# Freeman's 75g tank (RIP: Retired and Sold)



## fishophile (Feb 6, 2012)

This is impressive. What made you go with a sump instead of canister filter? I only ask because i may have a stand in the future. Also what made you choose a 55 gal sump? 

Thank you.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

fishophile said:


> This is impressive. What made you go with a sump instead of canister filter? I only ask because i may have a stand in the future. Also what made you choose a 55 gal sump?
> 
> Thank you.


A good question. Mostly the cost of a second canister vs. the cost of a sump. I am getting the 55G for free, so that sort of answers 2 questions. It adds to the volume of water and is really easy to hide equipment. As far as costs go, it was cheaper for me. Plus it was something new. I knew that I was making my own stand so I could easily make the bottom portion able to house the 55G tank too.

I am going with a super simple sump design with no partitions. The water just flows straight through instead of up and under partitions.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I've change my plan for the hood a little bit. We'll see as it comes together. For some reason the photos I took of the stand (completed trim) are corrupt on my phone. The only shot that isn't a blank white is the foam pads I got.

15 ppi and 30 ppi for the sump



So I starting thinking about the aquascape on this tank. Something I really haven't thought about at all yet. 

I know I am going to use black diamond blasting sand again since I really like the look. I want to go with a gradual slope from left to right and back to front.



I wanted to give the idea of a cave another shot. But this time I'm going much simpler. Something like a 4" PVC coupling (or cutoff pipe), partially submerged in the sand. Very simple, just for someone to hide in. Probably attached to a piece of slate under the substrate.



I really liked the manzanita coming out of my swords look in my current tank, but it was just so cramped from front to back that it prevent fish from swimming. So I want to go with thicker manzanita but not take up as much space. I want it to sort of flow in and out of the substrate and dissipate on the right side.



As for planting, I really like the plants I have now. I just want to do everything a bit larger. More swords to cover up the cave base and the manzanita coming out of the sand. I want to use some anubias nana on the manzanita coming out of the substrate and at the base of the cave/swords. I want to spread some crpyts throughout, probably wendtii like I have now. That way it will break up the broad leaves of the swords and anubias with something thinner. Lastly I want to give a shot at dwarf sag as a filler and sort of taper off toward the right side. I plan on keeping frogbit floating around. The fish really seem to enjoy it.



Any input would be great.


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## Phil Edwards (Jul 18, 2003)

Looking good! That stand is particularly nice. I appreciate over-engineering.


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

good job so far! lookin forward to seeing it planted


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Thanks! The bottom should fit a 55g perfectly. I just have to figure out how to make an entire side open up for stuffing the 55g in there. Basically another door on the side of the stand. Nothing too hard.

I'm picking up some plants from a member on here, so it should be soon! (2-3 weeks)


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

So I reuploaded a few of my corrupted photos.

I started my sheeting my stand in 1/4" plywood. Nothing really fancy. I was planning my doors around my stand.



I did some basic trim in 1x3's and corner pieces. I also attached the doors and hardware.



These were surplus, premade, doors I bought for $7 a piece.



Testing the tank. It isn't really the prettiest stand, but it will work. The top portion needs something, but I don't know what to do exactly. Doesn't bother me much



I started making the hood. 18" tall to accommodate the lights and leave room for adjusting.



Finished it up with 1x3's and then sheeted it



Hung the front door. The whole thing opens on a set of hinges for access to the entire top. 18" also lets me get in there to work on the tank.



It hangs a little open, I'll put some locks on it and padding to stop it from slamming.



Opens 180 degrees and just rests on the top



To my joy and surprise, the whole stand is level and true. I didn't have a level for most of the build, so this was good news.



Stained and hardware reinstalled. The lighting is pretty bad and the color looks really strange. But it matches the furniture and coffee table I made previously.



I painted the rear of my tank. I had some leftover automotive light tint in a can, so I started with that. A few light coats of that then a few more medium coats. Finished it with gloss black krylon. The light tint sticks to glass really well and survives in harsh conditions, so it should stick to the back glass just fine.



Turned out pretty good.


And that is where I am so far. I started filling up my sump with some mechanical and bio media.


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

excellent carpentry work! I look forward to seeing it in its final position in the house!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I don't know about excellent! But thank you! It should be in the house next week. I'm going to do the plumbing in the garage since the cement isn't the best smelling thing and I doubt it should be used indoors if possible. 

My driftwood for this tank should be on the way by now.

EDIT:

Not sure if anyone was wondering, but that panel on top of the stand is for the side. It just attaches and is removable so that I can slide the 55g in from the side. I forgot a couple pieces that are needed for the plumbing, so I'll be picking those up soon. 

Question: Should I run my SunSun canister in addition to the sump or just move the media over to the sump? I was thinking of just taking the trays and sticking them in the sump and monitoring the levels of the tank over the next couple weeks.


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## bpb (Mar 8, 2011)

Love the stand work and attatched canopy. I think the lighting looks like it'll be just fine. Thats actually not a bad idea and is a fairly cheap way to get decent lights. I bet if you wanted to go higher light you could just put some par38 led bulbs in those, or just higher wattage spiral bulbs. Following along


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## Phil Edwards (Jul 18, 2003)

Couple of suggestions:

1. If possible, get some metal braces for the canopy joints. Having all that weight on a single 2x4 long term may cause issues. 

2. Seal the interior of the stand and canopy with something like polyurethane, killz, marine sealer, etc. It's a little extra in terms of money and time for a large return in peace of mind. 

Cheers,
Phil


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

> 1. If possible, get some metal braces for the canopy joints. Having all that weight on a single 2x4 long term may cause issues.


I was actually planning on finding some the next time I was at the hardware store. I was hoping to get some angle braces for the side 2x4s. 



> 2. Seal the interior of the stand and canopy with something like polyurethane, killz, marine sealer, etc. It's a little extra in terms of money and time for a large return in peace of mind.


I had painted it with something I believe to be moisture resistant. I probably could have just stained and sealed the whole thing since the stain/sealer I was using is pretty water resistant. My 1 year old spills plenty on the table I finished with it and I haven't seen any ill effects.

Both good suggestions and both things to hopefully come.


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## bpb (Mar 8, 2011)

What works REALLY well on my canopy over my reef tank is White Appliance Epoxy. It's the same stuff that refridgerators and freezers are lined with on the interior. You can pick it up at any hardware store. I sanded down the inside of the canopy really well and sprayed on 3 thick coats. It's high gloss white. Dries rock hard, not soft like most paints. And is moisture proof and totally aquarium safe. Mine has done wonders keeping the hood from having moisture damage in a very warm humid enviornment. Ventilation inside my canopy is intended purposefully to evaporate water for cooling purposes and the epoxy paint works perfect as a protective coating


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Appliance epoxy is a good idea. I may opt for a roll on version however. I also need to do the interior since I have a sump.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Picking up where I left off!

The stand was stained and drying.



This is the side that is 'removable' via a few screws. I didn't bother staining a good deal of the stand. 



You can see the small shelves in the interior that will hold the supplies. They aren't perfect because they were just scraps I had.



I picked up appliance epoxy paint. I wish it had been a quart to paint on, but the spray works too.



Painting the sump area and the canopy.



I siliconed in a divider in the sump tank to hold the sand in the refugium. This is the only partition I will have. The water will flow straight through into mechanical and then bio filtration after this.



Slid the sump into it's home. 



I also moved the tank onto the stand to start a mock up



Some photos of the tank on the stand. There is a wall right behind me and the lighting isn't the best. So the photos are 'meh'.





Here is the DIY spray bar. It is a 3/4" return line with 1/4" holes drilled every 1". There is a venturi to constantly prime the DIY overflow (got the idea from a member here named Phil Edwards). And lastly a ball valve to adjust the flow even though the return pump is adjustable itself.



I glued the return together and added a fitting to transition into tubing to attach to the return pump. There will be pipe straps holding this to the 2x4 when finalized.



Here is the DIY overflow with a true 1" gate valve.



A union so I can snake the drain into the sump. There was some mistakes on the measuring when planning this set up. So it is tight.



Everything in place on the back of the tank. Note: The sump is backwards. The refuge should be on the opposite side.



The inside of the tank. The overflow was rotated 90* to hug the back wall after this and the spray bar will be much closer to the rim when completed.



Everything glued together and prepped for paint.



Everything painted black. I ran out of the 1st can when just painting the parts that were going to be visible, so I painted everything with a light coat since I had to use a second coat.



I'm getting closer to having the set up ready for moving, hardscape, and planting. I picked up some black/gray stones to compliment the black diamond sand I have for the tank and some terracotta pots to make into caves.

Can I paint terracotta pots? I'd rather have them be black than orange. 

Any feedback would be appreciated. This was a good day's work. Tomorrow won't be as productive. But I am going to start the wiring for the lighting, pump, powerhead, timers, sensors, heaters, etc. 

I also picked up some Seachem purigen.

Hoping everything comes together. I cannot really test the system until I have the check vales I ordered. I may stop at the LFS and just buy some to test the system out for a few days before I move it inside.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Got a video update on the tank. It is currently running in my very cluttered garage. 


https://youtu.be/u1PdNv2j0lA

It seems TPT doesn't support embedding, so just a link. For those who prefer text updates, here it is:

The overflow system was completed and functioning at about 90%. Here is there rear of the stand with the plumbing.



Barely visible from the front/inside of the tank. The side is just sitting there for now, so disregard the gap.



Here is another shot



So issues with the system. The venturi I hooked up is pumping water out, not sucking it in. I've tried to flip the venturi but it didn't work. I am going to ATTEMPT a check valve to make sure water is flowing through in one direct so that it sucks air in. Secondly, the check valve at the top of the overflow isn't working. It is flowing both ways so I have a knot in the air line coming off of it for now. Works, but not what I wanted. Lastly, there is a small leak from the elbow above the veturi. Nothing major, even more so since i have to take it apart to fix it.

Not too long ago I picked up some new additions that I had planned on QTing until the 75g was ready.



Denison barbs! They seemed to be the perfect 'large' fish for the 75g. Unfortunately I am running behind on my 75g set up so I just added them to the 30g for now. They are done with QT and should be fine. I'm going to pick up a handful more. I have 3 for now.


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

great DIY work! getting close now  lookin forward to seeing it installed and filled!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

andrewss said:


> great DIY work! getting close now  lookin forward to seeing it installed and filled!


