# New pics! Low-tech 55g G.F. w/10g sump. 56k!



## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

Hi all, new 2 this and 2 the forums so any advice will be appreciated. Have already gotten so many nice tidbits from other threads but wanted 2 share my story and get specific advice 4 my own setup. I do have years of experience in keeping fish.

Ok, so I currently have a nice bowfront 55 on stand with a Fluval 304 C.F. Inside I have; 2 common G.F, 1 is 6" the other is around 8", 1 Shubunkin about 5" (want 2 get 1 more?), and 2 plecostomus. I am using big 3-4" smooth stones, river rock?, as substrate along with silk plants. To go with it all I have a 10g w/only 3" of black aquarium gravel cleaned by an SMF (side mount filter). No special lights on either 1 but both have factory hoods.

My plan is 2 use gravel as substrate in 55 under the rocks and plant with different low-light plants taking into consideration the G.F will eat sum (just gonna buy lots that they can eat in hopes that most will survive after they get their fill of them). I would also like 2 use my 10g as a sump/refugium and mayb keep shrimp or sumthin. 

Already plan on getting Seachem Flourish Excel and do use aquarium salt and conditioner since I have city water. Do u think this will b enuf since my G.F already put out most of the nutrients the plants will need?
I am sure I have other things I'm 4getting but cant think of them now. Any advice offered would definitely b appreciated. Thank u all in advance.


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## metallicanick78 (Apr 26, 2011)

The only thing I can speak to is that if you have a sump, then you deffinetly want to use gravity feed to the sump and pump back to main tank. If the tank is drilled then your good to go, just hook it up. if not, then you need siphon to bring water down to sump. not ideal, but it works fine. just as long as you never use a pump to bring water down to sump and one to go up to main tank, (you will have a big mess on your hands!)


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

*Sump*

Tyvm, my outlet from my filter does drain by gravity, (this is how I do my wc's lol). My tank is NOT drilled BTW. Now, if I put that line into the sump I can just run 1 back over 2 filter and it should, ideally, all work as it had when only 2 lines were hooked 2 filter correct? Meaning it should all still work by gravity in this way wouldn't it? As long as it's powered back into the mt? Thank you very much 4 your help, it is greatly appreciated.


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## metallicanick78 (Apr 26, 2011)

sounds like you got it. as long as its powerd back to the MT and gravity out. (assuming your sump is underneath the MT)


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## jsuereth (Dec 21, 2010)

Hey, just a note that I commented on your photo album thread about the sump. I have some concerns based on what I heard. Just offering a few suggestions.

I have a 125G with 55G sump. Sumps are fun.


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## sweet chariot (Nov 14, 2010)

Flourish excel is used to supply carbon to plants to use supplemental to CO2 in the water. Goldfish put out nutrients, but excel isn't nutrients. Goldfish waste will contain npk "macro" nutrients for the plants. 

I have the same setup, minus the sump! Feel free to check it out


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

*Thanks guys n gals!!*

Thanks jsuereth, not willing 2 drill my tank, however. I did find a forum with a DIY method that does not require this (would b heartbroken if I broke it n cant replace it). My man from down under, vaultboy, had the plan. Still is an overflow but different and a lil' easier than the link u shared with me earlier. Check it out, a lil' more primitive than the other but still really nice, easy, and best of all cheap; http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/130787-diy-hob-overflow-sump-filter-who.html#post1373366

Ty sweet chariot, your tank is beautiful.


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## jsuereth (Dec 21, 2010)

That link for the overflow design will work. What I was suggesting was to have more than one of those, say... three.


Reason(s) why: If the one were to clog, you have a wet floor. If the siphon breaks (from an air hole) you have a wet floor. Also, you'll notice a gurgling sound from water mixing with air. If you don't mind, that's fine. My wife *does* mind, so I had to find something quiet in a hurry 

I hope it all works out for you. I love sumps, because they keep the main tank free of most equipment. The only thing better is a natural planted tank, but I'm a bit too paranoid to go *only* with plant filtration (part of the reason why I use the BeAnAnimal overflow design).

