Vision Journal

[Bad Inferno]

Well after 8 months of planning I finally have a new tank sitting in position with a thumbs up from all family members. As the tank had to go between two doorways in our family room which are 1600 mm apart I found that the Juwel Vision 450 "bowed" tank fitted great at 1500mm long and narrow at the ends so we have better access to both doorways .....

SATURDAY 21ST JULY
Moved the old tank into an adjacent room and topped it up again. It will probably have to run for 3-4 weeks until I transition the fish and plants across. The new tank is now in position with the Juwel background siliconed onto the rear wall. Hope I never have to get the background off again as I made sure there would be no water getting behind. The Juwel background are completely flat on the back so it fits really well. I was careful not the put silicon on the corners as if I have to remove it I do not want to disturb the tank silicon joints. The juwel backgrounds cut really well and is constructed of a high density closed cell black foam. I hope the surface can tolerate a scrub down if algae gets a hold. Will have to wait and see.

Here are some first pics
The tank is the new Juwel Vision 450 in beech and you guessed it holds 450 litres...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/IMG_0027-1.jpg

You can see the depth of the background
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/IMG_0034-1.jpg

Left hand side has the intake and spray bar....The silicon tube running through the background will be for CO2 injection just under the intake
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/IMG_0012.jpg


The right hand side also has a filter return on a spray which is the outlet of the UV. This side also has a silicon airline going down through the background which will be used for an airstone
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/IMG_0022-1.jpg

[Bad Inferno]

SUNDAY 29th July

Substrate is in the tank, 6 bags of eco and filled with water. Was told not to wash the eco as it has beneficial bacteria but gee's its cloudy. Has gotten better over two days however can just see through the tank looking side on.

This weekend was the first fitout with Power sockets installed together with filter and fitting of the controllers.

Front view showing Conductivity, pH and ORP monitors. They have not been fully fitted as yet and look a little wobbly.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/IMG_0002-1.jpg

With the monitors removed you can see the power points behind together with the 24VDC power supply in the RHS
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/IMG_0005.jpg

Left Hand side contains the filter, some more power...I have ordered a new UV bulb which should come this week so I will also fit UV in this section
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/IMG_0003-1.jpg

Right Hand side contains the CO2 bottle, I cut around the shelf unit so it fits neatly.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/IMG_0004-1.jpg

[Scotty Bils]

Keep those photos coming!! Looks like a very well planned out tank. Sure to be a success.

Look forward to the next update. :D

[Bad Inferno]

Sunday 5th August

OK Water in starting to clear and heater on...This is the first pic of the initial setup..I have pH & ORP monitors running, CO2 injection started. Only need to get conductivity probe installed and another week of water cycle before I move my fish in their new home. I will then move my fish and all bio material from my old filter into the new Eheim 2028. The 2028 holds more material than my existing Fluval 404 on the old tank so I have tried to seed my new filter with some " CYCLE". I understand it doesn't do very much however wouldn't hurt to try for a couple of weeks until the tank settles in. Can't wait to move my fish in next weekend.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/setup-3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/setup-1.jpg



Rocks
I ended up going to a garden supplier and picking up some "mud" rock. The guy had used these in Aquarium before and suggested I soaked them in a weak solution of hydrochloric acid. Soaked for a day and they cleaned really well. Another soak in clean water and in they went. I was monitoring pH and putting the rocks in did not change the pH at all so the HCL was not absorbed.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/rock-1.jpg

[scott bowler]

looking good bad info nice work keep the pics coming love it .

[Robdog]

Looking really good mate. I'd love to see how the hair grass gets on.

[Bad Inferno]

Robdog, Never been able to grow hair grass however thought I'd give it another go...It wont be till Nov when I get the T5 lights fitted however have to make do with the 4x36W T8's.

