58g Planted w/overflow and sump
- Thread starter myswtsins
- Start date
How are you doing it? Siphoning or scooping or some of both? My back is having sympathy pains. Good luck!
8 hours later....I'm dead tired and it's not done! lol I got my 55 barrel and siphoned the sand out of the 58g, took 3 minutes maybe, then siphoned the water out of the barrel and dump the sand into a 5g bucket.
Now I wish I had used another barrel and siphoned the oil-dri out too but I used that same barrel to put my 72s water, decor and fish into with the filters setup and running. Then I scooped the oil-dri which was horrible and dirty but I am glad to say still very much intact after some of it being submerged for....like 5 years. It was about 10gs worth of substrate too, I was surprised how deep it was!
Then I siphoned the rest of the dirty water and a little oil-dri out into the yard. Got the sand into the 72, which was only about 3gs worth. Threw the decor back into the tank, put the filters on the front of the tank and got the fishes back in. DONE! For tonight anyways. 58g sits half full with no substrate ATM. Tomorrow I have a party so I don't know if I'll get anything done.
There were a million little things in there too and that is what adds up.
BTW Catching roselines is harder then catching mbunas! lol SO fast and great jumpers!
Now I wish I had used another barrel and siphoned the oil-dri out too but I used that same barrel to put my 72s water, decor and fish into with the filters setup and running. Then I scooped the oil-dri which was horrible and dirty but I am glad to say still very much intact after some of it being submerged for....like 5 years. It was about 10gs worth of substrate too, I was surprised how deep it was!
Then I siphoned the rest of the dirty water and a little oil-dri out into the yard. Got the sand into the 72, which was only about 3gs worth. Threw the decor back into the tank, put the filters on the front of the tank and got the fishes back in. DONE! For tonight anyways. 58g sits half full with no substrate ATM. Tomorrow I have a party so I don't know if I'll get anything done.
There were a million little things in there too and that is what adds up.
BTW Catching roselines is harder then catching mbunas! lol SO fast and great jumpers!
Whew! Long day! But you got the worst of it over. I hear you on roseline catching, crazy fast jumpers.
Have fun at your party, you're at a good stopping point...but still a ton to do...next!
Oh, & you need several totes...not "barrels"...WTF? I have a ton'o'totes for fish...& everything else too... green for fish, blue etc for "other stuff"...with lists inside or out even when color-coding isn't quite perfect, said the hoarder.
Have fun at your party, you're at a good stopping point...but still a ton to do...next!
Oh, & you need several totes...not "barrels"...WTF? I have a ton'o'totes for fish...& everything else too... green for fish, blue etc for "other stuff"...with lists inside or out even when color-coding isn't quite perfect, said the hoarder.
lol I have totes too but I liked the idea of the barrel cause it could hold almost all the original tank water, is super strong and I could easily hook up my canister filters so the fish could have stayed in there..indefinitely really. Oh, and it was tall enough to completely cover my big/tall decorations.
Couldn't sleep! Here's some thoughts...
Substrate - I am thinking I want to leave a layer of the dirty/unrinsed oil-dri in the bottom and top it with some cleaned oil-dri. Keeping some of the mature mulm but not just dumping dirty substrate in there. Also thinking of doing a nice thick layer of substrate since I know I will have a good amount of big rooted plants. Thoughts?
Flow/circulation - Can't figure out what to do here! Someone just tell me what to do, I'm at a loss. lol Once I get the substrate in I'll have a better idea how strong my current setup is, I think.
Couldn't sleep! Here's some thoughts...
Substrate - I am thinking I want to leave a layer of the dirty/unrinsed oil-dri in the bottom and top it with some cleaned oil-dri. Keeping some of the mature mulm but not just dumping dirty substrate in there. Also thinking of doing a nice thick layer of substrate since I know I will have a good amount of big rooted plants. Thoughts?
Flow/circulation - Can't figure out what to do here! Someone just tell me what to do, I'm at a loss. lol Once I get the substrate in I'll have a better idea how strong my current setup is, I think.
