The Planted Tank Forum banner

120g Planted Tank In-wall Rebuild

8K views 62 replies 22 participants last post by  javajaws 
#1 ·
So here begins the 3rd incarnation of my main display tank. The first two of which were of the saltwater variety....SPS emphasis on the first, and FOWLR on the second.

The tank itself sits in an in-wall cabinet I made myself between my living room and dining room. This gives me a large amount of space for a sump and any other stuff I need to hide like plumbing lines, CO2 tanks, and supplies.

The first incarnation was actually a different tank (made by glasscages), but during the 1st rebuild I replaced it with a custom tank made to my specs by A.G.E. in Dallas (local pickup!). It is roughly the size of a standard 120g, but just slightly different in the measurements by <1" each way with a custom external overflow and starfire front/back glass. Oh yeah, and it's got a cool PVC bottom. :)

For this 2nd rebuild and switch to freshwater, I'll be using that same tank and the majority of the supporting infrastructure I already have in place. In fact, I'll be ripping a bunch of stuff out like the protein skimmer and Vortechs.

I have yet to decide on a style for the tank, but I've been busy looking at as many tanks as I can find for inspiration (here's looking at you Tom Barr). Whatever I do has to accommodate the front/back viewing aspects of the tank.

Here's a list of some of the major tasks/checkpoints I have to work through:

  • Breakdown/cleanup of existing setup (almost done)
  • Finding suitable hardscape
  • Hardware changes (acquire & setup CO2 system, get new float switches, new freshwater bulbs, etc.)
  • Decide on a style stocking list
  • Decide on a dosing regimen/setup (I'd like to use the dosing pumps I already have)
  • Devise a continuous water change system (I have an ATO system already in place as well as access to a drain
 
See less See more
#2 ·
In lieu of multiple "build" posts spread out over weeks/months, I'll just throw a few pictures out there that show the chronological evolution up to where I'm at now:

Once upon a time there was a wall...


And an idea...



The two got together and made a baby...






Then the baby turned into a teenager and had to be kicked out, only to replaced by a new kid...






























Then one day the relay controlling my Alk dosing pump decided to stay on...

<Due to the graphic nature this picture has been deleted>
 
#5 ·
When I say "continuous" I meant doing the equivalent of say a 50% water change weekly, but spread out over the week in multiple small/automated cycles. I already have an ATO system in place to keep the sump full, so all I would have to do is program an additional pump to remove a small amount of water from the tank every X minutes.

Lets say I want to do a 40g water change weekly, but automated.

7 days * 24 hours = 168 hours with which to spread the water changes out.

40 / 168 = ~.24 gallons per hour to drain (~900 ml).

A 15 minute on/off cycle seems reasonable so I could drain say 225 ml every 15 minutes from the tank.

My ATO dosing pump is rated for 50 ml/minute so it would take about 5 minutes to refill the sump to its normal level.


Now granted, a 50% water change (or whatever percentage) isn't exactly the same percentage of water changed when doing a continuous water change (because of dilution), but I think I could dial it in close enough to not really matter. A water change done continuously and religiously is better than one not done at all.
 
#11 ·
Quite impressive ingenuity with the cabinet. Do you have anymore information about A.G.E.? I'm in the Dallas area and I would be interested in a custom tank in the future.
 
#15 ·
I like the Reef and the equipment used, good planning.
I think you might be okay without the vorteches.
I'd keep one at least, but you will not need this.

The sump:

Well, the open top is an issue where the water comes in, this is due to cO2 degassing.

In FW planted tanks that are CO2 enriched, you need to seal the inflow section up from the atmosphere, so like an odl school wet/dry filter, the section with the bioballs is sealed.....at the top lip and any ports, I just use tape myself.:



A rather simple thing.

There's little need for more than this really.
A prefilter sponge in the overflow, then a nice large wet/dry sump.......and plenty of space for a sponge block and maybe carbon, zeolite, purigen etc.
If you want mech filtration, then use a post return pump Nu Clear filter etc with a pleated 20 mic cartridge, these are stackable.....so you could run 2 together if you have enough space in the sump area.

You might save most of the reef equipment for another tank or another incarnation.

CO2 is the hardest thing for new plant folks to eyeball and dial in correctly. No, DC's or Ph controllers are not going to fix that for you. It's more experience and eyeballs, you can get close with the pH/KH chart and then tweak from there. The Bean animal overflow is good, quiet and reduces CO2 degassing.

