Fish Tank Setup

[africandiscus]

I am looking are getting a new setup. I am going to buy a 5ft tank (60x20x14). I don’t want to go bigger due to tank maintenance. At the moment I have that size tank and water changes are quick and easy.

The new tank is going to have a weir and a wet/dry trickle filter with bio balls. Before I have it made to specifications I would like to know what needs to be done to avoid flooding.

There are two possible scenarios.

1. Power goes down and the sump overflows. (water pump is not operational)
2. Weir gets blocked and pump overflows tank

What needs to be done to prevent that?

Has anyone got pictures of their setup?

[Proteus]

psx, the bigger the tank the less maintenance overall...

Given that water changes are a little bigger, they dont need to be done as often.

Example, I had my Discus scattered in 2-3 tanks (1x95g, 1x70g, 1x35g), i was performing 10-20% water changes every other day, with a 5-10% water change in between, so that meant daily water changes and poop vacs...

Now I have them all in a 180g planted tank, I change 60g (1/3rd) once a week, with small 5% poop vac water changes at least 3 times in between. Plus I have a huge sump filter in operation with an AC500 hooked to it as well as UV protection, the fish look great, and gives me more time to sit back and enjoy them.

[africandiscus]

i was performing 10-20% water changes every other day, with a 5-10% water change in between

That is way to many water changes for me. I do water changes once a week to week and a half. If your filtration is good why so many water changes, isnt it a function of water quality?

[Proteus]

'tis called growth...

the more water changes the quicker and healthier they grow...

a lot of commercial breeders do 2 x 100% changes daily... just ask Kev, he will give you the low down what they do in Penang...

[Brad]

1. Power goes down and the sump overflows. (water pump is not operational)
2. Weir gets blocked and pump overflows tank

1. make sure ou sump is big enough to handle the bit of drainage when power is out.

2. Mesh cover the weir to prevent anything going down there and clean on a regualar basis.
Add a durso or stockman standpipe if the overflow is to noisey.

Cheers
Brad

[Proteus]

PVC pipe and pond filter works a treat...

[africandiscus]

a lot of commercial breeders do 2 x 100% changes daily

I guess if it is your core business you would have time to do it.

[africandiscus]

Thanks for the photo

[weird]

a lot of commercial breeders do 2 x 100% changes daily

I guess if it is your core business you would have time to do it.

Or you do what our favourite DIYer does and automate it.

[kevkoi]

I would not suggest doing 200% water changes a day in Australia.... There's just something about the water. Breeders in Penang have HUGE water storage tanks, sometimes up to 10000L or more of water in storage. Water gets aged for days out in the hot sun possibly for days before it gets used. Water in Penang is very soft and low in pH, does not contain too many chemicals and definately not as strongly chlorined as it seems here. Also temperature in Malaysia does not drop below 28degrees C all year round, day and night!!!

Doing that much water changes a day in Australia would:
1) send you broke and the power company rich.
2) cause too much fluctuation in temperature your fish are going to get sick.

... the long of the short is, don't do massive water changes. If need be, do more often and less water change.

------------------------

There is a theory that fish release a hormone to inhibit growth.... in large volumes of water, this gets diluted. However, in our limited amount of water in tanks, this organic hormone accumulates and builds up. Water changes need to be done to dilute this hormone....

Another theory goes that NitrAte is a growth inhibitor. A filter's end product is NitrAtes and nitrate will keep accumulating in the tank unless water changes are done. There is also suggestions that high nitrate levels will harm fish in other ways like compromise their immune systems. In the waters where the original discus come from in Brazil, nitrate readings in those waters are always NIL.

There are ways of removing nitrates. Nitrates can be removed with such things as Nitratereductors OR go beserk on a fully planted tank with high light and CO2. In heavily planted tanks, Nitrates are almost always NIL.

That said, thru experience, even if you did put a nitratereductor on your tank, you would STILL need to do water changes. There's something about water changing that seems to be good for the fish. Fish perk up after a water change. Fish seem to grow much better with water changes.... All the gadgets in the fishy world today is not going to change the fact that water changes are good for your fish. If you've set your sights on Discus... water changes and REGULAR maintenance are of utmost importance to keeping these Kings of the Aquarium healthy.

If you want to be a bit slack with the maintenance of your tank (like I have to admit I am :oops: ).... Keep Malawi cichlids. :lol: (LOL... just my BIASE opinion.) :twisted: ... just kidding.

[flukes]

Harsh but True kev, when you do a water change you can see the difference in the fish. And they do grow alot bettter with frequent water changes.

When you want the best out of your fish, a water change doesnt seem that much of a hassel.

There are nice fish out there that dont require as much maintaince. Just not as good as discus :wink:

[kalebjarrod]

yeah i have got an overflow from my sump,

i can drop half my tank and the water drains away with no problmes (it acutually waters me tomatos and strawberrys)

as for the bolackages just go the loacl irrigation shop and get a stainless steel screen like used in dams, get as big a screen as possible as it will have more surface area and thus less likley to get blocked. my 32mm screen gets cleaned of leaves and crap once every 10 days and never has blocked yet

or you can use a sponge like proteus and add extra filtration

[Robbies Discus]

I was just reading thru this and was wondering if the post Kev made could be turned into a sticky about water changes?