double stand with a 3x2x2

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cichlid2006

cichlid2006

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Feb 20, 2008
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Fife - Scotland
ok I am soon to undertake a double stand project where i will have a 5x2x2 tank on top and a 3x2x2 or 3x2x1.5 below. it has to be a 3ft, the stand would need to be 6ft long to hold a 4ft tank and the wife said no 6ft stand, because of my paranoia.
the 3x2x1.5 will be the minimum size so I will use this to get stocking ideas and if the 3x2x2 comes through then the selected fish will have more space which is always good.
so final tank i have to work with is 3x2x1.5 = 67 US gallons approx.
now stocking. as i am not allowed a 4x2x2 with 1 fish in (the grammode i wanted) I have to stock the 3x2x1.5 but the rules are it has to have more than 1/1pair of fish in. it must house some pictus/small loaches as well as a minimum.
arent women difficult at times lol??:banher:

I thought 1 pair of salvini with 3/4 pictus and possibly 1 Amphilophus robertsoni. if the pair wont work then 1 male sal with the robertsoni and pictus. i am, however unsure of dithers. i currently have 3 filament barbs that are of no use with my uaru as they have 4 gold gourami anyway.
would filaments be ok?
 
I'm kind of conservative, but I would say that a 3' tank will be a little cramped for a pair of sals, and I don't think you can (successfully) put another cichlid in there with them. Since the male is the larger of the two, I'm also not optimistic about the male with another largish cichlid.

Of course, this is thinking in terms of the full-grown fish, so while they're growing out, you could probably get away with it; I just don't think it works long-term.
 
I second dMopar.
4ft stand for a 4ft tank is adequate. Its the structure & integrity that makes it
or breaks it. You can have a 6ft stand that is poorly built be useless IMO.
Good luck on what you do. Check the DIY threads for great examples.
 
i say a 6ft stand as i need a cupboard in it for my canister filters, so room for 2 filters and some other stuff i need at least 18inches after the 4ft tank hence 6ft once all framework is in place for strength. all my equipment must be hidden so to hold 2/3 canisters plus plenty of framework for strength to cure my paranoia i need the extra length for the cupboard space. it is the need for cupboard space for easy filter access that is the limiting factor.

so as i have a 5x2x2, i dont want, nor does the wife, a stand that is longer than the largest tank, i am worried it will look odd. so with the 5ft stand i am limited to the rules above apply. i have used google sketchup for the planning stage and it looks structuraly good, over cautious if anything but like i said i am very paranoid about loosing my fish overnight from a stand collapse.
i will be honest i would much prefer a grammode with a few pictus in a 4ft but alas its not to be.......yet;)
i will post a pic of it if you can tell me how to change the saved sketchup file to a jpeg.
 
rmcder;1818870; said:
Of course, this is thinking in terms of the full-grown fish, so while they're growing out, you could probably get away with it; I just don't think it works long-term.
Click to expand...

a grow it wont work as i will have nowhere else to put the adults as i will not put my uaru at risk from the salvini aggression. i am looking for something fairly aggro but obviously not too large a its only gonna be a 3x2x1.5 min or 3x2x2 max and something not seen very often where i am. so sals fit that bill as i have never seen a slavini face to face at any lfs i have been to.
so if a robertsoni and 1 male sal wont work then i wont do it. i have read around the forums by searching sals and i have found that pairs are kept in smaller than 90gallon. on advice from this forum as well. 40 gallons came up alot and sals were suggested. if a pair will be ok with some small bottom feeders then ok. i have read that male sals hit 8" for regular sals (male and thats irregular from what ive read on here, usually 6-7") and 10" for a red sal (apparently a different sort of sal).
 
BQwoodstand.png
 
btw a sal in a 3ft is cruel unless its a 3x2x2
 
I see.. I'm building my stand around my FX5s so it'll be sitting nice & snugged
how I like it. I guess to each his own. Ever consider having a 6ft tank on that stand?
 
i have managed to design a stand with the 4ft i wanted and its only a few inches bigger than 5ft. its in the diy section looking for advice/comments etc. i should be able to fit 2 large canisters in the cupboard going off my current canisters which are bigger than eheim classics i am getting.
dont know if the wife will allow a 6ft. may have to break out the chocolates and flowers along with some grovelling.
 
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