New Guy on the Scene...

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funwun

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 24, 2010
15
0
0
RI
Hello all...

Well, finally decided to start my first post. Long time troller been soaking up tons of great info from all you MFKers. Since I can't yet post pics, I guess I'll start with a quick tank and stocking list:

125 - Current Stock;
(1) 8" Male Tiger O
(1) 6.5" Male Albino Red O
(1) 5" Female Red O
(1) 5.5" Jack Dempsey
(1) 7" Sailfin Pleco

Filtration Running - Fully stacked Rena XP4, 54 Gal Rubermaid Trickle filters with Quite One 6000 Pump with dual 1.25" PVC Overflows.

The 125 will be the future home of my Discus and Tetra plans. Thinking maybe 10 Discus and 70ish Mixed Tetras, maybe a few Cory's.


150 - Current Stock;
(2) 5" Bala's
(3) 3.5 - 4" Bala's
(5) 2.5 - 3" Silver Dollars
(5) 2.5" Pictus
(1) 5" Sailfin Pleco
(1) 5" Silver Aro

Filtration Running - Fully stacked Rena XP4, 54 Gal Rubermaid Trickle filters with Quite One 6000 Pump with dual 1.25" PVC Overflows.

125 inhabitants will move over to the 150 once 220 is finished cycling.


220 - Currently Cycling (Seeded by Bio Balls and XP4 running on other tanks);
New home for 150 Inhabitants

Filtration Running - Fully stacked Rena XP4, Marineland Magnum 350 (Polishing only), 54 Gal Rubermaid Trickle filters with Quite One 6000 Pump with dual 1.25" PVC Overflows.


55 - Cycled QT / Hospital (Future Breeder?)
Filtration Running - Fully stacked Rena XP4, Marineland Magnum 350 (Polishing only)


30 - Currently Cycling (Future QT / Hospital / Breeder?)
Filtration Running - Fully Stacked Rena XP2, Marineland Magnum 350

All tanks are in my basement Man Town / Fish Room (Only have 5 tanks so not sure it really qualifies as a "Fish Room")

The 125, 150 and 220 are on custom in-wall built stands made from 6 vertical 4x4's 3/4" with plywood tops and 2x4 bracing.

All trickle (sumps) have heaters inside and air stones running under 5 gallons of bio balls that stay about 25% submerged. They also have 1/2" PVC plumbed overflows running directly into home drainage to help control water levels and for auto water changes.

Auto drip water change system running from pre-filtered home hot water supply at the following rates;

125 - .5 gal/hr drip (about 67% auto WC per week)
150 - .5 gal/hr drip (about 56% auto WC per week)
220 - 1 gal/hr drip (about 76% auto WC per week)

Utility sink is permanently plumbed with python style siphon vac for cleaning all tank substrate and all tanks are set up with 1/2" siphoned supply lines for emergency WC's on larger tanks and Manual WC's for smaller tanks.

That's all I have for now. Need to get my post count up so I can begin posting pics, etc. Also in time for my planned 500 gal Ply/Plexy build as lifelong home for Aro (220 should do for at least 6-8 months)

Mike
 
GRATS! That sounds like a good set up you have got going there. I am interested in drip systems now ... Would be really nice to have but I know nothing about them.
 
Thanks. Me too. Just set it up this past week. Maybe I over simplified it but, controlled drip rate into each tank, and controlled overflow to drain are the important stuff, since I can't plan for the evaporation rate. Working fine so far. Ran the drip supplies into 5 gallon buckets until I was comfortable with confirmed drip rates.
 
Awesome! can't wait to see pics of them all.
 
funwun;5037590; said:
Auto drip water change system running from pre-filtered home hot water supply at the following rates;

125 - .5 gal/hr drip (about 67% auto WC per week)
Click to expand...

just want to point out, that 84 gallons of drippage a week is not a 67% water change, because your overflow from sump is removing both old and new clean water, not just old water
 
philfreenode;5037958; said:
just want to point out, that 84 gallons of drippage a week is not a 67% water change, because your overflow from sump is removing both old and new clean water, not just old water
Click to expand...

Technically correct, but since my sump overflow is set about 2 inches above the regulated water level it's more of an emergency belt and suspenders thing. Not so much a constant outflow of mixed new and old water being dumped.

Like I said, I may have over simplified my approach, but the metrics of Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0 and Nitrates < 3ppm on my two established tanks for over 6 months, I'm happy enough so far.

Still learning as I go so thanks for the input. I'll have to keep checking out others auto top off, constant drip and auto WC setups. What kind of system are you running?
 
Sorry above should have read Nitrates < 30ppm, so plenty of room for improvement still... have to figure out how to edit a post too.
 
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