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Stupid is as stupid does

Re: Stupid is as stupid does

sanj said:
Thinking I should of started on a (far) smaller tank :crazy:
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Nope, dont be silly you will love it and be glad. You have so much scope, no need to rush either. Dont take what the apologists say, size does matter! :lol:
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Must really remember that ,always be told it's not what you have but how you use it that counts :lol: Maybe I should aim for both,size and use of 😉
 
Re: Stupid is as stupid does

Re the mist - possibly the biggest improvement in recent years regarding Co2 distribution has come from the new generation of atomisers like the UP ...
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Most folk who use these devices will praise there performance however they also produce a mist but lets put this perspective - the mist is incredibly fine & only visible from very close up.
Needle wheel pumps produce a very similar mist but its just a descriptive term & in reality the mist is hardly noticeable if you stand back even a few feet.
Of course there is nothing wrong with C02 reactors (apart from perhaps the lake of traceable mist 😉 ) I have built many of them & they most definitely work.
However reactors are just another piece of bulky equipment to regulate & maintain...
I have some pics of DIY reactors & there is plenty of info available on the net.
 
Re: Stupid is as stupid does

Seen plenty who recommend the UP atomisers and must admit to be a wee bit ignorant on the whole about dissolving CO2, at the moment using my FX5 intake to do the business for me but read it might not be the best for the filter itself and may damage the impeller but so far so good 😀
Next problem is with the bog wood ( as in big bog wood) and the amount of tannins it releases, could soak some of the smaller pieces in the bath but the larger pieces not a hope unless I break them up some how.Somehow it feels wrong breaking something that could be many hundreds of years up just for my pleasure but then practicalities.....
 
Re: Stupid is as stupid does

Re the mist - possibly the biggest improvement in recent years regarding Co2 distribution has come from the new generation of atomisers like the UP ...
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Hi, would you say these work better than a reactor? In my smaller tank I have had a problem with BBA and staghorn although not in the larger tank, but anyway on the smaller tank the co2 enter the filter out take tube via a TMC co2 reactor.

My understanding is that these forms of algae are often associated with fluctuating co2 levels, i have alot of flow in the tank, but maybe the co2 is not still not dissolving consistantly.
 
Re: Stupid is as stupid does

i'm a big fan of the UP atomizer. You do get a fine mist but this is only visible really close up, and a visible mist lets you SEE your co2 distribution which is really handy. You could put the bogwood straight in the tank then use lots of activated carbon in the filter to soak up the staining? Matt
 
Re: Stupid is as stupid does

Sanj, I think that a well set up reactor, especially one that is made from clear material, work just fine.
The only problems with the UP are - limited flow on a big tank, quite hight pressure required to operate them & the difficulty cleaning them.
However there are new similar devices coming on the market now, perhaps the concept will develop into more user friendly models.
No doubt getting the dissolved gas distributed around the tank is a very important aspect towards success - I am trying out a different method myself
http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15812
 
Re: Stupid is as stupid does

Thanks for the replies, certainly plenty to ponder ( think that's half the fun working out the solutions before the problems come along) was given a carrier bag of activated carbon today so have use of that.Will check out the UP atomiser then it's time to figure out the substrate, I am a awkward so and so.I have TetraPlus 'Complete Substrate' in the five foot tank covered with gravel so was thinking of sieving off the gravel and adding either a potting compost or Irish Moss Peat before using silica sand over everything, thinking cat litter would be blown around the tank, is the bonsai soil as light as cat litter?
 
Re: Stupid is as stupid does

Will be picking up the tank tomorrow (Sunday) feeling a little excited at the moment.Made a flat bed trolley today from 3/4" plywood (sheet cut in two,ending up 8' x 2' x 1 &1/2" thick) with eight castors so hopefully will come in useful tomorrow otherwise sore backs all around.Seeing the trolley has made the size of this tank hit home.First though is the 250 kilometre drive to the tank and again the same home but it will be worth it hopefully
 
Re: Stupid is as stupid does

I sold my 8'x2'x2' last year and I went out and bought two trollys for carrying loads. There were 3 people coming oto pick up the tank and I did not want to risk a disaster my side. Anyway what you have done is very sensible, the trolleys made life a hell of a lot easier. :thumbup:
 
