journal One Tank Rack - 2ft Cherry + Native Colony

[NoGi]

I've been told to get the AquaOne nano out of its temporary location inside the house so decided to upgrade it at the same time. 

New tank 2' x 1' x 1' going in the garage on my tool rack currently doing a water leak test.

Equipment list ordered:

• Up Aqua Pro Z LED Light ordered from SKF Sponsor @newbreed
• Fluval 201 ordered from SKF Sponsor @ageofaquariums
• Mr Aqua Black Gravel 9Kg ordered from SKF Sponsor @newbreed
• Black Vinyl sheet for tank back ordered from eBay

 

[zn30]

I have all my tanks in the garage, we had an extra 2 metres built onto the garage for a fish room when we built our house. 

I have styrofoam for insulation around the rear of all my aquariums, remains on all year with a backing attached, both sides have styrofoam which are removed during summer on some tanks. At night, lights out I have styrofoam on top of tanks during the cooler months with bubble wrap glued, normal glue stick, to the top that folds down the front of the tank at night. Noted with the tanks that have a light on when the bubble wrap is down the fish come to the front seems like the fish can not see out, this is good in catfish tanks. The bubble wrap is green in colour. 

The heaters do not cycle as much as they did when no insulation was added.

just saying.

[OzShrimp]

2 hours ago, zn30 said:

I have all my tanks in the garage, we had an extra 2 metres built onto the garage for a fish room when we built our house. 

I have styrofoam for insulation around the rear of all my aquariums, remains on all year with a backing attached, both sides have styrofoam which are removed during summer on some tanks. At night, lights out I have styrofoam on top of tanks during the cooler months with bubble wrap glued, normal glue stick, to the top that folds down the front of the tank at night. Noted with the tanks that have a light on when the bubble wrap is down the fish come to the front seems like the fish can not see out, this is good in catfish tanks. The bubble wrap is green in colour. 

The heaters do not cycle as much as they did when no insulation was added.

just saying.

@zn30 Got any photos of how u got ur garage done as i may be building next year and need to account for where the shrimp will go

Edited May 17, 2016 by OzShrimp

[NoGi]

Yeah would be great to see. My filter shipped today too yay!!

[zn30]

Sorry about the quality just took some quick pics to give you a rough idea. The garage is a standard double garage with an extension of 2 metres we did not add walls to seperate the garage and extension as it would have closed it in too much. Seeing we have one car cupboards were placed against the back of the 8ft tank to close it in with a option to screw mdf to the backs of the cupboards up to the ceiling, if needed. There is a window not shown in the pics between the 3 tier bank and the 8 ft tank. Cheers.

 

 

Edited May 18, 2016 by zn30
Deleted larger JPEG files

[NoGi]

So I got the last of my stuff today and started to put it all in.

First up, black vinyl to cover the back:

Whacked in some temp stuff to help start the bio load:

Done for the night:

Can you spot the facepalm move in one of the pics above?

 

[NoGi]

S/S mesh on fluval intake

i usually use the Sellys aquarium safe stuff but all Bunnings had was this stuff:

Anyone used it before? How long does it take to cure before I can put into the tank?

[fishmosy]

As long as it is acetic acid cure (it smells like vinegar whilst setting) and has no anti-fungal or other added chemicals, it will likely be safe. Alternatively you could try superglue, preferably the gel type, as cyanoacrylate is totally inert once cured. 

[NoGi]

Yeah it does smell like vinegar. I only bought it because it says aquarium safe all over it. Looks like my local Bunnings carry this now over the Sellys one.

But how long does it take to cure? I couldn't find any info on the packet about that.

[ineke]

I have used that one and put water in to test it 24 hours later.

[jc12]

I've always thought shrimplets could get through this SS mesh strainer so have never been game enough to try it without a finer mesh or sponge around it.

Are you planning to wrap something around it or have you had experience that the shrimplets can't get through it?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NoGi]

Freshly born shrimplets may squeeze through but never noticed an impact on the cherry colony in my 4ft. Didn't want to go finer than this as it would affect intake flow imo.

2 hours ago, ineke said:

I have used that one and put water in to test it 24 hours later.

That sounds promising, I'll put in tank later this week.

[zn30]

I have used these strainers and screwed on a tap fitting (normal nylex,pope etc) the part that goes on the tap to snap on the hose, and connect by fitting plastic tube over the end of the fitting, where the oring is or was, then slip the hose into the intake tube of the filter snugly, no glueing required. I have purchased some gift bags (for lollies etc used at parties) from lincraft prob avail at spotlight as well removed the ribbon, cut to size and wrapped around the strainer. Cable tie in place or even use an elsastic band for temporary measures. Have not lost any shrimplets with this system. Also use sponge filter as well cut down to size.

[jc12]

On 5/20/2016 at 9:17 PM, NoGi said:

Can you spot the facepalm move in one of the pics above?

Nope. C'mon share your silly moment. :)

[NoGi]

Give you guys a hint - fluval

[jc12]

32 minutes ago, NoGi said:

Give you guys a hint - fluval

You had the inlet and outlet the wrong way around? You had the canister sitting at the same height as the tank? You didn't install the intake strainer?

The correct guess gets all of Nogi's Bloody Mary shrimps? ?

[NoGi]

Lol 

yeah it was the filter at tank height. Was trying to work out why it wasn't priming etc... for 30mins. Read the manual twice and then the old light bulb went off. But by then I had already cut the pipes so didn't have the length to move down and had to improvise by bringing a filing cabinet out lol

[zn30]

Terrible feeling pumping away at the primer and getting frustrated thinking there are blockages until the wife comes in and suggests to place the fluval on the floor, and you guessed it, it worked without priming the filter. Didn't cut the tubing though, thank goodness.

[NoGi]

1 minute ago, zn30 said:

Didn't cut the tubing though, thank goodness.

Had no choice, it only comes with one length of tube with the pump side rubber installed on both ends. Would have preferred if they had 2 seperate tubes.

[zn30]

Thank goodness for the spare bits box?? Noted the gravel cleaner with the eheim tubing and extension I have so many bits and pieces that fit together and then some.

[jc12]

6 hours ago, NoGi said:

Lol 

yeah it was the filter at tank height. Was trying to work out why it wasn't priming etc... for 30mins. Read the manual twice and then the old light bulb went off. But by then I had already cut the pipes so didn't have the length to move down and had to improvise by bringing a filing cabinet out lol

Well, look on the positive side. You can tell your wife you have been busy filing household bills/documents when she questions why you have been in the garage for the last 2 hours. ?

[NoGi]

[OzShrimp]

@zn30 have u encountered issues with emissions from your car affecting the tanks?

Seems everythings coming along nucely @NoGi. Wish i brought stuff to put on back of my cube

[NoGi]

I drive front in so don't usually have an issue with emission as the exhausts are pointed outside the open garage door.

Yeah, I get black vinyl of eBay for all my tanks. Sometimes I'll just take it to a banner place and get a small cut from them. Sometimes free, sometimes not.

[waffle]

3 hours ago, NoGi said:

I drive front in so don't usually have an issue with emission as the exhausts are pointed outside the open garage door.

Yeah, I get black vinyl of eBay for all my tanks. Sometimes I'll just take it to a banner place and get a small cut from them. Sometimes free, sometimes not.

Would love a link to ebay vinyl that works for you ?