Thanks! It is geting close. The plants are going to be here soon. However, my driftwood is completely MIA. I ordered it awhile ago.


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## The Dude (Feb 8, 2011)

Stand and canopy Look awesome. A 75 with a 55 gallon sump will be killer. You'll be able to stock that thing like crazy! Definately alot of work Going into this. Also I'm not sure if it's everywhere, but Petsmart has a huge sale on Denison barbs, roseline sharks, or whatever they're called. $4.99 a piece and they looked really good. If my tank weren't totally stocked I would've jumped all over it. I'd aim for at least 6-7. Just like Congos they will pick on one another relentlessly if there aren't enough in there. How many are you aiming for and what are you planning to stock with them?
it's coming together nicely man!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I got them at petsmart actually! They are getting more in this Friday. I've been there every Friday looking for them. I was going for 5-6. Probably 6 since they are my largest fish. I'll just fluff out the cherry barb stock too. I would like to get espei rasbora or rummynose in there too. That's the goal at least! There should be 110+ gallons of water in this system. Coupled with medium plant density, I'm hoping to be able to stock a bit of fish.


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## The Dude (Feb 8, 2011)

Freemananana said:


> I got them at petsmart actually! They are getting more in this Friday. I've been there every Friday looking for them. I was going for 5-6. Probably 6 since they are my largest fish. I'll just fluff out the cherry barb stock too. I would like to get espei rasbora or rummynose in there too. That's the goal at least! There should be 110+ gallons of water in this system. Coupled with medium plant density, I'm hoping to be able to stock a bit of fish.


I also love the look of Cherry Barbs in a planted tank. With the Denison barbs that's going to really look awesome. You could load that thing up with Cherry Barbs and Corys or loaches or whatever for the bottom and with weekly water changes you would have no problems given the total volume of water in the system. It's going to be awesome. Are you going to stock a dwarf cichlid? Even just a pair of Rams or Apistos would be really cool..


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I've been debating rams and kribs. It seems kribs become a pain though. I may get a pair of rams. I'm not quite sure yet. Definitely going for a small school of Dennison's barbs, a couple large schools, my school of Corys and a school of otos. I was thinking of a bristle nose pleco too. That puts me stocked pretty heavily.


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## Phil Edwards (Jul 18, 2003)

Hey there Freemananana,

Back pressure from the spray bar and plumbing are what's causing the venturi to push instead of pull. The reason it works in my system is because there is essentially unrestricted flow through the output. Also, it looks like you're using a standard venturi, not a mazzei style, am I right? Standard venturis require suction to work instead of creating their own suction like a mazzei does. You'll be better off putting that on the inlet of your return pump rather than having it plumbed into the return like you do. The benefit of that is you can T off the air lines and run both the overflow prime and CO2 lines through the pump.

All that being said, set up as it is now the venturi pumping water into the overflow is also a type of self priming, but will likely be less effective than pulling water and air out. 

Cheers,
Phil


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

Freemananana said:


> I've been debating rams and kribs. It seems kribs become a pain though. I may get a pair of rams. I'm not quite sure yet. Definitely going for a small school of Dennison's barbs, a couple large schools, my school of Corys and a school of otos. I was thinking of a bristle nose pleco too. That puts me stocked pretty heavily.


I heard kribs can wreck havoc on plants.

I like rams  also apistos are super cool, either sounds like a good idea :hihi:


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

andrewss said:


> I heard kribs can wreck havoc on plants.
> 
> I like rams  also apistos are super cool, either sounds like a good idea :hihi:


They both seem to have issues with playing nice when they are spawning. So I think I'll get rams if I get either. The temperature of the tank is kind of low for rams though. The Denisons are cooler tropical fish.



Phil Edwards said:


> Hey there Freemananana,
> 
> Back pressure from the spray bar and plumbing are what's causing the venturi to push instead of pull. The reason it works in my system is because there is essentially unrestricted flow through the output. Also, it looks like you're using a standard venturi, not a mazzei style, am I right? Standard venturis require suction to work instead of creating their own suction like a mazzei does. You'll be better off putting that on the inlet of your return pump rather than having it plumbed into the return like you do. The benefit of that is you can T off the air lines and run both the overflow prime and CO2 lines through the pump.
> 
> ...


You nailed it. I put it on the end of the return and it worked. So I ordered a second, small, pump to work the venturi. It worked like a champ on the end, but cut my flow significantly. I just capped the section where it was for now.



Speaking of which; I did some tests. I was very displeased with the flow through the drain. So I upgraded that. I didn't take any photos of it yet. I tested it and I was happy with how it was functioning.

So I moved the tank inside.



I think this is my stocking list:



aquadvisor says that I'd be over stocked and I have no idea what to rate my filtration as, so that is also up in the air. I also got some of the plants in, but I'm still missing the driftwood for this tank.


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## Phil Edwards (Jul 18, 2003)

Oh look, you have net holders! 

You should be able to get away with that stocking level no problem in a planted tank. Keep in mind that a 1:2 or 1:3 Male:Female ratio is good for Cherry Barbs. The males constantly displayed breeding color and behavior when I kept them. Even the females got into the act and put on their best show too. Just don't expect many eggs or babies to survive with the Rummynose in there. Mine were constantly schooling around the plants nabbing the eggs my Norman's Lampeyes laid like a pack of hungry sharks. 

Cheers,
Phil


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I think the egg eating is a plus! A 1:2 is something I can achieve but my LFS stocks just about 1:1, which is what I have in my current tank. I really do like the cherry barbs and rummy nose have been highly recommended to me. I wanted to add a bristlenose pleco in there too. I don't think I'll have an issue with it. I'll just have to stay up with my water changes. I should start planting the tank come this week/weekend.


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

yeah, keep up with the WCs and I believe that is absolutely no problem! I dunno how bad the temp differences are with the denison barbs though....... a gbr or apisto pair would be great for the low area of this tank!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I saw a suggestion of 70-77 for the denisons and I thought rams were 80~. I'll check the temp at my LFS and it may not be too bad on them.

Edit:










I also added the drain, power head, and spray bar. Hard to notice the black on black. I'm hoping the plants on that side block a majority of the intake. I also startes wiring the pumps, heaters, lighting, etc. I put the media in the sump too. I'm hoping the driftwood comes in. It has been 2 weeks and the seller hasn't replied to my messages.


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## The Dude (Feb 8, 2011)

When I kept German Blue Rams previously the tanks were unheated and stayed around 75-76*. The GBR's didn't do very well. Bolivians are an option at those temps.
Also my stocking I think is heavier than yours and AQ advisor put me at like 73%... weird... I wouldn't put too much stock I that estimate. I personally woukd even stock a little heavier on thr Cherry barbs too.

Bump: I would do 20 cherry barbs and 20 Rummynose. That would be a super active tank. When I upped my Bloodfin Tetras to 20 it made everyone more active and entertaining


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

The Denisons do get to be about 6" long. They may be sucking up a lot of my space. I may up the school sizes over time. 

The thing about aquadvisor is the way they rate the filtration. How do I rate my sump? How large of a tank is it good for. Aquadvisor uses the tank size rating, not GPH of flow. So I don't really know what to do for my sump, so I stuck it at 'rated for 75g' since that is what I'm using it for. Probably low, but I'd rather be safe. If you use the 1:4 rule, it is good for 220g in the salt water world. If it is based on GPH, I'm lost. I'm about to add a second pump to be able to adjust flow and use my venture. 

I'm really glad I upped the size of the drain. I just need to figure out a good cover for it. Speaking of which, I advise everyone to be cautious of online information on DIY overflows. They seem to be very generous on flow ratings. More on this later.

EDIT: Additional information for all who would inquire. 

While searching for DIY overflow plans, I ran into several threads that praised them and plenty of potential issues with the system itself. I'm sure many have heard of Joey (King of DIY on YouTube). Here is his video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DFk4bnIxEg#t=378

There is a point where he list the GPH of overflow by inner pipe dimension.

1/2"= 90 GPH
3/4"=220 GPH
1"=375 GPH
1 1/4"=580gph
1 1/2"=840 gph
2" = 1500 GPH

Not to put full faith in one man, I searched some more and found a popular list on another site:

3/4" = 330 GPH 
1" = 600 gph 
1 1/4" = 910 gph 
1 1/2" = 1,300 gph 
1 3/4" = 1,800 gph 
2" = 2,350 gph 
2 1/4" = 2,960 gph 
2 1/2" = 3,650 gph 
2 3/4 = 4,450 gph 
3" = 5,280 gph 

I then decided 1", regardless of measurement, was more than enough for me. I was most definitely wrong. My pump is rated to push 350 GPH easily at 4' of head height. I put a ball valve on it and dialed it back. I toyed with my overflow until it was able to keep up with the flow of the pump, without kicking the sensor to turn the pump off. I was happy with what I was seeing and believed it to be around 300 GPH. Needless to say I was wrong.

Move forward to my testing. I took my return line, adjusted and all, and ran it to a 5g bucket. I timed how long it took to fill it up. 110 seconds for 5 gallons. Extrapolate that to GPH and you get less than 165 GPH. That was dismal flow. Barely twice my display tank. I cranked the ball valve wide open and tested it. Took less than 30 seconds. I knew that wasn't going to work.

So my proposed list would extrapolate the potential figures down considerably. I was getting approximately 44% of the flow.

1/2"= 40 GPH
3/4"= 97 GPH
1"= 165 GPH
1 1/4"= 255 GPH
1 1/2"= 370 GPH
2" = 660 GPH

To apply my findings to diameter based solely on the diameter of the pipe, I found the area of these sizes.

1/2"= 0.79
3/4"= 1.77
1"= 3.14
1 1/4"= 4.91
1 1/2"= 7.07
2" = 12.57

The area of the circle is not linear, so 2" is not double the volume of 1". Using the area of a circle to extrapolate my 160 GPH out of 1" pipe, I came up with this:

1/2"= 40 GPH
3/4"= 90 GPH
1"= 160 GPH
1 1/4"= 250 GPH
1 1/2"= 360 GPH
2" = 640 GPH

Quite similar, I believe the difference was using 160 GPH instead of 165 GPH during this extrapolation. So if I wanted 5x my water volume, I would need 375 GPH. This left me no choice but 2" PVC, which is what I did go with. This also leaves me a fair amount of 'wiggle' room per say. 

