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Thread: Tank upgrade

  1. #1
    Medium Discus
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
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    Alexandria, Syndey
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    651

    Tank upgrade

    Hi All,

    I received my tank & Cabinet from Extreme last weekend so thought id post here and keep you guys informed of my journey as I go. :P

    (Wayne makes the tanks but goes through Dalbarb for the cabinets/hoods. Both the tank and cabinet/hood have nice clean lines and are very well made)

    Tank Spec’s:
    Glass tank – 5.5ft L x 2ft H x 2.5ft W - 760litres, 201 Gallons

    Cabinet - I’m a tallish person and prefer the look of tanks at head height so Bec asked Dalbarb to make the cabinet 1.15m high for me. I love it.

    Hood – I had a personal battle when it came to ordering the hood. I want to run Metal Halides and needed a hood to hide the light & reduce light spillage into the room. This means a largish hood as I did a DIY MH job and don’t want it ‘uglying’ up the tank with no canopy. The thing is my personal preference is to have a small hood so the tank doesn’t look top heavy. Smaller hoods in my opinion make tanks look more streamlined. In the end, we went for 1.5ft high hood. Although the hood in other people’s opinion looks great (and it is), it still looks a little too top heavy for me. It’s the price I pay for now until I can save up and purchase some nice lights. Until then and when I have a full weekend to take my time, I may shave an inch or two off the hood.

    Lighting – 3 x 150w OSRAM shop starter Flex core and plug kits. I went for these because of the electronic Ballasts and the ease of globe replacement. I will post pictures of how I made the fittings later as well. I may also be adding 1 or 2 x T5’s to the light fitting and put the overall WPG between 2.5 and 3. I haven’t added the T5’s yet so will post that bit later when I decide plants and confirm layout. There needs to be coverage for Discus if the WPG is high!

    Substrate – Yet to get as I’m still deciding but am 85% sure im going with Eco Complete. This will only be in the planted areas. Everywhere else will be sand

    Filtration – Yet to get but will be 2 x Eheim 2080’s plumbed into the bottom of the tank (bulkheads/tank outlets). The holes have already been drilled along with a hole for Lifeguards air control kit for the air.

    Layout – Well, you will have to wait and see how it turns out. I have what I want in my head but im hopeless at verbalising it. Plus it may change. It involves the possibility of a DIY cave project placed at the golden ratio mark (which may have hairgrass capping the top of it or plants to give it a dark depth feel?), drift wood/roots. The plants are still being researched.

    My original intent was to make an Amazonian biotype – minimal plants, river bottom, and black water look. Now im merging towards a semi planted tank that’s simple but effective with heavy Amazonian influences so it’s kind of best of both worlds. If done right will hopefully look great.

    I will post pictures tomorrow of the tank and the light so far.
    Aaron

  2. #2
    Blue Diamond Discus
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
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    Wonthaggi Victoria
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    1,089
    Im excited for you. Look forward to watching your tank progress especially interested in your plant choice.

  3. #3
    Medium Discus
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Alexandria, Syndey
    Posts
    651
    Hi,

    Here are some pictures.

    To make the light i used anodised aluminium tubes (cut to size), aluminimum sheets (cut to size and riveted to the A. tubes) and plastic joiners. It was like playing with leggo again but i did overkill the support bracing so in the last pictures you may be able to tell that i ended up taking off the two top braces. This also made it lighter. I havent yet made a lid for the light and i may never, depending if condensation makes its way in there. The hood is open top so i dont think it will but its easy done if needed.

    The plastic joiners connecting the frame also has a section for me to extend some T5's off if i need too. I will post again how i do it then.

    The MH ballasts will be placed in the cabinet below and to do this i will need to extend the cable to about 2 - 2.5 metres. For this, i will be getting an electrician as i dont want to run the risk of doing it incorrectly and burning down the apartment.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails light_3.jpg   tank_2_344.jpg   tank_1_570.jpg  
    Aaron

  4. #4
    Medium Discus
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    Dec 2007
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    Obviously that first pic is part of the light not the hood.... groan.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails tank_6.jpg   tank_5_273.jpg   tank_3_439.jpg  
    Aaron

  5. #5
    Medium Discus
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    Dec 2007
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    The light pics
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails tank_3_191.jpg   tank_3_191.jpg   light_2.jpg   light_1.jpg  
    Aaron

  6. #6
    Medium Discus
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    Dec 2007
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    Alexandria, Syndey
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    DOH! Oh well. i gather you get the jist even though the names of the pictures are wrong. maybe i should pack up and go home... maybe i shouldnt be covertly doing this at work
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails light_6.jpg  
    Aaron

  7. #7
    Medium Discus
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    Dec 2007
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    Alexandria, Syndey
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    more light pics
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails light_7.jpg   light_4.jpg   light_5.jpg  
    Aaron

  8. #8
    Moderator
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    Jan 2007
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    looking good mate, sing out if you need a hand with anything.

  9. #9
    Medium Discus
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
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    Alexandria, Syndey
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    Cheers jothy. I deffinately need your help with the co2. So parts and setting up. If its ok i will get you to come over to help set up. What are your thought on parts. Dupla?, Sera?

    For now - Any tips for sorting bulkheads. I have 35mm holes drilled so im assuming the 25mm bulkheads are the go with 16mm outlets for the 2080 hoses and some strainers. Sourcing the bulkheads are are little difficult. Im thinking dural irrigation. http://www.duralirrigation.com.au/on...igationID=1368

    What do you think?
    Aaron

  10. #10
    Moderator
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Penrith NSW
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    i have a heap of 15mm ones spare if they help (again planning to use with 2080) + some washers that were a pain to find.

    I like the sera reg, the only dupla reg i've seen is single guage which i find a pain in the bum.
    external dupla reactor no good, internal sera reactor no good LOL.

    dural irrigation proably the best bet for parts, let me know when your going and i'll tag along could use a few bits myself.

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