fishbites Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 (edited) I received an old tank rack and some tanks on Monday and have decided to add them to the shed.... this rack is destined to become my Tanganyikan cichlid setup... I already have some Cyprichromis leptosoma Utinta Red Tails and some Lepidolamprologus hecqui/meeli and a group of Neolamprologus tretocephalus.... will also be looking out for some smaller shellies as well.... love the antics and how they interact.... The whole rack is 2500mm long x 570mm deep and 1500 high... its frame is made of 70mm x 35mm pine with 12mm ply on each shelf. Two 4ft flouro batten lights are secured under the shelves on the right hand side but none on the left. The tanks on the top shelf have 3ft aquarium lights for each of the 3ft x 18" x 18" tanks. The middle 2ft x 18" x 18" tank has a 2ft aquarium light to sit on top. All up there are four 3' x 18" x 18" tanks, one 2ft x 18" x 18" tank, one 2ft x 15" x 15" tank and a 3ft sump. First job was to increase the bracing under the left side shelves and then seal all the timber with paint..... Here they are after a paint job - used up some paint leftovers that I had - don't look too bad now and all the timber is sealed... Next will be wiring a 4ft light under the left side shelf and paint the backs and sides of the tanks.... Edited January 2, 2012 by fishbites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 Oooh nice! Can't wait to see it set up. Could you please post some pics of all your tanks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournebetta Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 You got your work cut out! I love the look of it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhong89 Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 so nice... new wild addition on the agenda? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted December 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 OK... backs of the tanks behind the rack I'm refurbishing are now painted so you can't see through to pipes and cords.... A 500ml sample pot of blue paint for $5 and a cheap roller did the trick... got a bit of paint on the frame of the rack but a bit of a touch up will fix that easily (no one will see it anyway but might as well keep it looking good). Joan... you have a suspicious mind.... what makes you think wild Bettas are going into these tanks? Actually... the fish going into this rack will make 5 x 100litre tanks available for wild Bettas Sarah - took a couple of quick snaps of a few tanks for you.... B pugnax colony Endlers and Red Cherry Shrimp tank .... needs a bit of TLC and advice from Matt too one day! Next job - wire up some single batten flouro fittings with flex and plug to light the rack of 4 x 4ft tanks to release a couple of 3ft lights for the refurbished rack..... tomorrow's jobs also include moving the refurbished rack into position and bring tanks in and set them up with plumbing, position the sump and set up the pump and filter media and test setup..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted December 29, 2011 Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 Very nice, thankyou for sharing! I love how your tanks are all neat-looking on the stands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted December 29, 2011 Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 I'm tired just reading the to do list. *lol* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted December 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 LOL.... Sarah - you haven't seen ALL of them yet... a few have so much algae on the glass you can't see the walls - but I've never been a fan of pristine tanks - they look too clinical.... (a perfectly clean tank is a sign of OCD) Razzi... grab a cold drink and watch me work instead OK - plugs wired to flex and batten flouros wired up and mounted under the 4ft tank rack shelves - being a bit cost cutting here - only 1 x 4ft flouro per shelf - each tube covers half a four foot tank but throws enough light to see the fish ok - if necessary I can move them and add more later but I think this will work well... Power boards secured with zip ties under the top of the rack (avoids water drips and spills giving me a boost). Yet to mark the switches so I know which are heaters and which are power filters. I'm likely to remove the power filters though once I get all set up and just use sponge filters - I have a new 2nd hand air pump which should boost my capacity to 130 litres of air per minute so will be able to drive all my tanks on sponge filters.... Now all that is done.... I can move the refurbished rack into position and start putting up the tanks.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les Posted December 29, 2011 Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 Oh My Lord you dont do it by halfs do you Wayne. I love the look of the painted backs but have never tried it but seeing them I just might Loving your work Wayne Cheers Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted December 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 Unfortunately Les... the more I do the more I think to do or find needs doing..... Still haven't moved the refurbished rack into position.... instead have installed 19mm air line along back of rack with enough tubes and taps for all tanks and spare filters if necessary. All electrical work done.... Now have decided the weirdly shaped sump needs replacing so will use a 3ft tank from my stack of spares to build a new sump and also build a new sump inlet from the existing plumbing to oxygenate the water better and allow for a different sump setup.... shouldn't take too long tomorrow morning and then I can move the rack into place and set the tanks up finally..... The rack of 2ft tanks will be easy to put in place and connect up - they will all run on sponge filters and there's lights already wired up with one cord on this rack - no painting, no fixing - just add tanks, water and fish! All up... I'll have about 4000 litres of tanks running in the shed.... that will be enough for the time being - will stack the spare tanks at the back of the shed and resist temptation for a while :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted December 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 Decided to make a reflector for the flouro light - was too bright to look at the fish - luckily I had a roll of aluminium flashing so cut a 4ft length of that, bent it over the top of the flouro fitting and now no bright lights in the eyes..... a bit rough but does the job well.... one day if I have nothing to do I might make wooden flaps to come down over the gap between tank and rack so all I see is fish swimming.... I've finished the 19mm airline along the back of the rack and installed airlines to all tanks.... if you're using those inline airline taps like on the left below - avoid the light/bright green ones at all costs - they are soft plastic and just don't work well .... get the dull/darker green ones - they work perfectly (I have found one local shop that sells them cheaply but sometimes they are a bit dear but worth it to control your air flow at the tank and if you remove a filter saves having air hissing out of an empty line) Completed the tank overflow collector for the sump.... as water is pumped into the tanks, it overflows through a screened overflow in the back of the tank and goes down those black pipes you can see.... these pipes empty into the 90mm stormwater pipe which has holes cut in the top - the black pipes sit in there loosely..... the stormwater pipe will drain into the sump but the air volume and splashing of water will give the water a good boost in oxygen before being pumped back up into the tanks.... I think I'm ready to move the rack into place now.... all plumbing done at the back of the racks.... all airlines in place.... all electrical in place..... Next is to get the tanks washed and in place then filled.... test a temporary sump to check fittings for leaks and overflows..... Then pull the rack of 2ft tanks into place and set the tanks up there.... Hopefully will be finished everything apart from the new sump today - this is taking much longer than expected.