The eheim 2028 is a dream filter compared to my old Fluval 404, cannot believe how well the priming function is....The CO2 is on an airstone under the filter intake...so tiny bubbles get sucked into the filter "pounded" then sent back via the spray bar. Seems to work great....

rob

[Bad Inferno]

Its time for the web monitoring and controls setup....Just mounted the relay board and auto water change control. I will have to put in a false back in the center of the cabinet to hide the power and control board. You can see the float switch just left of the terminals. Full details of the 1wire relay board is in the DIY section. I have mounted two ducts one for 240VAC power and the lower duct is for the low voltage 24VDC which all Automation is powered from.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/visionrelay-1.jpg

[Top_Bhoy]

I'm sure it will be the dogs bollox when the fish are in and even better when it has had a month or two to mature properly.

The Juwel Vision tanks are lovely tank to look at all the same!! If I could find the 260 in SA........

I'll be keeping an eye out on this thread to see how the progress is coming along. :lol:

[Bad Inferno]

Saturday 18th August
OK I finally connected the monitors back to the web server. I have done a2 x 25% water changes and have noticed some brown algea on the swords and a little on the glass. I assume this will go within a couple of weeks. I still have my old tank running....I have got 20 cardinals in there for a couple fo weeks before moving them into the display tank. I will also move the pleco's if I can catch them !

My CO2 is running a little low I'll start to crank this up..A this tank is twice as large as my old tank I'm still sorting out the bubble rate. Its not as responsive as the 200 litre old tank for obvious reasons. I do not have a reactor I just use an airstone under the filter intake pipe so the CO2 goes into the filter and gets churned up.

You can see I did a w/c about 7:00 on saturday and as my pH probe is now in the top of my tank it does get a spike.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/webshot1.jpg

[DIY]

Loking good Bad Inferno :thumb I love the neat and tidy setup

[Bad Inferno]

The challenge for this tank was to fit the automation around the tank and try and not make it not look too DIY.

I have a peristaltic pump for the last 2 years never fitted to my old tank which I will setup next, and was planning to get 5lt of Sera florena and dose a few mls per day..

thanks

rob

[scott bowler]

hey Rob any update pics mate hows it all going ?
thanks mate scott

[Bad Inferno]

Scott, I have found it hard to take shots of a bow'd front tank....however heres how it is at the moment...I need to do some "plant-work" however the plants seem to be growing OK..

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/1_-2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/1_-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/1_-3.jpg

I am getting some brown algae on the swords..I have not used any ferts and my Co2 is low so I'll crank the CO2 up....any advice ?

[scott bowler]

looks good mate with the fish and all keep it up.

[benkk]

i heard that if you let the bubble suck into the canster filter, eventually it will leave a lot air inside the canster filter and later it might damage your motor.....

[Bad Inferno]

In theory I think CO2 should dissolve within the water, I also know Fluval are not as good as Eheim in dispelling any air that maybe trapped around the impella.

I have monitored the Eheim 2028 and it doesn't seem to collect any trapped air / CO2 over the past couple of weeks. The airstone worked great in a 200 litre tank however this one is a bit of a push for the setup. I have a pH controller and when I change the setpoint say - 0.1 it takes about 3 hours to drop 0.1 pH. It does hold the pH at a constant value once it has reached setpoint just takes a little longer.

[OscarManAlpha]

i heard that if you let the bubble suck into the canster filter, eventually it will leave a lot air inside the canster filter and later it might damage your motor.....

I have been injecting Co2 into both Eheims and aquaones for over 6 years.

My Eheim 2026 has is still on the original impeller after 5 years of direct injection.

IMO the damage story stems from a filter that may have failed for some other reason.

BTW your tank looks awesome and the attention to detail is fantastic.

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

Mark

[Robdog]

I agree. It's looking really good so far. You've already got some good runners coming off the hairgrass.
I found that if I really chopped into the hairgrass and trimmed it right back it improved it's growth noticably. Might be worth a try.

[Bad Inferno]

Robdog....Didn't really noticed until you pointed it out the hair grass has got a number of runners when I look into the tank.....So I can "mow" the grass and it will grow back ? Does the grass blade grow again or does it die off and another grow.....

rob

[Bad Inferno]

CO2 at the moment I have the airstone under the intake pipe and some small bubbles go into the filter, I was thinking of just mounting the airstone inside the bottom of the filter intake pipe (the intake strainer thingo) and push it all directly into the filter. The airstone does create little CO2 bubbles and I know from looking at these bubbles make there way to the surface there nearly all absorbed in the water column anyhow.

