New Tank Build Thread

[Gerryd]

I second what Bio says. Tank looks amazing and I love the cardinals. I'm jealous ok lol.

Next week should be good for a visit. And no worries about the phone call. Work is work and that is your livelihood. No need to explain Gerry...

Thanks JJ. Next week is fine for a visit....

[Gerryd]

Hi all,

Well, after almost 9 full months of using twin Eheim canisters, I am again pondering switching to a large wet/dry trickle filter using a CPR model CS202 overflow. Tom and I are again in discussions...

The overflow box provides dual twin 1" intakes, one of which Tom suggests to use as a simple 'bean' modification to reduce flow and noise, while the other one is left open.

While I had tried something similar with my Lifereef overflow, to get it quiet I had to reduce the flow so much, that there was very little flow or surface skimming going on.

The CPR overflow has a different design so may be quieter and/or provide better flow when reduced. Looking at the dims, it is approx HALF the size of the lifereef model and I may be able to deal with that. That is a big difference in size and I will post side by side pics when the CPR arrives..

I will setup using the mag18 I already have. I will hook it up as a test and see what happens. If I like the flow and can deal with the noise and aesthetics, than I will keep it. If not, no harm except the cost of the CPR and the time spent installing and removing I will nab a mag 350 with the fractioning impeller for c02 and see how that does. It is comparble in flow rating to the eheim 1103 external, so may be comparable. Be nice to try out these types of mags anyway lol

I want to try this for many reasons:

1. Better 02.
2. Ability to use a large NW in the sump for c02 that may be more efficient than my single inline 1103.
3. Less maintenance than the eheim canisters. I find that I struggle at times getting these working again after a thorough cleaning. Also, they do not really provide that much flow considering their size. I like them but there may be a better option for me. The CPR have external prefilter sponges, and my big sump is easy to remove the coarse padding and filter socks for cleaning/replacement.
4. Surface skimming.
5. Perhaps better aesthetics to hide the single overflow box, than the twin sets of 3 inlet/outlets per canister. Looking at the way I view the tank, main POV, etc this may be simple to hide from the MAIN views. I can deal (I think) with the wall side blocked somewhat.
6. Better 02
7. Easy to add more bio media to the large trickle area.
8. Heater can go in sump instead of inline with the canisters.
9. C02 is no longer driven by a single canister and impacted as the filter clogs. A large NW pump may work even better than the single 1103 NW inline. This setup MAY prove more efficient than the current setup.
10. Higher flow possibly than provided by the twin eheims but we will see.

Overall, I have found that fish seem a bit healthier when I use a trickle wet/dry in the past.

I think the additional 02 and quicker reduction of c02 in situ when c02 is off will be beneficial. The surface skimming will also help in this regard as I have none currently.

Eheims have been working well, don't get me wrong, but I want to keep an open mind...and revisit this..

Tank is doing well, but looking to improve, and think this may be a good next step.

A quick fish video:

[Gerryd]

Hey,

I see that the 8x39w ATI fixture is 5" WIDER than my current 6x39w fixture. I think this will provide much more even PAR and enable me to go to a higher PAR for the outer edges and the like.

I am limited now even adjusting the height of the fixture as my tank is so deep at 36". I want to try between 75-90 micromoles and see how that does. I get about 60-65 tops now and that is only in the middle sections...

I am going to order Monday. I have waited long enough.

Later!

[Gerryd]

Hey,

I added the OTHER old rio 1100 c02 nw pump back to the tank for added surface agitation from the OTHER side/end while c02 is on.

I keep forgetting how LARGE the surface area is at 72x36

It will flow in the same direction as the c02 spraybar and MP40 but will be just to move/ripple the surface.

Neither of the Rio units however are able to produce ripples more than 60% of the way to the other end...

So, still some areas of calm for shoaling pencils.

I noticed some signs of stress in the fish from too much c02 again (I have been raising slowly) and feel the extra 02 will again help. Cardinals and rummies disappear and the pencils pack tightly together. This is towards the LATTER stages of the photoperiod, and they are FINE in the morning as the one rippler (is that a word?) is on 24/7. This newer one will coincide with the c02 on/off timings.

