# Documenting 1st time, my 165 gallon setup



## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

Thought it would be nice if I documented the setup of my 165G. I am not a very good story-teller but I will try.

Its not exactly a DIY project. Got all the stuff made by professional people though not necessarily 
experienced in Aquariums. So, I had to be careful when providing them with the specifications. The tank itself was custom built by my LFS fella. The stand and canopy were made by 3 separate carpenters. The tank and the main stand is still with my LFS fella and will be delivered on Monday the day I intend to set it up.

So I dont possess any pictures of them as of now. Will post them as soon as they are moved to my house.

*LOCATION* : in my study, located at one corner of my house. This room had been lying vacant for a few years now. It has a store room and a small kitchen attached to it. The kitchen has a sink, so no problems regarding water supply. The room isnt all that big and the tank size, I have selected is the largest I can accomodate in there. And since its in the ground floor of my house, I neednt worry about the floor not being able to take the weight.

*DESIGN* : I decided on the following footprint : 72"x24"x22". A 6' tank is usually in the range of 125G thereabouts but I wanted a higher width and at the same time, lower height for ease of maintenance.

*COST* : Another factor which had to be taken into account during design was the cost involved. Its a low budget setup so I couldnt afford the best quality products. Then again, many of the brands are not easily available in my country. *But then I didnt compromise with the specification and strength of my tank.*

*ELECTRIC BACKUP *: The backup will be coming from the digital inverter. Its a 800VA specs. Not all electric points will be connected to the inverter, just the Canister, 2 Top filters and the Air Pump.

The Digital 800VA Inverter in my house :









*THE TANK *: 165 Gallons, Size = 72"x24"x22". Made of 12 mm thick St. Gobain tempered glass. Used Silicone manufactured by Dow Corning, Korea. 








The tank has Euro-bracing (at a depth of 1.5" from the top edge) all round it besides 2 nos. cross braces made of the same glass. Also put in 2 cross braces at the bottom of the tank. In order to fit the filter trays of my Top Filters on the braces, I had to put in 2 more cross-braces of 8mm thickness so that the tray can be placed on them. You will get to see it when I post the pictures of my tank on Monday. Curing was for more than 3 weeks since all my equipments & stand were not ready.

Story to continue ............................... and yes, I will try and post as many pictures as I can to make the story interesting :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

Sounds good, so far. What are you planning to stock it with?


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## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

I,m interested to see the top filter,it,s not really that popular here,but from what I,ve seen on youtube,it would make for a good DIY project and relatively priced,basically a wet/dry trickle filter under a canopy :thumb:


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

newforestrob : LOL, yes I aware that its not very popular in the US. Infact, its quite popular in the EAST and its pretty cheap too. I know many of you out there would be quite interested and would also want to see the Top-filter setup. Infact, I will post the details (along with the specs and pictures) under a category and that would be under filtration.

prov356 - Lets see what the forum members suggest. BTW, I have a 80Gallon with african mixed lake variety - Yellow Labs, C.Moorii and S.Fryreri's.

Ok fine, now let me continue with my story whilst you guys keep asking me questions which I will try to reply and at the same time, taking suggestions from you experienced people, mods and admins.

*CANOPY* : Made of 1/2" Green waterproof Ply, 8" tall. Its quite heavy. It has a got an opening at the top for the fan (since it gets pretty hot during summers in my country). It also houses the 3 lights along with the electronic chokes inside. It has a external switchbox for the fan and all the lights separately. The Canopy has 2 nos 10"x5" openings at the sides and 2 nos 10"x5" openings at the back for the canister pipes. The Canopy has been polished only on the outside. Refrained from polishing inside since I didnt want any chemicals to get into the tank.
















With the Fan installed -








With the lights installed - 
















The Switch box at the side -









FAN : Make Crompton Greaves, 200mm, Rust proof body, Rated Power Input = 30 Watts, Rated Speed (RPM)=1300, Min. Air Delivery (Cumtr/hr) = 435.









LIGHTS : 3 nos. lights, 1 actinic, 1 no. 14000K, 1 no. 8000K; 
Bio-Lux Actinic light (3'), 30 Watts; not pure Actinic, Electronic Choke - Philips
Osram Skywhite, 40 Watts, T8, 8000K, 3310 lumens, Color rendering - 80% accurate, Philips Holder set with electronic choke
Sunsun Superlight Plant Lamp, T8, 14000K, 40Watts, Wipro Holder set with electronic choke

The tubes - 








The 14000K Sunsun tube -

























The Actinic I am sure, isnt pure Actinic and I actually like it that way since the Blue coloration is more and also I will will running them along with the 8000/14000K tubes.

