130" decided!

herbynerdy said:

I just finished my DIY LEDs, 24 Neutral White XMLs, 52 XTE Royal Blues, 7 Deep Red & 7 Cyan.

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I'd rethink this combo, Warm whites and the 8000K will serve you best, I'd keep one row of the other colors for aesthetics.
But say 4 rows of the 8000/5000K mix as the main lighting.
I'd likely not even use optix in an enclosed hood like this.
If so, the wider, the better.

Tank: 130x18x20
've got this all setup in my basement, and am loving the quiet, no salt creep, and not spending large amounts of money.
I'm curious your thoughts on making the move and how easy it might be.

From a bit of research I know:

1. No calcium containing substrate or rock; I want aquasoil

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Fine here.
It'll take some getting use to trimming, gardening with aqua soil.

2. My overflow will deplete CO2

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Not true, all my tanks have overflows, all my client's tanks have over flows.

Search "bean animal" and similar "overflows", these do not degas CO2. Wet/drys can/should be used, but you seal off the dry chamber to prevent CO2 degassing often with duct tape, a simple fix.

They are also very quiet.
Make sure to do this........do not try and fix this issue later on.......

3. I want a regulator/tank system
4. I want to shoot for somewhere between 6,700K and 10,000K
5. Maintenance might be less, but I'll be dosing more nutrients than removing them in my reef.

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Water changes will be 10X easier, so management will be cheap and easy to do a water change.

I would hard plumb a pre filter with carbon block, say a 20" with a 4.5 " Cartridge plumbed to the house' hot/cold water line so you can adjust and mix the right temp. I'd also plumb a drain.

So here's the cool deal:

1. adding the bean animal for the overflow will prevent in tank overfilling.........
2. Adding an overfill hole to the drain in the sump will prevent over filling.

No floods.

Adding a float switch to the sump(refill plumbed into that 20" prefilter coming in) and small power head on a timer, say 15 minutes a day at 200 gph, will change 50 gal per day automatically..........

No floods, no water changes required by hand etc.

Automated water changes.

You might pay 200-400$ for this to be plumbed depending...........and it'll be worth every last penny.

A pair of dosing pumps to add enough ferts........
Maybe a decent in line canister filter like a Nu Clear for polishing the water

Equipment:
LEDs
2 x mp40w es
return pumps available: eheim 1262, reeflo dart, iwaki 55
RODI
media reactors

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Maybe 1 of the MP40's is all that is needed where the water comes in.
I'd use the Iawki 55 and that's about it.

The RO/DI is needed only if you want lower KH, GH will not matter.
This can be hooked up to the float switch with a 50 Gal reservoir or 100 Gallon etc, whatever you have room for.

Media reactors, n/a

I like dwarf cichlids and their interactions. My last freshwater was a 240 tanganyika specific.

Anyway, here are a couple pictures of the tank. I'm going to be traveling a lot more here and am looking forward to making the change.

Spend the $ on the automated water changes system. Then when you travel, things will keep going fine. The key is having the overflow redundancy in the water change system.

No floods.

Thoughts? I planned on buying a controller and a calcium reactor for this new setup, so I have some wiggle room to make this work.

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No need for those, by a pH meter might serve you well.

I would really like to be able to leave this for a few days without worrying, but also want something I can work on and enjoy.

Cheers,

Blake
Also, I am a creeper, first post, original sign up date 3 years ago! I've been thinking about it for awhile looks like I may have posted this in the wrong forum section.

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The client I have does nothing but feed the fish and maybe once every 2 to 3 months a light trim and changing the ferts(auto dosing) refill.

Same with another client.

Auto or semi automated water changes are the way to go.

Also, make sure that access inside the tank is easy for you, you will be gardening in there, so bulky hard to access hoods suck eggs..........

Open top designs are very nice for this reason and look awesome.

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Thank you for the warm welcome!

PlantBrain, Thank you so much for this detailed feedback. I actually spent last night going through the site and specifically a build thread of yours. I have to say my interest in going this direction was fully realized with reading through, thank you.

1. LEDs

I'd rethink this combo, Warm whites and the 8000K will serve you best, I'd keep one row of the other colors for aesthetics.
But say 4 rows of the 8000/5000K mix as the main lighting.
I'd likely not even use optix in an enclosed hood like this.
If so, the wider, the better.

Click to expand...

The hood is now suspended 13" above and the leds around 10" above that inside the hood, change can roughly be seen in the last picture.

The current layout: 2 rows of XTE RBs on a 60" heatsync, flanking the row of XMLs with red/cyan. (replicated on the opposite side).

I also have 4 x 48" 54w T5HO, with 10k's that I can put in the hood.

Just to clarify:

The XMLs Neutrals are 3,700-5,000K

Warm whites: (XPG) 2,600-3,700K
Cool whites: (XPG) 5000-8,300K

Would grabbing some new t5 bulbs, recommendations? and mixing with my Neutral whites, and a row of the RB (XTE 450-465nm wavelength), keeping the red/cyan, be a good compromise to grabbing a new set of LEDs? Then once I can sell off my extra equipment supplement with warm and cools, if needed.

