# Tiger barb species tank (55g DIY all in one aquarium)



## Vohlk (Apr 8, 2016)

Beamswork should be fine for low light especially if you are going for the .5W version which based on your picture it looks like you are my only concern would be how well the .5W will penetrate into a tank that deep there are 1W and 3W beamswork aswell. To be noted the beamswork lights are not designed to be dimmed and cannot undergo the color manipulation that a finnex can but if you aren't interested in those aspects then I would recommend the beamswork. (yes with a current/voltage regulator you can dim the light but this causes high frequency pulsing of the LED's which lowers their lifespan and is also bad for your fish (even though you might not be able to see the pulsing yourself))


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## MasterAlgaeGrower (Apr 18, 2016)

I am excited to see how this turns out. I've been wanting to do something similar myself. Stocking wise i am partial to Rainbow tanks. I think they look good and are fun to watch. I have no experience with the beamswork lights but from what I have read they should be good for what you want to do. I run a finnex planted + 24/7 on my 40B and will say that i am a big fan of it. I run it on a timer with a break in the middle of the day, with a custom light setting about 80% of what the max setting is.


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## Veritas (Aug 9, 2013)

sounds like an awesome project!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Vohlk said:


> Beamswork should be fine for low light especially if you are going for the .5W version which based on your picture it looks like you are my only concern would be how well the .5W will penetrate into a tank that deep there are 1W and 3W beamswork aswell. To be noted the beamswork lights are not designed to be dimmed and cannot undergo the color manipulation that a finnex can but if you aren't interested in those aspects then I would recommend the beamswork. (yes with a current/voltage regulator you can dim the light but this causes high frequency pulsing of the LED's which lowers their lifespan and is also bad for your fish (even though you might not be able to see the pulsing yourself))



It is the 0.5w version. I ran into a "issue" with the 0.5w version on my 20g regular. It wasn't a lot of light, even at 16". I could run it for 12 hours a day. I think it was the dual/triple and not the pent rows though. I think the 3w Evo Green model may be better, but isn't as economical and is swaying me to go with the 24/7. I want to go with the 24/7 for pure aesthetic reasons. I like the sunrise/sunset and built in timer functions. Thank you for the input. It has raised a lot of new thoughts in my head. 



MasterAlgaeGrower said:


> I am excited to see how this turns out. I've been wanting to do something similar myself. Stocking wise i am partial to Rainbow tanks. I think they look good and are fun to watch. I have no experience with the beamswork lights but from what I have read they should be good for what you want to do. I run a finnex planted + 24/7 on my 40B and will say that i am a big fan of it. I run it on a timer with a break in the middle of the day, with a custom light setting about 80% of what the max setting is.




Thanks! I have heard plenty of good stories about the light. When you said ranbow tanks, we are talking about the half blue and half yellow guys, right? Definitely something to consider. I could only fit a small school of rainbow fish in here and may have to get a little adventurous to find a store with them. My LFS doesn't stock them regularly. 



Veritas said:


> sounds like an awesome project!



If everything goes half as well as I hope, it should turn out great. Only time will tell though.


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## MasterAlgaeGrower (Apr 18, 2016)

Freemananana said:


> Thanks! I have heard plenty of good stories about the light. When you said ranbow tanks, we are talking about the half blue and half yellow guys, right? Definitely something to consider. I could only fit a small school of rainbow fish in here and may have to get a little adventurous to find a store with them. My LFS doesn't stock them regularly.


Those are a type of rainbow. But there are quite a few different varieties of rainbow out there.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

MasterAlgaeGrower said:


> Those are a type of rainbow. But there are quite a few different varieties of rainbow out there.



Yup! That's just the most common. I've seen some beautiful rainbow tanks. I don't think I could fit very many in this tank though. I'm trying to keep the stocking down too. :grin2:


I will look into it more though.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

How hot does it get in summer, internal pumps can add a few degrees.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Nordic said:


> How hot does it get in summer, internal pumps can add a few degrees.




In the house, 77* F. Outside, 100*F+. I had a larger tank, about double this, with 2 pumps, larger than these, running without a lot of issues. I did have an issue with my lighting and my hood causing a lot of heat though. But I ended up solving that. I wish I could find an affordable DC pump around rated flow of the one I have for this tank.


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## jaliberti (Dec 5, 2015)

Kudos to you for a 55g species only tank. I see too many community tanks these days, which the owners may find aesthetically pleasing but truth be told there are hardly any species of fish that benefit more from a community tank than from a species tank.

Re "What should I stock, species only, in this tank? I'm open to anything."

Go with 1 pair of something, preferably a species that won't eat (all of) their fry, and make your species tank become a grow-out tank as well. Talk to your LFS. See which species they'd be eager to buy or give store credit for.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

jaliberti said:


> Kudos to you for a 55g species only tank. I see too many community tanks these days, which the owners may find aesthetically pleasing but truth be told there are hardly any species of fish that benefit more from a community tank than from a species tank.
> 
> Re "What should I stock, species only, in this tank? I'm open to anything."
> 
> Go with 1 pair of something, preferably a species that won't eat (all of) their fry, and make your species tank become a grow-out tank as well. Talk to your LFS. See which species they'd be eager to buy or give store credit for.



My current LFS won't be too local after the move haha. Seems like a neat idea. The downside would be an ever changing bio load and I'm awful at catching fish. It is something worth giving a shot. I am a big kribs fan...

Lots of decent stocking ideas thus far.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

species tanks rock.
I have a 55 gal with 40 largeish platinum juvenile platys.


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## SingAlongWithTsing (Jun 11, 2015)

How big are the holes on the weirs gonna be? i think i read somewhere that 7/16" or 1/2" = 10gph


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Nordic said:


> species tanks rock.
> I have a 55 gal with 40 largeish platinum juvenile platys.


Awesome! I liked my community tank a lot, but I think a species only tank will be interesting too. It's a hobby and this is just one iteration of it. 



SingAlongWithTsing said:


> How big are the holes on the weirs gonna be? i think i read somewhere that 7/16" or 1/2" = 10gph


The weir is actually depicted a little bit different than it actually came out. The inlet to the filter will actually just be gutter guard over a 3"x4" hole. The baffles are actually open with 4"x4" holes, not drilled like the picture. I have update photos. I changed my mind while cutting haha. 

So I actually started working on the tank. I dragged it out of the garage, removed the baffles that were in it, removed the old bio media that I left in there, and started to clean it. Don't let your spouse see you using the kitchen sink for this.



