Brentling's 125 Startup Thread - Lots o' Pics

[tankboy_taylor]

Id go with two eheim 2217 classics for filteration check ebay theres a store Deals From Wisconsin, I have gotten two brand new classics from them for less than half full price cause these were customer returns either missing minor parts or cosmetic damage. just keep your eye out on the the auctions they always have a ton of filters on there

 

[Tophat665]

First think I do every morning when I log in is hit craigslist and search aquarium and fish. I've bought one new filter in the last 2 years, and that was an internal that I bought to match another internal I have so they could share media spares. I picked up a 2217 the other day for, I think, $85. Guy ran it on saltwater for 10 years, but had he not told me that, I would have sworn it was new.

 

[Mindcrime121]

I just stumbled across this and WOW! SWEET setup you got going there, and kudos on the patience it's taking to see it to completion. Can't wait to see it with water in it. The only things I'd be concerned with are if the small gaps in the cork wall might allow for anything to swim/crawl behind it, between it and the glass. Having some otto or amano shrimp get stuck back there and die would not be great for your water chemistry. I know it's a LOT of water, but considering how sensative discus can be, just something to consider. Secondly, you said you got that wood from a creek, and with someone else's post regarding waterlogged wood breaking free of silicone mounting, I'd worry about it floating up within the first few days of filling the tank. Might wanna consider getting a few pieces of mopani and using fishing line to tie them to the bottoms of those other logs and such, just to ensure they have some weight to help prevent that from happening. Just an idea though. I agree with another poster about getting some java fern for those logs also. That would look sweet. I love the design and am glad the plants are growing in good for you now too. This is an awesome thread and I'm glad I read the whole thing or I'd have nefver known swordtails eat hair algae! Got some came in on the crypts I bought last week so I think I'll get one for my tank. Sorry about the catfish incodent though.

 

[brentling]

I think I will cover the cracks between the cork, as suggested by several posters. It is a royal pain, but will be necessary, apparently. I was thinking more about aesthetics at first. Unlike the pictures, where the flash illuminates the green wall behind the tank, the cracks are dark and black when looked at in the tank with the lights on. With plants in place, this will be a non-issue. If Otos and shrimp get stuck, though, you are correct. My fingers have healed from all the cuts I got originally installing the cork, so it looks like it is time to finish the job! Thanks for your comments.

 

[Tophat665]

Brent, if you got some of the black aquarium sealant in a caulk gun, it would take next to no time at all. Course, the tank would smell like a vat of pickles for a week, but no big deal.

 

[Mindcrime121]

I totally agree with Tophat about the black silicone. You could gun it in and smooth it with a rubber glove ot even a butterknife to make it look like holes in the "bank" and at the same time ensure nothing can get in there and get stuck. Any thought on what I posted about the wood though? I would HATE for you to fill the tank and have it break free after a day or two and float to the top.

 

[brentling]

Nooks and Crannies

I totally agree with Tophat about the black silicone. You could gun it in and smooth it with a rubber glove ot even a butterknife to make it look like holes in the "bank" and at the same time ensure nothing can get in there and get stuck. Any thought on what I posted about the wood though? I would HATE for you to fill the tank and have it break free after a day or two and float to the top.

"Brent, if you got some of the black aquarium sealant in a caulk gun, it would take next to no time at all. Course, the tank would smell like a vat of pickles for a week, but no big deal."

Hmm, good idea with the silicone... just seal up any access behind the cork. Thanks for the idea! As for the wood, the big root/stump on the right side has rocks embedded in the roots. As the tree grew, it grabbed several rocks and they became one. I expect that the rocks will hold that one down until the stump is waterlogged. The big root on the left is a concern. It is not held down by anything at the moment. I think in the back of my mind, I am planning to tie a big rock on that puppy until it is waterlogged. That particular root is quite porous and I expect it will sink quickly. The other small vertical pieces are siliconed to the bottom of the tank below the substrate. I hadn't imagined it would float, but you all have a good point. Are you suggesting that I get some mopami wood (heavy and sinks right away, yes?) and secure it to the siliconed wood in order to keep it locked down until it is waterlogged? Mybe I could tie some big rocks to it?

 

[Tophat665]

What you could do is get four to six hunks of rock, about fist sized or a bit bigger. Tie them together in pairs with fishing line so there's 4 to 12 inches of play between them (you'll figure out what you need after the first two or three). Wrap or drape the line over the driftwood so that the rocks are hanging above the substrate. Two things to keep in mind 1) you'll need to make basically a net to hold the rock on each end of the line, and 2) the reason you need multiples is you'll need to strategically place them so that the driftwood doesn't float askew and come out of them. I figure 10 or 20 lbs of granite should keep those down nicely until they get waterlogged.

 

[brentling]

Thanks for the detailed answer. It sounds just right!

 

[Mindcrime121]

The rock plan sounds good, but what I'd had in mind was taking some mopani and setting it over the "tail end" of the existing wood, so it would look like more root structure, assuming there is enough horizontal area at the base of these pieces to lay the mopani across. The weight of the mopani should hold the other wood down until it waterlogs just like the rocks. It's just a matter of your own personal taste really, unless there isn't sufficient area for laying the mopani over, in which case Tophats plan would obviously work better since you could wrap the fishing line around the existing wood even at a vertical section. Of course, no reason you couldn't use the fishing line trick with the mopani too. Just depends on how you want it to look in the end. Either way, better safe than sorry. It would really bite if that wood floated up after you filled the tank.