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Thread: New small tank

  1. #1
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    New small tank

    Hi all,

    Well I miss having a tank in the office, and am thrilled with the plant species selection available, so I think I will work with Henry and pull the trigger on the following:

    1. Tank - 36x18x20 rimless non-drilled 50 odd gal (57 iirc?) from Deep Blue.

    2. Filter - canister, most likely a Magnum 350 as I have had these in the past and liked them. This model has been quiet and reliable for me over the years. Decent flow and I like the micron cartridge for water polishing every now and then. Or perhaps an eheim pro model....Will check out what is available. 300+ gph should be fine.

    Since the tank will be against a wall with a background (?) I may also use a small HOB filter for water surface movement and a bit of extra filtration. These have worked really well on 40br I have had in the past. Combined will be quiet and sufficient for my needs.

    3. C02 - A rio 180 DIY NW for c02 or similar. I may use my eheim 1103 external NW but we'll see.

    4. Lighting - unsure atm. I will review the fixtures Henry has, including LED. I may just bite the bullet and ATI it but I want to go a bit less pricey on this one I would want max to get about 40-70 at the substrate, but most likely will use less. Some depends on the stand. I may get a simple fixture that has mounting legs....these work well for what I have in mind. Ez to push back for access.

    5. Cabinet - really not totally enamored of the deep blue cabinets. Not bad, but would prefer something else. But, I want to get things going quickly, so I may buy one for now while I eventually replace it. A tank this size is easier to swap stands out than my 220

    6. ADA amazonia new type as I have a case in the closet.

    Scape:

    I want a simple nice manzy piece in the back corner, built up on a decent slope so the branches are emersed. I will use smaller manzy branches to build the slope and hold it in place. I would like to have a manzy 'hill' and 'cliff wall' so to speak, and the carpet would start at the bottom of the 'wall' and spread like a plain outwards.

    The manzy 'wall' would be visible and thus the branch on the top of the 'hill' would be elevated over the 'plain'. I will also make some small slopes in the plain, just as I like that look better than the level football field look

    I have some stuff I think will work, or will simply have Tom send something over...I would have ferns and mosses, crypts around this. I would then have a nice carpet of perhaps stauro or the dwarf clover. But, I also like the hairgrass and lilleopsis scapes I have seen as well...

    I would like to have some stem groupings as well. I would like to have some color with reds, greens, and perhaps some goldern nessea or something just to be different.

    Since the tank is smaller, I can still manage to keep it maintained even if growth is quick...

    Fish - I may get some festivums again as I really liked them. For dithers...Many options here but would prefer one species of schooler. I like the various bleeding heart tetras. Attractive, quick, eat anything, and I haven't had any in quite awhile..They will hold their own against the cichlids and never be eaten by them either...

    Later.
    Last edited by Gerryd; 01-16-2012 at 03:02 AM.
    Thanks,

    Gerry.

    'When something's not right, it's wrong'. Bob Dylan

    Current 220 scape

    http://www.barrreport.com/album.php?albumid=34

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Gerry thats great! It's fun to have multiple tanks with variety. I like to use Henry when I can as well. He is always helpful and has great prices.

    Just so you know, Big Als has some nice combo tanks for sell for very good pricing. Maybe you can compare and show Henry to see if he can do something similar.

    Maybe you will do this on a week day and I could make a drive up to help you out lol! I love the practice and it's funy to do a scape with a friend.

    Golden nesea is a beautiful plant and I currently have some that is finally getting submersed leaves. Can't wait for it to grow in.

    I also like the hairgrass and lilleopsis scapes I have seen as well...
    ....I like the micro sword as well.

    I may just bite the bullet and ATI
    ...You are tempted aren't you hehehe!
    Thanks

    JJ

    Plants give me peace!

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by jerrybforl View Post
    ...You are tempted aren't you hehehe!
    Well, I could get the 4x39w fixture for this tank and then I can see how I like it before springing for TWO of an even more expensive fixture later...

    I did in fact pull the trigger on all but the lights. I got an eheim Pro III 2075 for filtration. That will make a good bio filter. I may still an HOB or another filter purely for mechanical filtration and extra flow..

    So, I can scape it dry, and then fill and plant it....

    I can even have it up and running with no lights for a few days at first as there will be no critters or plants...just to ensure it all works as expected

    I have more scape ideas, but they all involve LESS stem plants, so I am already changing focus.....lol
    Thanks,

    Gerry.

    'When something's not right, it's wrong'. Bob Dylan

    Current 220 scape

    http://www.barrreport.com/album.php?albumid=34

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    I have more scape ideas, but they all involve LESS stem plants, so I am already changing focus.....lol
    ...What can ya do? lol...

    Like me and my 75! I said ferns, anubias, and crypts...Long and behold I got lots of stems in it lol...
    Thanks

    JJ

    Plants give me peace!

  5. #5
    I didn't know they made a 57 gal non-drilled rimless.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by feh View Post
    I didn't know they made a 57 gal non-drilled rimless.
    Yep, and the 75 gal too, iirc.

    I didn't know it either. I had asked Henry if we could REMOVE the overflow and that is when he told me about the non drilled tanks.

    He even offered to drill it for me but I declined on this build as well...
    Thanks,

    Gerry.

    'When something's not right, it's wrong'. Bob Dylan

    Current 220 scape

    http://www.barrreport.com/album.php?albumid=34

  7. #7
    Interesting. Its the same glass thickness, same high clarity glass just no overflow box or holes? Hmm... I know the RR tanks aren't exactly drillable. The glass is tempered on all sides and the bottom. If it wasn't for the hatchets I'd consider swapping out my current freshwater 75 for one of those. Just something about "flying fish" and topless tanks makes me shy away from that idea.

  8. #8
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    Looks like I can expect delivery next Thursday for all but the lights, which I am still pondering....

    Maybe an unpainted/unfinished T12 shop light that I can lay across the top of the tank
    Thanks,

    Gerry.

    'When something's not right, it's wrong'. Bob Dylan

    Current 220 scape

    http://www.barrreport.com/album.php?albumid=34

  9. #9
    Definitely wanna see pics of it.

  10. #10
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    Well if you're going low light why not try a nice T-5 shop light from HD? I have the one on my 75gallon and it looks/ works great! I get exactly the amount of light I need to grow the species I have.

    There are so many nice shop lights at HD now and I'm sure you can find something that will suit what you're looking for.
    Thanks

    JJ

    Plants give me peace!

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