It was hot in the garage, so I was working in the bedroom and my daughter was giving me some pointers.



I had everything drawn out on my piece of acrylic.



Here's my cheap table saw. Works much better than a jig saw for this type of work.



Here's everything laid out. The baffles don't go to the bottom of the tank/top of the tank. The inlet will have gutter guard to prevent fish from entering. 



I rounded the edges to get a good, uniform, fit of the panels.



Here's the block to prevent the light from growing hoards of algae in the filter area.



And here are the baffles. There is awful glare and I hadn't cleaned up the excess silicone. 



There is a ways to go still.


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## SNAXX (Dec 30, 2015)

You could go with smaller rainbows. Threadfins are great looking with great behavior for soft water. Most of the Pseudomugil species are good looking as well as comfortable at higher ph, which means most tap water parameters are fine for them. 
I've kept both types and they're very interesting fish. 

I use that Beamsworks light you posted, the ELF model. I like mine as far as how the plants grow in my low tech no CO2 set up. My tank is 22" deep with mostly low light plants and they're all flourishing. The real test was the Rotala Nanjenshan that I received mistakenly. The lower leaves shed but the upper leaves look good and the tips are shooting up, looking vital. It's just kind of bland as far as color. The tank is drenched in yellowish light. It can be modded to house rgb's though. I'm at the point of having to choose between adding RGB's for color or going with another light like the 24/7. I'm considering the Vivagrow version of the 24/7 for the price. 

There is my obligatory opinion and experience whenever Beamswork is mentioned lol.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Nordic said:


> species tanks rock.
> I have a 55 gal with 40 largeish platinum juvenile platys.





SNAXX said:


> You could go with smaller rainbows. Threadfins are great looking with great behavior for soft water. Most of the Pseudomugil species are good looking as well as comfortable at higher ph, which means most tap water parameters are fine for them.
> I've kept both types and they're very interesting fish.
> 
> I use that Beamsworks light you posted, the ELF model. I like mine as far as how the plants grow in my low tech no CO2 set up. My tank is 22" deep with mostly low light plants and they're all flourishing. The real test was the Rotala Nanjenshan that I received mistakenly. The lower leaves shed but the upper leaves look good and the tips are shooting up, looking vital. It's just kind of bland as far as color. The tank is drenched in yellowish light. It can be modded to house rgb's though. I'm at the point of having to choose between adding RGB's for color or going with another light like the 24/7. I'm considering the Vivagrow version of the 24/7 for the price.
> ...


Thanks for the weigh in! I ended up splurging haha. I'll look into the smaller rainbows though. Getting them semi-local may be tough. But a worthwhile attempt regardless.


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## SNAXX (Dec 30, 2015)

You splurged on a light? 

Another species that's underrated in my opinion is Emperor Tetras. From what I understand of the history of our hobby, they were very popular at one point. At some point they're popularity waned. I was keeping them in the mid 2000's and they bred without me trying. I had a tank with overgrown java moss so it was perfect to hide some eggs and fry.

These days there are a few variations. One that goes by Rainbow Emperor and one that's mostly black. I can't say I've ever seen anyone into or breeding either species. Personally I find the most joy out of finding rare fish, as far as this hobby goes. You can look at it like a DJ digging in crates for a rare record lol.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

SNAXX said:


> You splurged on a light?
> 
> Another species that's underrated in my opinion is Emperor Tetras. From what I understand of the history of our hobby, they were very popular at one point. At some point they're popularity waned. I was keeping them in the mid 2000's and they bred without me trying. I had a tank with overgrown java moss so it was perfect to hide some eggs and fry.
> 
> These days there are a few variations. One that goes by Rainbow Emperor and one that's mostly black. I can't say I've ever seen anyone into or breeding either species. Personally I find the most joy out of finding rare fish, as far as this hobby goes. You can look at it like a DJ digging in crates for a rare record lol.


Yup, on the light. I bought a 24/7. I wanted one before it was released and just never had the 'budget'. I decided, that since i was on the fence this time around, I might as well get something I've always had interest in. 

Anyway, I do like to be unique. There aren't a ton of people who keep Denison Barbs actually. I had a school of 8-9 in my 75g and I loved those fish. I can't say I'm quite DJ in a crate level though. I don't want to spend an arm and a leg on fish. Like I've mentioned, I'm just going to get a couple of something simple to keep for the next couple months, I won't actually stock it until after I move. So I may just spoil a betta or a small school of something. But I will look into the emperor tetra.

This is kind of a 'spur of the moment' tank. I have a much larger build going on in the background, but can't really start until after I move in September.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

My local LFS has roseline (denisons) as well as blue lines (for much less), apart from the redish bit, they look and behave almost the same. You can consider them a poor man's denison.

Emperor's are also awesome, a definite 10 out of 10 fish. It just ticks all the boxes.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Nordic said:


> My local LFS has roseline (denisons) as well as blue lines (for much less), apart from the redish bit, they look and behave almost the same. You can consider them a poor man's denison.
> 
> Emperor's are also awesome, a definite 10 out of 10 fish. It just ticks all the boxes.


Thanks! My LFS is a small one and he carries random stuff. My local petsmart has denisons for $5 each all the time. They just need to be rehab'd every time you buy one though. 



The Emperor Tetras do look neat.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

They need to mature a bit to look their best (like most tetras).


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## SNAXX (Dec 30, 2015)

True. The blue eyes are really impressive in person as well. The females have yellow eyes, the males blue.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Nordic said:


> They need to mature a bit to look their best (like most tetras).


Understandable! Definitely going to keep it in mind. 



SNAXX said:


> True. The blue eyes are really impressive in person as well. The females have yellow eyes, the males blue.


That's neat. I'll have to ask the LFS and check around.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I painted the filter today. I was doing some research and saw a suggestion to use frosted glass as a 'primer' and then paint over that. So I gave it a shot. Here is the paint I decided to use, rustoleum products since I couldn't find Krylon frosted glass. It is preference, both brands are fine, but I've been a fan of krylon for the past couple years.



I taped up the tank. I taped about 3/4" past the filter wall to hide the silicone.



Three coats of frosted glass



Waited for a full cure, then three coats of semi-gloss black.



And with the tape removed



The edges aren't perfect and there is some over spray. It could have gone better. I had one leak through the tape on the other side. I will try and clean it up the best I can. Overall, I'm pleased so far. We will see if the frosted glass sticks better over time than paint alone. 

