CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

Here's one of my stands/filtering setup for one of the new big tanks I'm building/setting up.




I'll have 4 of these identical to each other when I'm finished so I figured I'd see what kind of improvement ideas anyone might have before I finish them.

So far the plan is
a - 1 1/4 inch standpipe drain at each end
2 sets of 2 - 37 gallon rubbermaid containers for filtration.
20 gallons worth of bioballs in one side under the drain.
20 gallons worth of pumice in the oposite side under the drain.
1 gallon of free floating bioballs in each rubermaid where the return pump is (for 42 gallons of biomedia total)

In the first container/filter department on each side there is a drip plate,then filter floss - then bioballs or pumice.
The second container on each side will just have free floating bioballs and a hydrosponge - then the return pump 900 g.p.h (each).

The left return will also have a small power head (500 g.ph.) with a prefilter to push water up to a 15 or 20 gallon tank to be used as a fry tank.
(that's why I have the small pvc on the drain in the picture,it's to be a 1/2inch drain for the fry tank(s))
This SHOULD make raising fry for the first week or so alot easier since I won't have to worry about trying to match the water to the parents,since it will be the exact same water.

The return bar (grey thing in the pic) is capable of spraying 5,250 g.p.h. in an adjustable pattern and angles while airateing the water passing through the nozzles ,then again by distrupting the surface.


So this will cycle roughly 2300 g.p.h. through 42 gallons worth of biomedia -
I'm figureing this SHOULD give me more then enough filtration
for 340- 360 gallons?

Any thoughts? or ideas that might make it work better?

So far the stands aren't completely finished and yes I know I missed painting some spots

SO far since the pic isn't the greatest it's a 2x6 top frame and 20 2x4 legs. Being painted with dryloc (to keep it from rotting). The bottom is baththroom tileing in case some water spills or drips. Then they'll all be covered in white melamine to hide the filters,keep in some heat and be easily whiped off for easy cleaning

Sounds great, looking forward to seeing the finished product good luck! one big tank or do you mean several smaller tanks on the stand?

Just one tank on that stand.
I'm building a few (time allowing) all the same though.

The tank(s) will be 96 "(long) X 30" (wide) X 26"(high) so roughly 325 gallons + the sumps .Hopefully the stands hold

slowly makeing some progress

ignore the mess,tank was in progress


basics of the tank are done -

the 15 gallon (top left top of the big tank) is plumbed into the big tank so fry can be moved into it with stressing them to much or changeing the water parameters

It passed the leak test and is up and running

The piranhas seem happy with it
Now I just have to trim the glass window in the front and paint the outside a better color





on to the next few

looks so good..even tho you have a cheap camera....lol

hey is that wood in the middle? looks like a face spewing something out, like a huge toungue or fire...are your pics off of video cam though cuz, well they're kinda "crappy"
I'm spoiled, expect 3megapixels or better!

hey is that wood in the middle?

yeah thats a big peice of driftwood

are your pics off of video cam though cuz, well they're kinda "crappy"

yeah,still useing my camcorder,I picked up a cheap digital but it has a big problem (POS) taking pics through water especially when I tryed in the wider tanks

expect 3megapixels or better!

someday

looks so good..even tho you have a cheap camera....lol

not all that cheap just not digital and aghh all your pics are where ?

hey!....i complimented you!...lol

ive yet to aquire a digicam

ahh, eh well my excuse is someone's got my digivideocam and 3.34M nikon so no pictures actually though it's true, always being 'borrowed'....so at least if you got cheapo equipment nobody "borrows" it from you

But hey I did some search for you and here you can get a decent digital camera that does 1280x1024 for like 50 or 60 bucks. You'll end up using 1024x760 most of the time.

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.asp?EDC=507035
and others or try the Aiptek Pocket DV2
Featuring a 4 in 1 design, the DV2 functions as a Digital Video Recorder, Digital Voice Recorder, a High Resolution 1.3 mega-pixel Digital Camera, or even hook it to your PC to be used as a webcam! It offers a 1.4" Color LCD Display, and if the 16 MB built in SDRAM isn't enough, you can add up to a 512 MB CF card. Upload images and video to your PC via the USB cable. You can even playback video on your TV or VCR.

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.asp?EDC=448302

Same day shipping/in stock...