"Farm" 20H

3735 Views 27 Replies 6 Participants Last post by BeastMaster, Mar 26, 2015

BeastMaster

Discussion Starter · Apr 29, 2014 (Edited)

Last week found a tank, hood & air pump next to the trash bin of our apt. Did a leak test last nite and the tank passed. Cleaned it up & tried to remove the hard water stains/scratches(?). From the hood label found the tank was manufactured by All Glass Aquariums (AGA). Because the water stains are about 1/2 way up the tank, believe this tank housed water turtles. It is about to be reincarnated as an outdoor low tech planted tank.

I have a leftover 9L bag of Aqua Soil & 2 clamp lamp fixtures w/ 6500K 13W CFLs that I will use on this project. The tank will be located in a shaded area of my lanai, and will need to find it a stand. The glosso appears to be spreading horizontally in another outdoor tank so maybe I'll be using it in the foreground. Obtained some kiawe roots recently so, will try to use them with with some of my Trident java fern as part of the hardscape.

The tank will be topless, no CO2 or filtration will be used. May include a powerhead for circulation. Any suggestions on other plants to include? Will include "wild" Neos & probably some Apistos. Looks like my hobby is expanding outdoors from my man cave apt.!!! :bounce:

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BeastMaster

Discussion Starter · #2 · Apr 30, 2014

Quick Update

Received the Finnex Planted+ fixture for another of my project tanks ("MixedGreens" 30cm cube) which frees up that tank's Ehiem PowerLED fixtures for this tank. Still undecided on the tank stand for this outdoor project. The tank placement will be sheltered but the stand will still be outdoors. Considering a piece for wood shelving placed on cinder blocks. Other options are a free standing storage rack or outdoor patio furniture. Went hardware store shopping and am leaning towards the cinder block route for cost & simplicity. :bounce:

BeastMaster

Discussion Starter · #3 · May 2, 2014

Moving Forward

Went out to Lowe's & picked up (4) 4'X8"X16" hollow tile blocks and (2) 24"X8" shelves for the poor man's tank stand.. Positioned the cement blocks, placed the tank on the shelving & checked the level. Next, put the PowerLED fixtures on, checked elevation and centered. The 9L bag of AS Amazonia normal filled the tank to a depth of about 2". I sloped the substrate to 1" in front & 3" in back. Don't have any hardscape elements for this tank and don't really have any driving ideas for a scape so, I think for this tank initially, will plant a Glosso carpet and later add hardscape pieces as the become available. :bounce:

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Crazy4discus

· #4 · May 2, 2014

That's a great find!

BeastMaster

Discussion Starter · #5 · May 2, 2014

Crazy4discus said:
That's a great find!

Mahalo. With this project being my biggest tank so far, it'll be a challenge. The tank being outside in shaded natural light and supplementing with LEDs, circulation but no active filtration and no CO2 planned are factors I must deal with as opposed to my indoor tanks. Keying in on the Glosso growth pattern will be the immediate goal for now.

Resloped the AS to both rear corners & sprayed/moistened the substrate. Covered the tank w/cellophane to prevent drying out. Will fill the tank & start prepping the Glosso for planting in the next few days. :bounce:

Charrr89

· #6 · May 4, 2014

Wow that's pretty Awesome! Heard u signed up for the aquascapes layout show

BeastMaster

Discussion Starter · #7 · May 4, 2014

Charrr89 said:
Wow that's pretty Awesome! Heard u signed up for the aquascapes layout show

Thanks Charr. Yeah, finally got the nerve to enter. Hopefully my Mac tank will be ready. :bounce:

r45t4m4n

· #8 · May 4, 2014

those bricks are not mortared together? one tap from the side could send that whole thing falling, especially with the center of gravity high due to a filled tank.

I see a cooling coil and a cornie in the reflection, fellow homebrewer?

BeastMaster

Discussion Starter · #9 · May 4, 2014

r45t4m4n said:
those bricks are not mortared together? one tap from the side could send that whole thing falling, especially with the center of gravity high due to a filled tank.

I see a cooling coil and a cornie in the reflection, fellow homebrewer?

Yeah I know what you mean. That's why I only went 2 high and placed in a less traveled corner. When I get back from trip to Bay Area, will probably start up brewing again. The cornys are leakers and the coil is from an old project. Thanks for looking. :bounce:

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BeastMaster

Discussion Starter · #10 · May 5, 2014

Planted

Big mahalos to mfurufuru for the Glosso RAOK. Prepped & planted the sprigs and adjusted PowerLED lamp height. A little cloudy now but will soon clear. Next step is to p/u a timer for the lighting and a powerhead for circulation. :bounce:

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BeastMaster

Discussion Starter · #11 · May 7, 2014

"Recycled" 20H AGA

The lighting is now on timer, 3hr on/7hr off/5hr on/9hr off starting @ 7am. Added a Rio+ 90 in the upper left corner for circulation. Will be dosing w/Excel until the Glossostigma gets established then decide if I need to continue dosing, go pressurized CO2 or let it go w/o carbon addition. This pic makes the tank look like a big Glosso smile! :bounce:

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Little Soprano

· #12 · May 7, 2014

What a great find on an AGA tank. Our 40 Gallon long is an old (ancient lol) AGA tank, and it's silicone job is excellent, tank barely bows either. Has been from FW to SW and back to FW, still looks brand new. Should have the bottom tempered glass too if I remember. Very sturdy well built tanks!

