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Good planning!
Sticky and Nutty in a Plastic Packet
After reading through the wealth of information here, postings some question here and there, researching there and here, countless hours of self-poisoning on fellow bro's blogs, YouTube and other websites, I think more or less I have my plans set. I think.
Although there is something about rock scape of 'bushy cliffs' and the Zen-ness of Iwagumi that appeals to me. There is still something about a ‘woody’ set up that I cannot get away from. Maybe it is wood-loving part of me (sounds wrong), something in my eight-character or maybe something in my stars. My vision is to do a ‘river-scape’ with all the wood in one direction and with a wood-scape that protrudes from the top of the tank.
Since my reefing days, I have always admired rimless set ups, especially those cube set-ups that can be viewed all round with the overflow done in the centre.
This is what I have planned.
It’s a simple set-up: a 4 feet tank that is deep (2 feet) for more room to work with and shallow (1.5 feet) to make it easier to work with.
Right now, I have planned to hang the a Maxspect R420R 300W over the tank but I cannot decide whether to hang it from the ceiling or from a light stand. I will be running a canister, most probably Eheim with a Hailea chiller.
Initially, I have planned for a ‘3s’ setup. 3 layers of flora with 3 layers of fauna. 3 layers of flora will be a foreground carpet, moss covered woodscape and background of towering plants. 3 layers of fauna would be Marbled Hatchet, Cardinal Tertras and Pygmy Corydoras.
The concept is still pretty much the same but I would be adding shrimps in and minus the Hatchets. In my current nano set up, I grew to like shrimps and I am aspiring to see my first batch of shrimplets. Something about the shrimps always working keeps me very glued to my tank.
This is what I have planned for the tank scape and I humbly seek your inputs.
The Lily Pipe will be angled slight towards the centre to ensure better flow, the intake pipe will be positioned behind to ensure that water in the tank is better circulated. Coincidentally, it will be hidden from view in midst of the background plants. My first question here is whether would this post a problem. I chose a more ‘leafy’ plant so that chances of intake being clogged will be less.
The sand area is planned for the corydoras to ‘play’ and maybe for clams too. That is, if I am able to find them. I understand and can see from the fellow bro’s tanks here that there are chances of some soil to fall over the sand area, that is why I chose a thick carpeting plant like HC to try to lessen the chances of that happening. My second question is that would the corydoras prefer the sandy 'tank-bed' compared to soil?
High chance I will be getting ADA soil as I can see many success with it. I am still 50/50 over ADA or Seachem supplements. Decisions, decisions, decisions.
Anything else I missed out?
Cories actually like to hide amongst driftwood too. So maybe a broad path from your "sand" area to the "driftwood" area will make it easier for them. Otherwise, they will be using your band of HC to cross back and forth.
My fish friends --------------------------------
1 goldfish tank
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Sticky and Nutty in a Plastic Packet
There is a delay in the starting of this project due to many reasons but the tank will be set up by hook or by crook. Now it is a question of sooner or later, but I would think it is former rather than the latter. Confused yet?
Anyway, I would like to seek your opinion here on some aspects since I am still in planning/procurement/financing stage at the moment.
A 4 feet tank is neither very big or small, to me, it is a decent size that is neither here nor there. Would it be better recommended to run 2 smaller canisters rather 1 big one? I guess there would be lesser dead spots and water flow can also be gentler. I am considering to run an Eheim and a Sicce side-by-side too. Only because since I can afford to anyway.
I prefer a smoother flow than a stronger flow as not to be too stressful for the faunas so I am running 2 eheim canisters on my 3ft tank now. One on each side so to achieve a circular water movement. Dead spots are definitely lesser.
Also just to share, Aquarist chamber have some decent led lights set other than Maxspect.
You might wish to drop by to have a look.
To reduce dead spot areas you can run an internal water pump.
Sticky and Nutty in a Plastic Packet
Even if I am able to camouflage the powerhead well, I still find the wire dangling or trailing out of the tank unsightly. Another point of running equipment outside the tank is also to reduce heat generation in the tank.Originally Posted by zerofighterx101
Sticky and Nutty in a Plastic Packet
Yup. They are on the recce list. I have been trying to hit all the shops out there to get some inspiration and also decide where to purchase my various supplies. I just went to Smart Pets and Nanyang this afternoon.
Sticky and Nutty in a Plastic Packet
Oh. Also to add the other point of running both Eheim and Sicce is also trying to provide a comparison review for the other AQers benefit too. First point to note: Sicce seems to be alot cheaper than Eheim.
Did you check out zetlight in aquatic avenue? I heard they are the manufacturer for Maxspect.
http://www.zetlight.com/index.php/products?id=46
One thing I realize Maxspect lights is not very well spread, something that is bothering me now.
Sticky and Nutty in a Plastic Packet
I will make a point to check out zetlight.
4ft it's better to have 2 canister. My 3ft using eheim 2080 also somehow have some dead spots. And yours is bigger
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Hi Muar Chee!
If deadspot is a concern, you could use wavemaker and hide it behind the driftwood scape. The wiring part you can hide it by attaching part of it to the inlet side of the hose, at the back where you or others, won't see the wire. Use cable ties to tie the wavemaker wire to the inlet hose.
If wavemaker aren't your thing, you could use an external water pump connected to your chiller to provide extra flow in the tank. But this would add more equipment that would be seen jutting out from the tank.
If you do not like seeing too many stuff going in and out of your tank, you could rig up some sort of pvc piping connection that would accept a few hose connector from under your cabinet so that your display tank would only see 1 inlet and 1 outlet. All your canister filter connection would join the pvc piping in series connection.
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Mohamad Rohaizal is my name. If it's too hard, use BFG. I don't mind.
Sticky and Nutty in a Plastic Packet
Ever since zerofighterx101's suggestion, I have been thinking and planning how I can run a mini powerhead in the driftwood scape to reduce deadspots. Maybe even running an outlet inside the driftwood scape since I am running 2 canisters now.
Sticky and Nutty in a Plastic Packet
So maybe I should consider 3?
Go BIG!!!So maybe I should consider 3?
In my opinion 2 canister is good enough, for dead spots,all u need is a power head or a wave maker for all round water movement.
Sticky and Nutty in a Plastic Packet
Another thought hit me just now when I was thinking about the placement of the powerhead. I do intend to keep shrimps too and a bare powerhead would pose as a potential suicide spot for the shrimps.
Sticky and Nutty in a Plastic Packet
Initially, I intend to get a few pieces of bigger drift wood and stack them together to form this 'mountain range'. Stepping back, i realised that this is not very natural looking and actually not very pleasing to my eye. Going back to some of the current set ups that caught my eye, I realised that almost all of them used big rocks as base for these wood river scape. This is something that I have in mind.
But I want all the wood just on the left side and all point towards the right side of the tank. Have you guys seen any of these big pieces at LFS or farms?
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