New custom 300 gal

[peterp63]

Re: New custom 300 gal

Thanks, Ek.  

Geoff, $75 sounds like a good deal to me especially with two bulbs.  I will try to make it to the GHAC meeting on Friday to get it from you and check out Delock's setups.  Might even have time to destroy Ek at some ping pong!  J/k.. not really.  

Hey, Ek the durso-type standpipe looks awesome!  I should be able to fit two in my overflow if it stretches the entire side of the aquarium (24" x 6")... right?

Also, if I did go with a durso, is there any way to prevent smaller fish from swimming up in it?

[eklikewhoa]

Re: New custom 300 gal

IMO you should have no problems fitting the durso in your overflow....make it yourself and you can make anything fit! As for little fish....IMO you might want them to get sucked in cause it will probably be easier to net them from the sump then the overflow but you could put eggcrate fitting inside the pvc.

[peterp63]

Re: New custom 300 gal

I don't think the little fish will make it through the filter material and into the sump... I'll try to rig up some eggcrate or netting over the inlet.

[peterp63]

Re: New custom 300 gal

Web Page Name

http://picasaweb.google.com/peterp63/AquariumProject02/photo#5213681618465197426

Here's what I plan on ordering from glasscages. Would you recommend anything else? I'm finalizing my order tomorrow so if anyone has any recommendations..... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I'M FORGETTING ANYTHING!!!!

Thanks,
Peter

[Zulaab]

Re: New custom 300 gal

I dont know if you can or cannot get it in the right side.  This has nothing for your tank so this will not stop you from getting it.  I would (from personal expierance) recommend you go to like the container store or something like it and get a long "kitty litter Pan" style plastic bin.   Put this under your wet dry so should you ever have "spillage" under the wet dry that the wood under the wet dry does not get wet.

[Delock]

Re: New custom 300 gal

Peter

looking at your diagram....you want to move one for your two eheim holes closer to your overflow box. much closer


The one near the column could be your return and the one near the overflow box is your inlet.

Is the tank going to butt up to the wall? Or will is set off the wall a little?

[peterp63]

Re: New custom 300 gal

The return to the tank from the canister filter will be directed inside the tank to a series of PVC that will run the length of the aquarium several times.  This PVC will be drilled all over and covered with gravel.  This is my reverse flow UGF (or UG jets).  That said, it really shouldn't matter where this hole is drilled.

The suction to the canister filter from the aquarium will be 16" from the wall opposite the overflow box (your recommendation).  To me, this will increase the flow throughout the aquarium by pulling water to be filtered at both ends of the tank.

Does this make sense?

[peterp63]

Re: New custom 300 gal

Also, I made a change to the overflow... they could fit only four holes.  So, I removed the extra supply.  Now I've only got three 1-1/2" drains and one 1" supply.  Is this sufficient?  I'm using a Mag 12 submersible pump.

[Delock]

Re: New custom 300 gal

yeah supply sound  nice

But with and wet dry and canister why are you doing the reverse flow under gravel? Did you see someone else doing it or was this something you done before?

[peterp63]

Re: New custom 300 gal

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69943

You're gonna love this thread.  This guy said it keeps his gravel clean and lessens the amount of tank maintenance required.  This is a huge plus for me since I am usually very busy and do not really have time to be vacuum the gravel as much as it needs to be.  We've exchanged emails and he seems to be very knowledgable.  I am extrememly green so if you have any suggestions I am more than willing to use them.  My goal is to have my tank look as nice as possible with as little maintenance as possible - that said, the more filtration the merrier!  Right?

Peter

[RonR.]

Re: New custom 300 gal

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69943

You're gonna love this thread.  This guy said it keeps his gravel clean and lessens the amount of tank maintenance required.  This is a huge plus for me since I am usually very busy and do not really have time to be vacuum the gravel as much as it needs to be.  We've exchanged emails and he seems to be very knowledgable.  I am extrememly green so if you have any suggestions I am more than willing to use them.  My goal is to have my tank look as nice as possible with as little maintenance as possible - that said, the more filtration the merrier!  Right?

Peter

I have about 2" of CaribSea's aragonite sand in my 180g tank with about 250 lbs of holey rock.  I keep my sand free of fish poop/gunk by using 2 6080 Tunze Streams......one at each end of my 6' tank.  I have them on auto-timers and turn them on 4x daily for 15 minute intervals.  The moving current gently sweeps my sand, moving all the debris to one of my 2 2217 Eheims.  Pretty maintenance free.

[peterp63]

Re: New custom 300 gal

That is a really good idea, Ron.  But, the reverse flow UGF will act as UG jets by keeping gunk off the gravel as well as act as a biological filter - allowing the bacteria to benefit from the constant flow through the gravel bed.

[RonR.]

Re: New custom 300 gal

That is a really good idea, Ron.  But, the reverse flow UGF will act as UG jets by keeping gunk off the gravel as well as act as a biological filter - allowing the bacteria to benefit from the constant flow through the gravel bed.

I have seen folks do this before..........the reverse flow UGF.  I was a longtime gravel user.....about 17 years and also a crush coral user.  I used a regular UGF with power heads.  I was very surprised to see how much gunk gets sucked under there.........nasty stuff.  The last 5 yrs have been sand substrate for me and I and my mobas have been very happy with sand.  I've kept fronts since '88 and it seems they like digging in the sand more than in the gravel.  

Sand beds contain good bacteria and at every water change (50% weekly) I stir it up some with my hand........the mobas do a good job already of turning it over.

Sounds like your already set on doing this, just wanted to give you another option to consider.  

Lastly you were looking to have an almost maintenance free tank.  I am with you bro!!!!!!!!!  All I want to do is feed and enjoy and my fish.  I only have time to maintain 1 tank and all the spawning that goes inside it so my water quality has to be on the mark.  I know your tank is 300g.......mine is 180g.  I do a 50% water change every week......sounds like alot, but it isn't.  I bought a pvc gizmo at jehmco that hangs on the side of my tank and attaches to my python.  At the other end of the pvc gizmo is a submersible pump that sucks 90g of water out in under 10 minutes.  While the water is being sucked out onto my driveway, flowerbed or kitchen drain I use a soft scouring pad to clean the film buildup on my glass sides.  I don't have to vacuum my sand at all, the Tunze's take care of cleaning my sand 4x daily for 15 minute cycles........an hour of self-cleaning daily.  I add my new water.........adding the 90g back takes roughly 30 minutes.  I add Prime and the cichlid buffer recipe (found in the library at the cichlid-forum) for the new water.  My water change and maintenance is done in about 45-50 minutes max.

All my lighting is controlled by auto-timers for consistency.  My mobas breed like cats!!!!!

[peterp63]

Re: New custom 300 gal

I am sure I will be changing everything out in that tank every month or so - not really - but, I do get bored easliy and will likely change the decor, substrate, etc. several times a year... I will probably change out the fish, too.  I really want a nice looking front colony someday, but for now I'll stick with my mixed africans (a lot of 'em!).  The reverse flow UGF just seems like such a great idea.. maybe I'm just so dead set on it that I won't change my mind.  If I do decide to go with sand someday I can pull out all of the PVC and put a nozzle on the end of the bulkhead coming from the bottom of the aquarium.  Remember, this is going to be the centerpiece of my home and I really am looking to minimze anything unatural in the tank (wires, tubing, etc.).  Thanks for the advice!!

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: New custom 300 gal

Peter I will bring the UV to the meeting, $75  see u there