Place in lancaster PA (near where I grew up) sells these little buggers: Automatic shut-off float valve

You can use that to turn off your sump in the event your aquarium gets too full of water. It's probably a 'simpler' option than going with the beananimal design for fail-safety. You can always add it later too. I know I found them online for really cheap (<$10), but I can't find the link anymore.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

You know, I was just thinking of a way I could use an old toilet float 2 stop the flow. Thank u 4 that. Also, dont know if u ever looked at the design vaultboy had 4 an overflow, but it includes 2 pipes. What do u feel about that? 4 me I think it's going 2 serve my purpose quite well. Trying 2 go no-lowtech 4 as little $ as possible. Will b posting a video of the waterfall I am installing into my sump tank. Plz come n check me or my journal out 4 updates. Any and all responses I can get is greatly appreciated.


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## jsuereth (Dec 21, 2010)

Do you mean the.part where vaultboy recommends using two overflows? I think that helps the failsafety. That auto shutoff valve *might* be cheaper than the pvc for a second overflow. Like I said before, this one might be 'noisy' with gurgling noises. If you had two with some wide pipe for the draining part, you'd probably have a sweet, quiet little setup.

When i bought my craigslist aquarium, it was from a reefer and included a lot of free pvc for an overflow. For the beananimal design, I only had to pick up ~$30 extra in valves. Since I was still way nderbudget on my sump, it was all good. I forgot how expensive plumbing can be. As for in the sump, I picked up a 125g sponge filter for.~ $5 and an air pump (a cheapy). All in all the 55g sump has cost ~$150 (got a nice return pump) for everything... This might go up if i build out that refugium i want.

If i were going *really* cheap, i would go natural planted tank and not use a sump, or any filter.

I any case, looking forward to seeing the build! beat of luck.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

*Reply to jsuereth*

Thanks for all your replies, they will def. help me out in the long run.

Yes, I was referring to vaultboys overflow design found here. Seems like an easy and awesome design. Still think I might add a shut-off on it somewhere just to be safe, wife would kill me if I flood her floor!!

As far as noises we do not mind them and actually find them pretty relaxing (dont know about gurgling noises but we shall see how that turns out). Hopefully it will just blend in with the noises from my c.f as it is pretty loud. 

Wow, u got a good deal on your equipment. I see stuff like that all the time on C.L but dont have a way to haul anything. Just going to work with what I got. Hoping I can get it all set up and trade up to a bigger tank.

Again, thank you for all the replies and please check back for more updates and suggestions later on.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

*Updates*

:tongue:Today I totally redone my 10g. First I flipped the fake-scape around to the solid side (because I only want mine seen), built a rock wall with cool grey slate on which sits a 6x8 patch of land covered in this cool moss I found in my backyard, and of course I kept my waterfall because it's cool. 

The water is still pretty cloudy right now but when it clears up I will put some more bad phone pics up for people to see:tongue: Hope you all like it, I think it looks pretty cool.

I also have some things to add to my big tank, will be doing that tomorrow so stay tuned and come back for more updates. There will be alot coming.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

Hey all, got my 10g pretty much done now and looking pretty cool I think. Check it out in my signature and, as always, praise and criticism are both welcome (criticism is how we grow). Thank you.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

*Started on my 55g today. Updated pics!!*

So, I started with a 1/2" of compost dirt I made myself. I got a new, cleaner, black gravel substrate and got rid of all the huge river rock. I used some brown gravel and made a "path". Then in went my wood, which IMO, looks better in the tank than it did out. Got the water to the fat split in the wood, about 3/4 of the way up, and the wood started floating. I soaked this stuff for a month!! So I had to improvise and this is where a plastic-coated wire hanger came in (see the pic, pretty ingenious I think). Worked like a charm!! Got it filled and put my fish in as I had saved lots of the water, and realized that they were undoubtedly going to mix my path with my black. So I decided to take a pic before this happened and before the water was totally cleared up. Sorry, better camera crappier pic! 

