The complete 19

Discussion in 'Members Systems' started by Pierré Schoonraad, May 25, 2017.

  1. Pierré Schoonraad

    Pierré Schoonraad Rainbow Freak

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2012
    Messages:
    2,072
    Likes Received:
    700
    Location:
    Queenswood Pretoria
    The time is here to start the threat on my fishroom. Took 2 weeks to move everything in place and about 4 months to sort out all the small issues but everything is working as it should at the moment.

    I have to inform you from the start that all photo's and video's will be taken from my phone so quality will not always be that good.

    The main focus of this thread is to have a central place to log all details and progress with the fishroom. To start off, this long read without photo's, we go way back. As many SA households we grew up with pets including the fishbowl. Doing a water change, 100% with tap water, and rinse the coloured pebbles in the kitchen sink. Fish lived for a while and when they passed on you just replaced them with new ones, or until your parents got tired of asking you to look after the fish.

    Always loving animals, but having space restrains, and there is only so much space in a townhouse to keep a cat, bunny and 2 Guineapigs, I started with fishes about 5 years ago. Will definitely post the only photo I have of the first 2ft tank I had, complete with goldfish, tetras and barbs. Yip it was hectic and I do have empathy with people that start in the hobby without gaining knowledge before jumping in. It has been a big learning curve, and still is, luckily I learned to use Google, experienced staff at Pet Stop and TASA. Over the years the tanks start multiplying up to the point where my wife said: enough, no more tanks in this house. Had to make a plan as I was hooked. 2 weeks later the first tank popped up on the stoep. Technically it wasn't in the house but the boss didn't like it much. I think it might have been after the 4th tank appeared on the stoep she gave up on the idea of stopping me in my quest.

    Luckily for me we moved during february this year. To my surprise she insisted on getting a bigger place so I can have my fishroom. I wasn't going to fight this even though the agreement was that no tanks will be allowed in any other room in the flat. Only time will tell if I will be able to stick to this, there is so much unused space I can use.

    Let's get to the fishroom now. Here is a short run down of the setup at the moment. I will tackle each tank in a separate section which will include filters and lighting.
    4ft Rainbow tank: Planted community tank.
    3ft Panaque tank: Semi Planted tank scaped around my Panaque.
    30cm Cube: Planted tank with Blue eyed Rainbows and Cherry Shrimp.
    1ft: Jelly Shrimp tank.
    2ft: Carbon Rilli shrimp tank.
    Breeding rack: 4 x 1ft and 8 x 2ft tanks inspired by the Guppy Challenge.
    2ft Moss tank: 2ft moss aquarium/palladium with Wild Neocaridina Shrimp.
    2ft Corri/Shrimp tank: Basicly the tank where all exces plants go to to.

    So there you have it. Sorry for the long intro to this thread, my wife tells me all the time that I can't tell a short story. Promis next post will contain less words and more pictures.

    Thanks for reading. Feel free to give your opinions and input.
     
  2. Guest




  3. Reedfish

    Reedfish Moderator

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2011
    Messages:
    13,231
    Likes Received:
    3,662
    Location:
    UK
  4. OP
    Pierré Schoonraad

    Pierré Schoonraad Rainbow Freak

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2012
    Messages:
    2,072
    Likes Received:
    700
    Location:
    Queenswood Pretoria
    Thanks @Reedfish.

    Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
     
  5. OP
    Pierré Schoonraad

    Pierré Schoonraad Rainbow Freak

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2012
    Messages:
    2,072
    Likes Received:
    700
    Location:
    Queenswood Pretoria
    The first tank I will start with is the 2ft Moss tank.
    I always wanted to have a terarium with a Basalisc in it, but after realizing that I will never be able to give it a big enough enclosure I gave up on the plan but kept the idee stashed in my brain for later use. This tank started in middel 2014 (foto 1). Picked moss when ever I got the chance. Had a small pump in the water with a 6mm hose lifting the water to the top of the piece of wood. Used mostly aquatic and terestial mosses to start off with but shortly after added some HC on the rock and wood to grow and form a nice carpet. Best HC carpet I have ever grown.
    Slowly the tank evolved and in August 2015 (foto 2) the tank started to look like what I imagened it to be, except for the moss wall at the back. Tried hessian, which just rotted away. Then tried plastic mesh but this also didn't work as planned or maby I got impatient with it. I Googled and found a place in England that sells a water wicking fabrick for terariums and bought myself a piece for the back wall.
    February 2016 the tank got the much needed upgrade to the current 2ft. (Foto 3) Previous wood and rock was moved to the left of the tank and a new piece of wood and rock was placed on the righ. Biggest change I made to this was by increasing the water volume to about 80L from the aproximate 15L by doing a DIY sump at the back of the tank with a 100L meat tray. Drilled 2 x 10mm holes just below the waterline for the overflow, with stainless steel mesh strainers in the tank and 2 pieces of pipe at the back, dumping the water on some batting. I then drilled 2 x 10mm holes higher up on the back for the 2 return pipes. One behind the original hardscape and the other one more to the right with the water falling from the top of the wood. Placing the fabrick over it to hide the pipes. Foto 4 and 5 shows what the tank looked like at April and Desember 2016.

    The last foto shows the tank is it is at the moment. Added some Crypts, emersed and submersed. As all my other Buce is grown emersed I had to go with them submersed for this tank, although I have 3 growing submersed as well.

    I'm using a SunSun SA-800 30W led light on this tank, on a timer for 6 1/2 hour. Pumps I use are the cheap small submerseble pumps, can't remember the make, and they havn't let me down yet. Substrate is a mix of inert rock flakes and a baked clay substrate. Only inhabitants of the tank is some wild Neocaridina shrimp (Rainbow shrimp). I'm still waiting for the perfect fish for this tank. Tank has a glass top to keep the humidity high.
    Hope you liked the first tank. As soon as the video has uploaded to Youtube I will post the link here.[​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]

    Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
     
    Hendre, MariaS, Drab808 and 2 others like this.
  6. OP
    Pierré Schoonraad

    Pierré Schoonraad Rainbow Freak

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2012
    Messages:
    2,072
    Likes Received:
    700
    Location:
    Queenswood Pretoria
    Here is the link to the Youtube video.



    Sorry for the crappy music in the background, laptop in for repairs, at least it sounds better than the origanal background noise.

    Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
     
    MariaS likes this.
  7. Super Sywurm

    Super Sywurm

    Joined:
    May 14, 2017
    Messages:
    642
    Likes Received:
    133
    Location:
    Kimberley, Northern Cape
    This looks really interesting...
     
  8. OP
    Pierré Schoonraad

    Pierré Schoonraad Rainbow Freak

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2012
    Messages:
    2,072
    Likes Received:
    700
    Location:
    Queenswood Pretoria
  9. MariaS

    MariaS Retired Moderator

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2015
    Messages:
    8,740
    Likes Received:
    3,580
    Location:
    Klipriver, Midvaal
  10. OP
    Pierré Schoonraad

    Pierré Schoonraad Rainbow Freak

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2012
    Messages:
    2,072
    Likes Received:
    700
    Location:
    Queenswood Pretoria
    Thanks @MariaS I think it was more a case of pasience than work. Took a lot of time to get to this point. Minimal maintanance needed on the plants. Started with only topping up my shrimp tanks, and only doing a 20% wc once a month. Only started this about 2 weeks ago so still earley days with this.

    Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
     
  11. MariaS

    MariaS Retired Moderator

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2015
    Messages:
    8,740
    Likes Received:
    3,580
    Location:
    Klipriver, Midvaal
    Oh i agree.. loads of patience but it is relaxing.. and to sit back and admire what you achieved is a nice feeling...
     
  12. Rainstorm

    Rainstorm

    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2016
    Messages:
    1,789
    Likes Received:
    823
    Location:
    UK
    Very nice, Pierre. I've wanted a paludarium but never got the hang of doing it properly. Maybe one day when I grow up and have lots of money to feed my habit
     
  13. OP
    Pierré Schoonraad

    Pierré Schoonraad Rainbow Freak

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2012
    Messages:
    2,072
    Likes Received:
    700
    Location:
    Queenswood Pretoria
    It is. This is my only tank that wasn't setup in a day and then changed over and over again. To some extend the tank doesn't need fish but I'm still looking for the right ones. The big dream with this tank is actually to have it grow into a indoor pond with a paladium section. Unfortunately my plan is 3m wide by 2m deep, water 1m high and rest to the ceiling plants. I can only dream.

    Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
     
    Ladysphinx likes this.
  14. OP
    Pierré Schoonraad

    Pierré Schoonraad Rainbow Freak

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2012
    Messages:
    2,072
    Likes Received:
    700
    Location:
    Queenswood Pretoria
    To be honest I think this is one tank that cost me the least to setup. Rocks and wood was collected. Substrate was left from other tanks. All plants, except the Buce came from my other tanks. If I remember right the 2 pumps was like R50 each and the light was about R300. Most expensive part was the time it took to grow, and to keep my hands out of the tank.

    Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
     
    f-fish, Rainstorm and Ladysphinx like this.
  15. Rainstorm

    Rainstorm

    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2016
    Messages:
    1,789
    Likes Received:
    823
    Location:
    UK
    If I look carefully, some glowlight tetras would look nice in there as a school in the last one. I've seen some really nice paludarium setups with tetras or even nano fish in them.
     
  16. MariaS

    MariaS Retired Moderator

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2015
    Messages:
    8,740
    Likes Received:
    3,580
    Location:
    Klipriver, Midvaal
    Oh I would love that too..... it would be awesome!!!!
    But yes... we allowed to dream..

    I was at the Jhb Aquarium a little while ago and theirs was so neglected that it was heart breaking...
     
  17. OP
    Pierré Schoonraad

    Pierré Schoonraad Rainbow Freak

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2012
    Messages:
    2,072
    Likes Received:
    700
    Location:
    Queenswood Pretoria
    Had a Betta in there but the proportions just didn't feel right. Only nano fish that I might have considered, if not for the shrimp, is Baddis Baddis.

    Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
     
  18. OP
    Pierré Schoonraad

    Pierré Schoonraad Rainbow Freak

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2012
    Messages:
    2,072
    Likes Received:
    700
    Location:
    Queenswood Pretoria
    You need to see the one they have at Pretoria Zoo. Stunning. This is what the dream will look like with some of Marco's wild Diskus swimming around.[​IMG]

    Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
     
    MariaS, Ladysphinx and Rainstorm like this.
  19. OP
    Pierré Schoonraad

    Pierré Schoonraad Rainbow Freak

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2012
    Messages:
    2,072
    Likes Received:
    700
    Location:
    Queenswood Pretoria
    Something like this @Rainstorm might work if they will promise not to eat my shrimp. But then again I'm a notorius micro fish killer sadly[​IMG]

    Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
     
    Rainstorm likes this.
  20. Rainstorm

    Rainstorm

    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2016
    Messages:
    1,789
    Likes Received:
    823
    Location:
    UK
    Schoonraad">
    Wow yes those are nice

    Sent from my D5503 using Tapatalk
     
  21. f-fish

    f-fish #unspecified

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2009
    Messages:
    9,642
    Likes Received:
    2,259
    Location:
    JHB - Randburg
    You have an eye for a good palladium scape ... love the thread and the tanks.

    Later Ferdie
     
    Pierré Schoonraad likes this.

Recent Posts

Loading...
Similar Threads - complete Forum Date
Eheim - Indicator Complete (7446208) Filtration Dec 26, 2022
Wanted: 2ft or 3ft Tank Complete Wanted/Swop/Freebies Jan 25, 2022
Scape Complete and Scape Carbon Dosing Advice Advanced Topics Apr 24, 2021
RSS Feed Complete Guide To Corner Aquariums RSS Feeds Feb 19, 2021
RSS Feed Oranda Goldfish Complete Care Guide RSS Feeds Feb 19, 2021
Wanted: 5ft complete setup Wanted/Swop/Freebies Sep 22, 2020
Completed 4FT Tank Light Anything DIY related Sep 4, 2020

Share This Page