# My low tech progress



## Ritzieann (Dec 17, 2008)

Hello! I'm new to the forum, and i think this is actually my first post. I've been snooping around looking for pictures and stuff. I think it's time to post! 

I've kept aquariums for a long time, but I'm really getting into one of my tanks now. It started out as a 2.5 gallon with a few live plants (the dry bulbs you can get from Walmart)










Then moved into a 10 gallon for about a year.










Then a 20 gallon long...









And now it's in a 29 gallon. It's been here (growing pretty well) for about 9 months. (photo taken about a month ago)









I've got 2 other tanks (a 29 and a 10) but this one is my baby. My honey and i are moving this month, and his mom decided to give us her 55 gallon, assuming i could rehome the silver dollars in it. (I did). The catch was to inherit all her community fish from her 75. Currently, her stock is in my 29 with my stock. Yes, it's quite over loaded right now, and will be for another 2 weeks. I'm currently running a Penguin 175 and a Top Fin 60 on it. The fish appear fine. I do water changes weekly.

I've got a few concerns though. Moving the water is going to be VERY hard, as the move will take place in hardly any time at all, it'll be rushed and i won't have time to cycle the tank. My 29 is well established. I'll be moving all the water with me. I'm just a bit worried about the move into the 55. Everything will be switched over from my tank, and the black gravel that the inherited fish were living in. The most i could possibly cycle the water would be a day. I plan to use the same 2 filters and the same 'dirty' pads. But will moving only 29 gallons (actually about 28 with the sand & bog logs) be enough?

This entire move is just one big fishy mess. My 29 gallon tanks are on a double stand. the top, currently, is my project tank, the bottom is my Blue Gill. The 10 gallon is my goldfish. After moving, the community will be in the 55, and the goldfish will move to the 29.


----------



## manhatton (Oct 17, 2008)

Welcome to TPT!

Wow, sounds like you have some work ahead of you. If I am reading correctly, the ~28 gals are going into the 55 along with the gravel from the 29 and dirty filters? I think you'll be okay, it will be similar to the effects of a 50% water change. I'd just be stingy at feeding time and (as always) keep those ammonia and nitrIte test kits handy. Hope all goes well...

BTW- is that aluminum foil as your background? IMO, it's a little distracting from the work you've put into the rest of the tank.


----------



## Ritzieann (Dec 17, 2008)

Yes, the entire water from the tank will go into the 55. I was wondering if it would be better to add the other 27ish gallons right away, or I should add a bucket every other day? I've got 2 small filters that suction to the side of the tank (one is a 10i and the other is the next one up). I'm just worried because my tank right now is very overstocked. I mean, I stay on top of everything. I've just never made such a huge jump before. Especially with so many fish.


The foil is now gone. i needed it to help reflect light because at the time I had two crappy light strips with old bulbs that weren't meant for growing plants.  Got 2 a better bulb for one, and a different light strip entirely as the second (coralife 65watt).

My lighting is low, and the guy at the fish store downtown told me he's amazed I grew anything with what i originally had, and said when i move from the 20 to the 29 it won't work... he was totally wrong! lol. It almost works better!


And- totally off topic... I chose Instant Notification as a bookmark... and I've not gotten one when you replied. :s


----------



## wantsome (Sep 3, 2006)

A couple of tips:

With your 55 gallon paint the back of it with spray paint. Flat black Krylon Fusion works great. Mask Everything your not painting with masking tape and news paper and cover the top of the aquarium with news paper so you don't get any paint inside. When painting go slow and start with realy thin layers of paint holding the can as far away as possible. Paint facing the sun so you can look through the tank to see that it's fully coverd in paint and no light shines through. It's not that hard and only takes 30 minutes or so. It looks nice also and you wont be able to see any algae growing on the back glass. If by some freak chance you mess it up wait and hour for it to dry and scrape the paint off with a razor. Oh yeah and clean the glass your painting with glass cleaner first dont leave any streaks.

As for the aquarium and cycleing you don't need to keep all the water. Suck up a bucket full with a syphen hose out of the substrate keep all the dirty water from that. Between that and your filters your tank shouldn't take long to cycle at all. I've set up tanks doing this and had very little cycle time if any at all. Between that and adding plants you should be fine. Just make sure all the new water in the set up tank is declorified before adding the filters and sludge.


----------



## kara (Jan 25, 2009)

Nice, thanks for the pics!


----------



## Ritzieann (Dec 17, 2008)

well, the move went pretty well. I lost 4 fish i think due to stress and the 50% water change. i was able to stop filtration on the 29 and move the filters with 2 dirty pads to the 55 for about 4 days. Better than nothin I figured. We added just enough water to get the filter moving. it was so freaking loud! lol

Haven't been able to get any decent shots yet, rather, haven't had time to try for decent shots. This is what I've got so far.










