The evolution of my first tank.

My first "real tank" was a crusty old 40 breeder, which I attempted to make a planted tank, I had no real knowledge.

I never went online, just got some touch and go knowledge from my old man who was a veteran fishkeeper.


Here was it's first inception. Around 2010. Ugly gravel, stupid ornaments. Fake plants. Yuck.

A year later...

The tank was on a reinforced coffee table surrounded by 4 couches in a totally rad bachelor pad. The goal was having 360° uncomprimised viewing ability. I made an above tank "sump" it was driven by an aquaclear 50 power head which sucked water (negative pressure) from the tank. There was a series of baffles, mechanical, chemical, bio media. This whole thing came from my head, no real input from the "fishkeeping world" so I guess it's kinda cool. Lol


A year later I moved, and settled for a woman, and an eheim canister lol.


Taking shape


Early 2014




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Present day. 2x 24" 18w T5's. No co2. Simple fert regimen.


2x sunsun 302's w/ custom plumbing and diy inline heaters
View attachment 1060075


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I restored a stand.

I found this gem rusting away in my parents backyard. My old man was a professional fish breeder for many years.



Not bad for "free" unless you count labor, paint, and the cost of grinding discs

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View attachment 1060088
The uprights of the three tier rack are great for securing plumbing and or equipment.



Believe it or not the lighting is a pair of pvc rain gutters cut to fit a panel used as a top shelf. The gutters have 2 undercabinet or shop light fixtures from walmart along with a 13w string of LEDs for accent lighting

Just the LEDs


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krichardson said:

Triple decker?

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You know it. All day everyday.

It'll hold 2x 40b's and some little tanks on top.


Ive actually got a second rack which I restored for my dad before he passed. I wanna do a crazy 3 tier setup. 40b display that drains into a 40b sump, the sump pumps water up to a 20 long full of pothos, which drains back into the display.

Edit-
The racks are from sometime in the 70's. Thick angle irons. Easily 2x the thickness of an aqueon (48x18) 75g steel rack that I used to have. They sat in the yard for about a decade and a half lol. One was intact, the other needed new feet bolted on since they rotted off in the dirt. There were a couple more racks that were in terrible shape and were scrapped.


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xraycer said:

You've definitely come a long way since the days of multicolored gravel.

Are the bamboo the only plastic plants in your present day tank?

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Thanks alot guys.

The fake bamboo would be the only fake plants. I just used them to camouflage the plumbing. It worked well, black plumbimg, black background, fake foliage.

Ill snap some better pictures tonight.

Here's one with the water level down

Spraybar camouflage.


Some mutant angelfish from petsmart
They've had goofy fins since I've got em. But they seem happy anf healthy. Parameters are fine. Mainly nitrates, because thats actually all that I test for. Shame on me

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