I'm fairly sure the short comings are from within the siphoning design of the PVC overflow. The flow rate isn't based on the flow rate of PVC. Here is a chart, using assumed gravity:










Gravity fed PVC should flow much higher. Now, I am not sure if this is just my issue. But I have found it to be true on several different aquariums. I'm not sure if I am just missing something or if DIY overflow users are just optimistic. Regardless, it isn't much of an issue for me. It is already done.










It requires the flash to really see it and it will be heavily planted in that area. So the pipe size itself isn't an issue. I notice a significant noise reduction when running the larger overflow. It was near silent at 350 GPH~. I plan on upping the flow a bit more and adding a second pump for redundancy.


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## BulletToothBoris (Jan 17, 2013)

Hardcore plumbing.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

BulletToothBoris said:


> Hardcore plumbing.


More like a headache! :hihi: This is the tipping point. I've gone over budget and I probably could have just gone with a second canister on this set up. Would it have been as cool? Maybe. 

I'm also debating putting some 2x4s under the stand to add some height and just running a 1x6" footer or something. I kinda wish I had gone with a 36" tall stand for viewing now.


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## rebelbuck1993 (Sep 3, 2014)

Freemananana said:


> The Denisons do get to be about 6" long. They may be sucking up a lot of my space. I may up the school sizes over time.
> 
> The thing about aquadvisor is the way they rate the filtration. How do I rate my sump? How large of a tank is it good for. Aquadvisor uses the tank size rating, not GPH of flow. So I don't really know what to do for my sump, so I stuck it at 'rated for 75g' since that is what I'm using it for. Probably low, but I'd rather be safe. If you use the 1:4 rule, it is good for 220g in the salt water world. If it is based on GPH, I'm lost. I'm about to add a second pump to be able to adjust flow and use my venture.
> 
> ...


I went with 35.5 on my stand so if i wanted to add a 40b below for a sump in the future i could, check out my signature and you can see where i am going with it, also i am designing this stand so it will last along time.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

rebelbuck1993 said:


> I went with 35.5 on my stand so if i wanted to add a 40b below for a sump in the future i could, check out my signature and you can see where i am going with it, also i am designing this stand so it will last along time.


I've been checking your thread on every update. :hihi: 75g are my new interest.










Question:

The top rim supports the tank, the weight is transferred down the sides by the 2x4s under the rim, not inside it. Then the weight is transferred to the bottom rim and finally the floor. Correct? I may put another row of 2x4s under the bottom rim of my stand and cover them like I said previously. It would give it a large base, and make the viewing height more inline with what I was wanting. I've been researching this idea and it seems to be widely accepted.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I got some plants in from a member here. Quite a bit of dwarf sag, some crpyts, a few amazon swords and a handful of other plants. Going to combine them with the anubias nana I have already and the large swords from my tank to create the desired aquascape.



I also made the riser for the stand. Here is the before:



And after:



I have a 1"x8" trim piece (actually 3/4"x7") that will perfectly cover the bottom portion. I just have to stain it and I'll finish nail it in place. The riser dropped the sump a few inches and gave me some more stand height that I wanted. It is closer to 36" tall now instead of 30". I will stain the trim and attach it this weekend. The riser is attached with a ton of screws and is actually 4 2"x4"s running the length of the tank. So it should be just as strong, if not stronger, than the old bottom that was there before. 

I have my venturi plumbing to finish, picked up the PVC for that. I have some terracotta pots that I painted black to make caves for the 'possible' blue rams. I have a second return pump on it's way. I also have the finnex stingray for the sump coming in this weekend. I have the rocks for the tank and they just need to be washed. The black diamond is ready to be put in also.

Question, should I run an air stone under my bio media in the sump? I could do it quite easily. I plan on having my air pump under the cabinet to run the sponge filter in the sump until it is seeded fully anyway. 

Needless to say, this weekend should be a good one for a major update come Sunday/Monday and the tank SHOULD be flooded.

Things left to buy:
Screen from Walmart craft section for an intake cover on the overflow
Lid for the sump
3 Handles for glass lids (LFS only had 1)
?

I think that is all I am missing. My driftwood is on the way the best I can tell. I also picked up some lenses for my camera phone, since I don't have a dedicated camera. 

Amazon.com: Black Universal Clip-on 180 degree 3 in 1 Fisheye+Wide Angle+Macro Camera Lens for iPhone 5 5S 4 4S 6 Samsung Galaxy S5/S4/S3 Note 4/3/2 HTC Blackberry Bold Touch, Sony Xperia, Motorola Droid: Cell Phones & Accessories

Hopefully it will improve some of the shots a little bit. The Droid Ultra by Motorola doesn't have near the support an iPhone has when it comes to this sort of thing, so I had to go generic.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Well, I got to the tank sooner than later!

I started plumbing the sump and installing all the equipment. You can see the scrubs and foam I'm using.



Here is the second return. Took me awhile to realize that the placement of the ball valve really did matter and that I needed to pass most of the flow through the venturi in order for it to work.



Here is the overflow.



I got to work on the hardscape. I don't have the manzanita I had planned on using. So I went on without it. 150 lbs of Black diamond, 1/2 a cubic foot of stone, and 2 terracotta pots.



Started to fill the sump first. 



I didn't really take any between photos, but here is the tank after I finished planting. 

Crypt Wendtii green, bronze, and red
Amazon swords
Anubias Nana
Dwarf Sag













Then came the fun task of moving the fish. They were all a handful!



The neons are schooling much more now than in the 30g.



The corys are always together and I bet they will explore more in the next few days.



Here are a couple of the denison barbs (or rosaline sharks)



A couple of otos and an algae wafer



Lastly, my RCS hanging out.



A full tank shot to finish it off.



I still have to finish the lids and figure out how to get my frogbit to stay away from my overflow.



Still lots to do. But at least the tank is running.


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

looks great! good to see you have it up and running 

but you do plan on putting some DW in there? I know you are expecting a piece but it hasnt arrived yet.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Thanks!

I may and I may not add the driftwood. It will definitely soak for a month before I put it in there because I'm rather happy with how it looks. There were some issues on the shipping side and it will probably be here next week. It is a ton of branches, not just one piece.


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## Phyzix (Mar 20, 2015)

Awesome progress. Those frogbits are going to get huge in no time.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Oh, they are huge haha. That is probably a 12"+ mixing bowl full of them.


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## rebelbuck1993 (Sep 3, 2014)

looking good buddy now if i can get my dam decision on my wood i would have the scape already set and tank moved to where it needs to be, but i have to also make a door and floor for my stand, and stain before it will be done, if only work wasnt being greedy with the hours i would have been done by now, working 30hrs a week but most days are only 5-6hrs so i freaking work 5-6 days


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

My wife is in the same spot right now. She works 7 days a week for like 40 hours. I've been working on this project late night. It just gets harder with kids too.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

My first night and my first round of problems. 

My whole school of cherry barbs, 2 otos, 4 Cory's and 2 denison barbs made their way into the sump. Open overflow is being taken care of now. I did a temp fix for today with a PVC coupling with slots that goes above the water line. 



Tank is testing good with the media from my sun sun in the sump. 



I plan on testing a 3/4" full siphon since I have a second return pump. It may make the overflow even more quiet. 

Plan on getting more Rosaline sharks or denison barbs this week and more cherry barbs.


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

haha sump refugees


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I set it up to be a refugee actually. But not for everyone! It was going to be an area for moss and my RCS population.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I added some glass lids today. I've been meaning to do this for awhile. I've had the glass since before the stand was complete. 





This is the best thing I've found for feeding floating flakes with an overflow. It is just some 30 ppi foam and a bit of fishing line to hold it to the brace. It holds the flakes until the fish either eat them or they absorb enough water to sink.



I also picked up a few more denison barbs and an albino bristlenose pleco. 



I saw some julli cories and I want them so bad! They are adorable. I may pick up some more green cories since I already have a small school. I plan on picking up some fish tomorrow at the LFS.

Thinking about CO2 for this tank...

A very basic regulator such as this:




I've heard mixed things about all the sub $100 regulators and it all comes out to about the same. You get what you pay for. At least with Amazon, there is a DOA guarantee. 
I'm a fan of the in line bubble counters as opposed to the ones that mount with a check valve over the needle valve because check valves always go bad.




I'm sure any tubing would work, but black is cool:




I was thinking of a DIY reactor, but at ~$20 in parts, I will probably opt for something like this:





$115 pre tank. I have a local airgas distributor that sells 5 lb tanks for $50 and 20 lb tanks for about $75-100 and does refill/swaps for $20-ish. Did I mention they were local? So I may opt for a smaller tank simple because I pass them every day. I was thinking of keeping the bubble count low and increasing my lights from 2x 23w and 2x 13w to 4x 23w and I can lower them to increase the par output. 

Just an idea. $200 or so and there would be CO2 in this tank. I'd probably build a small rack/stand/cabinet next to the main tank to hold the equipment.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Decided the tank could use some pizaz, in come the blue rams!



Hope the tank works out for them. The fish store keeps them at 'room temp' which is upper 70's. That is similar to my tank, so hopefully it works!


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## Phyzix (Mar 20, 2015)

Nice Rams I really want a pair of them! Look very cool. I highly recommend the julii corys, people always seem to like them. 

Also, you can pickup a feeding ring at the LFS if you want something that looks a bit nicer. Same result though.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I'll check it out. You can't see my ghetto foam ring from the couch or walking by. The fish don't seem to like it yet. They wait till the food sinks and they get it then. 

The rams are cute for sure. I have liked them and kribs for awhile. The colors are beautiful. I think a pair is all I can handle in here. I don't want them to pair up and be short on space.


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## rebelbuck1993 (Sep 3, 2014)

get this one instead i hear it is alot better, also has adjustable working pressure, http://www.amazon.com/Premium-AQUATEK-Regulator-Integrated-Solenoid/dp/B009WTXYN0


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## Phyzix (Mar 20, 2015)

I have that Instamix co2 reactor and it actually works much better (and quieter) if you take out the two propellers before you hook it up. Highly recommend for the price. 

Aquatek makes a brass bubble counter with integrated check valve for a bit more $, might be worth checking out for longevity if you get one of their regulators. Just a though you have clearly been doing this longer than me.


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## George Willms (Jul 25, 2003)

Loving the stand build and the tank looks great! 