Now, I need low tech ideas for lighting. It's a 55 gallon, and it's all live planted. Links would be very helpful. I'm headded into almost 3 months of 60 hour weeks, so i can afford to buy the big expensive light fixture... but the only place I know to go is the local shop, which is probably more expensive. Do you guys have online places you buy from for cheaper? or are their options i can find at my local hardware store that would be just as good?

As for the other tanks, the goldfish are doing well. Didn't want to take the time to scrape all the sand out of the 29... so the Goldfish have a sandy tank now. lol. it's just the 2. I couldn't find the little cap for the end of my filter uplift.. and my little goldfish tried to pull a Nemo... except he got stuck  There's also a Pleco in that tank now. Because part of the catch with the inlaws was that we take all the fresh water fish. The Pleco would destroy my planted tank, especially since they weren't established rootwise in the new tank. So... it's with the goldies now.


----------



## suebe333 (Feb 17, 2009)

NIce , I wish someone would give me another tank "sigh" I like your progression ,


----------



## Sixwing (Jan 30, 2009)

I bet your goldfish will like that sand - they've got a reputation for rooting around in it. 
Pretty 55! What are you planning to plant? A lot of plants (Java fern, Anubias sp., some mosses, crypts come to mind) don't necessarily need a whole lot of light.


----------



## Ritzieann (Dec 17, 2008)

well, I dunno about what plants.  But you can post links, or pictures. Because when I get to the store, I'll totally forget names 

I've not purchased any new plants since the move 2 weeks ago. So whatever plants you see in the last pic of the 29- that's what's in the tank... looks like more though because I took the opportunity to clip back some & plant the clippings


----------



## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

What plants do you have?

Check out Trallen44's low tech tank. I believe the low light works in his tank for the bulb has red photons.

For lights best to go to ah supply.

I painted the back of a 10 gallon tank and regretted it. Now for 29 gallon tank I have black material between plexi glass and tank wall. Tried to tape it to the back but it wouldn't stick and found some plexi glass sheets, thus used them. Cardboard could be used instead.


*
*


----------



## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

Ritzieann said:


> The Pleco would destroy my planted tank.


I have seen planted tanks with a Pleco. The trick is to provide it with a few hiding places, like wood. Read they do good with some wood in the tank.


----------



## Ritzieann (Dec 17, 2008)

Yeah, I didn't paint it. It's just got one of those picture backgrounds on it right now. Will prolly change to a black or blue one later on though.

Now, my next reasearch bit is for lighting and filtration


----------



## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

If you order on line it is best have a big order. Otherwise the shipping could cost more than the item. 
Here are a few other place people order from:
Pet Solutions
Dr Foster's supplies
Big Als


----------



## Ritzieann (Dec 17, 2008)

Thanks for the links. Those are always helpful. now, just to discuss filtration on my tank, and lighting. I don't want to order anything without first knowing just what kind of stuff I need. 

I want to keep it on a tight budget, but that doesn't mean it HAS to be.  i've already assumed (from what the guy at a local store told me) that the lighting will be like $300.

My question still hasn't been answered though. Are there any lighting options i can do myself that would suite the needs of my plants?

What about DIY filters? i've read a few times from different sources that the carbon doesn't actually do anything. All my filters are (Whisper) are the fabric type bags with a pouch of carbon. Does that just mean I'm wasting my money? I don't know a ton about filtration, but I know, for example, an under gravel filter pulls water through the gravel and filters that way, assuming your bedding has acumulated the proper bacterias. it's a natural filtration system. If the carbon in my over tank filters do nothing- then all it's doing is making the bag a 'natural' filter? Am I understanding this correctly? One of the guys at work keeps the fliter frames and wraps some poly stuff from the craft store over them. he just rinses them out once a month. Apparently he says his water always tests great.


----------



## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

Ritzieann said:


> .
> 
> I want to keep it on a tight budget, but that doesn't mean it HAS to be.  i've already assumed (from what the guy at a local store told me) that the lighting will be like $300.


You can do it cheaper than that. I have seen single light system for 29 gallon for $60. I got a double for $50 including bulbs. It is 10" shorter than the tank but is working okay. It is an oceanic light system with a blue bulb. Blue bulbs instigate algae growth in many tanks so I don't use. For I have to keep a watch out for BBA. Thus added a daylight bulb which sits under the fixture.



Ritzieann said:


> .
> My question still hasn't been answered though. Are there any lighting options i can do myself that would suite the needs of my plants?.


Did you check out ah supplies? 



Ritzieann said:


> What about DIY filters? i've read a few times from different sources that the carbon doesn't actually do anything. All my filters are (Whisper) are the fabric type bags with a pouch of carbon..


I just put floss in my HOB when I use it. For long term use it is best to put filter pads in it. Cheapest diy filter I have come up with is a powerhead with panty hose and sponge replacement over. If I had the cash I would go with a canister filter. Found making a canister filter for a 29 gallon is difficult and cost as much as a new 1.


----------

