41 replies to this topic

[tonyh2004]

nice thread my other hobby besides pc's

this is a shot of my Discus tank when it was set up its more mature now will get some new pics soon

Attached Images

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[tim_s]

Hi Everyone,


Background Story

From a young age I started several businesses, which like all businesses have their own up's and down's. I remember around 5 years ago during a particularly bad time I passed out from high blood pressure. The doctor just recommended several methods of reversing this issue naturally before they take anymore assisted routes. I originally bought a dog and use to go running in the morning but when I meet my wife she was heavily allergic to the dog and he now lives in a better place.

So I decided to try another recommendation - A fish tank. Since I do not have much time on my hands - time to tinker here and there, I have enjoyed slowly developing my tanks a little projects. When completed I usually sell them whole and start again on a new experiment.

Currently I have two,

1: Discus Tank (In my office)
2: Saltwater Tank (In my home)

I am currently in the office and here is a picture,


My office Discus tank




About the tank

Display Tank: 90 Gallons Perfecto tank with black silicone

Sump: 30 Gallons Long Perfecto tank with black silicone, 3 chambers created from acrylic 1 chamber sealed to keep the temperature solid for biological media

Overflows: Built from 2 * 1.5" PVC pipes feeding from the surface to maintain the height of water in the display tank

Return: Danner Mag Drive 9.5 (950 Gph) delivering water at the rate of 750 Gph due to head height

Heated: Ehiem Jeiger

Co2: 20lbs tank with Milwaukee regulator, Red Sea Needle Valve, Red Sea Bubble Counter, Red Sea Co2 Reactor


Stock

6 Discus
4 Congo Tetras
2 German Blue Rams
4 Bolivian Rams
2 Kirbensis
1 Bristle Nose Plecostomus

[.Markus]

Great topic!
Been thinking about buying an aquarium for couple of months now, as they're the only kind of 'pets' I can keep in this city apartment.
Have any of you experience from the ReefOne Biorb aquariums? They're mean't to be easy to setup and clean, at same time however also look stylish.
Is it just marketing, or are they actually recommendable?

[tim_s]

.Markus, on 02 February 2013 - 16:01, said:

Great topic!
Been thinking about buying an aquarium for couple of months now, as they're the only kind of 'pets' I can keep in this city apartment.
Have any of you experience from the ReefOne Biorb aquariums? They're mean't to be easy to setup and clean, at same time however also look stylish.
Is it just marketing, or are they actually recommendable?

Hi Markus,

I do not find the individual who likes (possibly loves) computers to be miles apart from an individual who likes (possibly loves) aquariums. They demands the same skill sets, which understand the complexity of how the system functions together. Research on products and tactics for deployment, which comes to the same logic - "You get what you pay for", "Research is the key to successful" and "Experience helps".

Both hobbies suffer from the same community issues, 101 ways to achieve a single goal, overly critical people, under experienced people providing advice.

I found it easy to adapt too!

Back to your question directly: What setup works for one might not work for you, I would instead use the same method of how I buy a computer, buy components that best fit the job and stay away from pre-made setups. This way you will get exactly what you want / need to accomplish what you are looking for.

If you are looking for a Reef setup - You will have a lot of reading to go through before starting, at-least to get you focused in the right direction.

[Mando]

As promised now my main tanks lightings up, heres a couple of snaps

@Tonyh, that's some impressive Discus, esp your brilliant Turqs, lovely colouring
@Tim S, again you've certainly also got a natural talent also, that discus tank is pretty sweet.

While Discus arnt as hard to keep as they once were, its still no easy ride, kudos to you both for such fine examples im jealous. When I can afford a Rio350 im gonna go Discus for sure.

To give a sense of scale on the image directly below, the tank is 1m long (180L), and the sword leaves you can see at top of water hanging down the front glass are from the background plants and hang right over, leaves & stems around 1m long! the normally very shy dwarf pencils play and swim happily under this canopy bold as brass






Livestock

Cardinal Tetras
Red Eye Tetras
Glowlight Tetras
Platinum Tetras
Lemon Tetras
Silver Hatchets
Peppered Corys
Bronze Corys
Octo Dwarf Cats
Bristlenose Plecs
Apistogramma Cockatiel Cichlids
4-Stripe Dwarf Pencil Fish
Zebra Snails

Hardscape
18Kg of S American driftwood (2 pieces)
25Kg of Unipac Amazonia Black Sand
Juwel Boiflow 600 Filtration/heater unit
2x T5 895mm Nature 45W with Reflectors 8 hour Photoperiod
30% weekly water change with Seachem Prime

Plant Feed
Nightly Easylife EasyCarbo Feed
5ml Seachem Flourish Daily feed
Seachem plant tabs in substrate

Tank has been up and running for approx. 16months.

