Daily log of my new 55 gallon South American Tank.

[lousybreed]

it is up and running!!!!!!!!!!!!

My redone overflow is in full effect. the biggest changes is the overflow tube in the tank is 1.25 inches and the rest is 1" pipe. The water has less resistance with the bigger pipe and now there is no water level problem. also where the 1" line flows into the drain line was dropped several inches for more siphon power. This baby could handle 500 gpm.

the return had two returns the first time, but when you turned off the pump it siphoned water out of the tank into the sump and would almost overflow. the new single return doesnt siphon water back and the water really has a good velocity to it for tank circulation.

i put my trusty male guppy in the 55 last night (he didn't know what to do with all the room) and in the morning he was gone!!! I found him in the sump filter still alive the next morning. I don't know how he weasled his way through the 1/4" holes on the drain line but he made it. I will be installing a screen of some type so no fish has to take the plunge like he did.

 

[lousybreed]

another thing that i forgot to mention is that i re-routed all my electrical wires and now it is much safer. no more cords or plugs over open water. i think that i will buy a gfi for the outlet to be safe. i have to travel this week for work but after that i am going to get this bad-boy running!

 

[Maj0rFiSh]

Can i ask why its so dingy at the moment?

 

[Emg]

Great Job LB ! Quite a project there !


Major, I imagine that the gravel and substrate is still settling and will soon clear up once he gets that filter going. I am anxious to see it finished..but not as anxious as LB though I'm sure...lol...

 

[lousybreed]

Great Job LB ! Quite a project there !


Major, I imagine that the gravel and substrate is still settling and will soon clear up once he gets that filter going. I am anxious to see it finished..but not as anxious as LB though I'm sure...lol...

dingy because of the substrate being stirred up, you are correct!!! i have decided today that i will be buying a RO unit for the tank. gina is going to really hate it though. hoses running everywhere in our bathroom, oh boy.

on a positive note the male guppy is doing good again and seems unaffected by the ruff ride..

 

[ryknier]

very nice work!!!!

 

[lousybreed]

here are the updates

well i have had the male guppy that was first inhabitant of the tank end up in the fuge filter several times because he kept getting sucked into the overflow so i made a strainer out of gutter guard screening and a 1.25" by 2" pvc reducer. I machined out the inside restrictor of the reducer and made it so i could slip it up and down the intake tube. Several wraps of the gutter guard and some zip ties and she is ready to go.

i also installed the plants in the refugium and here are the details. I broke up each root mass and rinsed under the tap to free all the soil. once that was done i cut openings on the top egg create and fit them in. To my suprize they stood up by themselves and look like they are doing good. Lots of roots were lost during the soil removal and i hope they make it. other than that not much new. here are the pics

 

[lousybreed]

just tested water parameters

pH=7.2
ammonia=0
nitrite=0
nitrate= trace
dH=9
temp 78.5F
conductivity meter=290microsemens
test kit used is tetra laborett, pretty decent kit

i transfered all the fish 11 cardinals, 4 rams, 1 male guppy and 1 albino cats into the 55 gallon from the 15 gallon. The 15 gal will be shut down!!!

the fish are acting totally different now, before in the 15 they mostly hide all the time and were very skittish. Part of the fact was the location was in a very high traffic area and was lower than the new 55 gal. The painted sides must have really worked because now the cardnials are schooling all over. I have seen them more in the last hour than in an average week in the 15!!!!!!! The rams arent fighting as much and are swimming all over the place. this is awsome to see. the decor is what was in the 15 so it is kinda bare. one of these days i will take another pic. On a down note, the water is still kinda cloudy. I will just water change until it clears (no hurry)....

 

[pl*co]

Excellent! I have been enjoying the continuing saga. You are doing a fantastic job. I think the skittishness may have had something to do with the tank size, as well as the location. I noticed some of my swordtails and rasboras are more skittish in a 10 gallon than in the 25. Less room to escape!

 

[lousybreed]

Excellent! I have been enjoying the continuing saga. You are doing a fantastic job. I think the skittishness may have had something to do with the tank size, as well as the location. I noticed some of my swordtails and rasboras are more skittish in a 10 gallon than in the 25. Less room to escape!

pl*co thanks for the kind words. dont worry i wont give up on this thread we will go all the way through planting the tank!!!!!!!