72 litre 90 F shallow build

[Subtlefly]

Hi Team,

So here is the list of what has been purchased

900x400x200 PPG starphire glass rimless tank (custom build) 10mm glass

Flat one ONF+ warm white 60 cm pendant light (rated for 17 to 20 gallons - so hopefully can put it high and it will be bright enough! - the 90cm is rated for 40 to 48 gallons)

Eheim ecco 130 filter

Seachem Matrix (for the filter)

DOOA Stream Pipe ARC P-2 (13mm) 

DOOA Stream Pipe V-1 (13, H15mm) 

ADA power sand advance 2 kg

ADA amazonia fine granules  9L

ADA amazonia II (with extras) 9L

ADA cube garden mat 8mm   900x450 ( will have to trim it)

Seachem flourishm liquid fertiliser

I think other than some tweezers and curved scissors that is it so far..  I will start to post pics when the tank arrives!  

Thanks and have a great day

sub

 

 

 

[sdlTBfanUK]

Look forward to seeing the tank setup, hope the tank arrives soon so you can start setting it up!

Fertilisers can be risky with shrimp so only use it IF you must, try without it first would be best.

Simon

[Subtlefly]

Ok I will keep that in mind!  Thanks

[Subtlefly]

Going a bit mad waiting

check out my DIY substrate sculpting tool

[sdlTBfanUK]

That's genious! What was the triangular piece on the end from?

Any news on the tank yet?

Simon

ps I also like the rug!

[Subtlefly]

Thanks

Its laminated skewers

No news on the tank - its still a couple of weeks away:)

Items are coming in daily, so excitement is building

[jayc]

Sweet!

and I thought I was the only one into DIY on this forum.

We need more of this on the forum.

 

Could you provide contact details of the custom tank maker?

[Subtlefly]

Its Dennison Seeto, Mary Anne's Aquariums Brisbane.

[Subtlefly]

So speaking of DIY here is the room where the tank will be

and here is how the new stand will work (to clean up our messy room!)

I've had the steel cut to the sizes 25mm x 25mm, 2 mm wall - all getting delivered this week and I will weld it up.  

[sdlTBfanUK]

That looks great and welding that lot should keep you out of trouble for quite a while!

What is in the other tank (sorry if you have already told us)?

Simon

[Subtlefly]

That is wife’s tank, pair of honey gourami, 7 maculatus rasboras, two Dwarf cory

[jayc]

this is turning out to be a cool little project.

[Subtlefly]

First big (and expensive) mistake?

So ....... the flat one +  arrived and I also got a flat nano for the wife's tank- Both imported from ONF in Taiwan.. We have set up the nano and its a nice light, much brighter and more vivid than the 10 watt light on the aqua one Tropical 55 set up that wife bought a while ago.  BUT the glare is unreal.  The white sting from the actual LED surface combined with the reflection from the lid is killer from certain angles (like when you are sitting lower on the couch).  

I am a bit freaking out about what the 60 cm flat one + is going to be like!  

Sooo I was looking for a bright adjustable light, also wanted the super clean look, did lots of research and thinking about it..  when I look at tanks now again in the photos I see that the lights are super bright and unsheilded.. is this something that you just get used to?  Or you need to wear a hat to look at your tank?  My eyes are pretty wrecked at the best of times- I am old enough that I cant drive unless I wear glasses!!  I know I am an idiot and should have considered this issue - I think it would be criminal to put a shade or hood around a light like this.

I am thinking that maybe you can put a slight backward angle on the light so that the front blade dips down just a little - this makes a difference to the nano but looks a little derp.  

So go on, feel free to put the boot in, or offer consolation, or even advice! Life is a learning experience and I am sure that this will not be the last ... err ... unknown unknown in this project! 

Thanks all and have a great day

sub

[sdlTBfanUK]

I'm sure you will come up with something! Tilting it slightly backward may work?

I had the same sort of thing when I got a new brighter light but I think it needs to be that bright, especially with a lid to get enough light to, and through the actual tank water. without a glass cover and the condensation that produces you won't have that problem as all the light will get to the water. I have just got used to the glare when sitting down.

If you attach a picture of the light (or a link to one from the web) we can probably come up with something but I don't actually know what the light looks llke, I looked on web but there are a few different with similar names? The higher the pendant one is the more glare there will be, you may need to have a rethink?

Some have adjustable brightness and as there is no glass top with condensation, and the depth is shallow, you may not need it on its brightest setting anyway with the long tank?

Simon 

Edited June 16, 2020 by sdlTBfanUK

[jayc]

The Flat One from ONF has a brightness adjustment, including individual RGB adjustments.

