"The wall" - 625g + 150g side-by-side (project)

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J

Joao M

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Nov 28, 2010
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Portugal
I am moving in mid December, as of course even before thinking about furniture and so on... I´m already working on the new tank(s) of the new home (you understand it, I´m sure...).

So, this is what I have in mind as the main tanks of the garage:
slide1oo.jpg


I already have the 150g (with CA/SA cichlids, a flagtail and a royal panaque) and the sump.
The 625g (10´x40"x30"h) will be built in site after the 15th December, so the exact measurements are not closed yet (but close to).
The idea is to have both tanks side by side (a 16´wall, hence the title) working with the same sump (behind the wall I´ll have a few smaller tanks).

I still have a lot of things to consider and it´s always nice to brainstorm in MFK and get your ideas and suggestions.

So:
1. what do you think of the concept: 1 sump, 2 pumps for 2 tanks? I already have the sicce 1250g/h return pump operating my 150g, so I´d like to use it. I have a chance of getting a decent (and cheap) 1950g/h return pump for the main tank.
2. Heating: a 2kw heater or 6-7 300w heaters ? the 1st option may be more solid (more "professional") but the 2nd option is much cheaper since I already have a few heaters I may use and it´s "safer": if one or 2 heaters break, the temp won´t drop rapidly.
3. Lighting: leds? MH? T5´s?. I always have some plants in the tanks (even with CA cichlids) and I want to try it in the big tank.
4. Substract: pool filter sand, most likely.
5. I´ll have auto water change; still working on the project

current stock/tanks:
- 180 g Asian theme, currently with a RTG Aro, 20 Clown loaches, a siamese bumblebee catfish (pseudomystus siamensis) and a fire eel (RTG will go the the main tank; others will remain in the 180 + 3 bala sharks). This tank will go to the living room.
- 150g (and auxilliary tank) mainly with CA/SA cichlids: jag male, synspillum male, true parrot, freddy female, GT (rivulatus) male, flagtail, royal panaque, 2 young "midas" and 1 young festae
- 55 g young EBJD, 9 sterbai corydoras, 9 copper tetra, ancistrus, 3 bala sharks
-30 g quarantine tank (currently with 1 young festae, that was harassing the other one; not sure yet if they are a couple)

already bough
- 120g (4x2x2) - was very cheap, will help with the move and be kept in the future

Let the games begin !
 
Here are my thoughts:
1. Pump- Make sure that the new "cheap pump" is energy efficient. It doesn't make any sense to save $100 on the purchase of a pump if relative to an efficient pump, it costs you over $100 every couple of months to operate. Since pumps are on 24-7, its usually a good idea to buy the most efficient pump you can find.
2. Heat- I struggled with the same question. I ended up going with six 300 watt Eheim Jagers on a Ranco controller. The controller will make it so that the heaters essentially work as one unit, but you have the safety/redundancy of multiple heating rods of one fails. The wattage you will need depends on the low ambient air temps...as long as temps won't drop below 60F where the tank will be, I think you should be fine with 1,800 watts.
3. Lighting: I would go with T5s or LEDs. I'm actually running standard shop lights (T8) on my tank and I am happy with them- cheap but effective.
4. Substrate: whatever you think looks best.

Good luck!
 
aldiaz33 said:
Here are my thoughts:
1. Pump- Make sure that the new "cheap pump" is energy efficient. It doesn't make any sense to save $100 on the purchase of a pump if relative to an efficient pump, it costs you over $100 every couple of months to operate. Since pumps are on 24-7, its usually a good idea to buy the most efficient pump you can find.
2. Heat- I struggled with the same question. I ended up going with six 300 watt Eheim Jagers on a Ranco controller. The controller will make it so that the heaters essentially work as one unit, but you have the safety/redundancy of multiple heating rods of one fails. The wattage you will need depends on the low ambient air temps...as long as temps won't drop below 60F where the tank will be, I think you should be fine with 1,800 watts.
3. Lighting: I would go with T5s or LEDs. I'm actually running standard shop lights (T8) on my tank and I am happy with them- cheap but effective.
4. Substrate: whatever you think looks best.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot for your input and wishes. I accompanied the setting up of your 770g and got some good ideas.

As regards the pump, I didn´t mean "cheap" as opposed to good, but only because I have the opportunity of buying this parituclar pump with a huge discount. And although it is not top, it´s reliable and if I remember correctly it consumes around 100w. So it is not "the most efficient pump" I could find, but it is relatively efficient.

Heaters: In my area, the outside winter temp doesn´t usually drop below 50f so I believe I can easily be over 60f in the garage. If I remember well, you have struggled a lot with keeping tropical fish because of the heating costs. The ranco controller is a good idea, but I don´t know if I can find one in my whereabouts. I´ll try online anyway

Finally as regards the substract, I don´t want to jeopardize the possibility of having a stingray in the future because of the substract - it´s a very difficult mix with the CA cichlids, but we´ll see down the road-, that´s why I want to stay away from a silica based substract (already had a bad experience that I don´t want to repeat) and am considering PFS.


@Cordero
thanks for the concern. I am used to sumps because I kept marine tanks for around 20 years and most ot them worked with sumps. With the proper plumbing, this 144g is big enough to operate with around 100g, having the remaining 44g preventing an overflow in case of a power failure.
 
I'm not sure if all pool filter sand contains silica but mine did, was in big lettering on the bag. Just some food for thought.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
adixon816 said:
I'm not sure if all pool filter sand contains silica but mine did, was in big lettering on the bag. Just some food for thought.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Click to expand...

I was not clear in my previous post and you are right. If not all, most of the - at least the ones available in my country - PFS contains silica (or quartz which is the same).
However usually they´re not as sharp and abrasive as the regular "silica sand" that I find in the LFS. Also PFS usually has a bigger granulometrie than the regular silica sand. Those factors combined make it better for the rays. At least it´s what I have been reading in the stingray forum.

As I mentioned above I am not planning on getting a ray atm or even in the in the nearer future. Just don´t want to waive that future possibility because of the substract I choose upon setting up. Nor do I want to have the hassle of changing substract latter on.
 
Joao M said:
I was not clear in my previous post and you are right. If not all, most of the - at least the ones available in my country - PFS contains silica (or quartz which is the same).
However usually they´re not as sharp and abrasive as the regular "silica sand" that I find in the LFS. Also PFS usually has a bigger granulometrie than the regular silica sand. Those factors combined make it better for the rays. At least it´s what I have been reading in the stingray forum.

As I mentioned above I am not planning on getting a ray atm or even in the in the nearer future. Just don´t want to waive that future possibility because of the substract I choose upon setting up. Nor do I want to have the hassle of changing substract latter on.
Click to expand...

Ah ok, I like the increased grain in the PFS it doesn't suspend in water I love it. After having used all types of sand and gravels I now would not use anything but PFS and it's cheap to boot! I think you are making a good decision.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Looks Great, Can't wait for some more pics.

My main concerns others have addressed, X2 on making sure the sump/system can handle all the extra water during a power failure.
 
Thank you both.

Joe,
The sump will be tested carefully but I believe it will be big enough for the job.

I will only have more pics in a week or so

********
BREAKING NEWS.....

I´m changing the dim of the main tank by giving up 2" high for extra 8" wide for the same cost

So the final dimensions are: 10´L x 4W´x28"H
 
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