All plants are Echindorus species in main tank from around River Negro and Southern America

Christmas Tree Moss (poetic licence)
Amazonicus Swords
Bolivian Swords
Tennalus Swords (foreground plantlets) started with 3 motherplants just over a year ago.........!!
Redflame Swords
Vesuveus Swords

And a snapshot of a Nanotank im currently setting up for my mum. (30x30x45) 30L



lightly stocked atm with 6 Microrasboras (1cm long) and 2 dwarf harlequins which I believe shes away for 4 more to make up her dither fish shoal and 6 crystal red shrimp when they arrive next week

All live plantings btw.

I find setting up a tank and its ecosystem just as thrilling as actually stocking them next projects getting into Aquascaping I think, as soon as I can convince my other half we should have another couple of tanks

[Mando]

.Markus, on 02 February 2013 - 16:01, said:

Great topic!
Been thinking about buying an aquarium for couple of months now, as they're the only kind of 'pets' I can keep in this city apartment.
Have any of you experience from the ReefOne Biorb aquariums? They're mean't to be easy to setup and clean, at same time however also look stylish.
Is it just marketing, or are they actually recommendable?

is the Biorob ones the rounded globe types? Ive always shyed away from them because of the limited water surface area at the top, you want as large a surface area as possible for Air/Oxygen osmosis etc.

If you have a few quid and want a well made high quality systems, have a look at Juwels, the Lido range and quite different and can come with stands etc. Juwels internal filter/heater system & lights are second to none.

[Detection]

[Snake89]

Detection, on 02 February 2013 - 18:21, said:

Now that's just a big waste of food.

[Detection]

Snake89, on 02 February 2013 - 18:25, said:

Now that's just a big waste of food.

Nope, its on the George cooking now, I don't waste food, too tasty

[Mando]

Detection, on 02 February 2013 - 18:28, said:

Nope, its on the George cooking now, I don't waste food, too tasty

lol

[freak180]

Was not expecting to see that LOL that seriously got me laughing hard

Also I hope this isnt a stupid question to be asking but I been thinking about switching to sand for my Red Eared Slider turtles but I dont know which kind of sand to choose from. I know there is sand only made for salt water tanks so which ones arent?

[Mando]

freak180, on 02 February 2013 - 20:52, said:

Was not expecting to see that LOL that seriously got me laughing hard

Also I hope this isnt a stupid question to be asking but I been thinking about switching to sand for my Red Eared Slider turtles but I dont know which kind of sand to choose from. I know there is sand only made for salt water tanks so which ones arent?

Unipac silica sand is inert and suitable for freshwater mate, anything silica based is fine

[.Markus]

Mando, on 02 February 2013 - 18:16, said:

tim_s, on 02 February 2013 - 16:57, said:

Thanks for your advice guys, seems you both know what you're talking about!
I'll give the Juwels aquariums a look. The Trigon 190 seems really right up my alley..

[vraev]

I made this.... had this for 2 months....maintenance was crazy..so got rid of it.. sold it all. Cost 1200$ to make this 60cm tank. Crazy crazy....CO2, ferts, filtering, etc etc..weekly water change. and in the first month...water change every 1-2 days. Those ADA tanks that are beautiful take work to keep it that way. Honestly...still love the look of these...maybe some day....but not anytime soon. No way.
To get it working well is a like riding on a tight rope....atleast in the beginning...got to get the setup balanced. Takes so much work. Lighting, CO2, filtering, ferts..all need to be balanced adequately.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[compl3x]

ozgeek, on 02 February 2013 - 11:07, said:

So watching trapped and bored animals just swimming around in confoned space is relaxing? You actually watch them bore to death. These are animals that like to swim out in the open, not confoned to 4 walled glass for human gratification.

If this was about birds in small aviaries which are never let out to fly around I might agree with you. I doubt fish get too upset about being in a safe tank, regular feeding, and other fish to swim with.