I also picked up 100 lbs of black diamond blasting sand today for the substrate. I'll be using O+ to compensate for the lack of nutrients.


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## GrampsGrunge (Jun 18, 2012)

I guess it's just me, but I try to avoid letting anything that might spend the next several weeks out-gassing toxic compounds get anywhere near a fish tank.

BTW I like your larger tank, It is neat to see others doing low tech lighting solutions.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

GrampsGrunge said:


> I guess it's just me, but I try to avoid letting anything that might spend the next several weeks out-gassing toxic compounds get anywhere near a fish tank.
> 
> BTW I like your larger tank, It is neat to see others doing low tech lighting solutions.


What are you referencing when you say "out-gassing toxic compounds"? The paint? Or the blasting sand?

Thanks too. If you are referencing the CFLs, I love those lights and suggest them all the time. It was a big piece of hardware and this tank is going to be much slimmer in stature, so that wasn't really plausible.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

So I went with the 24/7. It's definitely neat. I wish the cords were on the same side. That's going to be unfortunate for the 3 side viewable tank.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

I have had no problem with rustoleum paint cans around my tanks. I use their white plastic spray for the inside of those stock black canopies.


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## GrampsGrunge (Jun 18, 2012)

Yeah I was referring to the spray paint, toulene and other hydrocarbons seem like bad mix with water and fish, at least until it's completely odorless.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Nordic said:


> I have had no problem with rustoleum paint cans around my tanks. I use their white plastic spray for the inside of those stock black canopies.



I have used both rustoleum and Krylon for inside of my tanks without noticeable harm. I painted my PVC pipe with Krlyon Fusion in my last tank and I know many people who do. 



GrampsGrunge said:


> Yeah I was referring to the spray paint, toulene and other hydrocarbons seem like bad mix with water and fish, at least until it's completely odorless.




This I can understand. My tank will be fishless for another week or two. I didn't move the tank inside for a couple days. It is in my bedroom right now and the smell isn't noticeable, even after sitting in a closed room all day. 


I've got a small update from last night. I'll have more this afternoon. 


I started with the light block for the filter area. I knew I needed to notch it to accept the finnex light (due to how they mount) and allow for my pump/heater cords to escape. So I measured and marked it out. Probably only needed it to be 1/2" wide instead of 3/4", but you live and learn.





I cut it out with a dremel. It is far from perfect, but literally not visible. So I'm happy enough with it.





And now everything is good to go on the tank.





I set up my return. It is the 400-ish (rated) GPH return pump, 1/2" PVC tubing, a barb to thread adapter, a small piece of 1/2" PVC pipe, and a 1/2" 90* street elbow (thread/slip). I have a slip/thread bulkhead coming in, so the elbow will plug right in and then my threaded return will fit right into the bulkhead. 





And I tossed in 100 lbs of sand.





I think the original thought is coming together pretty well. This will eventually be in the living room, maybe even a small 'divider'. There shouldn't be much but wires hanging off of the back of the filter area. And even those will go into the cabinet underneath it through a grommet to conceal them. It will be a 3 side viewable tank with a slim profile. 


Side note, the 24/7 mode in your bedroom is tough to live with. I am putting it on an old mechanical timer haha :grin2: It is just too bright for me to sleep.


This afternoon should see the bulkhead installation, media installed, and probably the gutter guard installed on the intake (I forgot to buy it yesterday). I have a big order coming in from Amazon. 


Furthermore, I have plants coming Friday. So I'll do some planting Friday and flood it at the same time. 

My return fittings will be here Monday, along with scissors and tweezers.


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## rebelbuck1993 (Sep 3, 2014)

Freemananana said:


> I have used both rustoleum and Krylon for inside of my tanks without noticeable harm. I painted my PVC pipe with Krlyon Fusion in my last tank and I know many people who do.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


glad to see this tank is coming together nicely for you. i should be moving my eheim 460l this week to where she will have to sit for a few months due to having a living room redone after finding a few cracks in the concrete while redoing the wood floor, but say around august my 75g will be sitting on the sideline for this tank if you are going to be looking into upgrading again, also on a serious note how do you like the 24/7 i have been deciding on getting one for the eheim as i already have a planted plus, would you say it was as bright as your old light setup?


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

rebelbuck1993 said:


> glad to see this tank is coming together nicely for you. i should be moving my eheim 460l this week to where she will have to sit for a few months due to having a living room redone after finding a few cracks in the concrete while redoing the wood floor, but say around august my 75g will be sitting on the sideline for this tank if you are going to be looking into upgrading again, also on a serious note how do you like the 24/7 i have been deciding on getting one for the eheim as i already have a planted plus, would you say it was as bright as your old light setup?




That's a shame! But it is better to fix a foundation issue before it gets out of hand.


I will be moving around August and I have my next project in the garage already, but thanks for the offer. I also have no idea how I'd transport a 75g tank again, I had the guy at the local fish store bring it home for me originally. 

As for the 24/7, I do like it. The colors are beautiful. I don't think it is as bright as my last setup, but that was 4x 23w CFLs in dome shop lights. It is brighter than the 3x 13w CFLs though. My last tank had a ton of different lighting on it. The thing I really like about it is the profile and lack of overspill. My last setup had a ton of overspill, even with the hood on the tank. It would light up the whole wall behind it and flood the living room when I opened the front of the hood. This does spill through the tank , while empty, but not anywhere near the CFLs. If you are going for function, I think there are better options than the 24/7. I've only been playing with it for a few days though. But for appearance, I think it is one of the best lights you can get. The package is sleek and the cycle is beautiful to watch. That was my main draw. 


I will say that my next tank will likely be CFLs again though. Possibly beamswork LEDs, but I had great success with the CFLs. My spiral vals flooded the entire tank and really took off under those lights.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

For your next iteration, you can make one with an extra 1/2" chamber just inside the wall side panel. This will in fact be an empty air filled chamber. Then you can drill an access hole (big enough for the plugs) into the side wall so wires can enter tank from the black side, completely out of view from the top


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Nordic said:


> For your next iteration, you can make one with an extra 1/2" chamber just inside the wall side panel. This will in fact be an empty air filled chamber. Then you can drill an access hole (big enough for the plugs) into the side wall so wires can enter tank from the black side, completely out of view from the top




That is a super neat idea. Too bad this is a completely tempered tank. My next tank will be a complete DIY tank. It is, however, pending space at my new place. I don't mind the wires how they are for now. The back of the filter area will be against a wall, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Only time will tell though!


