Aqua Bridge Tank Setup Upgrade

[TOMCAT858]

Ok I wanted to add some decorations to the 75 Gallon.
I had a Dogwood tree that seems to have passed away from last year due to a Split trunk.

I have done a test with a piece of the Trunk 3" long and it sank in 1 1/2 days. :-D
I have cut down the tree and selected some branches.

I just finished doing the Aquascape on the 75 Gallon.
Ok to remind you what it started out as.

Progress as I added the branches.

Here is a look at the tank as it currently is.

Some of the Tenants are enjoying the new décor.

We shall see how the foliage grows thru the branches.
I also put together a Gravel Vac Water Polisher.

I had an extra Return Pump since I updated the pump in my Sump so I placed it in a bucket.
I took a second bucket drilled a 1" hole in the bottom for the return hose from the pump then drilled like 30ish holes for the water to drain thru.
I then covered the holes with filter floss and started the syphon, once the water was high enough in the bucket I started the return pump and wha la.

[video=youtube_share;-COikvJqpRw]http://youtu.be/-COikvJqpRw[/video]

 

[TOMCAT858]

Tenant Update:
Here are some pictures of a few of the Aqua Bridge Tenants.
Here is some pictures of the Red Jeweled Cichlids.
I am showing them because a few of them started showing their Red coloring.
My cell phone doesn't do them justice, they look so much better in person.

Here is one of my Black Belt Cichlids that likes to hang out in the 75 Gallon.

Here is my Ornate Bichir he likes to hang out in the 55 Gallon.

I know it is normal but here is one of my Clown's playing dead. :lol:

Thanks for looking

 

[TOMCAT858]

Here is a short video of some of the Tenants in the Aqua Bridge setup.
[video=youtube_share;QAFW_al_My8]http://youtu.be/QAFW_al_My8[/video]

 

[TOMCAT858]

I wanted to post another Video journal of the 75 G tank and the 55 G tank.
Here is the 75 Gallon current occupants are Red Jewel, Black Belt, Polypterus Endlicheri and my BNP's(They are hiding but are here).
[video=youtube;2SLPlCqfhh4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SLPlCqfhh4[/video]

 

[TOMCAT858]

Here is the 55 Gallon current occupants are Black Belts, Haplochromis sp Obliquiden, Clown Loaches, Convicts, Ploypterus Senegals.
[video=youtube;tqmSk-6c7nQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqmSk-6c7nQ[/video]

 

[TOMCAT858]

I have been dealing with a finicky Circulation Pump by Aqueon 950 GPH that is a bit strange because it is rattling and I don't know why yet.
Here is a video of what I am dealing with.
[video=youtube;ty4Y2oO6JO8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty4Y2oO6JO8[/video]

I did a water test on 08/15/2013
Ammonia is 0 - 0.25 ppm
Nitrite is 0 - 0.25 ppm
Nitrate is 10 - 20 ppm

 

[TOMCAT858]

This is a Corrected Video about the Aqueon Circulation Pump 950 GPH. for some reason the sound cut out 1/3 of the way in on the original video.

I have been dealing with a finicky Circulation Pump by Aqueon 950 GPH that is a bit strange because it is rattling and I don't know why yet.
Here is a video of what I am dealing with.
[video=youtube;IZ5_UJYZ3Bo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ5_UJYZ3Bo[/video]

I did a water test on 08/15/2013
Ammonia is 0 - 0.25 ppm
Nitrite is 0 - 0.25 ppm
Nitrate is 10 - 20 ppm

 

[TOMCAT858]

I did another water test tonight 08/20/2013
I have been trying to keep a close eye on my water parameters since adding the Dog Wood branches.
Ammonia 0-0.25 ppm
Nitrite 0-0.25 ppm
Nitrate 0-5 ppm
PH is between 7.4 - 7.6
Here are two photos of the same test to compare you know lighting is tricky sometimes.

I also tested the Taps PH and it was measuring at 7.4 - 7.6

 

[TOMCAT858]

Oh Boy what a late night.
I had finished watching the movie Oblivion and was putting the movie away when I noticed that my Sump return pump was making a strange noise.
The noise was like there wasn't enough water to pump back.
upon inspection I find that the water is not returning back to the 75 Gallon from the 55 Gallon.(The return pump goes into the 55 Gallon and the 75 Gallon feeds the Sump)

Upon further inspection I see that there is a good difference in the water levels between the tanks 3/8". Well I start checking the Aqua lifter and find that it isn't drawing the water/air from the Aqua Bridges like it is supposed to. The first thing I do is pinch the line and disconnect it from the bridge. I attach another line and proceed to suck out all the air from the Bridge. Once the air is removed I close off the valve and reattach the Aqua lifter.(found the problem in the Prefilter for the Aqua Lifter) I opened up the valve on the Bridge and everything was Golden again with the Bridge.

That isn't the end of the story though. I was looking through the tanks checking everything else out and couldn't find my Ornate Bichir. The last place I saw him was in the 75 Gallon. I was concerned that maybe he had gotten up in the Bridge while it was dried out and maybe died. Before I got in a total panic I started looking around all the decorations and in a few also. I thought I had found him in a small cave I made for my sand fountain. I noticed my Endli's head in the opening and a tail next to his head.
You can't see the tail in the picture.

Well I lifted the decoration because I used Plexi glass for the base so I could see in the bottom.
Before I lifted it though I remembered that 2 of my Clown Loaches where in there earlier and I wasn't seeing them either.
This is what I found.

3 Clown Loaches and My Endlicheri Bichir crammed into my little cave. Now that Endlicheri is about 5" - 5 1/2" long.
Here are some different views of the decoration.

Oh and I did find my Ornate Bichir upon replacing the Decoration with the fish jam. He was coming out of the Bridge that I had the water/air issue in earlier.
In the end all fishes are safe and happy if not crowded in some cases. :lol: