After months and months of planning I finally have my new aquarium up and running!
Equipment:
140x50x35cm (around 200L until I sort out the overflows) Custom made open top aquarium by seashell aquariums with 2x 1" side drilled bulkheads.
100x40x40cm (180L approx) Ehiem Scuba aquarium (as a sump/refugium)
Total system volume approx 380-400L
Fluval 405 external filter with matured ceramic biorings, ehiem biological media (Coco puffs!), Fine filter floss, peat and the biological/mechanical sponges which come with the filter
2x 300w RENA smartheat heaters
Arcadia 3 series over tank light (over the 180L sump/freshwater planted refugium)
DIY stand using 50x50mm wood and 8mm MDF topped with 10mm polystyrene and a butyl pond liner (to protect MDF from spillages)
Lighting is 2x ceiling lights incorporating 4x 1.2w GU10 white LEDs and 2x 35w GU10 halogens affixed to the bookshelf installed above the aquarium.
Aquascaped using dark rounded slate pebbles and boulders, Senegal sand and vine wood
Water parameters currently stand at:
NH3 0ppm
NO2 0ppm
NO3 10ppm
PO4 0ppm
Ph 7
GH 40d
KH 30d
(tested almost daily)
Current stocking is:
200L:
2x L066 (Male + Female)
3x Apistogramma viejita (Male + Female breeding pair + another female)
Leporacanthicus galaxias (Adult 10inch female)
20x Cardinal tetra
7x Unknown species of gobies (not biotope specific but they were a spur of the moment purchase and suit the style of aquarium very well!)
A few Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae not really biotope specific but as a big planted aquarium guy I could never set up a tank devoid of flora, I opted for this plant because apart from being my 3rd favorite plant! It really suits this type of environment, low light, low nutrient (Liquid, substrate AND CO2) as well as tolerating high flow and a wide range of parameters… It also looks really really cool!
180L:
Currently empty and completely undecided as to how to aquascape or stock! I will probably re-build the ebb flow planters I once had in this exact aquarium for growing Hemianthus callitrichoides, Pogostemon helferi, Utricularia graminifolia, Eleocharis acicular is for use in other aquariums as well as reducing nitrates and phosphates within the system and use the rest of the aquarium as a fry refugium.
I like to keep records of all my aquariums at home, college and work that I have set up over the years in the hopes that one day I might get around to putting a bit of a portfolio together and using it to somewhat further my career. Anyway without further addo some pictures for your enjoyment!
Firstly the DIY stand, I’m sure some of you will cringe at the thought of something so flimsy holding so much weight in an upstairs room but unfortunately I am not a carpenter and chose to do food tech (Home economics) instead of resistant materials (Shop class/woodwork)!! However I was present when this room was being constructed and know for a fact that it was constructed using VERY oversized joists the largest of which runs directly underneath. Its also pretty ugly for something that is located in my bedroom (at the end of my bed to be exact) but considering the usual state of the rest of my room which is constantly covered in aquatics equipment, buckets, empty aquariums, sand and gravel, fishing rods, clothes, tools, guns and various other junk I decided do save my budget and just create something functional which does what it needs to do and makes the most of what little available space was available rather than being a pretty piece of furniture! At some point along the line I may use some plain white contiboard to match the rest of the room across the front and left side with a little window and door to access the sump and equipment but in my eyes this isn’t exactly necessary right now!
Here is the aquarium installed pre-filling:
Its location:
The Sump:
Filling the main aquarium:
After it had been running for a month and lighting was finally installed:
Stock:
L066 Hypancistrus sp. King tigers drip acclimatising:
My pride and joy Apistogramma viejita pair in their planted previous aquarium:
With fry in the soft water system at work whilst I was building this aquarium! Male and female both guarding and showing VERY vibrant breeding colours, especially in the case of the female! Unfortunately despite numerous spawns in various aquariums I have yet to raise the eggs or fry past 10 days.
Leporacanthicus galaxias:
Photos from feeding time!
Male L066 Feeding on prawn “kebabâ€:
Female L066:
Male + Female L066 feeding on live bloodworm:
Male L066 + Male Apistogramma viejita eating live bloodworm together:
Apistogramma viejita male + female posing together:
Gobies I introduced, not sure what species these actually are… Anyone got any idea?!