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

Are you adding a background?


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## rebelbuck1993 (Sep 3, 2014)

Nordic said:


> For your next iteration, you can make one with an extra 1/2" chamber just inside the wall side panel. This will in fact be an empty air filled chamber. Then you can drill an access hole (big enough for the plugs) into the side wall so wires can enter tank from the black side, completely out of view from the top


that's actually a very unique way of thinking about that. i'll have to remember this for my eheim tank once i get it where it needs to be, but yea i am glad i caught the foundation issue now before it was to late. and i will be working on it once i get all the wood up to assess the situation better, hoping its just a settlement crack issue since the house is from 83 and its on a sand ridge of old orange groves(gotta love florida's sand) it will be a easy jack hammer some area around crack and float new concrete over area to make it smooth again,


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Nordic said:


> Are you adding a background?



Not planning on it. It would make sense where it is now, but this isn't the intended final destination. I'm just setting it up to establish plants and propagate. I'll have to draw something up so it makes more sense. 

EDIT:

Here ya go! It is designed for something like this. If it doesn't work out, I plan on painting one long side black and sticking it against the wall/in a corner as typically seen.





rebelbuck1993 said:


> that's actually a very unique way of thinking about that. i'll have to remember this for my eheim tank once i get it where it needs to be, but yea i am glad i caught the foundation issue now before it was to late. and i will be working on it once i get all the wood up to assess the situation better, hoping its just a settlement crack issue since the house is from 83 and its on a sand ridge of old orange groves(gotta love florida's sand) it will be a easy jack hammer some area around crack and float new concrete over area to make it smooth again,




I hope it all goes well for you. Interior work like that is a pain for the family. Florida sand has caused plenty of people headache, so you aren't alone. 

To sum it all up, I think the 24/7 is pretty and I wanted this tank to be pretty. My 75g was a project and a DIY experiment. It was a behemoth. This is more 'modern' if I had to label it.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Here's a decent update today. I went to the store and got some gutter guard. Cut out a small 3"x4" piece.



In place over the intake.



Here's the 1/2" bulkhead for the return. 



In place on the tank.



Heater in with the return pump in the final chamber



Here's my cheapo 'python' water changer. It is an aqueon replacement adapter plus some hardware store tubing. Total cost <$15.



Used the empty Seachem Matrix bottle to diffuse water.



Flooding the tank



Planted some vals, spiral vals, wisteria and water sprite.



And the final level for the day.



I didn't fill the tank completely because the intake is still drying, I will flood it tomorrow or the next day. I still have to cut the glass lids and my return will be here Monday.


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## rebelbuck1993 (Sep 3, 2014)

Freemananana said:


> Here's a decent update today. I went to the store and got some gutter guard. Cut out a small 3"x4" piece.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


hey at least your getting somewhere on this tank i am having to move my tank and stand to a different room for now, might even have to have it setup to just start some plants till it is time to move it.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

rebelbuck1993 said:


> hey at least your getting somewhere on this tank i am having to move my tank and stand to a different room for now, might even have to have it setup to just start some plants till it is time to move it.




That's basically what I'm doing right here. I know I'm moving (to a new home), so I haven't made the stand and I'm basically setting it up to grow out some plants. 


Surprise, my return will be here tomorrow. So it is full steam ahead on the glass lids today and maybe a couple fish Saturday. I've always been a big fan of the fishless cycle, but I may opt for an incredibly small bioload and just watch the parameters this time around. I'll have the bio load of a 5-10g tank in the 55. 


I sure do wish I could find a bit of dwarf sag to put around. I made, more or less, a ridge down the center of the tank that is highest by the filter side. I planted on top of the ridge. I want to do dwarf sag down by the glass and eventually fill it in like that. Maybe add some crypts to give it another layer.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

That is going to look awesome, and I like a 270 degree view.
Are you going to do the typical island thing?
I think it would look nice as a side view slice through the bank of a small stream. High side against the wall, so you can see more into the tank. I'd put a slice from a tree trunk with roots going towards the room.


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## rebelbuck1993 (Sep 3, 2014)

Nordic said:


> That is going to look awesome, and I like a 270 degree view.
> Are you going to do the typical island thing?
> I think it would look nice as a side view slice through the bank of a small stream. High side against the wall, so you can see more into the tank. I'd put a slice from a tree trunk with roots going towards the room.


This is what I was going to do with mine at first be have decided it would be better to keep it against the wall  so now I won't have access to the shelfs. If you need some island scape idea let me know and I will send you some photos of tanks I was looking at for mine.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Nordic said:


> That is going to look awesome, and I like a 270 degree view.
> Are you going to do the typical island thing?
> I think it would look nice as a side view slice through the bank of a small stream. High side against the wall, so you can see more into the tank. I'd put a slice from a tree trunk with roots going towards the room.




I don't really know what I'm going to do. I'm not a big fan of hardscape at the moment. To be honest, the price of it deters me. Local driftwood is pretty sketchy in Florida, at least in my area. 

It will not be the typical island thing though, the tank isn't wide enough for something like that. I plan on almost entirely covering the acrylic wall with plants on the filter side. It will most likely just be a jungle though. I really loved my last scape, or lack of scape really. I just want to fill the whole tank with plants.


I am not much of an aquascaper. Maybe a photo of your stream example would influence me to go that route though. Sounds neat at least.

EDIT:



rebelbuck1993 said:


> This is what I was going to do with mine at first be have decided it would be better to keep it against the wall so now I won't have access to the shelfs. If you need some island scape idea let me know and I will send you some photos of tanks I was looking at for mine.


Quick reply!

Send me those photos, or post them here for everyone to see. Keeping a tank against a wall really does make a lot of things easier. I've debated a 360* viewable tank in the future. It would have a floor to ceiling setup and the power would run into the attic for the lights and (if not on a concrete foundation) through the floor for the sump area.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

Thanks man, I have a 3 year old in the house so we try to keep walkways clear.
Someday when I'm big, I will rearrange the house around the tanks.
Little princesses are forever spinning around and dancing with total abandon.