The 14000K is a Sunsun product. Not sure if that light is actually 14000K but it sure is more bluish and more brighter than the 8000K Osram. I will try and post some pictures here but i doubt if you guys can really comment based on a digital picture of a low-end old Dig camera.

Here are some photos of the lights. Need to remember that my floor is reddish brown in color.
1. The Sunsun 14000K

















2. The Osram 8000K

















3. The Bio-lux Actinic

















4. All the 3 lights together

















More coming guys .............. appears like a Dan Brown novel :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

*FILTRATION EQUIPMENT : *
Since my tank is a 165 Gallon, I was looking for a 10X water turnover i.e. around 1650GPH. I also decided to break up the gallonage into 3 nearly equal parts, so that I could maximize the filter media volume. Opted for a single Canister and two Top Filters fed by two submersible pumps. The Top filters along with the pumps enabled me to reduce my design cost.

The *Canister* is a *Sunsun HW-304A*. 
H-max= 2.5m, Output=2000L/Hr (528GPH), 
Pump Power=55Watts, 
Weight=5.5 Kg. Dimensions - 290x290x485 mm 
4 filter trays, tray size - 23x23x6.5cm, Bio-capacity - 8 Liters 
Media - Came with 1" sponge 
Auto priming with large button 
Inlet and outlet size: internal dia - 1.8, external dia - 2.4cm, length 160cmx2 
Water flow : Bottom to Top 
Also has an optional dirtiness extraction which can be connected to the inlet pipe.


























































The accessories -

















The optional dirt remover -

























*1st pump *for the 1st Top filter :
Make - *Jun HX-4500*
Power - 70Watts
Standard performance : Head - 1.9 Meter, Capapcity - 1600L/Hr (423GPH)
Max. Performance : Head - 3.0 Meter, Capacity - 2500L/Hr (660GPH)
Weight - 1.0 Kg
Volume - 11x11x14cm
I have tested this pump, its really powerful and really delivers.

*2nd pump *for my 2nd Top filter :
Make - *Hailea HX-4500*
Power - 36Watts
Flow - 2000 L/Hr (528GPH)
Max Jet - 2.8 Meter
Outlet diameter - 20mm
Weight - 1.6Kgs
Size - 115x115x160mm

Left pump - Hailea HX-4500, Right Pump - Jun HX-4500









*TOTAL TURNOVER = 528+660+528 = 1716 GPH.* The capacity of the canister (528 GPH) may be lower with all the media stuffed in.

*2 Nos. of Tray Filter *:
Make : *RS-468A*
The tray filter comes with its own 634GPH, 40Watts pump, but I didnt opt for the pump and will be connecting the trays to the above mentioned pumps of my choice, which are of better quality.
Capacity: 2400 L/Hr (634 GPH), The pump (which I havent opted) is of 634GPH, so the tray is compatible with that flow rate.
Tray Size (LxBxDepth) - 38x13x9 cms









*BTW can someone tell me if I should put in the Seachem Purigen and then start cycling or should I first cycle the tank fully and then add the Purigen *?


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## theyangman (Nov 5, 2011)

purigen is junk. I tried it, and it gets overwhelmed so quickly, and you will find yourself having to recharge it constantly. I finally gave up and started using floss, and never looked back.


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> BTW can someone tell me if I should put in the Seachem Purigen and then start cycling or should I first cycle the tank fully and then add the Purigen ?


Purigen removes organics, so there's nothing really for it to do yet. But, no harm in having it in place waiting. I'd probably wait until the tank had matured for at least a few months or so before I started adding or removing media from the filters. Purigen shouldn't be needed in a new setup.



> purigen is junk. I tried it, and it gets overwhelmed so quickly, and you will find yourself having to recharge it constantly. I finally gave up and started using floss, and never looked back.


Purigen 'polishes'. As you've found, it doesn't do well in a system overloaded with organics, as it quickly gets overloaded itself. It removes dissolved organics that floss won't touch. If the removal of visible particulates is the goal, then floss is a better solution. Purigen has it's place. It's just a matter of proper application. In conjunction with mechanical filtration that's rinsed or replaced often, it can be effective without getting overwhelmed.