Also, is that a modified wagon I spy in the garage?


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

rebelbuck1993 said:


> get this one instead i hear it is alot better, also has adjustable working pressure, http://www.amazon.com/Premium-AQUATEK-Regulator-Integrated-Solenoid/dp/B009WTXYN0


Unavailable! LAME. Thanks, I saw that but it wasn't available so I passed it by. The working pressure isn't as big of a deal, I think, since I plan on using a reactor and not a atomizer or something similar. But I know everyone suggests getting a regulator you can adjust. So I will look for the premium Aquatek! Thanks!



Phyzix said:


> I have that Instamix co2 reactor and it actually works much better (and quieter) if you take out the two propellers before you hook it up. Highly recommend for the price.
> 
> Aquatek makes a brass bubble counter with integrated check valve for a bit more $, might be worth checking out for longevity if you get one of their regulators. Just a though you have clearly been doing this longer than me.


Good tip on the reactor. As long as it works, the price is pretty solid.

The brass bubble counters, like you suggest, with the check valve scare me. I have had a run with bad check valves lately and I wouldn't want it to leak back into the solenoid/needle valve. I know brass is better than plastic, but that is the only reason I was thinking of going with an inline. Maybe the Aquatek bubble counter is better. I'll search! 

I haven't been doing this too long by the way, but I appreciate the compliment. I started in January of this year (4 months). I went from a 5 gallon with fake neon plants that I wanted to house glowlight tetras in to this... I'm a hobby kind of guy.



George Willms said:


> Loving the stand build and the tank looks great!
> 
> Also, is that a modified wagon I spy in the garage?


Thanks! I wish it was a wagon to be honest. It is a 1989 ED6 Honda Civic Hatch. 

WARNING: This is going entirely off topic really quick. 

It has a little Garret turbo on a JDM B16A. I did the motor swap, wiring, and turbo install myself. I recently ran into some wiring issues with the fuel delivery system. It is grounding out before the fuel pump. The car was meant to be an 11 second 1/4 mile project that retained street drivability and looked near stock. It is awesome though. A complete budget car that runs with super cars (alright, maybe only older super cars) in a straight line. 

Anything I can DIY is fun for me. I like to learn things and figure it out so I can do it myself. I taught myself how to do a lot of things. I started on a '74 Baja bug when I was 16, did the motor/turbo swap and build on the Honda soon after that, moved into wood working and built my desk and TV stand, ending up venturing into stretched and swapped Honda Ruckus at about the same time and finally ended up building fish tanks for some reason. 

As long as I'm still young and I can do the labor, I'm going to keep trying new things. :hihi:


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## George Willms (Jul 25, 2003)

Freemananana said:


> Thanks! I wish it was a wagon to be honest. It is a 1989 ED6 Honda Civic Hatch.
> 
> WARNING: This is going entirely off topic really quick.
> 
> ...


That's awesome. I've never gotten much into engine swaps or turbocharging my cars, but I do love to do other mods to them. I've got an 07 accord coupe that I've modded to my liking. Just your standard bolt on enginge stuff: I/H/E, suspension work: coilovers, new sway bars, wheels, and tires, other stuff: quad projector headlights, dark gray emblems, etc. I think I may be like you in the sense that once I get into something I'm INTO it. lol


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

George Willms said:


> That's awesome. I've never gotten much into engine swaps or turbocharging my cars, but I do love to do other mods to them. I've got an 07 accord coupe that I've modded to my liking. Just your standard bolt on enginge stuff: I/H/E, suspension work: coilovers, new sway bars, wheels, and tires, other stuff: quad projector headlights, dark gray emblems, etc. I think I may be like you in the sense that once I get into something I'm INTO it. lol


:hihi: Sometimes I get too far into things :help: All I can say is I am glad I slowed down. I had a daughter and it was time to stop spending so much on a car plus all my time and start thinking about raising a child. As for the accord, is it the V6 model? Because those things have super nice motors in them.




Last night, while being paranoid, I did test my tank on all the parameters. I've done it every day since I set it up. I did notice a possible 0.25ppm ammonia. It could be a mini cycle from my understanding. I'm going to keep up on it and make sure I do water changes more frequently if I notice it go any higher. I also read it could be possible that it was present in the tap water, but I haven't done anything but top offs since setting it up. The tank change and new substrate are likely the issue... I did keep the filter and moved all the plants.


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## George Willms (Jul 25, 2003)

Yes it is the v6. LOVE that engine! 

I would check your water supply just to be sure. I had the same issue recently and thought that I may have cleaned my filter out a little too well. It was in my water supply though.


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

the blue rams look great


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## rebelbuck1993 (Sep 3, 2014)

Freemananana said:


> Unavailable! LAME. Thanks, I saw that but it wasn't available so I passed it by. The working pressure isn't as big of a deal, I think, since I plan on using a reactor and not a atomizer or something similar. But I know everyone suggests getting a regulator you can adjust. So I will look for the premium Aquatek! Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


the premium Aquatek is available on ebay through the company amazon is just having stocking issues, also since ebay links are not allowed that is why i did not post it here is the item number though so you can look at it 230840786821 . also you want adjustable working pressure for upgrade reasons or in case you do need it for the reactor/atomizer where 15psi is not going to cut it, also there is less problems noted on the premium one


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

George Willms said:


> I would check your water supply just to be sure. I had the same issue recently and thought that I may have cleaned my filter out a little too well. It was in my water supply though.


I just did and it was clean. It hasn't risen at all. I'm debating how to handle it. More research is due. 



andrewss said:


> the blue rams look great


Thanks! I couldn't get any better shots, but they are happily swimming together for now. They haven't ventured near the caves at all. 





rebelbuck1993 said:


> the premium Aquatek is available on ebay through the company amazon is just having stocking issues, also since ebay links are not allowed that is why i did not post it here is the item number though so you can look at it 230840786821 . also you want adjustable working pressure for upgrade reasons or in case you do need it for the reactor/atomizer where 15psi is not going to cut it, also there is less problems noted on the premium one


Thanks! For $10, I'll go with the upgrade. There really isn't an argument for a nonadjustable regulator. 

I'm working on a block for the floating plants around my overflow. Unfortunately the epoxy needs a week or so before it is water proof. So it is sitting, drying, for now. 

I put my frogbit in and I'm sure it won't be long before the colony spreads. I had to adjust the spray bar to keep them on this side. 



I'm really digging my stocking right now actually. I may keep the neons. They are actually quite pretty in contrast to the cherry barbs. The denisons are a good touch of color. The rams are just amazing though. They steal my attention constantly.


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

remind me what in the tank prevents you from raising the temperature some for the rams?

btw the rams do look great


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

The denison barbs like cooler temps. I'm a little torn. 78-80* is my target zone and I'm there right now so I may just leave it there. I'll look into some other journals and see if anyone has kept them together.


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## Smudger (Jan 19, 2015)

In regards to the 0.25 ammo, it can be down the test solution itself a lot of people have had the same thing from what I've read, also in theory it could be that the stocking is constantly producing so that might be why

Richard - Happy Fish Keeping


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Smudger said:


> In regards to the 0.25 ammo, it can be down the test solution itself a lot of people have had the same thing from what I've read, also in theory it could be that the stocking is constantly producing so that might be why
> 
> Richard - Happy Fish Keeping


Hmm. I hadn't thought about the solution. It does show 0 ppm out of my tap though. So I don't think it has gone bad. I will check the date regardless. As long as the fish don't seem to be suffering, I am going to just keep an eye on it and keep up with water changes and top offs. I won't be adding any more to the stocking, despite REALLY wanting to, until I can get this figured out. I may, at most, pick up a few denisons to finish off the school since they are hard to find locally. Other than that, it is a waiting game for me now. 

I thought it could be my filtering method. So I put the trays of bio media back in my canister and I am running it off the main tank right now. I had the bio media in the sump previously. It doesn't seem to be changing the condition. I will keep an eye on it though.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I'm definitely having some new tank, cycling, issues. I'm not sure what is causing it exactly. I know the old canister is undersized for this tank, but I was hoping with low stocking it would be enough to keep the parameters in check until it seeded the sump. I have noticed nitrItes popping up along with the ammonia. I am doing 25% (40g from the sump) water changes every day now. I haven't noticed any casualties. The fish actually look pretty good. I followed the instructions on Prime and did a 5x dose for emergency nitrite spikes. I read online and the best thing to do is rehome the fish, which isn't really a possibility for me. The second best thing is daily water changes with prime to keep the ammonia and nitrite under 0.25ppm until they are gone for at least a week. So that is my plan. :icon_frow

Here is my acrylic floater stopper to keep the frogbit from blocking the overflow. I have to find some stainless steel mess to make a better overflow fish stopper though, but the cut up coupling works for now. Flow is impeded greatly, but it keeps the fish out of the sump.





Along side the fast growers like frogbit, I am making sure I have plenty of surface agitation and aeration for my fish. I drilled out the spray bar holes to make the flow a little weaker so I could get some surface agitation without spraying the TV...



I don't think it matters where the surface agitation is, so I have some air stones in the sump too. The sponge filter is going too.



I have the canister just hanging on the front of the tank for now. It is only 'temporary' so it isn't a big deal. 



I am hoping the frogbit will help with the spikes by absorbing some nutrients. I've stopped feeding and I will be doing minimal feeding from now on until the spike drops. I'm sad to see ammonia and nitrites creep up in this tank.  You can also see there the suction cups have been... the glass is dusty and I don't have a scrub. I ordered one and it should be here next week. I just used a sponge on my 30g but wet arm is annoying a $4 is worth staying dry. It is only visual (from dropping the sand in there).

I also lost my water changing pump... it was a little 160 GPH pump and I just can't find it. So I'm using my python style water changer again.


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## HolyAngel (Oct 18, 2010)

Nice tank! Makes me wanna hurry up and fix/setup my 75 again ^^

I love the Rams! I have 4 myself and keep the temp around 73-75 and haven't had any issues with them at all.

As for extra o2, it shouldn't matter where it's coming in at just as long as its in the loop somewhere. You should get some from the overflow/drain and having the sponge filter in the sump will definitely help. I keep the drain from the overflow angled at 45* about an inch over the top of the water in my sump(it is a tad loud) with a filter sock 1/3 filled with purigen and it creates a TON of micro bubbles. 