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## rebelbuck1993 (Sep 3, 2014)

Ok I'll post the photos tonight when I get home. And if you are scared of the driftwood locally I have a few pieces I can post photos of that I have extra. One is the two branches sticking up.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Nordic said:


> Thanks man, I have a 3 year old in the house so we try to keep walkways clear.
> Someday when I'm big, I will rearrange the house around the tanks.
> Little princesses are forever spinning around and dancing with total abandon.



I have a 2 year old! She's a reason I got rid of my last sump. She had this habit of taking toys for a swim. It is probably best to keep as much area free for them to run around. Which is another reason this tank may end up against the wall after the move. 



rebelbuck1993 said:


> Ok I'll post the photos tonight when I get home. And if you are scared of the driftwood locally I have a few pieces I can post photos of that I have extra. One is the two branches sticking up.




Sounds good on all fronts! I like in Lake county and I haven't come to trust the driftwood yet.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I flooded the aquarium and everything is working well.



Nice ripples on the return side



Gentle ripples on the far side of the tank. You can see it in the reflection of the light.



I was really worried the pump wouldn't push water to the far side. As far as aquascape goes, here's the goal:



I loved the right side of my 75g. I just plan on letting everything grow and consume the tank. I was at the store and I am debating a small school of dwarf rainbow fish. I really liked the colors. Aqadvisor says I could easily have 20 of them in a tank this size (80% stocking level). I should be pushing about 5x turn over rate with plenty of bio media. Whats the smallest number of rainbow fish I can keep? I want to keep the bio load minimal until after the move where I'll be more comfortable doing larger, more regular, water changes again.


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## 10kredline (Nov 6, 2014)

Damn, nice work on that sump, it definitely is better than canister filter imo. Great lookin tank.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

10kredline said:


> Damn, nice work on that sump, it definitely is better than canister filter imo. Great lookin tank.


Better and worse! Due to the nature of a non-drilled tank, it did need to be checked. I never had a failure, but I've had a couple of 'close calls'. My overflow sensor did stop the return pump when something clogged the drain once or twice. I also left both pumps on full blast and overran the drain too, so the overflow sensor stopped that. Also, it is hard for someone to watch a tank with a sump like mine. Just a little too complex for a week or longer. So I switched to a canister towards the end to take a 9+ day vacation.

Thank you though! I appreciate it. I'll be going with a sump on my next tank again. :grin2:


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

Those heavily planted tanks make me paranoid. You can never tell if there is a dead fish rotting in there somewhere.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Nordic said:


> Those heavily planted tanks make me paranoid. You can never tell if there is a dead fish rotting in there somewhere.


I guess I never worried about it because I counted my fish pretty regularly. I lost a couple and found their bodies while cleaning. My parameters never changed so I just assume the other fish cleaned them up when they died. The only fish I lost were a couple of neons after a year or so. And maybe a cory cat, I don't remember exactly. But my denisons were like dogs and would run to the glass when you walked by, the same with the cherry barbs. My cory cats stuck together and were pretty easy to count. The neons were just random. I'll never buy neons again.

Just some small photos of the evening settings on the 24/7.





And a short video showing the tank. 



EDIT: Lastly, a night time shot. This is roughly 2 AM Finnex time. 



Woke up this morning, this should be around 7 AM.



I say 'around' and 'Finnex time' because I set it to 6 PM around 4 PM my time. That way it dimmed earlier because I do go to bed early and get up early.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Today I made my signature budget lids, sort of. Here's one side, perfection!



And here's the other side, 1/4" too wide... Thanks Lowes! haha



And another video, just showing how they slide. I do love these lids. I'll try and trim a 1/4" off of the one set of lids. It was suppose to be 11 1/4" wide, but the guy cut one set at 11 1/2". I didn't notice before I left.



Not a big deal, $6 at most wasted if I have to buy another sheet. I have a glass cutter, so I may luck out and trim off that 1/4" without issue. But that is a really thin sliver.

I have some dwarf sag coming in next week along with the return. I may up the pump a size. I made the filter area large enough to accept the next size up. I'm undecided if it is enough current right now. My return will decide if I go with the larger pump (about 40% larger).


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## SingAlongWithTsing (Jun 11, 2015)

Does Lowes also dull the sharp edges or we have to do that ourselves?


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

SingAlongWithTsing said:


> Does Lowes also dull the sharp edges or we have to do that ourselves?


I do it with 40 grit sand paper.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

local glass guy uses belt sander... gave me some old belts, it takes seconds.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Nordic said:


> local glass guy uses belt sander... gave me some old belts, it takes seconds.


Probably a better finish, but I did all 4 pieces in about a minute. I'm usually just careful when handling glass. The edges aren't rounded, but they aren't 'fresh cut' sharp. 

I'm 2-3 days into my fishless cycle. Should be another 20 days before it is done. I decided to go for it even though my stocking will likely be minimal.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Good morning! It's only been a few days, but my water sprite is looking rough. I'm not sure why though. Maybe just from the shipping? Most of it is browning. I've never had this happen with water sprite. Any suggestions? My wisteria and vals look fine. Water parameters include crazy high ammonia right now (cycling), but other than that, the temp is a stable 76* F and there is decent circulation. I've treated the water with Prime. Worst case scenario, it all dies. And that's a shame and all. But I can live with it.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I went ahead and got another test kit. I gave my last one away. I've always been happy with this test kits and I enjoy testing my water.



I planted some dwarf sag. It looks so sag.



Here's the loc-line return fitting. I like the ability to direct flow. Pretty nice overall.



And the full tank shot looks extra sad. The crypts have all melted, the water sprite is browning and it is loosely planted. This will be a good shot to look back at 6-12 months from now.



I also put the 24/7 on a timer. I'm still using the 24/7 mode, but it is too bright for me after 9 PM to sleep with the light on. Same thing before 6 am. So it turns off. Still a nice ramp feature. I'm debating putting it on full blast for 6-8 hours a day instead.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Small text update. All of the water sprite wilted and died. It turned into brown poop globs. It is a shame, I like water sprite. The wisteria and vals look fine though.

Ammonia is now decreasing from 4ppm+ to 0ppm overnight. Nitrite is off the charts. This is a quick cycle! I haven't checked for nitrates, but I will starting this weekend. I'm now dosing 6ml of ammonia every afternoon. I plan on going to full stocking levels upon completion of the cycle. I'll finish the cycle up by doing a 90% water change followed by a 50% water change. It should get the nitrates down (5% of the level present before water changes). 

I have excellent flow now too. I've been playing with the locline return. The return pump I have is plenty large enough.

