journal Need More Room - It's Rack Time!

[Heavyd]

I wouldn't recommend the Jager heaters any more. They used to be great quality, but the last two I bought were rubbish. Ended up using Aqua-One heaters.

[JohnH]

I currently have Aqua One heaters in my tanks and so far they haven't missed a beat. I was thinking about getting one of those temp controllers off ebay to wire the heaters up to. I'm more worried about the heater getting stuck on and end up with boiled shrimpies.

[Heavyd]

I've been using a temperature controller for the last 2-3 months and it's been running fine. Only have my chiller hooked up so far, but now that it's getting cooler I'll wire up my heater into it as well.

[JohnH]

Is that one of the ebay ones?

[Heavyd]

Yeah it's called STC-1000. Was around $30 from memory. If you get it, there a couple of Youtube videos that you can follow to wire it up.

[KiwiBigD]

Bugger, wish I'd read that earlier. I'd just ordered 4 of the Jagers, had looked at the Tronics but Jager used to have a brilliant reputation. Guess I'm gonna find out.

[Squiggle]

The aqua one heater are surprisingly good & reliable, had many others fall by the wayside while the aqua one just keeps chugging along :encouragement:

[JohnH]

Yeah it's called STC-1000. Was around $30 from memory. If you get it' date=' there a couple of Youtube videos that you can follow to wire it up.[/quote']

Cool, I'll look into that one.

[Heavyd]

The only issues I've experienced with them after many years is a bit of corrosion of the element from condensation. Although I think that happens to all submerged aquarium heaters anyway.

[Robert]

The newer aqua one thermosafe heaters look great. Ive had a bad experience with a normal aqua one boiling a tank of over 100 adult bristlenose. Lets just say i could smell them from the other room. eugh. Dont let that story deter you, it wasn't a brand spanking new aqua one. Just for the price id go replacing them every 1-2 years. They are cheap as chips.

[JohnH]

As my sump came with a handy float switch I decided to hook up an auto top up system

25L barrel containing RO water with a small pump inside (clear tube is the top up tube). When the water level drops the float switch turns on the pump in the barrel and fresh RO water is pumped back into the sump. Once it reaches the right water level the float switch turns the pump off.

I also picked up two 200W Aqua one heaters today and put them in the sump. I'll order one of the those temp controllers and wire them into that when it arrives.

[JohnH]

Well I seeded the sump with some filter matrix and dirty water from the canister from my red cherry tank. Added some plants and stuff, along with a few red cherries. Once the system has matured a bit more I'll get the top two tanks up and running.

I remembered today that I was supposed to run and 13mm pipe loop for the air system before the rack was pushed against the wall. I'll have to wiggle it into place from the side now.

[Squiggle]

Looks really good dude, doesn't look like the K1 has started to sink, have you got your water draining on top of it to keep it wet & moving? :encouragement:

[JohnH]

Yeah, the stuff just won't sink. I've even put in a piece of perspex (you you just make it out in the middle of the K1) to try and push the media down into the water.

But even the stuff that sits above the water line is always wet so I guess it will get there eventually?

[Squiggle]

Yeah it takes a while to sink, just gotta keep it wet, also with the airstone in the sump, can I suggest getting a long thin one instead, the one you have will work but a long one will create a curtain of air & turn the water over more evenly :encouragement:

[Matty]

Love the use of an auto top up system, for us lesser human beings its good to see pictures of one, when I get a proper rack set up that will be handy to have. Love the use of a 25lt barrel a.k.a home brew fermenter (I brew some beer so I always spot these from a mile away) as your top up tank. The system is looking great, and so professional, great to see it coming along mate.

[MrShrimp]

I'm not 100% sure about this but I think k1 media is suppose to float. I could be wrong though.

[ineke]

No as the bacteria grows on it the k1 starts to sink then the air bubbles moves them back up and knocks the old bacteria off allowing stronger fresh bacteria to grow so it is virtually replicating more and more bacteria. If you watch the moving bed YouTube video from Tyne valley aquatics it explains it really well. It takes several weeks for enough bacteria to form to sink the media.

[Squiggle]

Totally right Ineke, it can take up to 8week for the K1 to be working fully but when it does it's ridiculously effective & never has to be cleaned or replace :victorious:

[JohnH]

The tanks aren't really scaped properly yet, but I have all four tanks up and running so I'd thought I would throw a pic up of it..

[ineke]

Looking good John can't wait to see the finished effect.

[Squiggle]

Awesome work dude, looks stunning, very well done! :encouragement:

[JohnH]

My K1 media started working today, so it took around 16-17 days

[ineke]

It's amazing how it works? I have a big bottle in my aquarium and often just sit and watch the media working. I'm pretty sure it keeps the nitrates down.

[Squiggle]

Looks awesome dude, very cool. I just love watching it tumble too, mesmerizing :encouragement: