in use? If so, could it be that the heat would reach the tank's left side. That might be a problem.

Ingo

EDIT: You know what I would suggest: place a rubber mat under the stand. I use the plastic shields they make for rolling chairs at the work place (forgot what they are called. I have mine sticking our in the front for maybe 6 inches so when I mess with the tank and water drips off my arms it falls on the matt and can be wiped off easily.

Last edited by LITTLE_FISH at 20-Dec-2005 07:20

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

the fire place was an issue but with only two places in whole house bigger enough to take a 60g with my 40g in the other it had to go there.

good thing is the tank is going in a room i hardly use, and i've never used the fire in the 7 months i've lived in the house.

tetratec external filter nw up and running on 40g. it's so quiet towards the fluval 304 i did have on.

the 304 has been really well cleaned, used bleach and hot water, so this can be used to start again when i get round to turning the 40g into an african cichlid tank in the new year.

cheers

ps i've never had a spray bar on a tank before, should it be above water below, or so that the outlets are right on the surface? also does it go at the side of tank or back pointing forward?

cheers shekoi


Last edited by shekoi at 20-Dec-2005 07:34

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

"african cichlid tank"

That's what I told my wife I want for Xmas, but she didn't buy it

Maybe some day

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

ps what people think off the new tank?

Needs light. And substrate. And plants. Lots and lots of plants. And maybe some fish if you feel like it. Other than that it looks great!

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Back in the saddle!

There goes LF again, always being careful...

Well, better save than sorry. Last thing I want is that Shekoi will have to knit little mittens for the fishie's fins .

Ingo

Last edited by LITTLE_FISH at 21-Dec-2005 10:47

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

I think tetratech runs one 250W heater on his 72G tank and has no issues.

Yes that is correct. No issues and I keep my room temp around 70F. I would think flow is a small issue here. If the outflow is to the left of the short side where I heater is you'll probably get better overall distribution.

BTW - a 72 is 4 feet long.

My Scapes

right:%)

ok some say one ok becasue only just checked the post i've already ordered a 150W heater.

should i see if 100W and 150W are ok or should a order a second 150W or 200W that would leave me a spare 100W what isn't a bad thing.

flourite now expendsive - i've already got one bag and 3 on order that give me 4 - easy math i can do.

to cover a tank base of 40x18 and about 3 inches deep about 2160 cubic inches. i think

how mant bags do i need - i don't want to mix old gravel but might have to is need loads more bags.

cheers shekoi

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

ps what people think off the new tank?

www.blooming-brilliant.co.uk

It's beautiful, no doubt. Especially since the tank is in an open, public area within your home. My tanks are all in my room so noone sees them except me, so they can look ugly on the outside if I want. Yours is really a piece of the decor, very nice

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Back in the saddle!

shekoi,

I think your tank fits very nicely in this spot .

About buying an additional heater as a spare: Might not be a bad idea, if you have some change lying around. I can testify first hand that it could come in handy one day as one of my heaters blew out last weekend (stupid person who maintains the tank = myself). It is on page 33 in my log.

I forgot, how are you going to filter the tank again, Canister or HOB? It might be a little tricky getting good access to the equipment in the back there.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club