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

*FILTER MEDIA :*

I am using the combination of the following media -

1. Felt pads









2. Lots of Quartz Rings









3. Sponges : Coarse & Fine

4. Lots of Dish Scrubbers. They work great in my 80 Gallon and I am very happy with their performance.









5. Small dia Bio-balls









6.Purigen after I have added the fish









*AERATION :*
*The Air-Pump *: 
Make : Sobo SB-988
Outlets - 4, I will be combining 2 outlets each (so final 2 outlets) with the help of connectors to the 2 airstones
12 Watt
Output : 4x4 Liters/Min
Variable Air Flow Control
Pump Size (inch) : 7.7" (L) x 5.7" (W) x 3.5" (H)
Noise : 40dB 

















connected by airpipes 









via Check valves









to 2 Nos. of 1.5 feet long airstones places along the two widths of the tank.









*THERMOMETER :*
Make : Resun

*HEATER :*Make : Eheim Jager 3619 (Thermo Safety Control)
300 Watts
@ mm - 36
L mm - 506
Deg C : 18-34, 65-93 deg F

The Thermometer & the Heater -


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

*DECORATION :*

*Moorwood Roots *: Got 2 of them. Approx. 1.5-1.8feet total length

















*Driftwood* : Several pieces of different shapes. The biggest one is about 1.5 feet long

















The driftwood had been cleaned using hot water and soaked in Liquid Bleach








The leaching hasnt stopped actually but its much less now.

*Sea Shells* : 21 of them









*SUBSTRATE :*
60-70 Kgs of Sandblasting Silica Sand (sugar size). Should be close to 1.5" in height.









*TEST KITS : *
Make - Duocai, Sera & Prodac









*AMMONIA : *
25-27% pure Laboratory Grade Amm. Hydroxide to start the Nitrogen cycle.
*DECHLORINATOR : *
Sodium ThioSulphate (Merck) and Bottled dechlorinator
















Extreme Left : Bottled Dechlorinator (Rid-All)









*BOTTLED BACTERIA : *
API Stresszyme
Prodac's Nitridac

*NITRATE REMOVER RESIN (Prodac's NO NITRATES) & ANTI-FUNGAL TREATMENT : *
Just in case of an emergency









*OTHER MEDIACTION & WATER CLEANERS : *
NCF - Bacteria to clean up water organics








Prodac Biostart - For accelerating Nitrogen cycle
BeFuran
Azoo Anti-Bacteria Tablets








Suction Pipe :








Fish Net :









*BUFFERS : *
Baking Soda & Epsom Salt









*TANK CLEANERS: *[/b] Magnetics cleaner & Brush


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## aquariam (Feb 11, 2010)

theyangman said:


> purigen is junk. I tried it, and it gets overwhelmed so quickly, and you will find yourself having to recharge it constantly. I finally gave up and started using floss, and never looked back.


Second. It absorbs everything in an hour and it's done. Has to recharge. It works TOO well TOO fast. I'd never use it again.


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

Looks like, I will have to live with that. Since I have already purchased it, cant return it back now


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

So, that ends the story for now. Documented all the equipment & parts, minus the rocks, stand & the tank itself. Not many replies though to my post.

Anyways, Monday - and I will be busy transferring the heavy tank and the stand to my house and set it up. Then adding the substrate, rock & wood and finally water. Then have to run the canisters & Top filters. Excited but also tensed. Used the best glass available, recommended thickness, good silicone, put in way too many braces (euro & cross) both on the top & bottom *BUT* I am still tensed somewhat. Have read about too many tanks cracking up.

Touch wood.


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## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

I think that you've been very thorough in your documentations,it leaves little unanswered :thumb: 
I have a few questions though,with the overhead filter,the pumps,are they just mounted to the underside of the tray,are they pulling water threw or using a spraybar,how does the water exit the tray, 
I want to build a few of these for a future tank,and I,m looking for the most efficient way of maximizing filtration


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

Well, the tray filter didnt come with any spray bar but I suppose you can attach one there. However, with the capacity of the pump which is pretty high, you can do away with the spray bar since the water volume sprayed into the tray is high and the tray gets filled pretty quickly. I cannot comment what it would have been like, had I used the pumps coming with the trays (maybe, the same) but the Jun pumps are really powerful.

