ellwa
Wed Jan 09, 2008, 07:03 AM
Aloha.
Long time not much post.
Since moving into a new place in inner Sydney with my girlfriend, I haven't yet had much of a change to re-locate my 36G planted discus tank from Mums place into our new place.
I have still been getting up there every 2 weeks to do big water changes, and fertilize, but mum has really dropped the ball in the fert. stakes, and CO2 hasn't been running for 6 months, because I don't feel right letting it run when I'm not there.
Fortunately the tank has a filter that is good for 300+L with loads of media in it, and great thru-flow.
The Anubias varieties on planted wood is doing ok, but the nutrient balance is really starting to fall, I think micros's are good, but macro's are doing terribly...
Anyways, I have finally convinced my other half to let me get a new tank, and while I'd love a 4x2x2, we simply don't have space, and i need something that I can basically move on my own.
I've been doing a great deal of research, much like I did before I setup my last tank, except that this time I can move away from a corner tank, which has just been a nightmare equipment wise.
Currently the 36G is running under gravel heating, as well as a 150 Jager heater, 110W PC lighting, green moon lights synced with air stone, that run 4 hours before lights on, nd 4 hours after lights off. 1 large planted drift wood, 3 smaller pieces, and one medium sized piece, all with various Anubias varieties on them. There are also a few Amazon Swords that are doing quite well.
and 1 tiny little Red Tiger Lotus, all that I have left from a tank that was throwing up full lotus plants every week, both reds and greens. Its really been an eye-opener learning what adding nutrients, s well as CO2 addition do to plant growth.
The tank is moderate-to-heavily stocked,
2 large discus, I think a cobalt blue and a red turk, as well as a medium sized Yellow Mellon, that just never really grew to her full potential.
There is also 1 now probably 16cm Gold Spot Pleco, 2 small albino BN, 2 medium sized BN, and there may or may not be 2 bronze Cory's in there, but haven't seen them for a while.
Anyways, I guess I am looking for advice and stories of people experience with a) Cube tanks, b) info on how best to move everything over, and c) some questions about filtration and some other equipment.
I am looking towards the Reef Octopus BioLife 2ft Cube. http://www.reefoctopus.com.au/v2/pub/products.cfm?range=DCDE4164-16E6-397A-98819594592C1B0B
I hope its OK to post that link as its the manufacturers site.
It come as standard with a Matrix Style sump, and rear Durso Wier.
I think they are mainly aimed at the Reefing market, and I'd originally thought about going down that road, but it just seems to equate to a bottomless money pit, which is NOT where I want to go, and then I still have the problem of what to do with my discus.
I am also interested in the Dupla Multi Control, but I can't really find much info on it. I would like to know what I'm up against, does it work? is it good? is it a waste of money? do i have to buy 5968456 other bits and pieces to make it work?
I will put 2 double 39W T5 flouro's[totaling 2.8WPG at full], not sure what tubes -- need advice on this too...
I also recently purchased a blue "moon tube" LED moon light system, complete with computer from an Ebay seller in the US.http://cgi.ebay.com/Moontube-Moon-Computer-System-Aquarium-moon-light_W0QQitemZ150203918916QQihZ005QQcategoryZ4631 4QQcmdZViewItem
I am still tossing up on substrate. Its down to the 3 age old choices
The Dupla Ground
Caribsea Eco Complete
Or good old Pool Filter Sand.
I don't want to go down the road of substrate with a layer of sand again, because I found when I did that with my 36G tank, I am now left with a mix of Fluorite and Pool Filter Sand, which I don't really like the look of.
For my heating requirements I will go for under gravel heating with another Jager heater. Maybe a 200W this time.
I don't think I'll ever setup a tank without under gravel heating again. I know many people have said that its a waste of money, but I believe I've seen first hand the effects of convection currents lifting both nutrients and fish waste away from the substrate and in the case of nutrients to the plants, and waste back into the water column and into the filter intake.
My biggest conundrum at this point is what to do about the filtration. I have seen the sump running in a LFS out at Ashfield, although running marine, there is no water breaking going into the sump. This is something that I see as a positive thing, except that the sump is almost 2ftx2ftx1ft. which this is a great deal of water, it is a bit on the large side, in that it limits the amount of stuff I can put under the stand. CO2, UV etc.