Re: Stupid is as stupid does

Think I should tell the good lady but she might say NO!!!!! :shh: Maybe it's easier to get forgiveness than permission.If you don't hear from me take it she wasn't happy :thumbup:
 
Re: Stupid is as stupid does

Got the tank and sump today all I can say is it's "BIG".Came with a metal stand made from 2" square section steel plus a Tunze stream 6125 powerhead plus the piping for the sump but no return pumps.The pipework is 50mm hard plastic and thinking should the return be flexible tubing (easier to connect to the UP atomisers/reactors) or the same hard plastic?Just that the lads I got the tanks from said it is less prone to leak from the hard plastic .Told you it was well named 'stupid is as stupid does', suits me to a tee.I can still use external filters to run the run the CO2 diffusers if need be
Should the Tunze be ample for the tank (12,000 litres per hour) or should I get smaller powerheads as well? Will try to source the different pipes this week but think it will beat least a month before I can set it up so will try to use this time wisely to get what I need regarding return pumps, reactors (or atomisers) etc
Like to thank all for their replies and kind answers or just even for your time reading my questions 😀
Dave
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Re: Stupid is as stupid does

:lol: feck 🙄 dave thats a big tank!!!! nope im not moving it inside your door either.... the 500 km drive was bad enuf...... esp as 250 of them were done at 130km/h with a steel stand resting on that tank. :twisted:



mrmatt
 
Re: Stupid is as stupid does

:lol: feck 🙄 dave thats a big tank!!!! nope im not moving it inside your door either.... the 500 km drive was bad enuf...... esp as 250 of them were done at 130km/h with a steel stand resting on that tank. :twisted:



mrmatt
 
Re: Stupid is as stupid does

SHHHH! Matt , you drive like a old woman in a Micra, only teasing, she drive better.At least you got a 6' tank out of it plus a wee bit of exercise and umteen cups of coffee, can't say fairer than that.And probably need a hand getting it into the house when the lovely Yvonne has gone out 😀
 
Re: Stupid is as stupid does

foxfish said:
Nice one Dave, we will be here to help if we can....
If you can get some more pictures up that would great.
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Cheers for that but the tank is in it's temporary home until I can sort out the kitchen (re home 4 tanks plus see if I can 'hide' a washing machine ,tumble dryer etc in the frame)Trying to made the frame to look like kitchen units( oak doors etc)and A false unit above to hide the light units ,maybe two to make up the 8' length.The kitchen is only 14' x 14' and in fairness to my better half she does put up with a lot with me and my fish tanks all around the house.I see such great looking tanks here in tidy rooms and it's filling me with shame so trying to make this look half way decent.
 
Re: Stupid is as stupid does

foxfish said:
Best advice from me would be to take your time.
Such a big & beautiful sized tank might take a fair bit of planning - take it easy, make good plans rather than gunho!
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You're so right, like a marriage enter in haste ,regret at leisure!!!!! Will have no choice but take it slowly but that's half the fun, the planning plus the shopping 😀
 
Re: Stupid is as stupid does

Update so far is incredibly slow, ordered two Eheim 1260 pumps for the sump, plus bogwood that has been soaking for the last 6 months got rinsed today, some pieces have broken up but far more interesting shapes for it plus put a bogwood sump in to soak. It's about 18" wide at the widest, 16" front to back and 16" high, other pieces are far bigger and would dwarf even the 8' tank but might try to split them into smaller pieces. Some of the pieces are quite boring but thinking I could use straighter pieces as branches. Was working the other day and speaking to a farmer and he had a beautiful piece in his front room about 2'6" X 2'6" x2'6" but the most beautiful shape imaginable.It was varished so no good but he said to me that he is always pulling up bogwood and has thrown hundreds of pieces to the side of the fields and that I'm welcome to take as many pieces as I want.He was saying the wood gets caught in the blades of the plow and some pieces are weird shapes the way the roots grow looking like people or animals.There are peoples who polish this wood and sell it as works of art, it goes very hard and can take a high gloss from polishing.Pity it takes so long getting the tannins out.................
 
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