Top filters are quite popular in my part of the world. Its cheap even after combining it with a heavy duty pump of my choice. Would say, its more like the HOBs. Infact, in many branded tanks pre-fitted with Top filters - the combination is a tray with a Powerhead instead of a pump. The Powerhead pumps the water to a spray-bar running over the tray and at the same time provides surface movement of the water. Will try and load a photo of my tray filter on my existing 80Gallon.


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

The Powerhead on my 80 G. It has a pipe connected to a strainer at the bottom for sucking up the water from the bottom of the tank.

















Inlet to the spray bar on the tray filter. The tray filter is integrated into the canopy.









The outlet part of the spray bar









The water which is filtered by the various media in the tray flows from the bottom into the outlet pipe which drops the water back into the tank.









The Top filter is a plastic tray which contains a flat strainer all along the length of the tray at the bottom. This prevents the media from touching the bottom of the tray and also lets the filtered water flow back to the outlet.

Hope this helps. Incase you need further information, I can always help you out with more pictures.


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## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

Thanks for taking the time and effort,I think I have a pretty clear idea of what I,ll do now


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

You are most welcome. Nice to be of some help to you. Best of luck.


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

I was wondering *how efficient Plecos are in keeping a big tank clean*. Anyone please ?? and which variety of Plecos are more efficient if it so happens.


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## ranchialex (Dec 4, 2011)

A common misconception is that they eat waste. They only eat algae, but they're pretty good. I'm planning for 2 smallish Plecos in my 107gal as I have some wispy white hair algae, although I do catch my mbuna munching that from time to time, it's not their full-time job like the Plecos.


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## SEAN420 (Nov 24, 2011)

well plecos eat more then algae.. they will eat left over food too.. Also, normal regular plecos get quite large and create quite a bit of waste. especially if they turn off of the algae and start eating ur cichlids food... so, if you want to keep the waste down keep away from the regular ones.


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

Thanks Sean. I have taken care of the filtration so perhaps I dont need to take chances with the Plecos. Infact, I suspect they might just spoil the looks of my tank.


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

I've ditched having Plecos in my tanks... One small BN Pleco (4in) created more waste in one night than all my fish do in a week! I am serious... I would wake up in the morning and there would just be piles of **** everywhere!


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

I will start my Fishless Nitrogen cycle tomorrow after setting up the tank. My 80G took me 23 days   but I think I over added the Ammonia. I dosed every single day till I got a Nitrate spike. Infact the initial dose was aimed at 5ppm since that was the information I got from another site. But I think in one of the posts here in C-F, it has been recommended that we should aim for 2-3 ppm, yet the fishless cycle http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/f ... ycling.php recommends again 5ppm.

Again, this site http://www.fishforums.net/aquarium-calculator.htm says we should aim for 5ppm instead of 2-3ppm :-? :-? :-? The online calculator calculates the dosage after I key in the volume (165G) & Ammonia strength (25%), that I need to add *5.0-7.5ml * Ammonium Hydroxide in order to achieve 2-3ppm Ammonia level.

*Is this OK ? How much ppm should I aim for ?*


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## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

I would aim for no more than 2 ppm ammonia,add 5ml innitially,let it circulate and do a test,that should tell you how much more to add,much easier to add a little bit at a time than take away,then wait for ammonia to go to zero,around day seven,after it goes to zero,add the same amount of ammonia,at this stage only test for nitrites,add ammonia every second day,you can do small water changes on the off days if you want(no more than 25%)

also,I found that turning up the temperature to 84 f. and I added a maxi-jet with venturi on full to add oxygen sped up the cycle


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

Thanks newforestrob. Cant express how nervous I am getting regarding the setup. The room isnt too big and the stand & the tank are so huge ..... hope all goes off fine. Yes, I too have read that Nitrobacteria & Nitrosomonas bacteria develop better when the temperature is optimised between 30-35 deg C.

I have been doing some reading in the meantime and I have come to know :
1. *That bio-balls are only 60% effective when submerged. *For them to be fully effective, they need to float since they can get the aerobic bacteria to form more rapidly due to the presence of oxygen.

If that is the case, I wonder, how effective as a Bio-filter a Canister filter is since its not open to the atmosphere. Yes, maybe better Mechanical filtration because the water is being forced pumped through the media. But when it comes to Bio-filtration, the only oxygen in the canister is the oxygen dissolved in the water which comes from being in the tank. I am putting in a bag of small bio-balls in a mesh bag inside the canister, so this question comes back to me.