The 60 optix at 24" provided great spread on the reef and were growing simple stony corals, don't know how this equates quite yet. I was planning on supplementing the T5's if the XMLs provided the disco ball effect with the RBs, but that's also why I doubled the spread. Still learning and testing to do, but appreciate the push in the right direction!

2. Overflow

Not true, all my tanks have overflows, all my client's tanks have over flows.

Search "bean animal" and similar "overflows", these do not degas CO2. Wet/drys can/should be used, but you seal off the dry chamber to prevent CO2 degassing often with duct tape, a simple fix.

They are also very quiet.
Make sure to do this........do not try and fix this issue later on.......

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I started drilling for a beananimal, but ended up only drilling two holes (didn't do last emergency), 1.5", and going with it's predecessor the herbie. Running one channel full siphon and the other emergency. I was considering adding the third emergency but with 1" bulkhead. I have all the plumbing for this, just have to take the drains through the wall into the closet behind, noise was a big concern, I am excited to test this.

3. Sump/wet-dry/ato

...
Automated water changes.

You might pay 200-400$ for this to be plumbed depending...........and it'll be worth every last penny.

A pair of dosing pumps to add enough ferts........
Maybe a decent in line canister filter like a Nu Clear for polishing the water

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ATO has been on my list for a long time , I guess I didn't realize how often the water changes were needed with planted. I've been thinking about how to do the drain though, this is in the basement so I can't go down, i'll have to think about how to make this happen. I have a bunch of extra pumps including an extra iwaki 55, perhaps I'll pump to the yard with another float valve/tank.

Way more research on wet/dry, prefilters, I have a few tanks laying around. 50 gallon, 100gallon, 65 gallon, and a couple more diy acrylic sumps. The 100g 60x18x20 is in the dedicated closet right now.



Get list:
Nu Clear or like
Dosing pumps
ferts
charcoal
pre filters
ada amazonia rather than aqua soil
ato/float
co2 system
ph meter

- any recommendations here would be great


sell:
- asm g4x skimmer (can I keep the needlewheel sedra 9000, for something, seems like I read something about this)
- reeflo dart
- 1 mp40
- vho's/ rb leds
- 200# dry/bleached dry rock

To do:
- research
- start build thread
- plant list
- source wood, I'm curious if I can grab some out of the boise river.

Long and short. Love it. Thats like 200g, right? I myself have a 210g empty that I can't wait to setup. I can't wait to see what you do for inspiration!

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Yep, right around 200g, there's a joke surrounding long and short in there somewhere, but I'm far too new to go down that road.

Thank you again, really quite excited about the tank again.

Cheers,

Blake

You can buy used Ocean Clear canisters on ebay or at Reef Central for 30-70$ or so, the cartridges cost 40-50$, so get a few spares.

You might use the T's for the midday blast, maybe 2-4 hours worth.
This will make a nice mix with the LED's.

Hard to say what bulbs you like, but Giesemann aquafloras, Colormax Coralife, URI red sun mixes are nice with bluer colors of the LED's.

Add the 3 over flow the bean animal, it'll be worth it for peace of mind.Plant prefilters can really clog unlike any Reef overflow much faster.

I would send the wastewater to the yard for sure.
I would make sure the water change pump sending the water out, is relatively slow, at a slow rate so the Refill float switch can accommodate. Say 200 gph at the out flow.

Or change say just 50 Gal whatever that time is to get the job done.
I'd not worry about the power etc, or noise for this, since it'll only be on for 15-30 min 1x a day.

I'd set it up to do this right as the lights come on.

Learn everything you can about CO2 reg's, diffusion and the like, this is your main focal point for all things growth, algae and dead fish.

A wet/dry, surface skimmer, bean animal will save you a GREAT DEAL OF ISSUES AND GIVE FAR MORE FLEX IN GETTING GOOD CO2.

Wood should be fine if it's well soaked and sinks, not soft and rotten.

Scaping long tanks can be challenging.
Nice fat groups. Look for tanks that are nice that are long for ideas, particularly dutch styled NBAT tanks.

Well I've decided to go with planted for sure. Eager to see water. I've been through numerous threads trying to find sources of quality equipment, reviews, etc. -> knowing i'd rather spend the extra bucks than go down a road of guessing, replacements and headaches. Ordered a few scaping books, been looking at longer tanks, I dig this one:

Igwami?


I'd like to incorporate wood instead of rock, or at least have it as the main hard scape feature. I do really love the high color Dutch nature mixture of Tom's 120.

CO2
Listend to _most_ of this about CO2:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/aquabo...nic-c02-in-the-planted-aquarium-with-tom-barr

~ truly a big thank you for giving so much information all over the web!

