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Big Tank, what would you do?

33K views 209 replies 50 participants last post by  Freemananana 
#1 ·
I got a large hand me dowm tank. previous owner figured it to be about 88 gallons. it came with one florescant light. a duel bio wheel hang on the back filter, and air pump and under gravel system.
I can just barely reach the bottom of the tank using a step stool, so I want to keep the plantings simple. and I want to keep the lighting as is though I can up grade the bulb.
so given what I am starting with what would you do with it and what would you house it with as far as flora/fauna?
 
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#61 ·
small first step. the glass is cleaned. quite please how clean it did come though not perfect.
it is outside, filled and given some time to asure there are no leaks.
there is a water line I cant quite remove about 3 inches from the top. the black rim is so thin the water level can not be hidden. though the scale shadow does not show much I dont think it will take anytime for it to look obnoxiuos an fear I wont be able to keep it nice looking. I think I will frame out a nice collar/top so I can keep the water line hidden.
 
#62 ·
never heard of them refered to as a collar, or a top. as far as i know, most ppl call them a canopy. anyways, use hydrocloric acid to get rid of anything staining the tank, works wonders. also called muriatic acid, they use it for pools not sure what else. it will work wonders for you. get a like 60 dollar painr brush from home depot and use that to wipe it on ur problem areas. use gloves if ur to scared to mess with it, and respirator, safety glasses. works wonders. and dirt cheap.
 
#63 ·
Neat thing about a tank like this is that the fish will really get a chance to stratify - you can _have_ two or three schools at different levels of the water column!

Those turquoise rainbows are pretty sharp! One of my favorite features of rainbows is that their colors _don't_ settle down - they flash from blue to orange to yellow to green almost the way cuttlefish do.

~Bruce
 
#64 ·
Azarakiah, I didnt know what to call the rim..doh! it must have been late, lol. but I had not thought of muratic acid! thanks!

Bruce the more I plan the more I am liking it. and I am very intriged with the schoold of fish at differnt levels.
I got the monster wrestled into the house and figured out where it would go...this was no small feet in of itself!
 
#67 ·
acid still works better hands down, used 10 year old saltwater tank from someone on craigslist, had it down to mint condition in less than 30 min, acid literally melts it away. just rinse it off after, no scrubbing needed. very harsh if u accidently inhale it though. takes ur breath away. i used it at work to get barnicles and rust of of boat propellers. works wonders im telling you. just dont put it on aluminum and let it sit. works very well for anything protein based like calcium build up. takes rust off steel like nothing too
 
#70 ·
did that and the CLR...still have calcium shadows and lines.
picked up the muratic acid today..have a date with it tomorrow.

because of the depth of the tank I have decide not to plant the substraight, all plants will be on the wood.
 
#66 ·
think i would use jungle vals for a back ground and pack the substrate with crypt. Add some massive crazy piece of would and attatch java fern and anubias to it. On the stocking side i would get a nice shoal of cories and some hatchets for the top with altums taking up the middle of the tank.
 
#69 ·
This is what I'd do.

A) A wall of java fern and anubias, completely filled.

OR.

B) Make the most of that height and show off some bulb plants and vallis. They look great when they're given the chance to really stretch.

And ditto on filling with fish who will utilise all levels of the tank. Bottom dwellers, mid section and surface dwellers.
 
#72 ·
I think I have the glass as clean as it is going to get. the muratic acid did the trick, dodgy stuff to work with!
there is only the faintest bit of water marks left and I believe with the tank full they will fairly disapear.

I been picking up bits of wood along our waterways and have come up with this thus far. the larger piece is about as thick as my wrist. I think(hope) this is looking like roots from different trees reaching for the bottom.
what cha all think?
 
#73 ·
well the grandkids where here for the weekend and that bit of wood ended up in the firepit roasting marshmellows!
the next morning we hiked the local waterways and just wait till you see what we came home with :icon_mrgr
 
#74 ·
am I the only one having issues with photobucket?
I cant open up mine, all I get is a spinning circle...as like it is busy.
 
#75 ·
photobucket is working fine for me. with wood like that, and the height, i would have done a blackwater tetra tank with a sword or two, maybe some other plant, lots of oak leaf litter on sand substrate. simple, dramatic, easy to maintain. oh, and for what it might be worth, i believe a paludarium or riparium would be about 100 times easier to maintain than a filled tank.
 
#76 ·
thanks Bill, it must be my computer, I can quite get everything cleaned off of it, grrrr. been working on it. getting frustrated.

in the mean time like I said, that wood is gone but since then I found some BEAUTIFUL pieces. I spent a good part of the afternoon deciding how to arrange them. amazing how the time passes working on this jigsaw puzzle! lol.
anyway this is what I cam eup with (hope it posts)
 

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#78 ·
That is some beautiful driftwood! I really like how you've laid it out - it has a nice flow and rhythm. The piece on the floor echos it, too.

Bill's ideas are my favorite so far, but I am a sucker for blackwater tanks. One day I'll have one! The oak leaf litter on sand sounds especially nice. (thanks for the ideas, Bill - lol)
 
#79 ·
thanks DHunter! your opinion means a lot to me being you are the driftwood man.
I found all of them at the same location. the piece on the floor is simply wonderful, just lovely. My husband wanted it in the tank but it didnt fit and I loathed to cut it up, seemed it would be a sin to do that to it! so I set it on the floor by the tank and things started to come together. :proud:
 
#80 ·
LOL - I'm a driftwood GAL! I need to add my first name (Cindy) to my signature, it would help things... ; )

And that's all I have an eye for; driftwood and rocks, two of my favorite things - I don't know squat about planted tanks (yet).
 
#81 ·
lol! yes, I saw you were a Cindy on another thread tonight!

to me rocks and wood and balance in a scape are a LOT easier than making things grow and flourish! I am just learning that part too! I am going to try and make this tank easier to handle.
 
#84 ·
thank you Kathy and Sajacobs, I have really enjoyed the journy with this one so far. Taking my time and trying to do it right
 
#86 ·
I have the LFS, whom's owner happens to be quiet the planted tank efficianato, checking into finding me a pair of orange headed geophagus for this tank. I also have some mosses and needle java fern on order.
cant wait! flooding as soon as I get the plants in.
 
#88 ·
after a VERY frustrating day I have the tank flooded and planted. well kinda planted. I have some mosses still on order and and still in the search for some needle leaf java fern.

Anyway, I got all the plumbing set, attached my ferns to the wood and filled the tank...and the brand new canister filter was rattling like mad. Unhooked the filter and took a break and went to dinner. On return the smaller branches were all floating! the had come loose from being attached to the stump, so much for all my great planing! grrrr!
after a bunch of cussing and nearly going snorkling the tank is back together with some nicked (from my husband) dive weights holding the wood down. the one floating piece will sink eventually and I will remove the weights then. the large rock to the left will be removed as well.
only 4 head light tetras starting the tank


ps.... the filter is being sorted and a old HOB filter is up and running for now
 
#89 ·
I use super glue to glue driftwood pieces together, and to glue the main dw to a rock. That holds it down but can be hidden by the substrate if you want. Also, I just saw needle leaf jv for sale tonight - I'll see if I can find the thread...
 
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