My lfs was all out of plants except for banana plants and Java moss balls, and since I didn't have ANY plants, I figured "Why not?" So I picked up one of each. Not much but it is something and I don't plan on keeping these when I get the plants I want. Lfs is ordering them so will hopefully have soon.

I used a loofa and cut it into strips and rolled little jave moss cigars out of it. These I put in the cracks of my rocks since I didnt like the way it looked like that. I also cut bigger strips of an old screen and wrapped that around the bottom points of my wood, thought that would look nice. I used bobby pins to weight the ones in the rocks down and sewed the ones around the wood, worked out pretty well. Hopefully it'll look good when it all grows in. Just going to add some soda water to it for a co2 kick.

I know I need around 3 more bags of black and some more plants, but atleast I got it started after trying to get a ride to the fish store for a week now. I had my hobby budget burning a hole!! 

Here are some pictures, enjoy and come back and check on my progress and please give feedback as this is my first planted tank.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

Redone my tanks, AGAIN!! Just tore my 10g vivarium (on the home page) down, was getting mosguito larvae in it and didnt want it breeding in my house. Ijust put in two inches of self-made compost topped with my ugly blue and black gravel. Going to use it to grow out my plants before putting them in the tank with my goldfish, they are too destructive to put little fragile plants in there with them. Got a banana plant in there the fish already attacked while I was sleeping, it is doing better though. I also put my bulbs I bought from WalMart in there to get them started as the fish ate every new thing that could grow out of them, already got one that's about three inches long. I even threw a couple plants in there that I found in my yard that resembled the aquatic plants I've been researching so vigorously. They are growing fine







I am also growing some Java moss "cigars" in there for use in cracks of my rocks. Almost too much in there and none in my 55







And to top it all off, I just broke the primer handle on my Fluval 304. Hope this superglue works good!!
The 55g got totally redone, for the fourth time in two weeks!! I knew I didn't have enough gravel but I put things together anyway. I built my "mountain range" and filled it up n put my fish in, and they sucked right through the gravel into the dirt







I couldn't get the water to clear up to save my life. Now I spread the rock out and used bigger rocks to take up more space. Now I've got about an inch or more of cap over my dirt, now lets see them suck through all that. Any way, filter broke and water cloudy so no pics tonight, and I cannot describe the layout. I like it very much, my favorite one I've done yet







Will post some pics tomorrow. As for tonight, gonna be an even later (earlier?) night than it was supposed to be so I've got to hope superglue fixes this so I can get my filter going for an hour or so and get my fish in it and fed. Till tomorrow.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

*New pics!!*

Here are some pics from my re-scape last night. This was my FOURTH attempt in two weeks but I really like it. Water's a little cloudy but I couldn't wait to show everyone. Enjoy, and always feel free to offer suggestions or praise. 

Have to grow my plants out in the bottom tank because my golds kept eating them, but they will be in there in about a week or two so stay tuned.

Getting the rest of the materials together to plumb my 10g sump to the 55g, but done for the most part. Due to the system not letting us post many pics I have been placing random pics here and there in the forum so I would recommend you take a look at my album via the public profile page. Here all the pics are together with descriptions as well. Thanks all and, as always, criticism and praise is how we grow as human beings.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

*55g planted FINALLY!!*

So here is the above scape planted. Tell me what you think.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

*Awesome pic!*

Took this at night and thought the tank looked great. Now I've got to get a black background.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

*6-15 Update, Updated Pics!*

So, I sold my 2 big goldfish, they were getting too big and I was getting tired of straightening the scape up everyday and losing plants to their savagery I also got some Italian Vallisneria and Gigantae's from my man treetom. Awesome plants and he sent me TONS on a RAOK. 