I would also like to know in this perspective, if the oxygen level is lower than what it would be in a open sump, does any anerobic bacteria also form inside the canister and what is the effect of these bacteria on the tank water. Does it deteriorate the quality of water in the long run ???

Thanks all.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

SEAN420 said:


> well plecos eat more then algae.. they will eat left over food too.. Also, normal regular plecos get quite large and create quite a bit of waste. especially if they turn off of the algae and start eating ur cichlids food... so, if you want to keep the waste down keep away from the regular ones.


Plecos can't create waste from nothing...

Just something to consider... They are converting something to waste that if left alone would have become waste anyways.. well cept for algae which you want gone anyways...


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

Dead Tired. Tank arrived late. Had to arrange for 6 persons to lift the tank into the room. It was extremely heavy. Anyways, managed to click a few pictures on the trot and thought I would post it before going to sleep.

Then problems started because the pump plug was made to Chinese specification i.e. flat pins and the markets were closed today. So could not get the adapters to plug in the pumps. Managed to arrange for one adapter pin with flat pin holes, so started just one Pump+Top Filter. The other one will have to wait till tomorrow. Neither did we get the time to stick on the black background. After the guys had left, I set up the heater & thermometer. The Hailea pump is working fine. Hardly any noise and good flow. The LFS fella had pasted aluminium angles to the edges and he forgot to stick black tape on them so that too will have to wait. The Moorwood roots were not sinking, so put some stones on them which I will remove when it soaks up to sink. The glass got scratched slightly during the transfer   , nothing much I can do about it. Its a wonder, we somehow managed to bring it and place it on the stand. Even 6 well built persons was not enough.

Currently, just pumping the water through one of the pumps. Havent added Ammonia and neither have we put on the hood.

But the canister just wouldnt get primed. Its not sucking in enough water from the tank and ultimately, we gave up. It was enough work for the day and it was alreadygetting pretty late. So we decided to get it fixed up tomorrow. Probably its because of too many fine sponges besides the coarse sponges and other filter medias that I packed so tightly inside the trays. Tomorrow, I will remove some of the fine sponges and make the trays lighter and then try again. *BTW any idea, why its not sucking in enough water ????*

Could just manage a few photos. Not too good either ......


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

Good heavens, so many visits and not a single suggestion, forget the tank itself which I know isnt all that pretty as per my own unbiased opinion !!!! Or is it because of Christmas, and the members are gearing up for celebrations and partying through the new year :dancing: :dancing: Anyways , there are a lot of experienced members & veterans in this forum who could atleast suggest something ..... so that I can start thinking of a plausible reason.

*It would really help, if someone could atleast suggest something*. Just cant find any plausible answers other than clogging due to too much tightly packed media :-? :-? I cant start cycling it till I get my Canister working properly. After the heavy workout yesterday, my grey matter isnt working at all :lol: :lol: :lol:

My two cents on the too tightly packed filter trays. I checked up the seals, they are ok. When I am pressing the priming button, the water does get pushed up the outlet pipe but its not sucking the water to to form a full continuous stream. Even ran the canister, the outflow is fine. However, the inflow is not sucking in the full pipe full of water. Lots of air. Checked up any leakage in the joints, Dont find any. What could be the possible reasons ??? Totally lost & bewildered.


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

In regards to the filter, I'd recommend filling the canister itself with water and then priming the tubes either by using the button or by filling them manually. Just my .02 :thumb:


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## Cartem2 (Oct 4, 2011)

Chubbs the Jellybean said:


> In regards to the filter, I'd recommend filling the canister itself with water and then priming the tubes either by using the button or by filling them manually. Just my .02 :thumb:


+1

It took me a long time to prime my canister for the 1st time as well. It said in the instructions not to fill the canister, but after about 30min of using the prime button with no success I went ahead and filled the canister the rest of the way up and primed the intake tube. It only took a few more pushes of the prime button to start working after that.


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

It's always less stressful for the impeller if it has water to move right away. 
In a few months when you clean it, just go ahead and fill it to the top, it will lead to a quicker start-up!


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

Returned home from work and I thought I would give the Canister one more try. The canister was already filled with water since I was trying to prime it last evening. The inlet & outlet pipe had water level about 3/4-1 feet above canister level. Started the canister. The flow is much better, better than yesterday. Its sucking in a lot more water throught the inlet pipe compared to yesterday but some air is still going through and I cant find out where its taking place.