Hopefully your tank finishes up cycling soon! Could always try getting some bacteria in there like ATM Colony or API Stress Zyme, should at least help make it go faster.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I took 2 liters of Seachem Matrix from my well established set up and used it. I just wasn't positive if the water was flowing through it in the sump, so that is why it is back in the filter. It guarantees that water isn't just flowing around it. I do hope the tank cycles soon. I think the loss of the substrate, the few additional fish, and the 'new' tank all coupled together to end with not enough bacteria to support the load. I think it is a mini-cycle. The bacteria should catch up before long, I hope. 

The 75g is definitely the way to go on a planted tank! They are awesome.

Lastly, my ghetto feeding ring is ghetto. The foam ended up sinking. So I just threw it in the sump. The plexy glass floater blocker keeps the fish food in the display pretty well actually, so I am just going to stick with what is working and not worry about a feeding ring.


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## Phyzix (Mar 20, 2015)

Bad luck on the water params but all you can really do is some big water changes daily for awhile and I'm sure you will be fine. Seems like that many plants would be able to put a dent in the ammonia? Especially frogbit.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I'm hoping the frogbit helps. I upped my lighting a little bit too. I swapped out the two 13w CFLs for 23w CFLs since the frogbit should start to cover the surface.

I think the water parameters are my fault. In reality, I should have just cycled the sump with a fishless cycle. I could have piped the return pump over the drain area of the sump and ran water/ammonia through it for 3-4 weeks before setting the tank up and I would have had a HUGE bio filter already ready. But I didn't. I thought my filter would be enough coupled with the decent plant load. Bad luck, maybe. I hope the fish don't suffer from my mistake.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I picked up some exterior gutter guard type stuff for $1 at the store. A little bit of bending and it came out great!



Despite this, I still had a cherry barb show up in the sump! I may have missed him from before or he may have wondered down there when I was installing the guard. 



I took a picture of the bubbles coming out of the overflow. With the surface agitation from the spray bar and the air stones, I hope this is plenty of aeration.



I finished the second lid. It came out perfect. So for $15, you can make decent sliding glass lids.



The tank is doing better now. I know it has only been 2 days, but this makes me feel more confident that the spike was just a lack of bacteria for the larger bio load. I will keep up with daily water changes for awhile.



EDIT:

Additional update!

The temps are more stable now. About 77* all day and night. The only thing that has changed is the glass lids. Not sure if that is keeping the heat out or what. Who knows. But it is working for me.



I got a RAOK in too! I forget what this is exactly, but it has some pretty bad algae that I cleaned off (most of it) and I'll spot dose it with some more hydrogen peroxide if I see any more.



Also in the RAOK was some oak leaf water sprite. I love how this stuff looks. It is a little rough, but it should grow out great in the refuge and I'll make a jungle down there for the shrimp to enjoy.


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## bernynhel (Sep 8, 2011)

*sump vs 2 filters*

i have a 29 gal sump under my 55 gal and i only filter the sump - everything is done in the sump - eheim ecco pro filter with intake split between an intake on the bottom and a cheap protein skimmer that keeps the sump and 55 surface crystal clear, heating, ph controlled co2 in the filter output line churned up in a power reactor. uv sterilization - all i have on the 55 is a hang on the back overflow with 1"drain pipe to the big sock basket on the sump. big sump pump w/1/2" return through a ball valve that replenishes the tank after sending the water through a uv filter set to kill parasites but spares most other stuff.  only other equip on the 55 is the little power head near the return which pushes the current towards the overflow, another powerhead in the sump pointed at the bottom to keep any junk from settling - ive never had to clean the sump and i just vacuum the 55 weekly or as needed - i tried those diy dual stand pipes for draining and switched to the over the back over flow - the diy pipes were a total pain to me and the over the back system was too cheap to bother w/diy


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## The Dude (Feb 8, 2011)

If you had it to do over would you still do the sump? I'm starting on my 75 gallon African Cichlid tank tomorrow and I'm doing a Great Stuff foam background. I am considering a sump for the ease of hiding filter and heating stuff. I will have to make adjustments for the equipment stuff.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I know the DIY overflow isn't the best set up, but I don't see a HOB overflow being worth the money. If I could drill this tank, I would. But it is tempered all around. My next tank will most definitely be drilled through the back panel for a herbie style overflow. At that point, this tank will be the sump.

As for sumps being worth it. If set up time isn't a priority, there is no real downside in my mind. The sump was a fun project for me. And that is what this hobby really is to me, a fun project. I never plan on going with a canister again. Sumps have a ton of perks and they are just more fun in my opinion.

I did what I did for the DIY experience. I have fun putting things together. This setup is fairly unique. Planted sumps aren't common and a sump the length of the tank is even less common. It was fun, that's all I can really say. :hihi:

I did some feeding today since ammonia and nitrites have been at zero consistently. The barbs and tetras go after the floating flakes, but the rams do not. Everyone seems to like the veggie wafers though. I'll have to pick up some pellets.



 

I'll remove the canister on the front in a week or so and just move the media back into the sump. But this way I know the flow isn't just going around the established media. I also finished the new base for the taller stand.



Things are looking alright in this full tank shot.



I'm going to fluff out the neon school before too long. They are actually schooling pretty regularly.



I still have a loan female cherry barb in the sump with the shrimp. I'll catch her on the next water change.



It is time to sit back and enjoy the tank. I will say doing water changes is super easy and fun in this tank. I plug in the second pump, pumps out the sump in a couple minutes. I hook up the line to the sink, fills in about ten minutes. Dose the prime. Kick the main pumps back on. No issues. We will see as time progresses how things work out.


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## George Willms (Jul 25, 2003)

Looking good. Glad to see the mini cycle is done!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

George Willms said:


> Looking good. Glad to see the mini cycle is done!


Thanks! Me too. It is refreshing to not worry about doing a water change or two per day. :hihi: It wasn't so much the actual 'work', just had me worried for the fish.

I haven't had any losses since my first batch of fish. I lost a neon and an oto within a week. 

It is amazing what 4 months can bring... 



















A big change! And since I rarely get a photo of this guy, my albino bristlenose pleco. I may get a second one because they are adorable. But I kind of like playing Find the Pleco. 



I'm just checking the LFS weekly for a final 1-2 Denison Barbs now


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## rebelbuck1993 (Sep 3, 2014)

i would put a few crypt undulata in the left side to cover the cave entrance, plus the red on them would give a good contrast to the tank


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

rebelbuck1993 said:


> i would put a few crypt undulata in the left side to cover the cave entrance, plus the red on them would give a good contrast to the tank


A good suggestion but I'm fairly limited on the plants I buy. I'll keep an eye out for them in the for sale section. I have some more dwarf sag I may plant in front of the cave entrances. The idea is just to make the cave more solitary, right? So the fish feel more protected?


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## rebelbuck1993 (Sep 3, 2014)

Freemananana said:


> A good suggestion but I'm fairly limited on the plants I buy. I'll keep an eye out for them in the for sale section. I have some more dwarf sag I may plant in front of the cave entrances. The idea is just to make the cave more solitary, right? So the fish feel more protected?


yes it helps them feel more secure by having the entrance covered, also if you want a few i have some small undulata coming up right now in my 40b with gravel and it is showing very nice red coloration to the leaves it will be ready in about a week just waiting for it to get a little more size to the leaves before i try to sell them. they have about 4-5 leaves right now.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I'll keep it in mind. If you remember, send me a message when you sell them and I may pick some up. I'll keep an eye out in the for sale section.


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## George Willms (Jul 25, 2003)

If I were to show you pictures of my first "planted" tank you'd be in shock. lol 

I like where you've gone though.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

George Willms said:


> If I were to show you pictures of my first "planted" tank you'd be in shock. lol
> 
> I like where you've gone though.


:hihi: Nah, I think it'd be alright. I've seen plenty of 'first time planted tanks' on this forum. We all struggled. Well, except for those who just have a talent for this sort of thing. 

I'm pretty happy with the tank right now. There are a couple more things I want to finish up. I also had a second cherry barb end up in the sump. Those little ladies just love getting down there for some reason.

I have some dwarf water lettuce on the way too. Hoping that it will help absorb the nutrients really quickly too. I'll have duckweed, frogbit and dwarf water lettuce floating around. I'm trying to get rid of the duckweed too. It is most definitely not my favorite.


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## George Willms (Jul 25, 2003)

Good luck getting rid of the duckweed! It's so tiny that it can be a pain to get it all.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Yeah, that's my issue right now. I haven't really started to pick it out. The trouble with duckweed is that it sticks to everything, my frogbit included. 

I need to come up with a little internal filter for my purigen. I get this feeling it isn't working to it's full potential in the sump. I don't think it has nearly enough water passing through it.


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## Phyzix (Mar 20, 2015)

Freemananana said:


> Yeah, that's my issue right now. I haven't really started to pick it out. The trouble with duckweed is that it sticks to everything, my frogbit included.
> 
> I need to come up with a little internal filter for my purigen. I get this feeling it isn't working to it's full potential in the sump. I don't think it has nearly enough water passing through it.


I saw a video of someone using an Eheim 2211 completely full of Purigen think how clear your water would be 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nMTTh0nHMk


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I was just looking at making an internal fluidized bed for purigen haha. I have plenty of space within my sump, so something like that isn't necessary. I would rather use up some of that real estate. I think I can make something to hold it in front of my pump in the sump. I also think I can finally switch on the second pump.


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## Phyzix (Mar 20, 2015)

Freemananana said:


> I was just looking at making an internal fluidized bed for purigen haha. I have plenty of space within my sump, so something like that isn't necessary. I would rather use up some of that real estate. I think I can make something to hold it in front of my pump in the sump. I also think I can finally switch on the second pump.


It's entirely unnecessary...but...but...the water would be so clear!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Exactly! Th water is actually pretty clear. I have a moonlight coming in next week from a great member on the forum!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

QUESTION:

There is an unusual amount of film on the surface of my water near my frogbit. Unfortunately, I have no idea how to get rid of it. I like my floating plants a lot  Surface agitation is tough with the frogbit too. I have my spray bar pointed up towards the surface and it makes some ripples. Ideas on how to get rid of the film on the other side of the tank?

I gave a bit of my duckweed away, pretty much all I could find.



I also picked up a second bristlenose pleco. I just love these little fellas.



Trying to get him in focus was impossible, but yielded some cool shots of the tank.



