135g SA "Renewal" Project

[DarylMac]

Hi all,

This is going to be a thread about my 135g South American Set-up. The tank has been up & running for more than a year with no issues. But I've become bored with some of the stock and grown sick of the layout. I've decided to tear it down so I can build up better than before. Here it is as it sits today;



I have 3 issues with the set-up itself. And I'm going to address each of them with this renewal;

1. It's not level. You can't tell but I know that it is 1/4 to 3/8ths of an inch out of level.

2. There is no background so I can see all of my equipment & cables (the sword plant obscures them pretty well).

3. The layout & substrate. It has play sand in it and I despise it for too many reasons to list here. I also hate that the sword plant is dead centre. I should have used the rule if 3rds when planting it.

All of these are a result of rushing the initial set-up.

I bought the tank used from a young guy whose parents told him if he didn't sell it they were going to take it to the dump. I got a great deal on it and they guy even delivered it (200km round trip) for a nominal fee. He was excited to see the tank go to a good home and was eager to help me set it up the night he delivered it. I wanted to take my time but this guy was super keen to help so I obliged. I did after all get the deal if the year in this set-up.

I'm currently filling my old 75g as I type this;



I'm going to throw in a spare heater and an old AC 300 just to get the water temp and circulating tonight. Tomorrow I will transfer all of my remaining stock into the 75 and start tearing down the 135.

First thing I'm going to do is paint the back black, or black it out one way or another. While that's happening I have a plumber coming over to install a laundry service (drain & hot/cold water supply) behind the tank, where I can access it through the stand.

Then I'll re-scape the 135, using substrate (pool filter sand) and rocks that I think will look better and then plant with more appropriate plants (the swords are kind of overbearing, not sure if I'll keep them).

I will document it all here - including my new stock list!

Hope you enjoy the journey as much as I am. Setting up a new tank is always an exciting time.

I'll probably post some photos of my current stock here as well. Some of it I have already sold off, some of it I am struggling with letting go and may actually keep it. Stay tuned.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Good luck with the project Daryl,hope it all goes well.
I know what you have planned and
look forward to the updates.

 

[Covetous]

Cool man, subscribing.

 

[DarylMac]

Here are some juvenile Geo. Winemilleri that I have already sold. They are such a docile fish. Even for Geos these guys are exceptionally mellow. Also pictured are some form of Guianacara. Not exactly sure of the species. All I know is I have 4 of them, one pair for sure (they spawned once), and I am not sure if I am going to keep them or not. I do like them, it will depend on what I do with new stock...


One of the big motivators for me is to get a nice male Green Terror. I was originally dead set on trying to recreate a an Ecuador biotope, including 1 Male and 3 Female Rivulatus, but if I do that I will most certainly have to regime these Guianacara and my current favourite fish, my Chocolate Cichlid;

 

[DarylMac]

So I am thinking of buying all Juvenile rivulatus in part to grow them out, but also to put if the inevitable as long as possible - and that is selling my chocolate cichlid.

For now my focus is on setting up the actual tank. I probably have a week or more to chew on final stocking but the way I see it I have two options;

Option A (Bioptope):

1 Male GT
3 Female GT
6 - 12 Bleeding Heart Tetras
4 - 8 Brochis Splendens
4 L144 Plecos

Option B (Community)

1 Chocolate Cichlid
1 Male GT
4 Guianacara
6 Bleeding Hearts
5 Sterbai Cories
4 L144

Option B is the cheaper option as I have everything except the GT.

But the thought of option A is what finally prompted me to do this tear down - I've hated the scape for the better part of a year and didn't do anything about until I was at my LFS and saw this amazing Green Terror display tank (not the tank, the fish). It stopped me in my tracks.

Anyhow, I'll sleep on it! I will document the tear down, which will start tomorrow!

 

[robham777]

Man that is one big sword plant, obviously I am mistreating mine. Can't wait to see the rescape, and final stock list.

 

[DarylMac]

I actually just pruned out 20 or so leaves last week. It was more dense before. I've had that plant for 2 years and I've learned the key to propagating it is adjusting the light. It doesn't always need more light, just change the light and it sends out a bunch of shoots.

In 2015 I had it with CO2 and a 48" beamsworks LED that had 75 1 watt led bulbs. Tonnes of light. It grew well in those conditions but it started propagating in 2016 when I switched to one 18" Marineland Advanced LED and on 48 in T12 sunblaster.

Then, this Christmas I got rid of the sunblaster and added two more 18" Marineland Advanced LED's so I could mimic the sun going across the sky, like so;







With this set-up I believe there is less watts/gallon than ever before, but I did increase the total light duration to 9 hours. There is approximately 2 hours where all three LED's are on.

 

[DarylMac]

Actually the above photos are before I thinned the sword plant. Notice how it blocked all light to the bottom of the tank on the middle?

I do like it better thinned out.

 

[cichlidfish]

Like the plans for this tank. What did you do to level the tank?

 

[DarylMac]

I haven't done anything yet. It's one of the reasons I'm tearing it down. I tried to shim the stand before during a 90% water change, but it wasn't happening.

I've got an unopened pack of cedar shims in the garage that I will probably use to shim the stand once the tank is off the stand.

I also have some composite shims that I am currently using on the 75 that I could use. I'm not sure how much the cedar shims will compress, if at all.