So this disproves my assumption yesterday that probably I had filled the canister trays too full & tightly. But, the air is being sucked somewhere and I cant find out where. There can be only two places where there is a connection and in contact with air. The inlet & outlet of the U-tube. The inlet strainer pipe connected to the U tube or the U-tube connected to the pipe leading to the canister inlet. I am letting it run as it is for the time being hoping that things will improve.

Its such a pain to see your new setup not functioning to your expectation


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

Finally sorted out my Canister problem. The flow is strong inspite being packed tightly with media. Thinks, its enough for today. Also got all the pumps+Top Filters running. The water is cleaning up pretty fast too. Have dosed the tank with Ammonia, so its Day-1 of the Nitrogen cycle. Put on the hood and took some pictures with my crappy old camera. Camera focussing problem ...... so not too many good photos.

This is the Actinic only with camera flash









Actinic without camera flash









8000K Osram with camera flash









8000K Osram without camera flash









14000K Sunsun with camera flash









14000K Sunsun without camera flash









8000K + 14000K with Flash









8000K + 14000K without Flash









All 3 lights with Camera Flash









All 3 lights without Camera Flash









Hailea-HX4500 pump connected to Top Filter - 1. Pretty strong outflow

















Jun-HX4500 pump connected to Top Filter - 2. As good as the Hailea

















Water clearing up fast :

































Tomorrow, will fix up the black background. Also will be fixing up the airpipes with suckers to the base of the tank. Then maybe this weekend, will get the Aluminium strips taped up with some nice black tape and polish & finish the stand. The arrangement of the rocks and the driftwood can wait since I want want them to soak up properly and sink before I arrange them so that it looks decent. The rocks used to sink the driftwood can then be removed.

Was so relieved to have sorted out the Canister problem ..... will sleep well today.


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

A friend has told me that he will get some large round river rocks for me ..... lets see if he turns up. I have put in both driftwood and Moorwood roots. The roots belonged to a friend who recently switched over from a planted tank to a SW setup. However, they are not sinking, so I have put some stones on them to weigh them down ....... hopefully temporarily. The driftwood were removed from a tank but had been lying for over a year. The smaller pieces have sunk but had to weigh the larger piece down.

So far as the BG .... its a ordinary black chartpaper which has been pasted to the outside of the tank on the behind. Didnt want to put in anything inside the tank. Today, got the Aluminium taped with black tape ....... looking better now. Also got the one of the airstones replaced and the airpipes fixed to the glass using suckers. Put in a spray bar inside each of the Top Filters so that the water was sprayed evenly over the sponge. Also got the side opening upto the door to the outside (Right side of the tank) covered with the same BG paper so that light does not enter the tank even when the door is open and lead to formation of algae. My canister inlet/outlet too is on that side so now the pipes are not visible anymore.

Told a colleague going for holidays to the beach, to get some more nice shells for me. The tank has become a little tall for me .... should have reduced the height of the stand a little. But I had to order the stand before my canister arrived, so a bit of a mismatch. The outlet of the canister has not been attached to a spray bar. Though, its mouth is over 1feet 4inches over the sand surface, the pressure is removing the sand from the base. Gotta put in some rock or perhaps a DW there.

My 1st batch of fishfood too arrived today. Hikari Sinking type - 3 packets. So, now I have to monitor my tank and wait for the Nitrogen cycle to complete. I am not using any seeded media so the bacteria has to to build up from scratch. Using 25% concentrated Laboratory grade Amm. Hydroxide from Merck.

The camera is a very old one ..... diffcult to focus properly ..... so the pictures dont come out well. Anyway, here are some.


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## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

looking good,I find planning and setting up a tank is a big part of the enjoyment of this hobby,if done right you will be rewarded in the end,if rushed and thrown together,not so much,again,looking good,and you will be rewarded in the end,I don't remember you mentioning whats being stocked?


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

Absolutely. I think one needs to consider first - The maximum size of tank one can fit into the space. Then work backwards. The joy is really in having the biggest tank possible within the available budget. And then, once everything is set and your fish comes in - watch your fish grow. I think it gives more satisfaction to see and watch your fish grow rather than purchasing adults.