I'd go for barrels over totes too... they are sturdier, and it's not like you're going to carry a tote full of water either... and a barrel will carry more (in this case 3 times as much)
Having used substrate will help with root feeders, but as would something else to put under there (worm casings, clay, ferts etc... all will have a good result) And yes, you definitely need substrate deep enough to hold your roots... if you know your layout you can slope/bank the substrate accordingly.. but with a tank this deep, you can afford to have it nice and deep if you want.
for circulation.. you'll likely have an issue, depending how you have your return plumbed, unless you have a customflo system laying around in your box of tricks (Linked) Then you are likely best to add a small circulation pump or 2 to make sure everything moves around correctly and you're avoiding dead spots in the water - again it'll depend on your desired layout, but you can move them whenever needed.
Having used substrate will help with root feeders, but as would something else to put under there (worm casings, clay, ferts etc... all will have a good result) And yes, you definitely need substrate deep enough to hold your roots... if you know your layout you can slope/bank the substrate accordingly.. but with a tank this deep, you can afford to have it nice and deep if you want.
for circulation.. you'll likely have an issue, depending how you have your return plumbed, unless you have a customflo system laying around in your box of tricks (Linked) Then you are likely best to add a small circulation pump or 2 to make sure everything moves around correctly and you're avoiding dead spots in the water - again it'll depend on your desired layout, but you can move them whenever needed.
No clue on layout. Honestly, I hate scaping and I don't even wanna think about it. 
But I know I need to. 
I do not have a customflo laying around, how embarassing!
I have PVC though! I want to make something, maybe split the return (with 600+ gph there is enough to go around) just need to figure out how I want the flow to go. If I knew my layout I'd have a better idea, ugh. My logical mind is far outweighing my creative mind right now. 
Doser is up to $75 again now!
But that's cause there are only 5 left. In a couple weeks it should be cheap again.
Just ordered a gallon of Metricide for $21, woohoo! That'll last me awhile.
Dreading setting up my CO2. It was giving me such problem last time.
Just got word the party is canceled! Now I got work to do.
And yes, I decided this was an emoji kinda post! 
But I know I need to. I do not have a customflo laying around, how embarassing!
I have PVC though! I want to make something, maybe split the return (with 600+ gph there is enough to go around) just need to figure out how I want the flow to go. If I knew my layout I'd have a better idea, ugh. My logical mind is far outweighing my creative mind right now. Doser is up to $75 again now!
But that's cause there are only 5 left. In a couple weeks it should be cheap again.Just ordered a gallon of Metricide for $21, woohoo! That'll last me awhile.
Dreading setting up my CO2. It was giving me such problem last time. Just got word the party is canceled! Now I got work to do.
And yes, I decided this was an emoji kinda post! my personal thought on splitting the outflow is that it may kind of get in the way, and is unlikely to actually provide flow throughout the tank, especially if you have some hardscape in there too; hence adding a powerhead, likely tucked in a bottom, rear corner.
whatever happens, I'm sure it'll be swell.. and if you're really worried,, you could try asking folks in a more plant-oriented group... locally I'd personally recommend the NJAGC and see what they can suggest, they'll have the obvious benefit of being able to back up suggestions with locally available plants too
whatever happens, I'm sure it'll be swell.. and if you're really worried,, you could try asking folks in a more plant-oriented group... locally I'd personally recommend the NJAGC and see what they can suggest, they'll have the obvious benefit of being able to back up suggestions with locally available plants too
Thanks for your input. You may be right that it would not be effective enough with just the return. I can always add a powerhead later, which is nice. I KNOW my current setup won't work as is because it causes a lot of ripples, which was intended at the time. So I will at least need to make it longer/deep. Right now it is just A DIY PVC U with an oversized elbow for the nozzle.
Putting the substrate in now and I feel like I used soil cause it's so messy. lol Pictures coming when I am done.
Putting the substrate in now and I feel like I used soil cause it's so messy. lol Pictures coming when I am done.