So you should be able to dial in just the right amount of brightness for comfort.

 

[Subtlefly]

Yeh thanks guys, after sleeping on it I feel a bit better.  I did do the research and took a lot of time to choose these lights so there are good things about them - yes they are both dimmable - but as you said Simon you want the brightness for the plants.. so I will just have to get used to it.  Here is the nano in full blinding operation (actually I feel it is not so bad this morning so I am already starting to adapt)

And here is the link to the pendant light 

https://shop.onf.com.tw/products/flat-one-60cm-pendant-style

Mine is still in the box (opened once just to test it works) - will get it out and start tinkering once the stand is ready.

Thanks all and have a great day ?

[sdlTBfanUK]

That is a very nice cube tank set up. It is deeper than the shallow and you can see the condensation which is probably sending light all over the place (try removing the glass lid and standing/sitting back, just to see?).

The lights, especially the pendant, look great. I think you should just live with it for now until the unit is built as the height of the tank(s) may be slightly different which will make a difference as well. The pendant one will pbviously glare more the higher it is but the tank won't have the condensation, and being so shallow probably won't need to be on quite as bright?

You may have just got used to it by then anyway, I have mine and don't really even notice it now!

Simon

[Aquapac]

I agree with Simon on the fertilisers. Looking good so far!!

Is your water going cloudy at all so far?

[Subtlefly]

No cloudy water in the small cube, but it isn't the same set up as the 90 shallow will be-- will have to wait and see:)

Steel has arrived so building is about to begin!

[Aquapac]

Sounds like it will be an exciting weekend for sure!! ?
Please share photos and btw loved your substrate sculpting tool.

[jayc]

Hmm, some of the pictures are not loading. 

Might be time to use another image hosting site. 

[Subtlefly]

That's weird, I can see them even when I log out and refresh the page - I might find a new place to put them anyway if everyone is having trouble viewing?

[jayc]

2 hours ago, Subtlefly said:

That's weird, I can see them

Yes weird indeed. I can see them now, but I wasn't loading earlier today. Might have been a temporary problem at that image hosting site.

Seems fine now.

[Subtlefly]

The Bad, the Worse and the Ugly..

So I ordered some items from a very reputable (I thought) Australian Supplier.  They came in two shipments.  Shipment 1 I got yesterday - ADA powersand S advance 2 kg and ADA la plata sand 2 kg.  They were both wrapped in black plastic and taped up (which I thought was a bit strange) - so on opening the package - the powersand advance was a L bag that was opened, had some contents left inside and taped up, and the ADA la plata sand when I opened it spilt out over the floor because the reason it was taped up was because it had a hole in it!!  

I got my second shipment today - ordered another 2 kg of ADA powersand advance (they sent me basic) and when I looked at the lily pipes I was dismayed to see that there is no way they will fit the 10mm wall tank (well they might just squeeze over the glass but there will be no room to attach the filter hoses!)  Now I hear you say, how dumb sub, why didnt you check this????   Well the thing is, I did check, the day after I made the order I rang the store and spoke to someone...... these lily pipes are more expensive than diamond!  I rang to say I wanted to double check they would fit a 10 mm wall tank- the guy said yes (straight away) and I said no, that wasnt good enough, I wanted him to go get the pipes and really, actually make sure they fit.. long pause, guys says yeh, dont worry, they fit.

So I have complained to the store, they say pack the stuff up, send it back and they will refund or send replacement powersand special..  but I feel really disappointed in the service and the experience!  

I asked my tank maker Dennison what I should do, I could not find another lily pipe set for this shallow build that did not use suction cups like these ones - I was at the point of sending pics and measurements to Laboratory equipment makers to have them hand blown!  Dennison has decided that the easiest thing to do is to make the walls of the tank out of 8 mm glass - I was reluctant (he is the expert and had recommended 10mm glass at the beginning) but he said that he hasnt started the tank build yet, and the only reason he doesnt often use 8 mm glass is that it is basically the same price as the 10 mm glass - so that is what he usually goes for - 

so now the tank will be 10mm bottom and 8 mm sides (to account for these ridiculous ADA DOOA pipes) -  I am really tempted to send them back for a refund and get the cheaper VIV ones from Hong Kong, now that I have the extra 2 mm to play with!

So the store was very unhelpful, said the only thing they would do is replace or refund, no bones thrown - maybe I am overreacting but I think the service and experience has stunk!!

[sdlTBfanUK]

3 hours ago, Subtlefly said:

That's weird, I can see them even when I log out and refresh the page - I might find a new place to put them anyway if everyone is having trouble viewing?

I have seen them, they just take a few seconds to load otherwise I think they are ok?

Simon