And lots & lots of research and study. Watching how others have designed their tank, the decorations, the equipments etc etc & discussing with other hobbyists. Unfortunately, in my country we are not so fortunate in getting second hand tanks. And the hobby too isnt all that popular like in the US & Europe.

A forum like this is really the best way one can gain experience and learn about the hobby.

The tank will be stocked with Zaire/Tanzanian Gibbs & a pair of Alto Calvus Congo Blackfin. And the tank was designed keeping this particular stock in mind ..... again like you mentioned, PLANNING


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## ranchialex (Dec 4, 2011)

Since equipment and setups are quite similar (since I only live 150km away or so) I thought I'd just briefly mention my experience. I don't have access to testing kits (no one in my city uses them, insisting it's not required for freshwater setups, which is all anyone has here) so I decided to run the tank 2 days, then add 2 tiny fish. 107 gallons and 2" of fish for a couple days, then I started adding more and more (all juveniles) and over 3 weeks I now have like 30 fish, the largest being 2.5". Suspecting that my tank's not fully cycled, I still do pretty frequent water changes, maybe 30% every 3 days. My canister filter still hasn't come (think I got scammed online like we discussed in PMs) I'm making do with 2 internal power heads (1200l/h each) and an over the top 2500l/h unit stuffed full of media. My water is very clear, and for the most part, my fish are alive and healthy. I still have only around 50" of length (and a baby turtle) in 107 gallons. Nothing has died for around a week.

Having said all this, you're doing it the right way, and your tank looks better than mine by far. I just have a painted iron stand and no top cover yet (just a single tube light that's actually fallen in once - just kept on shining for the 2-3 seconds until we got it switched off. Dried it and it's back in use. Eventually I'll have a wooden top with 2 tubes.

Where'd you get your sand? I'm sieving and cleaning regular construction sand these days, might go in the tank tomorrow. Bare bottom hasn't worked as well a I hoped.

Keep up the good work posting


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

Thank you Ranchialex for your kind words. I can understand your situation. Its unfortunate but then you hardly get people interested in this hobby in our country. There are a few though. Many get frustrated and leave the hobby. I will feel most fortunate if I can assist you in any way. Will PM you my ph no.

The 1st step, I feel is lots & lots of reasearch and reading. And the best place you can do that is a forum like this. Everyone of us goes through different experience at different times in our hobby. By reading through the old posts here, you get to build your knowledge base. I have studied for over 9 months now, here in C-F and other fish forums. Daily, without break, day & night ...... upto dead in the night. Next, I have planned & planned & planned. I wrote down what I wanted as a final setup - went backwards, posted Q after Q here and in different forums and the people have been so helpful & accomodative.

Yes, some of the things may not be available in your city but its available, certainly, provided you build up you contacts. Get to meet the exporters in the big city I mentioned. Give them a list of your requirements ..... keep in touch with them, bug them till they are bored :lol: :lol: These guys may not have the equipment you want but if they see that you are really interested they will get it imported. It happened for the 528GPH canister in my case. You will get all the equipments (any brand you wish for) & test kits etc .... infact anything.

Next, you need to draw the design of the tank and give it to the tank makers. You need to know everything about how you build a tank though you probably wont do the actual building. Give them the specs, purchase the glass and give it to them. Tell them, the steps how it is to be built, the curing time etc etc. But you first need to plan it out. The stand & the canopy is a far easier job, provided you know what you want. Give them the specs, the material you want it made of etc etc. Next just monitor.

My job getting this tank setup wasnt as easy as my documentation sounded like :lol: :lol: :lol: *At times, I got really frustrated. But I never lost hope.* I told myself again & again that I would build a tank from scratch which would be comparable with any nice tank I see in the various international forums at a very reasonable price. My tank isnt finished yet, and there is scope for lots of improvement and I will go ahead and get it done.

Just dont admire others tanks, build one yourself if you really love the hobby ...... it will be a far greater satisfaction than anything in your life.


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

The sand I used was sandblasting Silica Sand. Its sugar size. Its much heavier than the construction sand and doesent stick together to form a mess or get disturbed and starts floating around and entering the strainer and damaging your pump/canister impellers.

All LFS stores in the city have it in stock.


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## ranchialex (Dec 4, 2011)

Thanks for the info. My construction sand went in today (after sieving and then cleaning for 2 days) and it's good. Not great looking, but better than barebottom and the water has finally settled down and cleaned up nicely.