I am trying a grate instead of the clear but it isn't really working any better. I'll have to go with floater blocker 3.0 after this.



But the floaters look amazing!



A full tank shot. 



For whatever reason, I can never get a shot of the whole thing with fish swimming or straight :icon_frow



I added a small hydor nano just because. It was $15 shipped and I couldn't pass it up. It adds some more flow and the swords look better to me with the slight increase in flow.

A GIF from start to _finish_!


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

If it's your intent to block some of the light from the Swords then I guess this is not
a productive idea for you. But if you want the Frog Bit on the other end from the swords
then get two of those suction cups that they hold air line on a wall with in the tank and
place one on the right end about 3" from the front and just the top of it at the water line.
Then on the back about 15" from the right end place the other one the same height on the back. Then loosely tie a piece of string. That can/will keep the Frog Bit in that corner
and you hardly can see it. Of course that likely means the spray bar should be on the left end. 
But then you have to look at this tank and not me so it needs to please you.
I like your canopy. Been trying to figure what I might do like yours because I want to use three T5HO bulbs on a small tank without raising the light level much at all.
I just want the benefit of the spectrums in those three bulbs plus use one for two to three hrs at noon and two bulbs for the 8 hrs. I'd need a canopy that is tall like yours
is to move the bulbs up enough. I didn't put that much thought into my first two tanks except for the filters which are DIY built in bio-only. No screens/pads. My fish can swim in and out at will.
Been watching this thread and I think you have done a great job.


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## Smudger (Jan 19, 2015)

An airstone will create surface agitation to help with the protein layer and shouldn't mess up your frogbit plus help with aeration if that helps? 

Richard - Happy Fish Keeping


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Raymond S. said:


> If it's your intent to block some of the light from the Swords then I guess this is not a productive idea for you.


That was sort of the intent. The dwarf sag is the most light hungry plant I have. A lot of my crypts/anubias are near the sword and like the lower light. Plus I wanted frogbit to grow over the entire surface.



> But if you want the Frog Bit on the other end from the swords then get two of those suction cups that they hold air line on a wall with in the tank and place one on the right end about 3" from the front and just the top of it at the water line. Then on the back about 15" from the right end place the other one the same height on the back. Then loosely tie a piece of string. That can/will keep the Frog Bit in that corner and you hardly can see it. Of course that likely means the spray bar should be on the left end. But then you have to look at this tank and not me so it needs to please you.


That idea is entirely plausible. The issue is I do want the entire surface covered in floaters like it was in my 30g. I am just running into a lot more issues since I have an overflow and not a siphon. Plus this film is new to me. I never had any issues in my 30g but the spray bar probably made more of an impact since the tank was half the length. I may need some surface agitation on the left side.



> I like your canopy. Been trying to figure what I might do like yours because I want to use three T5HO bulbs on a small tank without raising the light level much at all. I just want the benefit of the spectrums in those three bulbs plus use one for two to three hrs at noon and two bulbs for the 8 hrs. I'd need a canopy that is tall like yours
> is to move the bulbs up enough. I didn't put that much thought into my first two tanks except for the filters which are DIY built in bio-only. No screens/pads. My fish can swim in and out at will.


First off, thanks. The tall canopy is a great idea. Even if I go with LEDs, I think the canopy was a sound investment. The ability to raise the lights is definitely helpful and it gives you more working space. My fist tank has zero thought in it. I was flying by the seam of my pants and I made more changes during that set up than I could have imagined! 

I'm going to see if I can find your thread to check out that bio description. Sounds interesting.



> Been watching this thread and I think you have done a great job.


Thanks! It never hurts to hear compliments. It has been fun. I hope it is a livable environment while I collect funds for the next project. There are still some tweaks to be made to this though.



Smudger said:


> An airstone will create surface agitation to help with the protein layer and shouldn't mess up your frogbit plus help with aeration if that helps?
> 
> Richard - Happy Fish Keeping


This was something I was thinking about. I could just aerate but there is an issue with that, in my head at least. I want the frogbit to take over most of the surface. It is easy to place an airstone at the back, but what about the front of the tank? The frogbit traps that film in between it pretty dang well for some reason.


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## Smudger (Jan 19, 2015)

In that case.... Pass. Lol. I've noticed bladder snails in my tank skimming the surface upside down presumably eating that protein layer but can't say for sure. Plus I don't think you want to infest your tank with them 

Richard - Happy Fish Keeping


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## Phyzix (Mar 20, 2015)

Is it feasible just to put on of those little Eheim skimmers in the area you're seeing the most buildup? I tried to contain my frogbit with tubing for awhile but once it got large enough it just fills the entire top, even while getting blasted with the spray bar. That movement keeps things crystal clear though. There are just a few inches around the spray bar clear enough to drop in food in


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## Nazdaq (Mar 25, 2015)

Your stand looks wicked mate, i wish i had the craftsmanship to do something like that myself and maybe in the future i will try. anyhow, what is the arc in the corner? is it a cave for the plecos?


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Smudger said:


> In that case.... Pass. Lol. I've noticed bladder snails in my tank skimming the surface upside down presumably eating that protein layer but can't say for sure. Plus I don't think you want to infest your tank with them
> 
> Richard - Happy Fish Keeping


I don't really want them haha. I actually have a couple assassins that prowl the tank and keep it clean of snails. I don't mind a few, but I don't see many or any actually. I'm going to play with my spray bar to try and get rid of some of the film.



Phyzix said:


> Is it feasible just to put on of those little Eheim skimmers in the area you're seeing the most buildup? I tried to contain my frogbit with tubing for awhile but once it got large enough it just fills the entire top, even while getting blasted with the spray bar. That movement keeps things crystal clear though. There are just a few inches around the spray bar clear enough to drop in food in


The build up is right next to the edge of the frogbit on the spray bar side. As the frogbit grows it moves a little closer to the spray bar. It may be some of my frogbit dying off and it could be organic matter. I'll do some cleaning/trimming to see if it helps. I use to have my tank filled like you explained, right up to the spray bar, and I love it. Just waiting on this to take off. :hihi:



Nazdaq said:


> Your stand looks wicked mate, i wish i had the craftsmanship to do something like that myself and maybe in the future i will try. anyhow, what is the arc in the corner? is it a cave for the plecos?


Thanks! It is easy, trust me! The craftsmanship is not very good. It is definitely a hobbyist stand. The biggest thing is power tools. I have a sliding compound miter saw and a drill that I would consider necessary to build something like this. Not really the sliding part, but definitely need a miter saw to make it easy. Hand sawing and nailing things together is a TON of work. 

The arc on the left side is a terracotta pot (2 actually) for the Rams, corys and plecos. The plecos don't bother with them much. My bristlenose plecos hang on the glass most of the time like otos. The corys like the caves. The rams just sort of swim in the open though. They were meant to be little caves.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Video update!

Ignore the 'short' at the beginning. 7+ mins isn't short haha

75g planted tank update: https://youtu.be/ICjA9aREMcg


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Got my moonlight installed! Thanks to Midnighttide102 for the RAOK. I seriously appreciate it. There are some possible modifications to be made, but it works for now!





And just a shot of the tank again.


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## rebelbuck1993 (Sep 3, 2014)

looking good


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

That's a real nice canopy build. Tank looks great too.

The frogbit was a nice addition I think. As it thickens up it will create a good effect of depth. Probably already does in person.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I actually have removed the frogbit, sorta. I was having surface agitation issues and I couldn't seem to get rid of the film with my set up. So I rehomed some of it to the sump and gave the rest away. It grows so fast I have no doubt I can reestablish my supply if needed. 

Just to clarify, my fish weren't gasping so I wasn't having an oxygen issue. It was just a cloudy film you could poke a hole in with your finger. I was hoping to find a bubble wall for the back of the tank, but they all seem to have poor reviews.


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

Floaters have always complicated things for me too. I just thought it looked nice.


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

I had a really persistent film on my surface too for the first couple months but a few weeks back it suddenly disappeared... dunno what it was about but maybe it is a new tank sort of thing?


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

burr740 said:


> Floaters have always complicated things for me too. I just thought it looked nice.


I loved the look! The long roots of the frogbit were some of my favorite. Made it look so natural. The fish and shrimp loved it. I swear most of my 'bottom dwelling' RCS would be swinging from the roots Tarzan style! I am holding on to some of it in my sump refuge. I'll have to figure it out before I add them back in.



andrewss said:


> I had a really persistent film on my surface too for the first couple months but a few weeks back it suddenly disappeared... dunno what it was about but maybe it is a new tank sort of thing?


I never had this issue with my 30g, but it was half the length of this tank. I just think the spray bar I have now isn't strong enough to cause ripples under the frogbit across the entire top of the tank (or move the frogbit around to break up the film). I'll give frogbit another shot before too long! I think I may have to upgrade my sump lighting now that I have frogbit blocking out some light.


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## Sky817 (Feb 25, 2015)

nice tank! where you get frogbit? do you have problem with GSA? it looked clean


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Sky817 said:


> nice tank! where you get frogbit? do you have problem with GSA? it looked clean


I got frogbit on here from a member when I started my previous tank. I don't really have issues with GSA. I did on my previous tank for about a week when I changed lights, but that was it. I'm not sure if it is my low intensity lighting or the half dozen otos and pair of plecos that keeps the glass clean.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

It has been nearly a month since my last post. The tank is still chugging along just fine. Nothing has really changed. The dwarf sag is propagating and there is some black hair algae making its way into the tank. I cut the light back considerably. I was using 23w CFLs, but now I'm running 13w CFLs. The algae should slowly dwindle.

Here is a video of me feeding a cube of blood worms to the nearly 60 inhabitants in the main tank (30 seconds long). Just click it to be taken to photobucket. The quality is probably poor. I shot it on my phone for Facebook originally because my friend is trying to convince his girlfriend to let him get a fish tank for their apartment. 



http://vid39.photobucket.com/albums/e192/stinkylinkz/VID_20150717_165621214_zpsw3j0urot.mp4


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## Phyzix (Mar 20, 2015)

Looks great with the number of fish you got in there!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I think my stocking is probably way overboard for a typical 75g, but I regularly have another 40-50 gallons in the sump. Unfortunately, my sump plants really haven't taken off like I had hoped. Maybe the stringray isn't strong enough? I don't know. But my wisteria, water sprite, and even my floaters don't seem to grow.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Just a minor text update. I went to SeaWorld (Florida) this weekend, we actually live locally. In the line for the Manta roller coaster, they have a tank with Cardinal Tetras and Denison Barbs. The Denisons are nearly 12" long! They are HUGE Denison Barbs. It was amazing. I told my wife, "This is what our tank would look like if you let me get a 1,500 gallon tank." While she was most impressed with how beautiful foot long Denisons looked, she was still against the small fortune a tank that size would cost. 