This will be a tiger barb tank, it has been decided. My ONLY exception to the species only tank may be a red tail or rainbow shark if I find that the tiger barbs aren't cleaning the bottom of the tank very well. I have never kept tiger barbs, so I don't know how they eat. I know my cherry barbs would eat sinking pellets right off the substrate. I have a mix of foods. I've always preferred sinking foods as they are easier for my to keep track of, particularly with an overflow. I bet the tiger barbs will do a fine job cleaning up, so it will likely just be 15-20 of them.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

They are pretty energetic eaters.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Nordic said:


> They are pretty energetic eaters.




I assumed as much, but I've been wrong before. :grin2: I was thinking they would be more aggressive than my Denison or cherry barbs of the past. I'll probably be fine without any sort of scavengers on the bottom of the tank.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Quick afternoon update. The dwarf sag is all doing alright, but my crypts have melted, which was expected. The wisteria is doing really well and the vals aren't browning at all.


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## abaker1961 (Jan 29, 2016)

What a cool project! This tank is looking gorgeous!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

abaker1961 said:


> What a cool project! This tank is looking gorgeous!


:nerd: Well, thank you! I think the physical tank looks really good, but the plants need to grow in still! I appreciate the compliment though. I would love to see more people do a project like this. I think a split return with two returns at different levels would be an improvement that jumps out to me as doable.


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## GrampsGrunge (Jun 18, 2012)

Freemananana said:


> Small text update. All of the water sprite wilted and died. It turned into brown poop globs. It is a shame, I like water sprite. The wisteria and vals look fine though.
> .


Not sure what your water parameters are, I'm assuming most of Florida has hard water from the coral and limestone.

IIRC this finely pinnate leaved variety of water sprite is really fussy, and requires really soft water. Which is annoying because I was able to grow the oak leaf varietal like crazy and our water is pretty soft to begin with. Mine grows slightly less fast than my Java Fern does.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

GrampsGrunge said:


> Not sure what your water parameters are, I'm assuming most of Florida has hard water from the coral and limestone.
> 
> IIRC this finely pinnate leaved variety of water sprite is really fussy, and requires really soft water. Which is annoying because I was able to grow the oak leaf varietal like crazy and our water is pretty soft to begin with. Mine grows slightly less fast than my Java Fern does.



I always thought water sprite to be fairly hardy. I guess this particular species was not the same as the water sprite I've had in the past. Not a big deal . The rest of the plants are doing just fine. The tank isn't dense, but it isn't a wasteland either. It will all turn out fine before too long!


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## GrampsGrunge (Jun 18, 2012)

Freemananana said:


> I always thought water sprite to be fairly hardy. I guess this particular species was not the same as the water sprite I've had in the past. Not a big deal . The rest of the plants are doing just fine. The tank isn't dense, but it isn't a wasteland either. It will all turn out fine before too long!


Yeah me too, it's just this recent type which seems to be the only kind you can find nowadays. I've got some friends looking to see if anyone still propogates the old type. I used to just give away gallon bags of the oakleaf type years back, and it would get everywhere in my tanks.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

GrampsGrunge said:


> Yeah me too, it's just this recent type which seems to be the only kind you can find nowadays. I've got some friends looking to see if anyone still propogates the old type. I used to just give away gallon bags of the oakleaf type years back, and it would get everywhere in my tanks.


Sounds about right to me. A fellow on here gave me some stuff that just spread like wildfire and never died. I could cut it, float it, plant it, whatever and roots and new shoots would come out of it. I've got no complaints though. Everything is doing really well and I think I am nearing completion of my cycle.


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## GrampsGrunge (Jun 18, 2012)

Yeah your tank is looking really good, should start to kick in with fast growth early.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

GrampsGrunge said:


> Yeah your tank is looking really good, should start to kick in with fast growth early.


Thanks! I'm starting to see algae, which is weird haha. Hoping the plants settle in and take off soon. I didn't think the 24/7 mode would promote algae growth.


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## abaker1961 (Jan 29, 2016)

So what are you thinking of in terms of fish for this tank?


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

abaker1961 said:


> So what are you thinking of in terms of fish for this tank?


I have been thinking a school of tiger barbs. But I realized I could alternatively house about 6 denison barbs. They happen to be my favorite fish I've ever kept. So If I can get a deal on those, I'll keep them again!


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## abaker1961 (Jan 29, 2016)

Freemananana said:


> I have been thinking a school of tiger barbs. But I realized I could alternatively house about 6 denison barbs. They happen to be my favorite fish I've ever kept. So If I can get a deal on those, I'll keep them again!


I had to do a google search to see what Denison Barbs look like. What a gorgeous fish, yes, definitely get some of them. Tigers would be fun too


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

abaker1961 said:


> I had to do a google search to see what Denison Barbs look like. What a gorgeous fish, yes, definitely get some of them. Tigers would be fun too


Yeah! They do get quite large though :/ So a small school would be all I could keep. But when I move to a larger tank, they would transfer well and I could get a larger school


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Update! The tank finished the cycle and I bought some fish! I went to Petsmart, because they have the deals and they were out of Denison Barbs (on sale for $5 each sometimes). So I went with Tiger Barbs! The color on the tiger barbs was amazing anyway, so I'm glad I went with them. I bought a dozen because that is all they had and it is a pretty good, active, school to watch in the tank. Also, not that it was a main selling point, they were on sale for $1 each. The Denisons were $11.99 each. 

Brought home my fish bag. I set the bag in a container and start a drip. It took about 30-45 minutes to fill the bag with tank water. 





Now comes my evening shots of the school, which are awful. I'll try to get some shots in better lighting.



They are still timid. Sometimes I see them swimming around when I'm not in the room. I think they will get use to me over time. 


CLICK THIS FOR A VIDEO. Photobucket link.



They are eating freeze dried blood worms out of my tweezers. They don't go after floating food at all. So I'll have to get some sinking pellets to start training them to eat and know I'm the food master. 

They are always together, all 12 of them. They school very well compared to some more popular fish. They chase each other around from time to time too. I will likely leave the stocking as is for awhile, or forever. I could double the stocking without issue, but my water changing is kind of a pain at the moment, so I am keeping the stocking low for now.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

They are still small, just give them a little time to acclimate to living in a tank in a house. 
I always have water change as the main concern when choosing a place to put up tanks.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Nordic said:


> They are still small, just give them a little time to acclimate to living in a tank in a house.
> I always have water change as the main concern when choosing a place to put up tanks.