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 Lol. Doesn't it always take longer than expected?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted December 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 Too true .... holidays coming to an end too - time accelerates as a deadline approaches .... only the weekend to go after this so have to get it setup today so I can get it running and fish into the system..... will have such low numbers in the sumped system (about 20 fish in 1000 litres of water) so won't have too much trouble with cycling the system.... will throw in a seasoned sponge or two to make sure..... Both racks now in place.... all I have to do is wash out 10 tanks and place them on the racks and then I can start the fun part Top row of tanks in place and plumbed.... 6 x 2ft rack in place now and ready to have tanks as well..... The grey painted rack is the 4 x 4ft setup and the maroon coloured rack in the back of the photo has 15 x 2½ft tanks which will be my Wall of Wilds All up its only taken up about 2.5m x 5m of the shed.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 Wow. Not much else I can say mate........except "WHERE'S THE PHOTOS OF THE FISH". Lol. Very envious, my wife and kids would leave me tomorrow if I bought a set up like that home. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_95 Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 That looks amazing Wayne! I would love a set up like that, you don't want a son do you I can't wait to see the stock you put in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted December 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 Nah Paul... they wouldn't leave you.... they would be intrigued at how much fun it can be when they all pitch in and help you clean the tanks This setup has been 3 years in the making --- just start adding slowly and they'll never notice till its too late LOL.... Matt.... I'd be happy to adopt you..... you can start cleaning at the far end and do water changes as you go After filling the six 2ft tanks in the black rack - I noticed a reflection - looks better than any tank background I've seen - couldn't resist a pic of it.... Now if you want to put sand in a tank quickly and without washing it - get a 2 litre bottle and fill it with the sand and then top it up with water..... Invert the bottle in the tank (cover the opening first) and then let the sand flow.... the dust that was in the sand mixes with the water in the bottle and only the sand flows into the tank..... don't squeeze the bottle or it will push some of the dirty water out into your tank. When all the sand is gone - cover the neck of the bottle and tip it upright and take out of the tank! Finally.... a tank full of water.... with pool sand substrate..... and planted up with plants on a log... ready for the fish Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 Great tip with the sand in the bottle. Will TRY and remember it. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournebetta Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 oh my god how awesome is that pepsi bottle substrate distribution device! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted December 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 That bottle has saved me hours of washing sand / substrate..... an absolutely must have in any fish room..... Filled the top row of tanks on the refurbished rack tonight - had a panic moment when I noticed a big bead of water near the base of one tank .... wiped it up and nothing more so must have been spillage and not leakage! Hopefully in the morning the floor of the shed will be dry.... will put up last 2 sumped tanks tomorrow morning and give the whole system a test run and check for leaks.... going to put coral sand in the tanks and use coral rubble in the sump instead of bioballs or anything similar..... should buffer the pH up nicely for the Tangs...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_95 Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 That idea with the bottle is excellent! I'll definatly use that one! How did you think of that? I'll be around in the morning with the papers *lol* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forever_and_a_day Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 omg, that is BRILLIANT! O_O good luck with the rest of your refurbishment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted December 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 Matt.... would love to claim that I thought of it.... a mate of mine used that method and I did what any other fish keeper would do - stole the idea and use it myself!!! MT Syndrome - thanks - but I think I'm all tanked out for now - no more room to set any tanks up unless I start putting them back in the house! Might set up a planted tank inside yet and put my cory's in it or something like that..... I have a 3 x 18 x 18 that's missing both end panels and a 4 x 15 x 18 with an end missing that I have to fix yet and put them up on top of my 4ft rack and that will be it.... apart from sorting out the 2 shelving units I have small 40litre tanks on and see if I maintain those or use them as spawn tanks or something else..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted December 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 The shed floor is dry!!!! that means no leaks in the top row of tanks thankfully..... Started putting the second row of tanks on and realised one mistake..... by putting the 6 x 2ft tanks up at the end of the refurbished rack..... I covered the space I needed to put my hand through to connect the plumbing to the last 3ft tank!!!!!!!!!!! Arrrrggghhhh!!!!!!!!!! Time to step away and have a think - do I empty the 2ft tanks or work out something else? Oh well.... who plans for these things anyway :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted December 31, 2011 Report Share Posted December 31, 2011 Great idea with the bottle - will be using that one, especially with the axolotls, thanks. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted December 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2011 All tanks setup now - just the sump to build tomorrow and then I'm up and running on all tanks.... found cracks in my 3 x 1 x1 tank so cut it up for spare glass.... have the end ready to go into the 4 x 15 x18 tank and have a spare 2½ ft tank and about 4 x 2ft tanks left over.... Will use the bottle method to put the coral sand into the tanks of the refurbished rack saves so much time - you won't be disappointed when you try it Sarah... I've even used it for a red brick gravel which leaves red mud in a bucket no matter how much you wash it - with the bottle method - no probs.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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