[The Dude1]

Picking up the rack tomorrow morning and getting going on the second 75 gallon. I've got a good amount of wood and I'm picking up a little more tomorrow. Also going to pick up some black lava rock to grow fissidens and buces on. For now here's the wood I'm working with. The one piece is huge

I may just pick up whatever else I need tomorrow and deal with the consequences. I'm going to put a cycled AC70 on it from my 150 so I can add fish immediately giving my new syno's a grow out

 

[The Dude1]

Putting together the rack now. Have to drain the 75 and take all the rocks out and transfer it to the bottom shelf. The new one will go on top and I have room for 4 -10 gallon growouts on the bottom.
Got an AC70 and I'm going to swap media from one of my established 70's. I'll add another filter later on once I've got a light figured out. Hopefully 1 group of Syno's will arrive today and be comfortable in the tank by tomorrow. Another 5 are arriving next week.
Any.suggestions as to what to start stocking first? Maybe a couple Bolivians? I could maybe do Apisto's at the same time. It will take a while to get all the Rainbows sourced and budgeted in. I want to have a big 8 foot tank in my office when I open my own practice and I'm thinking a healthy mature group of Rainbows and some cool dwarf cichlids would keep the kids entertained. Everyone does saltwater... and its super cool.. but I think a mature planted tank could be just as impressive.

 

[The Dude1]

It may be a good idea to put something under those legs. That's a lot of weight to have on 4 tiny spots on the floor. Just a thought but I'm not saying it will be an issue but rather it may be.

Dan

That's not a bad idea
Any tips on an air pump that can comfortably run sponge filters in 4 10 gallon tanks? Would one rated at 50 gallons work or more? That will be the only filters in them

 

[The Dude1]

That Fluval looks perfect. I'll pick one up. Is this what I would need to split it to the 4 tanks?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01N...=MP0D3BHJP69GRT5ESB5M&dpPl=1&dpID=61mVAnsmCvL

Bump:
Measured out the rack, but one of the shelves has to be right in the middle to "stack" the two parts. I would prefer the frame rails to be single 6 foot rails, but that was not available in this style and rating. The 10's will go on top. I'll switch the tanks over tonight after the gym.

 

[The Dude1]

I feel terrible. Last night was awful. After the gym I got to work. I ended up having to remove everything from the tank to move it... including fish... all I had was a 3 gallon bucket so I tried to do I quickly... then realized that there wasnt enough room for me to get into the bottom tank... and fit filters etc... then once I figured that out the wife was getting irritated with the aquarium supplies in her bathroom... started pumping water back into the tank and basically just dumped the fish back in and started reworking the rack and moving out the old furniture.... then the dog got out... once I convinced her to come back in and got the stands to the garage every one of the fish was dead... no dechlorinator... I'm guessing... my water comes from a well, but what else could it be?? They were dead in 10 minutes... I feel awful...
I just stopped and I'm going to take a break. Hopefully I can get the room situated today and get the second tank on the rack and clean up the room... but I am stumped... I haven't used dechlorinator in well over a year and never an issue...
There's alot more to doing a rack than just setting one tank above the other I am learning.

 

[The Dude1]

Your well has chlorine/chloramines? It could be several things and more than likely not a single cause. Lack of oxygen, big change in temp and overall stress would come to mind first. I have made similar mistakes over the years and I usually attribute this to my lack of patience which has become much better in the last 10 years. Use this as a chance to learn and don't beat yourself up over it. Yes there was loss of life but it was not intentional and you have gained a lesson out of it. If I sound a little uncaring its probably because I am a little desensitized as over the years of breeding and culling euthanizing fish when needed has probably influenced my views.