The scape itself will dictate how much work and trimming you plan on doing.
This is where you need to know yourself and whether or not you will be motivated to work with and trim many different species or are more after a reef like routine where it grows in slow and you have min work on the tank.

My 70 Gal is a bit like that, whereas my 120 is very different almost the other end of the spectrum.

I did a nice automated daily water change for a client that works liek a charm, but...........it's has dual redundant overflows in case anything clogs, breaks etc, no wet floors.

This is for the main tank, as well as the sump.
Anything overflows or the overflow clogs........I'm covered.

Same with the sump.
A top overflow goes to the drain in the tank and the sump.
Get a plumber to add these things if you do not have them already, well worth it over time.

Those same drains can be used for the draining for the water change.
A small powerhead drains i the sump and then the float switch adds water back post drain so you have min mixing of new and old water.
I have this water change done about 30 min after the lights come on.

Dosing is done about 1 hour later.
Dosing excel can be done also.
 
#16 ·
I'm glad to see you started a journal for this beautiful tank you have. You can tell that the former reef setup was very well thought out with the way you have everything setup under the tank. I will definitely be keeping track of this. Do you have any idea what kind of substrate you will be using in this tank?
 
#23 ·
Do you have any idea what kind of substrate you will be using in this tank?
Well, the obvious easy answer is AS. I can pick a bunch up local from Houston without having to pay shipping so that makes it a little more affordable. I might use some sand for decoration (depending on the layout/style I decide on), but I am a bit hesitant to use 2 different substrates knowing that they'll eventually mix together.
 
#21 ·
Thanks for the tips Tom! I'll definitely be making a lid for the sump. I might be making some other changes to it as well at a later date (maybe a freshwater specific sump even)...but that would be after I have stuff up and running.

How beneficial is it to have a "dry" portion of a wet/dry filter these days? My current sump doesn't have a drip plate or support for dry/drip media. I was just going to stuff some media in my old "wet" skimmer section of the sump.

Regarding the drain....the drain line I currently have (you can see it on the left side of the cabinet in one of the pics) is currently plumbed into the sump and acts as overflow prevention (luckily I have never had this happen).

I also have a "sump high" float switch that doesn't normally get triggered unless something is amiss....my controller is programmed to send me an alert if this happens as well as act as an additional conditional with which to turn certain things off.
 
#25 ·
120g tank full of ADA AS. Wow, the ammonia! But it will be fantastic when you get it done.

Tom could probably advise you best on mixing sand with AS in such a large tank, but I agree that the soils mixing would be a big concern. However, if you do decide to get sand, pick up Leslie's Pool Filter Sand. Make sure you get the right one. It's so clean, you can literally put it directly in a tank without pre-rinsing. This is the stuff you want (you'll see that I even left a review for it): http://www.lesliespool.com/Home/Filters-and-Filter-Supplies/Filter-Supplies/14700.html

The last time I went to the Leslie's Pool store to get some, they had packaged it differently so it was hard to tell which one was the right one. My husband got the wrong one so I had to go back to exchange it. I took a cup with some water with me to double check it. It was very easy to tell which one it was. When I put just a handful of the wrong sand in a cup of water, the water was instantly cloudy. When I put a handful of the right sand in a cup of water, the water remained clear. My 90g used to be a cichlid tank with sand only, and I literally opened the bags and poured the sand in while the tank was full of water. With just one water change, the tank was crystal clear. I cannot recommend this sand enough (even though I don't really like sand in planted tanks). :smile:
 
#26 ·
Well, been busy internet shopping. Bought a used Harris GP402 for $60, a new Burkertt solenoid, and some new float switches for the sump. Still need to place an order with Ideal and got some misc other parts for the CO2 system.

Going to pay Frank a visit in Houston tomorrow and pick up some AS and whatever else I can get my hands on. Might as well cruise the local fish stores in search of some driftwood while I'm there as well.

Complexity - any stores I should be sure and visit?
 
#29 ·
Complexity - any stores I should be sure and visit?
Sorry, I caught a cold so I haven't kept up with the threads as much the last day or so. But I think Frank would probably be able to give you some suggestions. There are a ton of LFSs in the Houston area (keeping in mind that the "Houston area" includes a 2 hour driving span) so it's best to have some idea of what you're going for. Certain places are good for parts, others are good for fish, etc. At the stage you're in right now, I think ADA is probably your best bet; although, you could stop in at City Pets as they have a large supply of different parts for a good price. I also like to use HAW (Houston Aquatics Warehouse) for ordering fish. I used to frequent Fish Ranch quite a bit, but they've changed ownership, and the last time I was in there, they had gone back to a more typical line of fish so I don't go there as much anymore; however, I still hear people say good things about them. Fish Gallery has a very nice selection of anything you may need and does a lot of custom work, but they are more expensive than most places and I found it next to impossible to get them to give me a quote on custom work (I think they prefer to quote the really huge jobs that cost tens of thousands so I wasn't in their league and was ignored). While they have a lot of plants, you can usually get the same plants for less elsewhere.

