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My first build with actual planning!

8K views 55 replies 10 participants last post by  Zefrik 
#1 · (Edited)
I am tearing down my current 40b planted tank because of algae issues and equipment issues. I am tired of Diy co2 and I am done with my HOB filter. I also have clamp on utility lights with CFLs and it just looks annoying after a while. I don't even like the look of the 40b as much either, it is too squaty.


The New Tank:

I am going to use my old 29 gallon that I have had in storage for a while now. I de-rimmed it about a year ago because the rim was warped. I had it setup for about 8 months and it held water fine so I feel pretty comfortable with it. I also have my old dual t5 fixture from my saltwater tank.(I bought LEDs for the saltwater tank). Now I have a de-rimmed 29 gallon with one nice light on it. I finally was able to buy black diamond sand so I rinsed about 35-40 pounds of it and it is ready to be added. I also have some 100% organic top soil to use underneath. I also have a Fluval 205 filter I got on Black Friday for $50 bucks. Now all I need is a Heater and a co2 system.

co2 system:

I have been waiting for a while now to get a co2 system and within 2 months I will try to have one. I am still looking at what I can get so I don't get anything I will regret later. I am wanting to have the ability to run from a full size tank and a paintball tank too. Not at the same time of coarse but interchangeably. I don't want to get used nor do I want to have it made for me. I want to buy every thing new. I want it to be simple also so I want to get all the parts from the same company and know they work together properly. I am really looking at these. Tell me which one will be better.

- http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaticL..._Aquariums-AquaticLife-AK01217-FICORE-vi.html
- http://www.marinedepot.com/CO2_Regulators-Tunze-TZ1113-FICORE-vi.html

I will get a paintball adapter to also.

I will try to get pictures up later. :D
 
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#35 ·
I do not really have a scape down yet I really just ended up throwing plants in and letting them grow while I collected more. I took my old Amazon Sword from my 40b and in a week it already has 4 new leafs. I have been having some issues with algae and I have been worried for my plants. I have done water changes every day and I am hoping that the otos that I bought will help with some of it. I also got some ghost shrimp because I can't find any rcs's locally. Maybe they will help clean in between the HC leaves.
 
#37 ·
You did get a lot of growth from just 20 days, just a tip, most folks at our plant club use wooden air stones as difussers, I think because the others clog and are hard to clean but you can stand the wooden air stone or spend $1.99 and get a new one but the bubble are very, very, fine.

Amanos are great cleaners but ghosts won't clean.

Just keep your plants trimmed up after they grow out to keep some circulation in the tank but it looks go so far.
 
#40 ·
Well with all of my plants I am starting to get pretty cramped. I have trimmed what I have had and put it into some low-tech tanks I have. I don't know if they will survive or not but we will see. I will probably be moving in June so I will probably set up my 40b as my high tech tank so I have more room. I didn't think I would be moving so soon so it is kinda stupid of me to set up this tank.
 
#45 ·
Again it has been a while but I will get some pictures up soon. I added another Magnum H.O.T. for better circulation and co2 diffusion. I am running one of them without any kind of filter in it and I put my glass diffuser underneath the filter intake. I have lost 2 neon tetras, and I think it was because they where picking on each other. But everything is balanced now. I have started to pick up some of the Aqua Vitro line of plant products. I am able to get them for $6.50 a piece so it works for me. I also ordered some red cherry shrimp on [Ebay Link Removed] I am not quite sure when they will ship but I should be getting a dozen. I am hoping my tank is planted dense enough that the shrimp will be okay and maybe reproduce. I have 4 ghost shrimp and my black neons have not even as much as glanced there way. I also keep running out of co2 quicker than I think I should be, so I have taken the whole system apart a few times to see if anything was loose and I also used teflon tape on some of the connections. Hopefully I have fixed it.
 
#49 ·
New update. I have been having algae issues. I started a thread about it earlier. I have also been losing my rummy-nose tetras one by one over the past few weeks. I started of with 6 and one died while he was being acclimated. And then 2 died off for some unknown reason. I am now missing to be I suspect they are also dead. I have also lost a couple neon tetras. I still have all of my original black neon tetras though. I will try to get a picture up of the tank before I move at the end of this month. Then I will be re-setting up the tank!
 
#55 ·
Thanks! I did try to have a carpet one other time in a tank with a few AGA T8 light strips over the tank, diy co2, playsand, and no ferts. As you can imagine it did not do to well.

This HC has been through a lot. It has been attacked by algae and has survived green water and a bacterial bloom. During which I stopped dosing being worried it would help fuel the GW and BB all to figure out I was just starving my plants. But they have come back.
 
#56 ·
Update pics after move!

I was able to move the entire tank with a 1/4 of the water still in the tank. So basically the tank looks the same here at my new place! No replanting required just filled it back up and turned it on.:proud:
 

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