Tom's Bucket O' Mud (semi self-sustaining aquarium)

[Jnad]

Hello!

I am making some plans starting a tank with your tank dimmensions, only a little bit higher (40cm high).

I find it somewhat difficult to decide for lightning for this tank size, do you still running the 70w HQI or have you changed your light setup?

Any suggestions for what i should use? Something hanging from the seiling i think would look Nice. The tank is going to be placed by a window so i can let it have some sunlight if i want.

Jnad

[BulletToothBoris]

Cool tank.

[BigTom]

Originally Posted by Jnad

Hello!

I am making some plans starting a tank with your tank dimmensions, only a little bit higher (40cm high).

I find it somewhat difficult to decide for lightning for this tank size, do you still running the 70w HQI or have you changed your light setup?

Any suggestions for what i should use? Something hanging from the seiling i think would look Nice. The tank is going to be placed by a window so i can let it have some sunlight if i want.

Jnad

Yup still using the 70w, seems to do the trick. Obviously it depends if you are going to add co2 or not, but I know people with similar size tanks running T5 strips, 150w halides and 36w Kessil LEDs. Most people make a DIY frame out of curtain rail or similar to hang their lighting from.

[BigTom]

Blatantly stealing an idea from someone else, I've recently added a little Ikea clip on LED light for evening viewing. Much better for the fish, and makes the tank look wonderfully mysterious.





As usual, the plants are completely out of control. I'm letting them fight it out

[driftwoodhunter]

Ooh, I love the effect the clip on adds - could you show us a pic of the light itself (to get an idea of it's size) and how far away from the tank it is? I sit clipped to the glass of the tank?

I have to go back and reread this thread - those plants are amazing. You could sell your last pic to a company that makes the tank background sheets - lol

[BigTom]

It's just clipped onto the lighting frame but could probably be attached to the glass no problem. You get a more defined shaft of light if you have it closer, but I moved it a little further off to get a bit of spread right across the tank.

Top right of this picture -



It's just a little 3W desk spotlight.

[driftwoodhunter]

That's nice!

[extrame]

hi big tom,
i see that you have big rocks in your tank, did you just place it on top of your substrate or did you bury the half of it?

thanks,
chris

[BigTom]

Originally Posted by extrame

hi big tom,
i see that you have big rocks in your tank, did you just place it on top of your substrate or did you bury the half of it?

thanks,
chris

Hi Chris. A bit of both really... I'd guess most of the were buried about a quarter or a third into the tank, but I used some others to shore up the 'hills' which were completely buried.

[BigTom]

Nice little addition to the tank this week in the form of a flower stalk from each of the Aponogeton crispus 'red'. They looked pretty uninspiring at first but are developing into something rather lovely.

[extrame]

thanks big tom! i was wondering if the soil under big rocks would be ok and not spoil?
i guess i would bury parts of the rocks that i would be using for my tank just to be sure.

btw, very nice tank you have. hope i could achive such a wonderful tank like yours

[Jnad]

Originally Posted by BigTom

Yup still using the 70w, seems to do the trick. Obviously it depends if you are going to add co2 or not, but I know people with similar size tanks running T5 strips, 150w halides and 36w Kessil LEDs. Most people make a DIY frame out of curtain rail or similar to hang their lighting from.

Hello again!

About the 70W you are using over the tank, i just remembered that i have made a DIY HQI 70W light that i used over my reef tank. Maybe i just can by a different HQI bulb (6500K) and use my old DIY reef light. Here is some pictures of the light/project:
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/show...QI-DIY-PROJECT

Jnad

[BigTom]

Originally Posted by Jnad

Hello again!

About the 70W you are using over the tank, i just remembered that i have made a DIY HQI 70W light that i used over my reef tank. Maybe i just can by a different HQI bulb (6500K) and use my old DIY reef light. Here is some pictures of the light/project:
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/show...QI-DIY-PROJECT

Jnad

Yup, that should be perfect. Somewhere around 5.5-6k would be ideal I think that's a matter of personal taste.

[BigTom]

Hopefully a spot of pollination going on -

[jbrady33]

Originally Posted by BigTom

Blatantly stealing an idea from someone else, I've recently added a little Ikea clip on LED light for evening viewing. Much better for the fish, and makes the tank look wonderfully mysterious.

I love this look too, have some low power led night lights in my hood for a similar effect. The ripple effect is huge too! (long exposure pic)