125 gallon Frontosa Setup on a budget (load warning)
- Thread starter Wulfonce
- Start date
Update:
With the help of my dad, a 5' 2x4, and an old wooden rolling pin, we got the tank back against the wall. Good god it's heavy! I regret disregarding weight when I built that stand. I added the black sand and filled it up. I decided to put my two 9" gold fish in there temporarily, until I can find a pond owner who will take them (6 months later, and still looking). I threw on an old light I had laying around, until I get around to building the dim-able LED canopy, probably sometime in the spring. I hope to have the Frontosa within the next few weeks. I gave the spray bar another 2 coats of paint. I'll wait another week before adding it to the tank to make sure the paint is totally dry. I have a spare penguin 350 on the tank for now.
Filling begins...
I'm very happy with the overall look of the tank. The sand darkened even more once submerged giving the tank a deep water eerie look. Once I get the dim-able blue and white LED's it should look pretty damn good! Dimly lit with a touch of blue... I can see it in my mind right now.
Guess they dont eat shrimp anymore.
With the help of my dad, a 5' 2x4, and an old wooden rolling pin, we got the tank back against the wall. Good god it's heavy! I regret disregarding weight when I built that stand. I added the black sand and filled it up. I decided to put my two 9" gold fish in there temporarily, until I can find a pond owner who will take them (6 months later, and still looking). I threw on an old light I had laying around, until I get around to building the dim-able LED canopy, probably sometime in the spring. I hope to have the Frontosa within the next few weeks. I gave the spray bar another 2 coats of paint. I'll wait another week before adding it to the tank to make sure the paint is totally dry. I have a spare penguin 350 on the tank for now.
Filling begins...
I'm very happy with the overall look of the tank. The sand darkened even more once submerged giving the tank a deep water eerie look. Once I get the dim-able blue and white LED's it should look pretty damn good! Dimly lit with a touch of blue... I can see it in my mind right now.
Guess they dont eat shrimp anymore.
This Project is looking great. Bravo!! 
I finally figured out your Morse Code. hehe
ILL STOP PROCRASTINATING TOMORROW
LOL
I finally figured out your Morse Code. hehe
ILL STOP PROCRASTINATING TOMORROW
LOLUpdate: "1 step forward... 2 steps back"
I got the painted spraybar hooked up today... and also made one of the dumbest mistakes in my fish keeping career...
Leaning over the beer fridge, I used a scrap piece of copper tubing to fish out the Fx5 wire from behind the tank. I grab the power bar and figure I'd connect it now since I have the fridge pulled out. *insert Niagara Falls sound effect*
Stupid me! I forgot to connect the tubing to the Fx5 first! I also didn't realize that the power bar was switched on. About 45min later I finish drying off all my DVD's!
I put the thing through a test run with media in the filter. Turns out, I under estimated the flow rate of the Fx5 and the holes I drilled in the acrylic sheet are nowhere near adequate. Now I have to drain the tank half way and add more holes, or make them bigger. Frustrating day overall. I have no patience left to drill that thing today.
Oh well. We can't learn without making mistakes.
[YT]qsmG5hV4yWw[/YT]
I got the painted spraybar hooked up today... and also made one of the dumbest mistakes in my fish keeping career...
Leaning over the beer fridge, I used a scrap piece of copper tubing to fish out the Fx5 wire from behind the tank. I grab the power bar and figure I'd connect it now since I have the fridge pulled out. *insert Niagara Falls sound effect*
Stupid me! I forgot to connect the tubing to the Fx5 first! I also didn't realize that the power bar was switched on. About 45min later I finish drying off all my DVD's!
I put the thing through a test run with media in the filter. Turns out, I under estimated the flow rate of the Fx5 and the holes I drilled in the acrylic sheet are nowhere near adequate. Now I have to drain the tank half way and add more holes, or make them bigger. Frustrating day overall. I have no patience left to drill that thing today.
Oh well. We can't learn without making mistakes.
[YT]qsmG5hV4yWw[/YT]
So I picked up ten 2.5" Blue Zaire Fronts from a local breeder for $100. A fair price considering it's taken me over 2 years to find a seller in my area. I set up a cluster of clay pots for them to hang out in, until I figure out what kind of rockscape I want to use. I was considering using that white coral rock, but I'm hesatent because its so sharp, and I dont want it to get covered in brown algae. I've always had brown algae problems in my tanks and I'm not sure how to prevent it. Perhaps my water is causeing it? 9.8ph and very hard?
[YT]sYDHbW22VgI&list[/YT]
[YT]sYDHbW22VgI&list[/YT]
The piping on the left side of the spraybar forms a "U" shape, which hooks onto the rim of the tank. On the right side, I have a black zip-tie wrapped around the right hand brace on the tank (2 brace system). When its running, the weight of the water in the tubing on the backside of the tank, holds the spraybar tightly against the tanks frame. It doesn't slide around at all. Which reminds me...
I should have showed you guys the painted spraybar in the video. Do'h!
Mabey I'll take a pic of it today, but you cant see it at all unless you're standing infront of the tank looking up. I'm very happy with how it came out. I'd definataly consider doing it again in the future. I never really did like the stock Fx5 outputs anyway.
Cost so far: (updated)
Tank = $120
Stand = $76
Black sand = $130
Fx5 (new) = $220
Mic. Stuff = $5.97
Plumbing = $38.42
Acrylic = $28.00
Fish = $100
Total so far = $690.39
Goal = No more then $800 (still need the rocks and the lighting, I cant see it only costing $110, looks like I'll be going over budget)
Tank = $120
Stand = $76
Black sand = $130
Fx5 (new) = $220
Mic. Stuff = $5.97
Plumbing = $38.42
Acrylic = $28.00
Fish = $100
Total so far = $690.39
Goal = No more then $800 (still need the rocks and the lighting, I cant see it only costing $110, looks like I'll be going over budget)
