Ben_K
Member
Hello everyone!
Ive been fortunate enough to come across this handy website so Ive registered up and it sure looks like a valuble reference! Ive been active on 'plantgeek.net' for a while now and thought Id bring my Journal over!
So, here's the story so far...
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I picked up the tank itself from ebay. £50 for a 48x15x18 tank seemed pretty good to me. It also came with a load of cleaners, pumps, tubes etc. that I wont use but they are always good for back-up.
I then designed and eventually built a stand myself. I wasnt happy with the units that you pay hundreds of £££s for and still only get chipboard or MDF. When I consider that the tank will weigh around 250kgs (550lbs) when full, I want to know it will still be there when I get home! So, I came up with this. Its a frame built from treated outdoor grade 4x2" with pine panelling and detail outside.
Despite being able to woodwork, Im not a carpenter by any standards and was quite happy with the result.
It was then Oak stained.
And finally reached the living room! At this point the tank sat on polystyrene tiles, however I have added special foam mats as well as the polystyrene to make sure the surface is suitably flat and load bearing. The doors were still being treated (As I cocked them up the first time!
Next was the substrate and my swanky new Eheim filter. I wanted to get it cycling as soon as I could. It also had a few pieces of bogwood in there as they were sitting around or in spare tanks anyway.
A week or so ago, I had received some new bogwood (From LFS and ebay) and a few days ago I received my first batch of plants. I took a risk and decided to get some from ebay that seemed cheap but reliable. The plants I have are actually very good and Im quite happy with them.
It now has:
- Amazon Swords
- Cabomba Aquatica
- Marimo (Moss Balls)
- Pistia stratiotes
- Java Moss (Previous inhabitant)
I am currently awaiting a new batch of
- Amazon Swords
- Vallis
- Anubias Barteri
I am also wanting to get some ground coverage, although Im not sure what to get yet. I'm awaiting a response in my 'First planted tank' thread...
I also think the lighting is a little weak in this tank (A mere 38W tropical tube) so I need to somehow get more into the tank. The hood doesn't have a lot of extra space for it and I haven't been able to find any double tube mountings yet. Guess I'll have to keep searching.
Any thoughts or ideas, please let me know!!
Ive been fortunate enough to come across this handy website so Ive registered up and it sure looks like a valuble reference! Ive been active on 'plantgeek.net' for a while now and thought Id bring my Journal over!
So, here's the story so far...
---------------
I picked up the tank itself from ebay. £50 for a 48x15x18 tank seemed pretty good to me. It also came with a load of cleaners, pumps, tubes etc. that I wont use but they are always good for back-up.
I then designed and eventually built a stand myself. I wasnt happy with the units that you pay hundreds of £££s for and still only get chipboard or MDF. When I consider that the tank will weigh around 250kgs (550lbs) when full, I want to know it will still be there when I get home! So, I came up with this. Its a frame built from treated outdoor grade 4x2" with pine panelling and detail outside.
Despite being able to woodwork, Im not a carpenter by any standards and was quite happy with the result.
It was then Oak stained.
And finally reached the living room! At this point the tank sat on polystyrene tiles, however I have added special foam mats as well as the polystyrene to make sure the surface is suitably flat and load bearing. The doors were still being treated (As I cocked them up the first time!
Next was the substrate and my swanky new Eheim filter. I wanted to get it cycling as soon as I could. It also had a few pieces of bogwood in there as they were sitting around or in spare tanks anyway.
A week or so ago, I had received some new bogwood (From LFS and ebay) and a few days ago I received my first batch of plants. I took a risk and decided to get some from ebay that seemed cheap but reliable. The plants I have are actually very good and Im quite happy with them.
It now has:
- Amazon Swords
- Cabomba Aquatica
- Marimo (Moss Balls)
- Pistia stratiotes
- Java Moss (Previous inhabitant)
I am currently awaiting a new batch of
- Amazon Swords
- Vallis
- Anubias Barteri
I am also wanting to get some ground coverage, although Im not sure what to get yet. I'm awaiting a response in my 'First planted tank' thread...
I also think the lighting is a little weak in this tank (A mere 38W tropical tube) so I need to somehow get more into the tank. The hood doesn't have a lot of extra space for it and I haven't been able to find any double tube mountings yet. Guess I'll have to keep searching.
Any thoughts or ideas, please let me know!!