Thus, the update. I plan on getting another Shubunkin and a couple Moor's and maybe a school of smaller fish. I also have some more plants coming in the mail to finish my vision for this tank. Oh yeah, and a couple shrimp's!! They will help keep things clean in my grow-out tank. Until then, enjoy the pics.

How I kept my Vals anchored after replanting 20 times.









Co2 bubbles from compost in grow tank. Banana plant now has 4 leaves.









Wakey, wakey lonely fish. You will have playmates soon.









P.O.V / F.T.S, Italian Vals on left, Gigantae in back, Guppy grass in middle.








__________________


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

Check out my new ramshorn, if you can see him. Got him from treetom in Vals I got from him. He's just a little thing but I think he's pretty cool.

Here you go.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

*FINALLY got some plants.*

Fianlly got some plants.









So, into the bucket go the fish!









Drain the tank.









Rocks a little differently.









Tank is a little cloudy so I will be uploading pics later on so come back.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

So, I got some new fish!! Thought I would be able to take a pic to show everyone, lol. They are TINY!! Theres 30 of them and they still wont show up on a camera. Anyways, they are Angel fish. Mom and dad were beautiful. I know, I know, there are way too many for my tank but a friend gave them to me. I figured I would raise them and keep the best 5 for my tank and give the others to someone else. That also means I've gotta get rid of the goldfish a friend gave me to keep for him. I couldn't just let him do whatever with them (who knows what that would've been)if I could get rid of them for him. They are just temporary. Plan on having the Angels and several small schooling fish as my permenant residents. Need to do some research to see what is compatible, unless you all can recommend me some. Will take some pics when they will show up on the camera.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

About time for an update as there are lots of things going on. My plants weren't growing for squat and my Java moss carpet was dying off, all due to not having enough light. I need to get a new bulb for my fixture but for now I am getting terrific results from a single CFL I put in a clip-light and hung above my tank. Plants are growing, finally, and turning red and my moss is starting to turn green again.
















And the main reason for the update was to share my Sakura for the first time. They have grown, SUBSTANTIALLY, since I got them considering they were around an eighth of an inch and wouldn't even show up on my camera. Now the biggest is a little bigger than an inch and shows up on the cam just nice. Here are some pics for you.



























A couple of my Sakura purchased from good ole gordonrichards here on TPT (whom I also purchased the plants from). Can you see my vision of having the plants grow tall and having the pathway clear, underneath a canopy of plants?


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## demonr6 (Mar 14, 2011)

I think it will look nice once it fills in. I like the shrimp though.. a shame they hate my tanks and the bettas run them off. Maybe the 20L when I get around to starting it up can be a shrimp tank with less aggressive fish.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

Thanks demon, I am trying to be optimistic. Glad I figured out I didn't have enough light before all my plants died. Now if it'll grow in in time for the AGA contest. 

I like my shrimp too, they are so cool to watch. I would say get some and then get some fish they can live with, they are definitely worth it. If you have a heavily planted tank with lots of hiding places you should be able to keep some shrimps. I plan on putting Angels in my tank, just hoping that the shrimp will berry and have babies and utilize all the hiding spots in my tank. I think they'll be alright. Might lose 1 or 2 and some babies/eggs, but they do live with aggressive fish in the wild so we'll see.



demonr6 said:


> I think it will look nice once it fills in. I like the shrimp though.. a shame they hate my tanks and the bettas run them off. Maybe the 20L when I get around to starting it up can be a shrimp tank with less aggressive fish.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

Noticed a skirt formed on one of my Sakura! Hopefully I'll have babies soon.


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## demonr6 (Mar 14, 2011)

[email protected] said:


> .. but they do live with aggressive fish in the wild so we'll see.


and they also end up being eaten in the wild too!