[Bad Inferno]

1st September

I have had to do a replant as the Ludwigia went crazy and I had to take 80% of it out of the tank, same as the java. Anyhow has been running now for 6 weeks and (touch wood) no algea !. I will regret saying that I bet.

My BIGGEST problem is that I have managed to transfer those cone snail which invaded my last tank....Oh NO :cry: I never did do the copper treatment as I was worried about the fish..What are the risks on using snail rid ?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/1sep-1.jpg

cheers rob

[Robdog]

Any updates Rob?? Love to see how the hairgrass is getting on

[Bad Inferno]

Thanks for the interest RD

I trimmed my hair grass last weekend and have some algea growing on the tips.......I think the algae started when I installed a moon light which is directly over the hairgrass, although its not really bright just a faint glow of 8 white LEDS running off very low voltage.

Here are my latest pics tonight..I still have not used any ferts at all since the tank was setup...Tank is now very stable with respect to pH,ORP and conductivity with a 25% WC every week. I know I should really do more WC however I have not had time to connect up my auto water change valve to this new tank. Its on the to do list still..

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/zz-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/zz-3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v319/rjconway/zz-2.jpg

[Merrilyn]

Magnificent bad inferno.

Those browns look wonderful.

Where did you get them from?

Nicest I've seen for a long time.

[Bad Inferno]

Thanks Merrilyn, I grew them up from juvies....their fins never recovered from what I believe was attcacks from my other fish..Two are very bad having holes in upper and lower fins (look carefully) however the other two are near 100%....

I purchased them as juvie "red alenquiers" (Spelling ?) however have grown up to be great shaped fish and bad fin or not I still like them alot. I should of got 10 of them....You can see I got 2 BD juvies to grow up with them, it was difficult to know what other strains would compliment these 4 fish. Not like you I am constrained to 1 tank so have to choose wisely to create a well balanced discus community.

[fish_r]

ur tank looks like it's coming on nicely Rob and love them fish too http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v402/KharmaKazi/thumb.gif

[Bad Inferno]

The Juwel background is starting to loose its colour ! Background is turning black...i.e. the sandy rock texture colour must be comming off...There is some BBA growing on it however parts are just black, i.e. no colour and no algae, just the black internal foam. The side with the spray bar is the most effected, must be the water movement accelerated the deterioration....

With the $ these background are worth I am at a loss how this has happened.
If I look at the pics in this thread I can actually see (now I am looking for the problem) the protruding parts of the rock face had already started to come off....see just above the sword plant on the September 27th pic.

Now how to take it out :(

[darren burgess]

That is one of the nicest tank's iv;e seen beautiful group of fish.


cheers

[Bad Inferno]

Well this christmas is the time to remove the juwel background and go back to conventional black...

I was thinking of instead of black backgroiund what do you think of black silk attcahed vai a rail at the back of the tank. The silk could have natural hanging pleats. Maybe even put a row of low powered LED lights shinning up between the silk and the back of the tank...
what do you think ?

[Merrilyn]

That's a real shame about the Jewel background, but your idea of using silk fabric would be pretty awsome.

If you want to repair the background, I think you could use a thin layer of aquarium silicone, and press sand or gravel into it.

[Bad Inferno]

I will have to cut the background out of the tank while its full...however its stuck real good ! I just need to be careful at the top of the tank where the silicon I used to stick it in crosses the rear corner silicon of the tank....I will probably have the cut the background just below the gravel line so I do not accidentally cut the tank silicon. The Juwel background does not have a rear cavity..its a solid structure which I did think was good at the time...(not trapping air or stagnant water behind)

Good thought with the silicon/gravel however would take the tank out of action of 4-5 days...and I do have a lot of BBA growing on it....

I have a row of LED's 18" long that I use for a moon light which I think I could try. Maybe I'll look for a real real dark blue silk....

[taksan]

Take it back for warranty .....

[Bad Inferno]

Yes its going back for warranty, they have been good about it