This leads me to thinking that I will change the sump for an Eheim cannister. I am looking at the Pro 2228 or the Pro II 2026. Thoughts/Comments?
Additional to this, I was thinking about splitting the filter in/out from the weir, into the main cannister, that will house pre-filter and Ehfisubstrat/Substrat Pro.
Then putting probably my old 2213 Classic, or my Pro 2224 with more of the same, to run through either an 18W or 36W pondmaster UV, depending on how much room I have in the cabinet, and either a Dupla external CO2 reactor, or an Aqua medic external CO2 reactor, then back into the tank.
I may just end up running this un-plumbed just with the plumbing kit that came with the Pro 2224 to add greater water flow to the tank.
I was thinking about moving some of the filter media from my old tank, but I think I would rather just start fresh, and use new stuff and run a new fishless cycle using the ammonia method.
The reason that I ask about the Dupla Multi Control, is that it really covers all my bases for the degree of automation that I want to achieve.
It will control my 2 lighting fixtures, so I can essentially create say, a 5hour over lap, and run each light for say 8 hours each, with the first one on for 3 hours before the other comes on, then they're on together for 5 hours, then the 2nd one is on stand alone for a further three hours, by which time the moon tubes will have come on.
It also allows me to control my CO2, as well as my ground temp, which I think will be a Dupla under gravel heating system.
I will then probably move my 3 smaller pieces of drift wood, once I've cleaned all the algal scum off them to help, and plant it out a little with some new plants while there is no fish in there.
I suppose the next step would then be to move maybe half the fish, say the big pleco, and the albino BNs in, let them settle, and then a week or 2 weeks later, move the rest of the discus over.
I will need to get some test kits and start testing the water out of my taps, as I believe the water is somewhat harder here than at mums, even though they are only 20KM apart.
Sorry for the length post, hopefully I'll be able to use this and the rest of the forum to answer the rest of my questions.
Looking forward to my cubey garden with my favorite scaly friends!
thx
ellwa
Long time not much post.
Since moving into a new place in inner Sydney with my girlfriend, I haven't yet had much of a change to re-locate my 36G planted discus tank from Mums place into our new place.
I have still been getting up there every 2 weeks to do big water changes, and fertilize, but mum has really dropped the ball in the fert. stakes, and CO2 hasn't been running for 6 months, because I don't feel right letting it run when I'm not there.
Fortunately the tank has a filter that is good for 300+L with loads of media in it, and great thru-flow.
The Anubias varieties on planted wood is doing ok, but the nutrient balance is really starting to fall, I think micros's are good, but macro's are doing terribly...
Anyways, I have finally convinced my other half to let me get a new tank, and while I'd love a 4x2x2, we simply don't have space, and i need something that I can basically move on my own.
I've been doing a great deal of research, much like I did before I setup my last tank, except that this time I can move away from a corner tank, which has just been a nightmare equipment wise.
Currently the 36G is running under gravel heating, as well as a 150 Jager heater, 110W PC lighting, green moon lights synced with air stone, that run 4 hours before lights on, nd 4 hours after lights off. 1 large planted drift wood, 3 smaller pieces, and one medium sized piece, all with various Anubias varieties on them. There are also a few Amazon Swords that are doing quite well.
and 1 tiny little Red Tiger Lotus, all that I have left from a tank that was throwing up full lotus plants every week, both reds and greens. Its really been an eye-opener learning what adding nutrients, s well as CO2 addition do to plant growth.
The tank is moderate-to-heavily stocked,
2 large discus, I think a cobalt blue and a red turk, as well as a medium sized Yellow Mellon, that just never really grew to her full potential.
There is also 1 now probably 16cm Gold Spot Pleco, 2 small albino BN, 2 medium sized BN, and there may or may not be 2 bronze Cory's in there, but haven't seen them for a while.
Anyways, I guess I am looking for advice and stories of people experience with a) Cube tanks, b) info on how best to move everything over, and c) some questions about filtration and some other equipment.