Equipment:
140x50x35cm (around 200L until I sort out the overflows) Custom made open top aquarium by seashell aquariums with 2x 1" side drilled bulkheads.
100x40x40cm (180L approx) Ehiem Scuba aquarium (as a sump/refugium)
Total system volume approx 380-400L
Fluval 405 external filter with matured ceramic biorings, ehiem biological media (Coco puffs!), Fine filter floss, peat and the biological/mechanical sponges which come with the filter
2x 300w RENA smartheat heaters
Arcadia 3 series over tank light (over the 180L sump/freshwater planted refugium)
DIY stand using 50x50mm wood and 8mm MDF topped with 10mm polystyrene and a butyl pond liner (to protect MDF from spillages)
Lighting is 2x ceiling lights incorporating 4x 1.2w GU10 white LEDs and 2x 35w GU10 halogens affixed to the bookshelf installed above the aquarium.
Aquascaped using dark rounded slate pebbles and boulders, Senegal sand and vine wood
Water parameters currently stand at:
NH3 0ppm
NO2 0ppm
NO3 10ppm
PO4 0ppm
Ph 7
GH 40d
KH 30d
(tested almost daily)
Current stocking is:
200L:
2x L066 (Male + Female)
3x Apistogramma viejita (Male + Female breeding pair + another female)
Leporacanthicus galaxias (Adult 10inch female)
20x Cardinal tetra
7x Unknown species of gobies (not biotope specific but they were a spur of the moment purchase and suit the style of aquarium very well!)
A few Cryptocoryne crispatula var. balansae not really biotope specific but as a big planted aquarium guy I could never set up a tank devoid of flora, I opted for this plant because apart from being my 3rd favorite plant! It really suits this type of environment, low light, low nutrient (Liquid, substrate AND CO2) as well as tolerating high flow and a wide range of parameters… It also looks really really cool!
180L:
Currently empty and completely undecided as to how to aquascape or stock! I will probably re-build the ebb flow planters I once had in this exact aquarium for growing Hemianthus callitrichoides, Pogostemon helferi, Utricularia graminifolia, Eleocharis acicular is for use in other aquariums as well as reducing nitrates and phosphates within the system and use the rest of the aquarium as a fry refugium.
I like to keep records of all my aquariums at home, college and work that I have set up over the years in the hopes that one day I might get around to putting a bit of a portfolio together and using it to somewhat further my career. Anyway without further addo some pictures for your enjoyment!
Firstly the DIY stand, I’m sure some of you will cringe at the thought of something so flimsy holding so much weight in an upstairs room but unfortunately I am not a carpenter and chose to do food tech (Home economics) instead of resistant materials (Shop class/woodwork)!! However I was present when this room was being constructed and know for a fact that it was constructed using VERY oversized joists the largest of which runs directly underneath. Its also pretty ugly for something that is located in my bedroom (at the end of my bed to be exact) but considering the usual state of the rest of my room which is constantly covered in aquatics equipment, buckets, empty aquariums, sand and gravel, fishing rods, clothes, tools, guns and various other junk I decided do save my budget and just create something functional which does what it needs to do and makes the most of what little available space was available rather than being a pretty piece of furniture! At some point along the line I may use some plain white contiboard to match the rest of the room across the front and left side with a little window and door to access the sump and equipment but in my eyes this isn’t exactly necessary right now!
Here is the aquarium installed pre-filling:
Its location:
The Sump:
Filling the main aquarium:
After it had been running for a month and lighting was finally installed:
Stock:
L066 Hypancistrus sp. King tigers drip acclimatising:
My pride and joy Apistogramma viejita pair in their planted previous aquarium:
With fry in the soft water system at work whilst I was building this aquarium! Male and female both guarding and showing VERY vibrant breeding colours, especially in the case of the female! Unfortunately despite numerous spawns in various aquariums I have yet to raise the eggs or fry past 10 days.
Leporacanthicus galaxias:
Photos from feeding time!
Male L066 Feeding on prawn “kebabâ€:
Female L066:
Male + Female L066 feeding on live bloodworm:
Male L066 + Male Apistogramma viejita eating live bloodworm together:
Apistogramma viejita male + female posing together:
Gobies I introduced, not sure what species these actually are… Anyone got any idea?!
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