Basically, I was super impressed with seeing the species of fish I own at full grown adult sizes. These fish looked good enough to eat! They were awesome to see. I wish I had photos, but I left my electronics in the car because rain was in the forecast and I knew we would be getting wet.


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## bpb (Mar 8, 2011)

I agree whole heartedly with the jumbo fish sentiment. That is the thing that jumps out at me the most when going to public aquariums with 10,000 gallon plus displays. The size that these fish get when given adequate space. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

This was a much smaller display, but still quite impressive!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

A small update. I'm keeping up with regular maintenance. I sure do miss my floaters though. 

I cleaned up the filter floss. You can see the before and after from just running water over it.



I also did some trimming. I was noticing some of my sword leaves really just had too much black algae on them, so I snipped them. 



The tank is pretty cloudy. I did some sump maintenance and I did uproot a few plants during my trimming (too much empty space in some spots). It will clear up by tomorrow I'm sure.



I also cut the light down AGAIN. 23w CFLs were too much, so I switched to 13w CFLs. That was still likely too much light, so I am down to 3 fixtures instead of 4. I put the last unit in my sump.



I'm not sure HOW, but my finnex stingray wiggled loose from the feet, slid off one side, and fell into my sump. I haven't noticed any casualties, but it had been sitting in my sump for a few days from the looks of it. I don't check my sump daily, so I didn't notice it until I did my regular maintenance. That is one reason I moved the CFL light in there.


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## Phil Edwards (Jul 18, 2003)

That's growing nicely! Sorry to hear about the light.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Phil Edwards said:


> That's growing nicely! Sorry to hear about the light.


Thanks a bunch! It is growing well, especially the crypt in the front. It has become huge. I also have a lot of new dwarf sag growth. $20 down the drain! Not a big deal really. I'm more saddened by the dead otto body I found  I think he was a second stringer and not part of my original bunch. 

The tank functions and looks great throughout the day. I have my lights on a good timer now and I really get to enjoy the moonlight and daylight while I'm home without TOO much algae. I'm still dialing that aspect in.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

A no photo update for now. I am having some algae appear on the glass. I guess I'll dial back my photo period even more. I really wish I had better success with jungle val. If I wanted to go with a more jungle appearance, any tall low tech plants out there? I obviously have had good success with swords, but not so much vals. I want something thinner, such as the vals.


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## bk. (Sep 27, 2014)

I have some Sagittaria in my 55 that is bending over at the top of the tank. I believe it's Sagittaria, Subulata. Most of the runners (which are now everywhere) have stayed lower and bent over kind of. I'm not sure if they're a different variety or not but there are many that are very tall as well.


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## andrewss (Oct 17, 2012)

yes! looks like it is growing in quite nicely  such a nice setup you have there


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## George Willms (Jul 25, 2003)

You could also look into some of the taller crypts, like balansae or maybe spiralis.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

andrewss said:


> yes! looks like it is growing in quite nicely such a nice setup you have there


Thanks! It is growing in quite well and my next setup is going to be even better!



George Willms said:


> You could also look into some of the taller crypts, like balansae or maybe spiralis.


My crypts have gotten quite large actually, and they are only wendtii. I have some photos I'm uploading to show how large they have gotten.



bk. said:


> I have some Sagittaria in my 55 that is bending over at the top of the tank. I believe it's Sagittaria, Subulata. Most of the runners (which are now everywhere) have stayed lower and bent over kind of. I'm not sure if they're a different variety or not but there are many that are very tall as well.


That's crazy! Mine has mostly spread in a compact-ish manner. There are some 4"+ tall portions, but nothing like that.

I'll definitely look into the plants mentioned as I attempt to go with a more jungle setup.





















I tried getting some shots of my largest Denison Barb, but he was whipping throughout the tank. There is some algae on the glass and on my dwarf sag.


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## bk. (Sep 27, 2014)

That's how 95% of mine look too haha


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

bk. said:


> That's how 95% of mine look too haha


I'm not really the best at taking photos. Plus, I'm using a cell phone.


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## bk. (Sep 27, 2014)

Freemananana said:


> I'm not really the best at taking photos. Plus, I'm using a cell phone.



I was talking about all of the sag being bent over and not growing tall.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Oh! Yeah, my sag is spreading well as far as I'm concerned. I really like it. I think it is a great low tech carpet. When I upgrade my tank, I'll have enough dwarf sag to plant it just like I planted this tank. I'm excited for my next project, but in no real rush to get rid of this one.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Man! Check out the little crypt that could, front and center! I can't believe how big it has gotten and how much my dwarf sag has propagated. 

May 2015


October 2015


I can't believe this tank is coming up on the 6 month mark. I've done almost nothing. I scrubbed the algae on the glass once or twice, trimmed the amazon swords twice, and done weekly water changes fairly consistently.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

An update on this tank. I got a new shrimp tank and transferred some plants from my main tank. The largest hit was the dwarf sag.

Before:



After:



I also did some cleaning of the sump. Removing the side panel via a few screws



Easy access to remove the sump.



I ran a couple air stones and a power head since the main pump wouldn't be running for a couple hours.



I noticed that my Denison barbs school better than any of my small 'schooling' fish. All 8 hang out together. My neons and cherry barbs tend to just wander. 



And everything back together. The shrimp have been moved to their own tank, so there is no light under the stand any more.



Here's a link to my shrimp journal if anyone is interested:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/12-tank-journals/944458-underwater-shrimp-stump.html#post8451594


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Another minor update.

The tank one evening as the moonlight came on:



I love the new vals, hopefully they work out better this time than they have in the past.



And once again, this crypt boggles my mind. It is so huge! I'm over 6' tall and I have 'decent' sized hands.


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## Smudger (Jan 19, 2015)

You know what they say about big hands.... Apparently big crypts!  

Richard - Happy Fish Keeping


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## pete57 (Nov 6, 2015)

*Hey!*

Thank you very much for your willingness to help! I have a 55 gallon tank thats been set up for a few years now and I went from fake plants to live over the years. I was given substrate, which I think is flourite. Only because I've been looking around online and thats my guess...anyway, Its freshwater community and have a few plants, I think one is anubias, a banana plant, and I'm not sure of other two, I think one crypt, one java fern. thats about it...i want to buy more they donnt do great but they are surviving. I have original 2 lights that came with tank. two small t8s. 15-17w a piece. so before i spend money on lights to grow plants i like to do my research. i love how you have such beautiful plants with using shop lights.
Sorry so long, but also what do you think of led strip light 300 5050.
I saw video on them, then saw them cheap on ebay? And about the shop lights, do you think i would need 3 for my tank?
Thank you, again.:laugh2:


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## DavidZ (Nov 17, 2009)

Great job!!!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Smudger said:


> You know what they say about big hands.... Apparently big crypts!
> 
> Richard - Happy Fish Keeping


Yeppers! I am in love with that plant.



pete57 said:


> Thank you very much for your willingness to help! I have a 55 gallon tank thats been set up for a few years now and I went from fake plants to live over the years. I was given substrate, which I think is flourite. Only because I've been looking around online and thats my guess...anyway, Its freshwater community and have a few plants, I think one is anubias, a banana plant, and I'm not sure of other two, I think one crypt, one java fern. thats about it...i want to buy more they donnt do great but they are surviving. I have original 2 lights that came with tank. two small t8s. 15-17w a piece. so before i spend money on lights to grow plants i like to do my research. i love how you have such beautiful plants with using shop lights.
> Sorry so long, but also what do you think of led strip light 300 5050.
> I saw video on them, then saw them cheap on ebay? And about the shop lights, do you think i would need 3 for my tank?
> Thank you, again.:laugh2:


I'm not sure on the LED strips. I've heard good things about them, but I don't have any information on growing plants. I can, however, say that 3 of the shop lights should be fine for your tank! If you get glass covers, you could probably set the lights right on top of the tank or make a light hanger out of metal conduit that is bent. Then you just hang the shop lights from that. You can also get nicer looking shop lights than what I have. I see a lot of Ikea lights being used and I know Amazon/Walmart/etc has 'pendent' lights available. They should work similarly. I would highly suggest 3 pendent lights with 13w CFLs for your tank. Start with about 6 hours of light and wait 2-3 weeks. If you see algae forming, raise the lights up a little (higher above the tank on that hanger I was talking about). If you don't see algae, give it another week or so. Still no algae, turn the lighting period up to 7 hours. Wait another 3-4 weeks and go from there. When you get the lighting period to the length you like (8-10 hours for me), you should be set. You'll find the height you need for your setup! 

Good luck! This is exactly what I did and I've had minimal algae issues.



DavidZ said:


> Great job!!!


Thanks! I took some more photos (Val jungle now), but just got a new phone so I'll have to take new photos.


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## pete57 (Nov 6, 2015)

Thanx for the ideas. I'll check it out. Hopefully my tank will look as good as yours.

Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

pete57 said:


> Thanx for the ideas. I'll check it out. Hopefully my tank will look as good as yours.
> 
> Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk


No problem! Good luck and thank you!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

An update. The tank is going jungle. I just planted a ton of spiral val on the right side. Got it for, in my opinion, a steal! I also have several random plants that I don't know the name of in there now, I took someone up on a RAOK. 

I'm going to make a new overflow, most likely an overflow box that uses a smoother tube for the 'U' shape over the rim of the tank and then utilizes 3 overflows (bean animal style) within the box. The DIY PVC overflow does not boast flow rates anywhere near the promised rates. I'm looking to flow 600 gph or so through the filter with these mods. I have two return pumps and this overflow handles one of them turned down a bit. I believe they are 740 gph return pumps before head loss. Anyway, photo dump.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Major update. I have a two week vacation coming up and I knew I couldn't expect anyone to understand how to unclog the overflow (remove the leaves from it). So I swapped to a canister filter. I had to add some air stones for additional flow/surface agitation and then I added some frogbit into the tank.