I am looking towards the Reef Octopus BioLife 2ft Cube. http://www.reefoctopus.com.au/v2/pub/products.cfm?range=DCDE4164-16E6-397A-98819594592C1B0B
I hope its OK to post that link as its the manufacturers site.
It come as standard with a Matrix Style sump, and rear Durso Wier.
I think they are mainly aimed at the Reefing market, and I'd originally thought about going down that road, but it just seems to equate to a bottomless money pit, which is NOT where I want to go, and then I still have the problem of what to do with my discus.
I am also interested in the Dupla Multi Control, but I can't really find much info on it. I would like to know what I'm up against, does it work? is it good? is it a waste of money? do i have to buy 5968456 other bits and pieces to make it work?
I will put 2 double 39W T5 flouro's[totaling 2.8WPG at full], not sure what tubes -- need advice on this too...
I also recently purchased a blue "moon tube" LED moon light system, complete with computer from an Ebay seller in the US.http://cgi.ebay.com/Moontube-Moon-Computer-System-Aquarium-moon-light_W0QQitemZ150203918916QQihZ005QQcategoryZ4631 4QQcmdZViewItem
I am still tossing up on substrate. Its down to the 3 age old choices
The Dupla Ground
Caribsea Eco Complete
Or good old Pool Filter Sand.
I don't want to go down the road of substrate with a layer of sand again, because I found when I did that with my 36G tank, I am now left with a mix of Fluorite and Pool Filter Sand, which I don't really like the look of.
For my heating requirements I will go for under gravel heating with another Jager heater. Maybe a 200W this time.
I don't think I'll ever setup a tank without under gravel heating again. I know many people have said that its a waste of money, but I believe I've seen first hand the effects of convection currents lifting both nutrients and fish waste away from the substrate and in the case of nutrients to the plants, and waste back into the water column and into the filter intake.
My biggest conundrum at this point is what to do about the filtration. I have seen the sump running in a LFS out at Ashfield, although running marine, there is no water breaking going into the sump. This is something that I see as a positive thing, except that the sump is almost 2ftx2ftx1ft. which this is a great deal of water, it is a bit on the large side, in that it limits the amount of stuff I can put under the stand. CO2, UV etc.
This leads me to thinking that I will change the sump for an Eheim cannister. I am looking at the Pro 2228 or the Pro II 2026. Thoughts/Comments?
Additional to this, I was thinking about splitting the filter in/out from the weir, into the main cannister, that will house pre-filter and Ehfisubstrat/Substrat Pro.
Then putting probably my old 2213 Classic, or my Pro 2224 with more of the same, to run through either an 18W or 36W pondmaster UV, depending on how much room I have in the cabinet, and either a Dupla external CO2 reactor, or an Aqua medic external CO2 reactor, then back into the tank.
I may just end up running this un-plumbed just with the plumbing kit that came with the Pro 2224 to add greater water flow to the tank.
I was thinking about moving some of the filter media from my old tank, but I think I would rather just start fresh, and use new stuff and run a new fishless cycle using the ammonia method.
The reason that I ask about the Dupla Multi Control, is that it really covers all my bases for the degree of automation that I want to achieve.
It will control my 2 lighting fixtures, so I can essentially create say, a 5hour over lap, and run each light for say 8 hours each, with the first one on for 3 hours before the other comes on, then they're on together for 5 hours, then the 2nd one is on stand alone for a further three hours, by which time the moon tubes will have come on.
It also allows me to control my CO2, as well as my ground temp, which I think will be a Dupla under gravel heating system.
I will then probably move my 3 smaller pieces of drift wood, once I've cleaned all the algal scum off them to help, and plant it out a little with some new plants while there is no fish in there.
I suppose the next step would then be to move maybe half the fish, say the big pleco, and the albino BNs in, let them settle, and then a week or 2 weeks later, move the rest of the discus over.
I will need to get some test kits and start testing the water out of my taps, as I believe the water is somewhat harder here than at mums, even though they are only 20KM apart.
Sorry for the length post, hopefully I'll be able to use this and the rest of the forum to answer the rest of my questions.
Looking forward to my cubey garden with my favorite scaly friends!
thx
ellwa