Dan

This has me puzzled as well... then inwas reading Greggz thread... again... and noticed the mention of an ammonia spike when breaking down and moving an established tank... is that what happened?? Tank has been set up with no gravel / sand disturbance for about 18 months...
If so how long until it is safe to restock? I'm going to pick up more Prime tonight, but I'm not sure what I'm dealing with. I guess I will test when I get home. Hadn't even considered this. I'm hoping to finish getting this tank running and planted so I can get the other tank on top and start working on my tanks together.. since I'm starting over both will now be HEAVILY planted and at last one large Red sword. Is there one that you recommend?
There will be no plant eaters... no Pleco's, no Congo Tetras...
For the "wood" tank I'm thinking Bolivians, Apisto Caucatoides, 4 species of Rainbows and what bottom dweller? I'd love loaches. Any that don't touch the plants?

 

[The Dude1]

Definitely possible that could be the cause. Possibly huge spike in nitrogen or big release of H2S from substrate disturbance. Either way I would not add fish to the tank until you have tested parameters are can verify they are safe. Do you have a test kit by chance?

Added: H2S would explain the extremely fast death rate but again no way to be sure. Did you notice a rotten egg smell at all?

Dan

Yes it did. Not as bad as when I had potting soil, but very noticeable
I have a test kit

 

[The Dude1]

ended up finding another lfs today. It was simply incredible. Planted tanks all over. If I had to guess I would say maybe a thousand gallons of water filled with nothing but plants in addition two several sections of tissue cultured plants. I picked up several types of Crips some Corkscrew Val's some swords and pretty much everything I wanted except for the compacta... I also picked up seven synodontis multipunctatus and one synodontis green leopard hybrid. my six synodontis petricola should arrive today or tomorrow

 

[The Dude1]

Synodontis multipunctatus will grow to seven inches(easily) and keeping rooted plant's in place could be problematic due to the fishes habit of rooting around the substrate in search of food's.
The Synodontis petricola stay much smaller, and would create less issues IME.

I didn't know that... they will only be in this tank until they are large enough to go in my 150 Peacock and Hap tank. It's just a growout for them

 

[The Dude1]

They are all out checking out the new tank. I think it will look good once stuff grows in a bit. I may do some moss on some of the rocks and probably a little more java moss on the left side on top of those stones. Water is still a little cloudy from the addition of more PFS. I'll probably start working on the top tank which will be the "wood" tank tonight and figure out hardscape. I know if like some Blyxa as well as a piece of wood with a good amount of Buces. Definitely some of that hygro compacta... They also had a very deep red rotala at the store that I couldn't stop looking at. I'm going to start making my plants list today.
You can now see some of the silicone from where I affixed the old 3d background... the vals should hire that quickly.
I've also decided given the number and cost of my various hobbies that these two tanks will be the recipients of a pressurized system rather than the 150 which is inhabited by the plant munching African cichlids. Probably just use 2 of the long atomizers from GLA as I really don't want to get any additional canisters.

 

[The Dude1]

Thus far I have
Crypt Lutea
Crypt Lucens
Crypt Balansae
Crypt Becketti
Corkscrew Vals
Java Fern
Sagittaria Subulata
and some Monte Carlo
The previous occupants ate the fissidins overnight.
I have 6 or 7 Syno Multi's
1 Syno green leopard hybrid
and I should receive the other 6 Syno petricola (probably lucipinnis) today

Once the Syno's reach 2.5" to 3" they will all go into the 150... unless I try my hand at breeding some of the lucipinnis.
I also added some osmocote root tabs under nearly every plant. No changing things now LOL!

Bump: Already eating like little pigs

 

[The Dude1]

I'm thinking that I'm going to zip tie the 2 surge protectors to the bottom of the shelf that the top tank rests on to better conceal them. I'm pretty happy with it... I can get all the way into both tanks for planting or whatever and I can get to and service all of the equipment.

 

[The Dude1]

What do you guys think? 2 different kinds of wood, but I like the piece on the right and all the stuff on the left is new.. I figure it will blend once it grows in. I'm not sure how to get it all to fit together.