Some Notes from this:
basics: regulator, gasket, Needle-valve, check-valve, solenoid
- Victor regulator winner in the 90's
- single stage regulator, dual stage - steady flow rate (spendy).
- bubble counter not needed to gauge a tank this size.
- ph and kh meter better than bubble counter

Diffusion
in-line diffuser (ada - nice, but clogs, keep near flow)
in-line via sump

I saw the Rio 1000 recommended, with alterations to impeller to chop the bubbles.
I have a sedra 9000, in sump, 900gph, needlewheel from my skimmer, sounds too overpowered.

Sounds like I will be learning the system, adjusting, till I get it down. Gauging fish.

Can you recommend a setup/place I can look for a great system. I'll continue research here.

Substrate
Sourced recommendation:
ADA 180cm (72in. X 24in. (12 sqft)) = U.S. 180 gal. 9 - 9 liter bags
My application:
((130x18) = 16.25sqft) = 200 gal. = approx. 12 - 9 liter bags

Is there a great place to buy this? This isn't available locally that I can find.
Also I, II, III?

Items Fairly well under control:

Lighting
Grabbing 4 x 54w Giesemann aquafloras, familiar with this brand previously for my reefs, thank you for the recommendation. Supplemental for full day blast.
EDIT: I may buy 30 xte cool white and 18 warm white to replace my xte Royal Blues, this isn't too much more than buying the geisemann and will be cheaper in the long run.

Water Polishing
Nu Clear 25 micron 30sq ft

DIY Wet/Dry
Pore size: 20ppi
Media: boibale CPR (4 gallons)
Thinking of using my 65g (48x17x18) - allowing for a large water change station to go into the filtration closet. As well as allowing my 100g to be freed up for another endeavor.

Return
Iwaki 55, pressure rated to get through water polish

Overflow
Drill 1 more hole, only room for a 1" additional emergency
prefilter mesh

***Research for this weekend***

Dosing Equipment

Ferts

Tank; still messy, but getting there. I'm going to have to pickup a Canon 10-22mm to get this shot full on.





Here is what I was envisioning for the drift wood, although it doesn't look as attractive as i had imagined, not to say that it's the end of that dream, but the "fat bunches" definitely makes for better focal points and the igwami style would certainly help with height restrictions.



Found this in !shadows! build journal, love it.


and another, want Rams.

The thicker Manzy branches can easily group various colorful plant groups and contrast if you lay them sloping downward a bit like the 1210, but just for a longer tank.

This "style" works well on progressively longer tanks.

The 18x20 dimension is fairly nice also.

This is a more Dutch approach.

But if you use a more carpeting plant and let it ramble over the wood, and then add more ferns and some nice color/texture in the rear, now you have a more "Nature" style.

Another idea is to use sand in the front and rock in the middle with wood crawling over the rock to the front. In the rear, use the ADA aqua soil.

Build the height up 6-10" in the back.

Maybe sloping to 1" or less in the front.
Java needle leaf fern is very nice for the wood/rock transition.

Obakemono said:

Holy crap man that is a loooooong tank. I will be watching this thread as I am saving up right now for a 96" long tank, just I am un-decided on the 22" high (165gal) or 26" high (190gal).

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I had this tank specifically built with maintenance in mind, well I also wanted a really long tank . I've had 31" and 24" tall tanks I couldn't reach the bottom or the back without going past my armpit... which was not cool for me. Don't forget maintenance and what a sore back will do to your mental state.

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1. New LEDs ordered, keeping the t5's and 100g for another tank setup/quarantine.
Going to turn (48x17x18) 65g into wet/dry/sump

what order do I want them? sump-biological => iwaki => canister => co2 => tank

LEDs will have a mix of XML neutrals, and XTE warm and cool whites, as well as some RB, DR, and Cyan for added pop

2. Ordering 12 bags amazonia today, I do think I would like sand up front, can I use any old sand here?

3. waiting for shipment of Nu Canister - 25 micron, Manzanita wood

4. Still need to grab CO2. Looking at gla, any recommendations here?

Getting there on plant selection:

Really do like the Java needle leaf fern? around the wood. Is that glosso or HC in the foreground #3?

Next to source rocks

Really looking forward to seeing how this tank develops!

#3 looks more like one of the Staurogynes to me but could be Elantine triandra. Glosso is the foreground in the first photo.

Narrow Leaved Java fern fronds can grow very long. a nice healthy clump can easily be 2' across. The terrific looking clumps we see in the contest tanks have been meticulously pruned. I am suffering from luxuriant NLJF growth right now and really wish I had Trident JF instead. Or in addition to - I really like all my ferns and Anubias plants even if Bolbitis and NLJF grow too large and must have healthy large leaves removed so they aren't pressed up against the front of the tank!

Get a double stage CO2 regulator. There are a number of people here building and selling them here and GLA sells at least one model that is a double stage. I bought a used one here for ~$150. No bubble counter but with a big tank you cannot count bubbles anyway!