BeastMaster

Discussion Starter · #13 · May 7, 2014

Little Soprano said:
What a great find on an AGA tank. Our 40 Gallon long is an old (ancient lol) AGA tank, and it's silicone job is excellent, tank barely bows either. Has been from FW to SW and back to FW, still looks brand new. Should have the bottom tempered glass too if I remember. Very sturdy well built tanks!

Funny you should mention that. Was @ a LFS today & noticed that the address for Aqueon is the same as All Glass Aquariums Co. I googled it & found that AGA evolved into Aqueon! Was never a big fan of Aqueon silicone joints (spoiled by ADA, Mr Aqua & DBP). The earlier AGA tanks do have a better quality looking seal than present Aqueon tanks though (at least this one does). :bounce:

Little Soprano

· #14 · May 7, 2014 (Edited)

BeastMaster said:
Funny you should mention that. Was @ a LFS today & noticed that the address for Aqueon is the same as All Glass Aquariums Co. I googled it & found that AGA evolved into Aqueon! Was never a big fan of Aqueon silicone joints (spoiled by ADA, Mr Aqua & DBP). The earlier AGA tanks do have a better quality looking seal than present Aqueon tanks though (at least this one does). :bounce:

Yeah I noticed that they evolved into Aqueon as well. Though it's funny that my 10 gallon (brand new Aqueon) has a pretty noticeable bulge to it then the older tank, though this one has pretty good silicone work. My 55 gallon Rat tank is an old AGA tank too (though I doubt it could ever be used as a tank again after all of the rats in it), you can barely see the joints on it either. My older tank doesn't look a day old, cleanest silicone joints I've ever seen XD. And the tempered glass bottoms some of the old ones have are a really nice little safety feature.

Just snapped a few pics, but mind you this tank was bought in the 80s, so the silicone has been worn a bit from algae scrappers and such, but this tank is so unbelievably sturdy. My ten gallon scares me, this one is solid.

The driftwood decided it was going to float itself after being sunk at the bottom for a few months, but the bamboo shrimp like to sit on top of it since it now floats in front of the spillway from the HOB, it's there pirate ship

Some parts of the silicone have been warn away worse, but the craftsmanship in their old tanks is unbelievable.

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Charrr89

· #15 · May 7, 2014

BeastMaster said:
Thanks Charr. Yeah, finally got the nerve to enter. Hopefully my Mac tank will be ready. :bounce:

Mac tank ?? Are you doing a Lego tank ? That's interesting

BeastMaster

Discussion Starter · #16 · May 7, 2014

Charrr89 said:
Mac tank ?? Are you doing a Lego tank ? That's interesting

The Mac tank is my "MacAquarium". This was my 1st planted tank. I used black LEGOs to prop it into place inside the computer case. You wouldn't be able to see it unless you take off the case front piece.

I did make a LEGO planted aquarium made with LEGO bricks. Light fixture, canister filter CO2 paintball/regulator, tank stand, tank & plants all made w/ different LEGO pieces that I got off their website. I even started a thread for forum members to post LEGOscapes! Good fun. :bounce:

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BeastMaster

Discussion Starter · #17 · May 13, 2014

Just over a week and the Glosso doesn't seem to be reaching so it looks like the light intensity is sufficient. Added 6 wild Neos to keep algae at bay. That, the daily dose of Excel & a conservative photoperiod (8 hrs total) are working to keep the "new tank syndrome" from occurring. :bounce:

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BeastMaster

Discussion Starter · #18 · May 25, 2014

Will be renaming this thread "Maleficent" 20H.

I constructed a driftwood "crown" out of guava roots. The DW was superglued together & "Trident" java fern plantlets were superglued around the base. The gnarled roots spreading up & out resembles the headdress of Disney fame.

After a week of absence, the Glosso is growing in horizontal in the AS. The question of sufficent PAR rating from the Ehiem PowerLEDs has been answered.

Mosquito larvae have been seen so, will have to put in a couple of green swordtails to control the pests. Also added a small amount of daphnia & gammarus for a live food source. :bounce:

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JoshBA

· #19 · May 25, 2014

This is really cool tank! I always like to see the 'extreme' low tech tanks with only a light and plants as a filter.

I've had four red cherry shrimp in my unfiltered, overgrown newt paludarium for the last few months, and they seem to be doing just fine. I don't even feed them; there's likely more than enough food they can forage for.

There's also daphnia that are flourishing in this tank (randomly showed up, Daphnia moina I believe). They've also been culturing very well in stagnant 10 gallon windowsill tank.

BeastMaster

Discussion Starter · #20 · May 25, 2014 (Edited)

Thanks Josh. My other outdoor tank is a no tech. No filtration/circulation, no supplemental lighting (just limited direct sunlight) & no CO2. Got a small colony of pygmy sunfish in this 5.5 gal that has been going for over 19 months now. :bounce:

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