I enjoyed the sump, but it is too much to leave to someone to look after for extended periods.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Just did a large partial water change and I'm super impressed with the spiral val growth. 





To give some advice to anyone planning a sump in the future:

The DIY PVC overflow is extremely over rated in terms of flow rates. I suggest a e-shoppes style, yet custom made, overflow instead. That or simply drill the rear of the tank. In reality, I should have drilled the rear of the tank for my setup and made a 'coast to coast' overflow for maximum skimming. If you go with the overflow box, I suggest a bean animal drain system or at least a herbie overflow system. The difference is an additional emergency overflow. 

Go with braided tubing instead of rigid PVC. It makes things more adjustable and makes bends easier. It 'grows' algae and will require cleaning, but rigid pipe catches debris and needs cleaning anyway.

Keep the sump simple, but a few baffles does make it easier to clean. Without baffles, I had my media mixing together and it was a bit of a pain to control. Even worse with my refuge I had set up. The planted refuge did not work so well with the one small baffle.

Keep the sump short. Mine was tall and made working in it more difficult than it needed to be. 

Have fun with it! The constant DIYing was fun for me. I will be tackling the sump again in my next tank for sure. However, I will be drilling that tank and taking my own advice all around.

The primary reason I got rid of the sump was vacationing. A leaf would block the only drain some times and most people don't understand what to do. I had a float switch that prevented an overflow, but without the return pump running, there was no flow or filtration. This is less than ideal. Also, I was never able to suck all the air out of the 2" PVC and struggled with the flow. My 740 GPH pump, pre 5' of head height, was able to out flow the drain. So it was turned down. This also meant any blockage of the drain would cycle the pump on and off as flow was diminished. I was able to flow 350-ish GPH through the tank with that setup and never had any issues. 

I switched to a SunSun 304B due to my experience with the 302 model. I am quite pleased. Unfortunately, I'll only be using it for a year or two, which is a shame. My next setup will have no need for the canister most likely. The flow out of the sunsun is less than the flow out of my sump, so I substituted some air stones to increase the flow slightly and improve surface agitation. While it is less GPH, it is more uniform and seems to make the plants sway in a better fashion. Also, the addition of air stones keeps me pleased during long water changes and tank cleanings. 

If anyone ever has any questions, feel free to ask them here. I get email updates on this thread. 

If anyone is interested, my next tank will be a 8'x30"x30" and will be utilizing this 75g as the sump. I'm going with an ultra quiet DC return pump, bean animal drain, and a very similar lighting setup. A lot of learning was done on my part during this build, but the lighting setup was nothing short of perfect in my opinion.


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## heel4you (Mar 8, 2015)

Freemananana,
Tank looks great!
Did you ever receive your driftwood?


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## quiquik (Dec 13, 2013)

Very interested in the next tank, that is just about the size of my dream tank and I'm afraid that will not happen until I move to a different place of residence. Will be watching!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

heel4you said:


> Freemananana,
> Tank looks great!
> Did you ever receive your driftwood?


Thanks!

I sure did! I ended up using some of it in my 20g shrimp tank instead of this tank. 



quiquik said:


> Very interested in the next tank, that is just about the size of my dream tank and I'm afraid that will not happen until I move to a different place of residence. Will be watching!


My next tank will have to wait until we move to our new home, which is still 8+ months out. I most likely won't start working on it until spring of 2016 sadly. I'm aiming for the 400g range to house large Bala sharks. 

A tank of that size does not like to be moved, so I'm waiting until I find a permanent residence to set it up. My 75g is easy enough to dismantle and move.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Here are some updated changes to the mechanical portions of the tank. The sump is unlikely to return, so here is the 304B that replaced it. The flow is alright, the filtration seems good, and I haven't had any spikes.

There is a lot of empty space present. :crying:



The lighting has been upped to 4 lights instead of 3 since the addition of the spiral vals. 



So thick that I can't see many fish from my chair.



I also was able to add in floaters since I no longer have an overflow, something I missed quite a lot. It helps with the anubias and algae.



And the FTS. I'd say over 50% of the tank is plant mass. Is this heavily planted yet? Low tech can certainly grow quickly.


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## d33pVI (Oct 28, 2015)

And that is why I don't plant vals anymore. Nice looking tank, though!


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## p2002 (Nov 25, 2015)

This tank is amazing. I followed you here from the "Low Tech Show and Tell" thread. 

What kind of fertilizing do you do? Do you dose with root tabs and Excel?


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

d33pVI said:


> And that is why I don't plant vals anymore. Nice looking tank, though!


I rather enjoy them! I've had Vals before and had zero luck. This is a great turn of events for me. I don't mind the trimming since it is right there at the surface! Super easy. I also have a 3' tank coming into the works, so I wanted to start growing vals for it.



p2002 said:


> This tank is amazing. I followed you here from the "Low Tech Show and Tell" thread.
> 
> What kind of fertilizing do you do? Do you dose with root tabs and Excel?


None, none, and none. I used some O+ root tabs when I set the tank up, but they are definitely gone by now. I haven't replaced them. I don't fertilize. I have liquid ferts, but I rarely use them (maybe once a month if I'm bored). As for Excel, I started dosing Metricide, but then a member here gave me a load of vals for cheap, so I stopped since they do not appreciate Excel. 

So, basically, I do water changes every week or two. Right about 40-50%.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

So I've been cooking up my next build, which is still a ways out. I'm an avid DIY'er, not really a fish keeper, and I like my tanks for the plants more than anything. 

So here is the next tank I'll be working on:



I decided to just post it here for anyone who has been curious about my future build. It is a plywood tank with a split front window. I got a free 90g tall tank that I'll be sourcing 1/2" thick glass from, so I thought this would be a great first tank build.

I'll be running this 75g as a sump for the tank, it is a little undersized. 

The pump will likely be this one or a future model (3000gph):
Amazon.com : Jebao Jecod DCT Marine Controllable Water Pump : Pet Supplies

I'll run a bean animal drain with 1 or 3/2" drains and dual 1" returns.

The plan is to house a variety of freshwater 'sharks'. Most likely my school of Denison barbs (Rosaline sharks) will expand and I will add a small school of bala sharks. I also want a couple flying foxes or loaches to round out the crew. 

Plants will be primarily low light, fast growers, like the current tank. Plenty of val in the background and a foreground dominated by dwarf sag. I'll likely go with minimal hardscape again and a 'jungle' appearance (AKA lazy low tech).

Lighting will be similar CFL lighting. The cost is low, yearly replacement is easy, and it is easily adjusted. I will likely go with 23w 6500k CFLs instead of the 13w so that the lights are not sitting directly on the glass.

The hood will be hinged on the top and I'll use some car trunk actuators to help offset the weight.

I've been enthralled by plywood tanks for awhile now and I've wanted to try my own. The cost will be about $1,000 by the time it is up and running, estimated at least. That includes substrate, the stand, the hood, plumbing, and all equipment. The total system is over 400g, which was my goal for this, and the main tank will be over 350g. 

The tank will likely not be housed in doors.


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## heel4you (Mar 8, 2015)

Freemananana,
I see you are moving and starting plans for a new tank.
I am excited to see this 375g build!!!!
Good luck on the move.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

heel4you said:


> Freemananana,
> I see you are moving and starting plans for a new tank.
> I am excited to see this 375g build!!!!
> Good luck on the move.


The build will be put on major hold! Here's the story if anyone cares:

I had a job opportunity that would be life changing in a good way. It came down to me and one other applicant. I didn't get the job. I was counting on that job to stay in the town I live in. After our lease is up on our house, we are moving due to finances. Unfortunately, it won't be into a house we are buying anymore. We will be moving across country to live by my folks. They will be helping us with child care for my daughter while I finish my BS. I was going to finish my BS with the company I work with, but I'm no longer eligible for that program since I didn't get this promotion. So my fish keeping hobby will be on hold for the next 3 years and I'm getting out of it. When I get back in, it will be a massive basement aquarium and probably much larger than the 375g I had planned for my next build. 

But thanks! It's going to suck for a few years, but it's something that has to be done unfortunately. 

Anyone else who looks at this thread, I'm selling everything. The Denison barbs are really the only fish worth anything and I'd like to get $75+shipping for the school of 8 I have. Most are 2"+ and I have 2 that are about 4". All very healthy and active schoolers. The other fish I'd love to sell, cheap, to anyone willing to house them. I realize the cost of shipping may make them less than ideal. Locals can have them for free.

I will probably have to sell my RCS, but as popular as they are, it will wait.


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## quiquik (Dec 13, 2013)

I'm a firm believer in things happening the way they do for a reason, and if this hobby has taught us anything it is patience. I would like to encourage you to look ahead with expectation, not with just the hobby but in all things concerning your move. Hope I didn't get to serious.


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## Nick00Merlin (Sep 29, 2015)

This is sad news indeed! Let us know how things go, and please stay on this site at least. You could live vicariously through all of us and still share your knowledge!!! Or even do like a friend of mine did, he helped one of his kids teacher set up some tanks to help teach the kids.... 

No matter what keep your head up and as @quiquik said things happen for a reason. This is but yet another stone to step on as we go through this world.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

No way! Never too serious. I've met several people on this website that have really been a pleasure dealing with and talking to. I'm sure things are going the way they are for a reason too. I'll be back in the hobby before too long and I will have my freshwater 'shark' tank before it is all said and done. 

I'm actually trying to pass most of my stuff on for 'cheap'. At least, I hope it is a decent price. Some of the people I've dealt with were super kind and I really appreciated buying from them. So that's what I'm hoping to aim for. I just have no grasp on prices for plants. Hopefully I can find some good local people to take care of my fish.


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## quiquik (Dec 13, 2013)

Going local would definitely be a lot easier. I'm sure others will help you with the pricing. Happy New Year!


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## heel4you (Mar 8, 2015)

Freemananana,
I believe that there is a greater plan for us all.
I too hope that you still remain an active member here. I have enjoyed your posts and your knowledge.
So, here is to your bright future!!!
God bless


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Thanks! I'll try and stay active. I've never had anyone mention my posting. haha. I try to post a bunch and give feedback and opinions because I know I enjoyed receiving the same.


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## BettaBettas (Aug 21, 2016)

pretty while it lasted


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

BettaBettas said:


> pretty while it lasted


Thanks! It was quite a bit of fun while it lasted as well. I wish I had taken more photos.


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