Being on the floor is a pain. I have to use a pump to get water out. That's what I was referencing. I will build a stand when I purchase my home though. I may be building one soon actually. :grin2: Then it is back to good old gravity!


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

I have a 55gal on the floor too, well I lifted it about 4 inches with the wooded board I have underneath and some styrofoam blocks.

Luckily it is right next to a low window. I really need to get a faster pump for draining it though. the little thing I use now takes about 20 minutes to drain 100L. Actually I have a 23W pump, I just don't have any large diameter tube left. Sucks being poor, have to prioritize always. This month it is BBS eggs and blood worms for all the fry and parents.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Nordic said:


> I have a 55gal on the floor too, well I lifted it about 4 inches with the wooded board I have underneath and some styrofoam blocks.
> 
> Luckily it is right next to a low window. I really need to get a faster pump for draining it though. the little thing I use now takes about 20 minutes to drain 100L. Actually I have a 23W pump, I just don't have any large diameter tube left. Sucks being poor, have to prioritize always. This month it is BBS eggs and blood worms for all the fry and parents.


That's pretty similar to my situation. My pump is a bit faster though, I think. But it is right next to a low window and I just pump it out into the garden area.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

Ditto, I have a nice yuki bush about 6 feet away, I just run a hose to its base, which is about 8" under the bottom of the tank.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Just some quick shots of them eating! They don't go after anything that floats, so I picked up some shrimp pellets and got them to eat a little bit today.





I put some window tint over the light and the algae has all gone away (except on the bottom of the tank where I haven't scrubbed haha). I'll have to see if it is enough light though. The wisteria is a beautiful green now.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

It could be the camera, but I think they will look nicer with a light with a bit of red spectrum in.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Nordic said:


> It could be the camera, but I think they will look nicer with a light with a bit of red spectrum in.


Definitely the camera and the lighting. When my lights are at their brightest, the window behind the tank washes my camera out. They are actually looking really good already. Their noses are REALLY red, like rummy nose levels of red! And their tails are coloring up very nicely.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Here's a shot of the wisteria all cleared up. I am experimenting with car window tint and screen porch screen over the light to reduce the intensity yet still have the 24/7 cycle. The fish look amazing these days, hard to tell from these photos. I chopped and replanted a lot of the wisteria after this photo. It was actually touching the water surface in two places.

I will be building a stand for this shortly. I am moving a the end of July to my knew home and there is a PERFECT spot for my next tank. I am undecided what I'll do with this tank, probably use it as a hospital/QT tank in the future. 

This was mostly for fun. So I'll share some experiences. The DIY filter didn't appreciate the water change. The pressure difference caused some malfunctioning. With that said, I don't think this idea is out of the realm of plausible though. It would definitely work better on an acrylic tank OR using glass with the black plexiglass glued over top of the glass. That way the glass to glass bond is strong and the black plexiglass is there for aesthetics only. 

I do plan on either selling the 24/7 or using it as an accent light on my next tank. The rest of this can be used for fun stuff in the future, so I'm not too upset. 

I think the tank is looking alright. Not bad for 6 weeks in or so.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Another small update. Everything is going well. The dwarf sag and vals really haven't taken off, but they are sustaining. I've cut the tops off of a couple of the wisteria plants and replanted them. 

Here's a couple shots of the barbs. Hopefully the colors aren't too washed out. They are very vibrant in person.





And a full tank shot. The frogbit is growing roots now too. The colors are off in the photo due to the sunrise effect of the 24/7.



I can't say I'm displeased with the tank thus far. It's been fun and a learning experience. I'm ready for the next project though.


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## ScubaSteve (Jun 30, 2012)

Sorry to see this tank go...can't wait for your next project!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

ScubaSteve said:


> Sorry to see this tank go...can't wait for your next project!


It's a long time out still! haha. I wouldn't count on it this year. So this tank will have some time to mature before it becomes a sump filter again. The 3 side viewable portion of this project also didn't work out. Unfortunately, my new home has no place for a peninsula tank. But the all in one experiment was fun and I've learned that tiger barbs are definitely an amazing fish!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Another small update. Nothing really new to report. I set up my inkbird temp controller.



The barbs are still schooling away, having a blast, looking great.



Overall, the tank is coming together kind of how I wanted. None of the vals have really taken off yet though.


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## ScubaSteve (Jun 30, 2012)

I have always loved Tiger Barbs....just wish they weren't so aggressive.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

I must get a temperature alarm, nearly killed my breeding pair of angels yesterday by kicking the plug loose and the tank dipped to 14C overnight.
When I got to them, they were lying down flat on their sides looking dead. Had to hold them under the outflow of a hob filter in a warm tank for quite a while to revive them. They both ate this morning, so lets hope all's well.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

ScubaSteve said:


> I have always loved Tiger Barbs....just wish they weren't so aggressive.



Mine have done well together. I do know they get along well with other barbs. But they definitely can't be kept with species that are too mellow.



Nordic said:


> I must get a temperature alarm, nearly killed my breeding pair of angels yesterday by kicking the plug loose and the tank dipped to 14C overnight.
> When I got to them, they were lying down flat on their sides looking dead. Had to hold them under the outflow of a hob filter in a warm tank for quite a while to revive them. They both ate this morning, so lets hope all's well.


Holy cow! Definitely do! Unfortunately, your problem would still happen with my temperature controller. It plugs into the wall, so if you kicked it loose, it wouldn't work either. :crying:


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

First update in a couple months. I tried to give the tank away, but couldn't get anyone to take it. So I kept it!

Here she is at my old house, overgrow in some spots.







And here's the new place.



I was waiting on building a stand because I didn't know where I wanted to put it, but I found a good spot. So I went to the store and picked up some cheap pine and found an old plywood board in the shed.



Slapped together



Stained espresso! I thought I had bought EBONY but it was ESPRESSO. Well, the dark brown looks alright anyway.



I then moved the tank and started putting it back together. 



And here she is! You'll notice the tank cord goes around the corner. The outlet under the tank doesn't have power...



Despite the plants just being tossed back in and zero thought to placement, it looks alright and my tiger barbs are back to enjoying the tank. I lost a lot of plants when moving them, mostly to snapping the stems. But they will grow back, propagate, and I'll be back to having a jungle.



