[BradH]

I recently built a stand (thread here) for a 40 gallon breeder and 3 10 gallon tanks. I decided to do a journal on them and I thought it would be easier to do them all in one journal. I'll keep this first post updated with the latest info for easy reference as this goes along. Hopefully people will jump in and offer critique, advice, comments, ect. along the way.

Feel free to offer your opinions.

Tank 1 - 40 Gallon Breeder Plans
Lighting - 2 36" t8 strips (unless I go open top, then I will do something else)
Filtration - Aqua Clear 50 HOB filter
Substrate - Azoo Plant Grower Bed
Flora - Needle leaf java fern (purchased), mini pellia (Still need to buy), weeping moss (Purchased), valisneria nana (Purchased), Lilaeopsis mauritiana (Still need to buy).
Fauna - Painted Fired Red Cherry Shrimp (still need to buy), CPD's, a few nerites and maybe some otocinclus.

10 Gallon tanks will all be running Azoo Songe Filters powered by a Coralife Luft Pump.
Flora and Fauna
Tank 1 - CRS and some type of moss
Tank 2 - CBS and some type of moss
Tank 3 - OEBT and some type of moss

For now here is a picture of the stand.

 

[Doc7]

Nice stand! I built my own as well and will be starting my own journal soon.

The Eheim 2217 is on sale at Foster and Smith here : http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3579+3603&pcatid=3603

I picked up 2 at that price (that price is found at other websites as well and you might find better deals in swaps forums if the timing's right) and also 2 2215 impellers which can be swapped in apparently, so it's basically like I have a very customizeable filtration set-up for any tanks in my future if I upgrade out of the 40 - from a single 2215 up to two full blast 2217s, with options in between by swapping impellers around, changing spraybar hole sizes, using outlet valves to throttle...

Excited to see someone starting a 40 breeder around the same time as me!

 

[BradH]

Thanks! This was my first DIY project and I think I did ok. I decided not to add trim or even fill in the screw holes. I like it like it is, plus I can always add to it later on down the road if I want to make it fancy looking.

As for the canister. I kind of would like to have one, but I'm worried about leaks or something happening and having water everywhere. I know that sounds kind of stupid, considering so many people use them. I guess since I haven't actually seen exactly how they hook up and what not in person, I'm a little hesitant.

 

[Doc7]

As for the canister. I kind of would like to have one, but I'm worried about leaks or something happening and having water everywhere. I know that sounds kind of stupid, considering so many people use them. I guess since I haven't actually seen exactly how they hook up and what not in person, I'm a little hesitant.

I'm still relatively new to fishkeeping but I consider my finest move to date getting an Eheim for my 20 gallon. My old filter was nothing to sneeze at (an AquaClear 30 - which I will be using on a 15 gal quarantine tank) but the eheim was dead silent until I screwed it up by having an electrical issue with my house, and even now it's pretty much inaudible. Nothing like a HOB. Plus there's zero media bypass so you know you're getting maximum mechanical and bio filtration.

It only has 3 areas with o-rings (outlet, inlet, and the motor/pump section) and trust me it's not like the new ones are going to fail any time soon. I've taken mine apart dozens of times messing with media etc and it won't leak. We use rubber o-rings on 1800 PSI oil systems where I work, I'm not afraid of this thing springing a major leak and killing my fish / floor. At worst, several years down the road a dry o-ring or one I somehow dinged doing something stupid develops a drip and I'll buy a new one for a couple bucks.


I can't comment otherwise on the efficacy of HOB vs Canister I just know that at this point I've not regretted for a second the switch. Also if you get a kind with quick disconnects which allow you to valve it out and take it to the kitchen/bathroom/whatever for cleaning, it's a breeze. Whereas I've had trouble getting prime back in an HOB. My HOB also wasn't good at restarting after a momentary power "flicker" which I get at an alarming rate in my house.

 

[BradH]

I'm still relatively new to fishkeeping but I consider my finest move to date getting an Eheim for my 20 gallon. My old filter was nothing to sneeze at (an AquaClear 30 - which I will be using on a 15 gal quarantine tank) but the eheim was dead silent until I screwed it up by having an electrical issue with my house, and even now it's pretty much inaudible. Nothing like a HOB. Plus there's zero media bypass so you know you're getting maximum mechanical and bio filtration.

It only has 3 areas with o-rings (outlet, inlet, and the motor/pump section) and trust me it's not like the new ones are going to fail any time soon. I've taken mine apart dozens of times messing with media etc and it won't leak. We use rubber o-rings on 1800 PSI oil systems where I work, I'm not afraid of this thing springing a major leak and killing my fish / floor. At worst, several years down the road a dry o-ring or one I somehow dinged doing something stupid develops a drip and I'll buy a new one for a couple bucks.


I can't comment otherwise on the efficacy of HOB vs Canister I just know that at this point I've not regretted for a second the switch. Also if you get a kind with quick disconnects which allow you to valve it out and take it to the kitchen/bathroom/whatever for cleaning, it's a breeze. Whereas I've had trouble getting prime back in an HOB. My HOB also wasn't good at restarting after a momentary power "flicker" which I get at an alarming rate in my house.