I'll post a vid or two later showing the ripple from none, one, and both. Big difference.....I still think it can be improved...

I tested and the flow blends nicely with the current flow patterns..

Theoretically provides the same ripple as the other one, so should be a decent 02 improvement...

*****

I swapped two plants that were in the center area so they are more noticeable. One is the ludwigia perunsis (?) and is a nice color and the other is the p.stellata (?) that Tom sent me a few weeks back.

The ludwigia was lost next to the bronze wendti and the leaf shape was similar, although a different leaf orientation

Now from tree to tree going right to left we have:

c.wendti - bronze with some darker greens.
p.stellata - fine needle leaf and a light green/yellow
l.perunsis - a nice red and contrast
stauro repens

I will get some pics later.

Later!

[jerrybforl]

Can't wait to see it Gerry! I'm sure it will be amazing in person as always. One of these days you will have to come down and see mine lol...

[Gerryd]

Can't wait to see it Gerry! I'm sure it will be amazing in person as always. One of these days you will have to come down and see mine lol...

Hey JJ,

Yes, I have to wind my way down to SOBE one of these days....

[Gerryd]

Hey all,

Looks like good fortune is on my side.....

Last night one of my twin eheims stopped working and I could not get it to work, no matter how I tried...

So....I removed it entirely for now while I work with Henry on it....

In the meantime, I had ALREADY ordered a CPR CS202 overflow box, a couple of Tom's aqua lifter pumps (a spare), and a Mag drive 350 gph with the fractioning impeller for c02 in the sump. I hope these arrive this Friday or Sat and I will install then so the timing may work out well. I have my large sump wet/dry from before I switched to canisters...I also have a brand new mag 1800 gph to drive it that I purchased back then as well...

I will simply do water changes every 2-3 days until the filtration issue is resolved. I may purchase and install a magnum 350 or similar for now as one filter is not enough for a tank this size. The extra water changes will help a lot. I will continue to do more frequent W/C while the new filter is maturing...

The left corner w/o the three eheim tubes and the huge mass of jave needle used to hide them looks TOTALLY different and open again....I like it a lot and hope that if I can get the overflow and wet/dry quiet enough for me, that it may be less intrusive overall as opposed to the twin canisters, as it will be limited to just one side of the tank...I like the extra room on the other side....the pencils and fish/critters are NOT happy as that was a good hideout for them....

But I can use the ferns to hide the overflow box, so their hiding spot will just swap sides....

I would like to see if I can use the eheim filter media in the sump as it should be mature, but will die off by the weekend most likely...

I may steal some media from the 57 gal canisters as those should both be mature. Just a little to help things along...

I will use some rings and sponges and whatnot in the bio-tower. C02 in the sump will feed to the sump return pump. Then either to a single outlet or I may split them just to provide flow on two sides of the tank....it is very wide after all..

I would like to make this work it all really depends on the SIZE of the overflow and the NOISE level of the plumbing...

Later.

[Gerryd]

A couple pics of some shoaling cardinals....not sure how many are in this group..cloudy due to c02 injection...

2012_05_23 004.jpg2012_05_23 005.jpg

Video showing surface ripple while c02 is on...the cat is determined to scratch his way into the tank....has a long way to go...

Water level is a bit lower than normal. Usually the moss on the tip of the tree is under water....



And here is with c02 off and the rio 1k providing surface ripple 24/7..Big difference Here both the MP40 and the rio 1100 are OFF and only the spraybar on that side produces in tank flow...this is where c02 originates into the tank. The mp40 flow picks it up and pushes it around...

[jerrybforl]

Huge difference Gerry! Cardinals look amazing...

[Tom Barr]

Yes, you need to get the other equipment out of this tank soon.
You can see my tanks via pics and the video of the 180, you do not see much stuff in the tank.

1 slim prefilter box and then a return, I use a Vortech on the 180.

But that is hidden behind plants and wood.

Years ago, I glued cork to the overflow and hide that as well on this old 90 Gal tank, you cannot see any equipment in this tank really:







You can see the teeth for the overflow here:
but just barrly...........