And this is how the tank will be for the remainder of it's life. Most likely for a long time. The stand is open and I rather like it. The aquarium was repaired and the all in one filter is back to working like a champ. So the under stand equipment is just a few cords that I tied behind the leg of the stand. Not a major eye sore IMO and one of the better looking open stands. For what it is worth, I was being cheap too. Total cost is about $30 including screws and the mainly decorative 1x4 trim on the top. The stain I count as free because it was for a different project and I have a ton left over.


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## Nordic (Nov 11, 2003)

I honestly think you'd get away with a few more tigers...
Looks like you are having fun. Are you going to put a facia on the front part?
A thin formica sheet with magnets that you can simply pull off and put aside would look awesome.
They even come in metal textures.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Nordic said:


> I honestly think you'd get away with a few more tigers...
> Looks like you are having fun. Are you going to put a facia on the front part?
> A thin formica sheet with magnets that you can simply pull off and put aside would look awesome.
> They even come in metal textures.


I definitely could get away with more, there are only 8 in there now. I've lost some due to the move. I'm not really worried about it being stocked too much. I prefer less maintenance. I get away with minimal weekly water changes. I probably won't finish the stand in anything any time soon. It was just something cheap I put together. I've got a ton of other stuff going on at the moment.


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## mrfiock (Nov 15, 2015)

Great set up and journal! I keep tigers in my "community tank" (mostly tigers, a few rasboras, a pea puffer and some some hillstream loaches). You should look into Platinum, Sunset, and 5-Color tiger barbs. They're some cool color morphs, same species. They'll all school together and they look really nice.


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## bigbadjon (Aug 6, 2015)

I want some platinum tiger barbs bad. But my wife thinks I have to many as is.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

mrfiock said:


> Great set up and journal! I keep tigers in my "community tank" (mostly tigers, a few rasboras, a pea puffer and some some hillstream loaches). You should look into Platinum, Sunset, and 5-Color tiger barbs. They're some cool color morphs, same species. They'll all school together and they look really nice.



Thanks! While they do get along with other fish, I'll probably keep them alone. And I am pretty set with my group I have now. They feed the plants and the nitrates barely raise. AKA I'm lazy and missing a week or two doesn't hurt the tank like it would on my prior setup. 



bigbadjon said:


> I want some platinum tiger barbs bad. But my wife thinks I have to many as is.


They do look pretty neat haha. I like the orange fins on the regular barbs.


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## mrfiock (Nov 15, 2015)

bigbadjon said:


> I want some platinum tiger barbs bad. But my wife thinks I have to many as is.




Def one of my favs. Also Ruby barbs are pretty cool!


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

Wow. My wisteria has wilted so much since my last update. The tank looks awful and my tiger barbs will NOT stop eating themselves. I am now down to 3. I feed them SO much, it is crazy.


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## mrfiock (Nov 15, 2015)

freemananana said:


> wow. My wisteria has wilted so much since my last update. The tank looks awful and my tiger barbs will not stop eating themselves. I am now down to 3. I feed them so much, it is crazy.




"eating themselves" what?!?!?!?


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

mrfiock said:


> "eating themselves" what?!?!?!?


I feed them a pellet or more EACH, which is crazy compared to what I've fed my tanks in the past, but they terrorize each other still. Maybe I'm wrong and they are dying and I can't find them, but it sure seems like they are eating each other.


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## RyRob (May 30, 2015)

Tiger barbs are absolute pigs. One+ pellet each sounds like very little food to me for tiger barbs. Your barbs still look a little young, it may be easier to feed flake for a while until they are well off (stop dying) then transition to the pellets. You really have to try to over feed a tiger barb to hurt it, in my experience (not that i ever tried but excess food never seemed to affect them that much, IME). They will eat continuously if given the chance. If they are "eating" each other i can guarantee they are incredibly stressed. Tiger barbs will spar with one another so that may be what you are witnessing. Usually not to the point of death though, just figuring out the pecking order. I had 5 in my 26bowfront for almost 3 years along with 3 glo-lite tetras, a ronin neon tetra (i say ronin because he is a solitary beast with no master!! lol) and a male krebensis. The krib kept everyone in check but the neon, and killed more than one fish during his 3 years in the community. 

When you get your livestock issues fixed, id personally up your school to ~10. They should be kept in groups of at least 5 or more. A 55G is more than enough room for 10 tiger barbs as long as you do your part with maintenance. Tiger barbs look really good with a school of neon tetras too. The golden oranges of the barbs contrast real well with the electric blues of the neons.


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## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

RyRob said:


> Tiger barbs are absolute pigs. One+ pellet each sounds like very little food to me for tiger barbs. Your barbs still look a little young, it may be easier to feed flake for a while until they are well off (stop dying) then transition to the pellets. You really have to try to over feed a tiger barb to hurt it, in my experience (not that i ever tried but excess food never seemed to affect them that much, IME). They will eat continuously if given the chance. If they are "eating" each other i can guarantee they are incredibly stressed. Tiger barbs will spar with one another so that may be what you are witnessing. Usually not to the point of death though, just figuring out the pecking order. I had 5 in my 26bowfront for almost 3 years along with 3 glo-lite tetras, a ronin neon tetra (i say ronin because he is a solitary beast with no master!! lol) and a male krebensis. The krib kept everyone in check but the neon, and killed more than one fish during his 3 years in the community.
> 
> When you get your livestock issues fixed, id personally up your school to ~10. They should be kept in groups of at least 5 or more. A 55G is more than enough room for 10 tiger barbs as long as you do your part with maintenance. Tiger barbs look really good with a school of neon tetras too. The golden oranges of the barbs contrast real well with the electric blues of the neons.



It would seem my initial feeding may very well be my issue then. It seemed incredibly excessive. These pellets are what I fed my 75g tank with Denison barbs and almost 50 total fish and I was feeding this tank as much as I was feeding my prior tank. So that is just my fault, bad fish keeping and stinks. I had a dozen of them initially. I think 15-20 is about half of what I could house in a 55g and I went with a slightly smaller amount because I knew I would have to skip a weekend here and there on water changes and didn't want it to be problematic for the fish. 


I will step UP my feeding. It feels wrong, but I shall feed them even more. They are being donated to my LFS when I finished my next tank. Also, my tiger barbs would not eat floating food so I went with pellets. They would ignore it, possibly due to the duckweed and such that normally floats around. Lastly, when I said terrorize, I was exaggerating. They chase each other a lot. They just nip and harass each other more than the fish I have kept previously.


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