This is how you setup a canister.

[mudbuttjones]

I've got an overstocked 75gal. Right now i have an adult oscar, Jd, and 2"
convict. I've been doing 80% water changes once or twice a week. Nitrates are good. We just got approved for a mortgage and plan on moving this summer. I've got my sights set on a 180g for the basement. So in preparation i decided to add another canister to the 75. I plan on drilling the 180, plugging the bulkheads and running the canisters until i have time this winter to setup a sump.

I bought a sunsun 304b to go with the 2 fluval 406's under the tank.


so it's wayyyy to big to cram under the stand.
So let's build a cabinet so i don't have to look at this












It matches the stand that i built which matches the bedroom set. The tank is at the foot of my bed at the same level. I really enjoy this tank.

I had 7 days off of work to recover after major oral surgery. (Remember kids, get your wisdom teeth out before they come in crack a bunch of your molars)
anyway i decided to tackle this project. I'm not 100% satisfied with the build quality, but considering the blood loss, swollen face, and the generous amount of prescribed opiates i was on, i think it turned out OK.

 

[mudbuttjones]

made some black pvc plumbing which I'll attach to the stand directly. No suction cups here!

View attachment 1129418
the return. I used a 90° with a threaded clean out to tee off a 1/4" hose which i positioned to create some surface agitation.


4L/1gal of matrix in 3 trays and floss in the bottom


i don't like the factory connectors on the valve so i got some safe epoxy, filled the threads for the barrel nut and machined it smooth. I then expanded the hose to fit over it and clamped it with plastic ratcheting clamps, which i felt were less likely to crack the plastic versus stainless hose clamps

 

[mudbuttjones]

this is teed off and falls a considerable distance. The slow trickle of water agitates the surface without using an airstone or positioning the returns near the surface.






super sneaky intake pipe



the tile bottom and stupid amount of over filtration helps maintain a spotless tank bottom and crystal clear water with some really messy fish

 

[xraycer]

Another good write-up, MBJ!

Don't see you around as often..........the baby must be keeping you busy lol

 

[mudbuttjones]

Thanks man.

Yeah life's been busy. The baby is a handful. The wife and i work opposite shifts to save on childcare. So i work 2nd shift and am up at 5-6am

Lots of overtime, house hunting, and changing water one handed with a baby in the other. Lol

Once the site went down and the mobile app dissappeared in started checking out Facebook fish groups which is probably the worst thing I've ever done. But I'm vowed to stay back here.

I've been busy with another project on this tank. Not sure if i posted this or not.



My 2 fluval canisters were on the sides of the tank. So i removed thr shelves in the center of the stand and added (and painted) the door



Inline heaters









So did i need to add the sunsun? No.. o I mean - Lol YES ABSOLUTELY.

 

[xraycer]

You're a filtration junkie......that's a good thing, in my book

I'm also a dad....3X over! So, I know what you're going through as a first time dad. I used to work 3rd shift while my wife worked 1st. With my first child, I took care of her after my shift just because I didn't trust her in the care of strangers (one of those 1st time parent thing I suppose). Up until 3 years ago, I had to get up at 2:00pm to pick all of them up from pre-school. Which gives me only about 4-5hrs of shut-eyes after work. Kids are all in grade school now and I'm been back on 1st shift again for the past 3 years. Its good to be able to get a full night's sleep. Especially now, that I'm well in my 40's LOL

Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing

 

[Yuki Rihwa]

Awesome jobs! I'm always love the ideal of overkill filtration

 

[mudbuttjones]

I'll be so happy once we sign on a house. I'm in a 600sqft apartment with a wife, a baby, 3 large fish tanks, and an 80lb German Shepherd. So I'm hoping I'm not being naive when i think things will get better when we move into 2,000 square feet.

I've already turned down a couple homes solely based on the basements lol.

It's my dream to put up a wall, build a 6ft tank into the wall, and build a bar in front of it. Behind the wall I'll have a mini "filtration room" I'm looking to use this 75 as a sump for a 180 or 210 (whatever the biggest my lfs can get) and also have some assorted growout tanks in the room too. Maybe even a drip system or space for aging barrels!

so look forward to that thread this winter. You know, after i tear down all the lath and plaster, put up drywall, remodel a closet for my wife, paint the entire house haha

 

[xraycer]

You know, after i tear down all the lath and plaster, put up drywall, remodel a closet for my wife, paint the entire house haha

FYI, children tend to be brutal on wall paint LOL

 

[mudbuttjones]

Luckily I'm not a great painter, so it's not like there's gonna be crayon marks on the sistine chappel ceiling. Lol.

My old man was a methodical, perfectionist who painted professionally for over 30 years. I hated painting with him...