I'm going to hopefully pick up most of what I need tomorrow, so I will take a look at them. I have had my HOB not start back twice after a power failure, but that was because it was really dirty, not because it lost it's prime. lol I have read in the past about the eheim being difficult to prime unless you have the quick disconnects, when I was looking them up online. Do they not come with the quick disconnect? Is it something you have to buy extra?

 

[Doc7]

I think they all come with them now (the Classics) but am not sure. Since reading about them, the 3 eheims i bought all had a picture of the quick disconnect in the product description online. My 2217s arrive in the mail on Saturday : ) but my 2213 came with media etc, I just got rid of the carbon packet, threw in the bio-media ceramic pieces from my aquaclear that were already cycled, and also added a couple inches of pillow floss to the top. 6 dollars at Walmart buys you a decade worth of fine filtration media : )

I'm going to throw another coat of polyurethane on my stand now and then take some pictures of my driftwood and rocks and get started on my own journal after all this talk.

 

[BradH]

I'll be looking for your journal.

 

[BradH]

Well, last night I ordered everything for the tanks. Lights, filters, substrate, ect. Going today to pick up the tanks, wish me luck that they have some good ones and not scratched up or horrible silicone job. Hopefully I'll have everything come in by the weekend so I can get things set up. Also have to find a glass shop to cut me some custom pieces for my 10 gallon tank tops. Since they are going to be placed with the side showing instead of the front I want a top that will open up like a normal glass top would. Couldn't find anything online, so I ordered the hinges for normal glass tops. Now all I need is to get glass.

 

[duff]

Very cool, Love your stand build, What a great compact space for all your tanks! Have fun this weekend setting it up, can't wait to see future updates!

Duff

 

[BradH]

Very cool, Love your stand build, What a great compact space for all your tanks! Have fun this weekend setting it up, can't wait to see future updates!

Duff

Thanks! I'll admit that to me the picture of the stand kind of makes it look like crap. lol I don't know if it's the lighting or what, but it looks much nicer in person. I won't get to set up this weekend. Most of the stuff I ordered will not arrive until Monday or Tues. I did have a few things arrive today. Also, when I went to pick up the tanks, they didn't have any 10 gallons left, so I'll have to go get them either today or tomorrow. I did get the 40 breeder though for $40, so I'm pretty happy about that. I'll probably be posting some pics Monday or tuesday.

 

[BradH]

Well I keep running into problems with getting this thing going. I have everything except the plants and critters, but I have to correct a problem with the stand. The top tank will not sit completely flat. THere is obviously some imperfections in the 3/4 ply on top. I was supposed to fix it yesterday, but ended up in the ER all day with a kidney stone. Worst pain I've ever felt in my life. I'm feeling a little better today, so hopefully I can get this stuff setup this coming week. Finally!

 

[Doc7]

Hope you feel better!!

Good luck with the stand....

 

[BradH]

Feeling like crap today, hopefully in a day or two I can finally get it done.

Thanks!

 

[BradH]

Well I finally got to do something to the tanks today. I got the top shelf of the stand situation figured out. I ending up undoing the top some and shimming it. Now the aquarium touches the shelf and is flush with it. So I hopefully don't have to worry about leaks, cracks, ect. with the tank. I cleaned up all the glass on the tanks and added a black background to all the tanks. Tomorrow I plan on doing a leak test.

Here is a not so good pic of the tanks.

 

[2in10]

Looks very nice so far.

 

[BradH]

Looks very nice so far.

Thanks! I'm going to fill them tomorrow before I add my substrate and start working on a scape. Will possibly update the thread tomorrow, but if not definitely on Tues.

Thanks for looking!

 

[Doc7]

Update Brad?

 

[BradH]

Been busy and didn't get to do much. I thought everything was ok, but not so. I filled the 40 up with water and noticed it was way out of level. This is on a tile floor, that is over concrete and it used to be a garage years and years ago. So I didn't realize how uneven the floors were. So I removed all the tanks and shimmed the stand. This took me forever and I'm still not sure that it's right. It's completely level now all the way around, but I'm not sure my shim job is ok.I'll post some pics and maybe others can weigh in on it.

Also, the 40 gallon now touches the plywood top flush in all 4 corners, but there is still a slight gap in the center front and center of sides, but the corners are flush. I know the corners are what supports the tank, so I think I'm good, but unsure about it.

When I did a leak test, nothing budged on the stand or the tank and it was filled for over 24 hours. Just sort of nervous about it. I don't want to deal with leaks, cracks or anything like that.

 

[cableguy69846]

I like where this thread is going. You have my attention.:biggrin:

 

[BradH]

I like where this thread is going. You have my attention.:biggrin:

I hope your not anticipating reading about a disaster from the tank busting or anything. lol

I'll try to get the pics of what I"m talking about and post them tonight or tomorrow. At this point I'm in no hurry to do anything. I guess you could say I'm a little frustrated. Plus all the money I was going to use to finish the project off will now go towards a hospital bill.