 

[The Dude1]

I like this alot better

 

[The Dude1]

For the new tank I want
Blyxa Japonica
Crypt Lucens
Crypt Parva
That reddish purple rotala macandra or something like that?
The hygrophila corymbosa kompacta
Fissidens on the branches
Various buces on the mopani
Maybe java fern windolev around the base of the tall branch?
I'm going to get a C02 system together but for now will I be able to grow those on large doses on metricide?
Also looking for fixtures. I was thinking 2 of the Beamswork or 2 of the Satellite Freshwater. Opinions? Had very poor results with Finnex so they are not going to be considered.

 

[The Dude1]

I actually have a breeding pair of yellow labs in there. None of the fry ever make it, but it would be cool!! I may transfer them into the big tank and keep the lucipinnis in the 75 and breed them. I'm really enjoying them

 

[The Dude1]

Do you guys think 2 of these 48" Beamswork LED fixtures would be enough light?
Specs
48" EA 120 54x - 2600 lumen 45x 6500K, 9x Actinic

 

[The Dude1]

I found a really good deal on some dual T8 black shop lights. $15 a piece and $30 for a 12 pack of 6500k bulbs. I probably could've gotten 2 of those Beamswork Fixtures, but these are cheap tried and true and I can toss in an 8 or 10k bulbs and a red "plant" bulb to get the colors I want. For now I'm just going to run the AC70 on there and pick up one of the dual sunsun circulation pumps. Ive got one on the other 75 and that thing moves some water. Probably had it for 6-7 months and it still works great... and it was like $13.. so tomorrow I'm going to swing by that new LFS and pick up some crypts and stuff that will do alright without C02 for a bit. It will probably take me a month to squirrel away the cash for the regulator and stuff. I'm going to try to wait until I have some decent plant mass in there and I'm positive everything is good before I start adding fish. I want a couple Buce grow areas set up too and I want them to be able to get situated.
Here is what I'm thinking for stock..
I'll probably start out with some Amano shrimp, nerites, and maybe a few Oto's. I'd like to get some RCS in there, but I'm going to set up little tank for them again and I'll get a colony in here going with culls.
Pair of Apisto Caucatoides triple red
Pair of Bolivian Rams
4 groups of 4 Rainbows.
Millennium
Turquoise
Bosemani
Goyder River
I'd also like some loaches.. maybe a group of 5 Botia.

The bottom tank will be nothing but grow out for the syno's for now. If I'm able to distinguish the Multi's from the lucipinnis I will add the Multi's to the display tank that has a breeding pair of yellow labs. I'll keep the lucipinnis in that tank and see how breeding goes. I'm thinking I may want some dwarf cichlids and some cardinals maybe since the lucipinnis will be breeding in the "breeding caves" I shouldn't have much problem with the others getting to their eggs... they won't even be able to get to them lol

 

[The Dude1]

I am getting there!! Picked up some hygro corymbosa compact, rotala macandra, crypt Parva, crypt Lucens or lutea?? The smaller one... I still need to pick out the moss I'll use and two types of bucephelandra. I also ordered some Seachem Potassium as I think that is the cause of my constantly dying java ferns and also some iron. I'll switch to dry ferts for next time. I also ordered another dual sunsun circulation pump. I also picked up 2 super nice Bolivian Rams. I noted that the store has LITERALLY every rainbow species that I want and they get them from a well known local fish farm.
I'm going to see how this week goes and decide on what I pick up next. I'd really like to get the C02 setup, but I don't think it's in the cards just yet. The 2 Dual bulb T8 fixtures look great. May pick up a 3rd at $15 so I can really push the C02. I'm going to see how the 4 T8's perform. Anyone have any insight into these rated old school lighting solutions lol?? Will I need 6 T8 bulbs?

 

[The Dude1]

I think I may pick up a 3rd T8 fixture. From what I'm reading the macandra needs higher light and hopefully with 6 T8's and heavy metricide I can keep it alive until I get a regulator.
Anybody with experience with Rotala Macandra? Anyone know of something similair looking that will be more forgiving? The Ammania Bonsai is really pretty