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40b The tale of a snail. (Holy 56k Warning)

5K views 51 replies 14 participants last post by  Charlest 
#1 ·
Well its overdue, And it has taken me forever. As much as I love posting on here giving people advice when I don't even have a tank. I am proud to say I am back.

Specs

Equipment

40 Gallon breeder
Custom Stand
Odyssea 4xT5HO 6500k with Timer
SunSun 303b UV 9w 370 GPH
Home made Reactor =Thanks to happi
Inline diffuser =Thanks to happi
Milwaukee MA957 regulator Thanks to BrokeCurmudgeon for trading me my victor.
4# co2 tank
Ada Aquasoil 100 or so pounds
My diy Chert and Shrimp Stone

Fauna

Foreground
HC=All I could find in utah one half melted pot :/ could sure use some more.

Mid
HM
I plan on getting some reineckii to go with the "HM" if I can find any which I can't heh.

Background
Rotala Indica
So far I want a yellow-red stem plant. I'm open to suggestions

From start to finish

I picked up this 40b online but I hated the color. Soooo I got my butt kicked completely refinishing it. And staining it semi gloss black.:icon_eek:


Yikes took forever to sand.

Heres the first coat.




Hers after 5 coats with sanding in between much better.




Now I was deciding on a lid or no lid. Definetly not.





So since I was done with the stand time to work on the tank a little bit. I picked me up some rust-oleum Frosted glass for the background. And i Painted the oak rim.




Made room in my living room. Then set it up.



Here's my reactor build. :smile:








Take me to your leader!



I got me a nice 4# co2 tank. I decided not to use my victor regulator. I went for a milwaukee so I didn't have to build the victor. I might build a dual stage and upgrade the tank in the future.




So me and my wife spent a week on getting the rocks just the way I wanted them. I know it's a long time but heck better something that looks just right than something thats off in the end.









Sooo close to what I wanted just missing something.



I added a thrird set of rocks on the left back and it made it look just right. This is the final choice after a week.



A little paint from happi to give me inspiration.


I drove all over salt lake city to only find one pot of half melted hc. :icon_cry:
two years ago it was everywhere. I'm not sure whats up with that but one pot sure isn't enough so i had to really break it up.


And planted haha


Ok getting serious took me 3 hours to split plant etc. I hate rock wool!!!!


Soaked the tank, Then i put in a siphon for excess moisture.



And here you go hc checkerboard pattern.




Then I added the HM between the rocks Finished!


Enjoy Updates coming weekly...
 
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#14 ·
looks really nice. I'm thinking of doing a frosted back glass as well but I was thinking the tint/film because I didn't know they made spray. However, seeing the green tubes in the back would drive me crazy! Any plans on going with clear hoses and maybe some lily pipes down the line? Not for everyone, I know.
 
#18 ·
The rear will be all yellow to red stem plants. I have rotala indica, but there would be no point growing it in dsm. It would grow different then it would melt to the roots when I fill it.

I was thinking of. Doing reineckii between the rocks then pantanal in the back for a look like Tom Barr and amano had a baby. But we will have to see where it goes. I had pearl grass on hand so I just planted it.

Guess I'm gonna have to take the regulator apart :( I pressurized it dumped a bit in the tank then shut it off at the needle valve and tank. Just to leak check it managed to leak 700 psi in the reg overnight. I'm guessing since it drained both the highside and low side the leak is postbody somewhere. Or before the solenoid.
 
#20 ·
Thanks Chris.

Here's some plans for the future.


I need to get a hydor inline heater.

A circulation pump for in the tank.

Need to add +500 gph pump to the output line for better flow.

Need a glass drop checker and fluid.

More stem plants and reineckii.

Possibly build an autodoser.

Get an orange red led to reflect off the back of the tank for a sunset look.

Build diy 660nm led strips on the underside of the t5. For color...

Build a r/o system 55 gallon jug etc.

Make a auto top off system.

Brush my teeth.

Buy 40 or so cpd's

Sent from my LG-D500 using Tapatalk
 
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