No luck finding some manzanita in htown. Guess I'm gonna have to gamble online...
Tom Barr (plantbrain) has a huge supply of manzanita. He's not the cheapest, but I bet he would work something out for you. Obviously, he has a lot of experience working with large tanks and has a good eye on decor so he would be a good resource for finding manzanita pieces that create a good looking scape.
 
#34 ·
Since everyone is all hot and bothered talking about wood...

I've been thinking about possible aquascape plans for this tank. The biggest problem I'm running into is accommodating the front/back viewing in this tank. This prevents me from changing height drastically with the substrate as well as prevents me from planting a bunch of stems along the back.

So I'm considering a variety of "archetypes" that would accommodate this. Here's what I've come up with (the reference numbers are 2012 IAPLC contest entries - http://en.iaplc.com/results12/popular_vote/ ):


2 Islands

With use of tall driftwood and plants would stretch the visual interest in the tank vertically without relying on changing the substrate depth.

#45
#138
#101


Offset Island

Breaks up the symmetry of the cabinet (not sure yet if that's a good or not). Ability to use a lot of larger, taller growing plants. Possibly not use a carpeting plant for lower maintenance?

#27
#11
#52
#62
#108
#188
#197


Mountain Valley

Thoughts: Good utilization of non-visible aquarium sides. Ability to have elevation changes without blocking the viewable back side. Softens
the vertical edges of the aquarium with the surrounding cabinet. Might not be able to stretch the substrate/sides high enough without blocking too much of the front/back glass.

#30
#199


Iwagumi / Minimalist / Rockscape

Matches the modern look of the cabinet and surrounding decor. Might be difficult to maintain a nice carpet in 24" deep water with somewhat difficult access. Rocks make a nice contrast with the wood in the cabinet (in a very feng shui sort of way). Difficult to acquire rocks of sufficient size.

#154
#50
#175
#121
#128


A River (or Field?) Runs Through It

Combination of the valley / 2-island approach. Would allow for additional stem planting along the 2 ends of the tank.

#100
#161
#195


If it's OK to directly link the IAPLC images I'll edit this post
 
#36 ·
While you're looking, check out the ADA Galleries. I can't link to them directly because it's all done using flash, but I can get you to the main site. Just click on "Aquascape Galleries" at the bottom and look through the "Live Planted Aquariums" gallery. There are some designed to be viewed from two sides which may give you some ideas. http://www.aquariumdesigngroup.com/index2.php?v=v1

I think you should do it whichever way looks best to your eye. I tried to go against my personal taste one time, and no matter how good the tank looked, it just wasn't me. Once I changed to what fit me again, I've enjoyed it much better.

The only thing I would suggest is to do an asymmetrical design. Not only would a symmetrical design look odd since nature is never symmetrical, but it would be overkill since the cabinetry around it is so highly symmetrical. Having the design asymmetrical would bring the eye to focus on the tank which is the main goal.
 
#37 ·
I got a woody!

Well, sometimes you just have to "go with the flow" and make do with what is available to you. So I took another trip down to Aquatek here in Austin to peruse their driftwood collection. Still not seeing anything adequate, I decided to look through a stack of "large" driftwood sitting up high on top of one of their stock tanks (this is a LARGE tank). As it turns out, hidden deep inside that stack of wood was the perfect centerpiece for my aquarium. It's roughly 3 ft long, 2 ft high, and only 15 inches wide at its widest point. And one of the ends was flat cut roughly 90 to the bottom - perfect for sitting against the end of my tank.

I got it home and made some small trims along the bottom and end and here's what I quickly came up with. Some more minor trimmings are probably in order.

I also picked up a smaller piece which i MAY end up using on the other end of the tank. Or I might not use it at all. Still thinking about it!







Warning: Proceeding to view these following pictures may be hazardous to your health.

Sorry about the pic quality - too much daytime glare and dirty glass.

The "front" side:


The "back" side:


Closer view of the back side, from an angle:
 
#38 ·
Very nice! That looks like a pleco jungle-gym! Any pleco you get will be in absolute heaven in that tank! :hihi:
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top