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

My buddy bought some juvies and put them in with his mated pair he's had in his tank. Needless to say they didn't fare too well. He bought 4 new ones, and before he could get ahold of me, the big ones had 3 of the new ones killed and the caudal fin and one of the ventral fins ate off of the last one. We were able to save it though and it seems to be doing pretty good. It has even been chasing the tank mate around my tank, I guess from fear of being eaten alive. 



Here is the one that we saved. I call it half-fish I can tell the fins are starting to regrow. I hope it's quick as I can tell this is going to be a really pretty fish from all the finnage on it. Way more than the other.












This one was long-time tankmates with the big Angels but he sent it home with me anyway. This one I call Dwarf. It came in with others at the same time, as an addition to the mated pair. While the others are around 3 or 4" around, this one is still only silver dollar sized. Somehow the dorsal fin got broken at the top, will that grow back?























And, just because I'm posting pics of the fish, I figured I would throw in an updated full tank shot from this morning. You can really tell how much the plants have grown since the introduction of CFL's.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

I'm pretty sure my WalMart aponogeton is starting to flowerroud: Good thing, the stupid thing cost me about $7. I bought 2 packs of bulbs from them and this was the only one that grew:angryfire Need to send the bulbs back, but have no room for them in my tank now. Oh well, maybe I'll get them and give them away! For now I'm just going to enjoy this one. I will post some updated pics when it actually has a flower on it.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

I got some new Apple/Mystery snails yesterday, and I really like them. Here they are:
White









Striped









Blue


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## demonr6 (Mar 14, 2011)

I love my apple snails, I have one each in my 5 and 6.6 tanks that I bought when they were still relatively small and they are larger than golf balls now. Very active and each with its own character.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

I love this guys too but noticed them rooting in my gravel. They are really cool but if they keep that up they won't be there.


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## demonr6 (Mar 14, 2011)

If they are rooting in the gravel, it's time to feed them. Mine do that when they cannot find anything else to eat.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

Well, I keep zuccini in there along with some spinach and overfeed my fish twice a day so I don't think it's food. I'm thinking my Angel is messing with them causing them to want to bury themselves. They even burrow under my moss carpet lifting the whole thing, drives me NUTS!! I still prolly wont get rid of them, I like them too much and I think that 2 of them started trying to breed the other day. We'll see how it goes I guess. For now they stay.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

9-8 Updated FTS: Trimmed and regrowing for the AGA aquascaping contest.


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

This is the 10g from my 55g bowfront setup. It's the bottom one seen here:








A couple months ago my 2yr old busted the side out of it spilling plants and snails all over my floor Luckily my buddy mdixon had a donar tank of the same dimensions, with the bottom busted out. Just what I needed, so I brought it home and dismantled it. In the process I realized I was gonna have to de-rim both tanks in the area I needed to work in. This prompted me to de-rim the good 10g, so:
De-rimmed and ready for clean-up. Found it easier to use a new razor in a scraper body rather than an ols used blade by itself.








Cleaned, taped, and ready for assembly.








Assembled and applying pressure until dry. Remove the tape QUICKLY after running your bead or it will stick like mine did, didn't get it fast enough. No big deal, just had to score the edge to get the tape off.








Done, filled, with my clippings added. Had to get them out of my tank, they were blocking my light from the plants in the 55.








I think it made the overall look of the entire system much nicer.








Next I am going to cut out one of the sides from my donar tank, take it down the road to the glass shop, and have them cut me a lid out of it. Then I plan on adding a moss wall on the left to block the sight of my equipment in the 10g. After that I am going to come up with a way to hide the filter in the bottom left, as well as the immediate top area of the 10g where the light is. This should make my setup look pretty good. What do you think?


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## [email protected] (Apr 27, 2011)

So, I initially moved my Shubunkin into another tank thinking she was uprooting my plants, but I don't think she liked the 25g I put her in. Today I moved her back in and she seems WAY more happy. As long as I don't start seeing uprooted plants she will stay as she looks really good in there with my Angel.


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