I have an advantage for getting parts in that I'm actually American and only live out here most of the year. In fact I'm going back to the US next week and already bought a bunch of aquarium gear and even a saltwater test kit for a LFS who wants to get started in Marine. I'll help him with my vast, 3 weeks of experience  I return in early January, so I'll haul it all back. Voltage is a challenge, but I'll probably bring back a cheap multi-voltage chinese canister, although my powerheads and over-the-top are really quite good, but having 3 powerheads inside the tank isn't optimal, aesthetically, and I want to overstock mbuna so a canister will be helpful long-term.

I have relatives in CCU nearby, so I'll probably drop in for a weekend in January and do some good shopping, finish out whatever cichlids I still want to add.


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

Good for you. These Top filters are so economical and do great filtration. However, they have not become popular in the US or Europe. Most of the branded chinese tanks come pre-fitted with a Top Filter + Powerhead. My 80G, Mixed Lake African is a RS Electrical product. It came with 2 lights (T5) and Topfilter+Powerhead. I added an 1100 Ltr/Hr Canister to increase the filtration.

Tell you what, every Sunday, there is a rural fair/market at a place called Galiff Street in CCU. You can pick up a lot of supplies from this place.













You may also contact me personally.


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## ranchialex (Dec 4, 2011)

Fishy_Cichlid said:


> Good for you. These Top filters are so economical and do great filtration. However, they have not become popular in the US or Europe. Most of the branded chinese tanks come pre-fitted with a Top Filter + Powerhead. My 80G, Mixed Lake African is a RS Electrical product. It came with 2 lights (T5) and Topfilter+Powerhead. I added an 1100 Ltr/Hr Canister to increase the filtration.
> 
> Tell you what, every Sunday, there is a rural fair/market at a place called Galiff Street in CCU. You can pick up a lot of supplies from this place.
> 
> ...


Love those videos. I'll definitely head out there one of the Sundays in January. If you're heading out that side we can think about a meet-up. I'd also love to get another parrot (we released the obnoxious one we had for over a year) as I still have a pretty huge bird cage sitting empty. Then I'll take the 7-hour train trip back with fish and birds in hand


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

LOL, thats a rural fair, pretty rustic ..... believe its over 100 years old. Not necessarily that you will get quality fish there. But yes, definitely cheaper than any LFS. 
You will get your Test Kits there along with medications & stuffs like API Stresszyme etc. You will also get cichlid food - Hikari etc .....
You will get equipments, but dont expect canisters over 1100 LPH at this place.
You will get some driftwood and also stuff like plain backgrounds.

But, not the place to get quality stuff, if thats what you want. If I were you I would just visit the place but make purchases through a reliable LFS in CCU. In that case, you got to contact the big importers and the shops I mentioned in my PM to you. This place is for cheap stuff so I usually dont make purchases there. I prefer to get them through my LFS. And I get all the stuff I want, maybe not immediately but certainly.

Hey, I got 2 more bottles of Sod. Thiosulphate just now. I think, I now have stock to last me over 2 years. The Aqueon water changer is on the way. But, this fish water was doing wonders to all my flowers & plants in my garden. Wifey wont be too happy if I dump that PRECIOUS water :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

A *Happy Christmas *to all the members at C-F, the Mods and the Admins.


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

Started my cycling on 21-Dec evening, and dosed to around 4ppm. Did not check for Ammonia yesterday. Last checked on 25-Dec morning and it was still showing around 4ppm. Today (27-Dec) morning, I checked and found that Ammonia was 0 (zero) i.e in 5 1/2 days. Checked for Nitrites, it was beyond 5ppm, completely dark red. I am using Prodac test kit for Ammonia and Sera for Nitrites.

Does it appear that I never really had a big Ammonia spike before falling to Zero ? The temperature in my 165 G tank has been set at 31 deg C. I thought, *Ammonia spike and subsequently complete conversion i.e. full bacteria formation should take around 7 days* :roll: :roll:


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

I am looking for 7-8 (1-2M+7-6F) Gibberosa Zaire CP - Moba/Kitumba/Kapampa or 2nd choice Gibberosa Mpimbwes/Samazi. Even F1's will do, WC would be great. Along with the above need a pair (M+F) A.Calvus Congo Blackfins. I have also tried some places in the US, breeders, aquarists & sponsors who can provide me genuine good quality fish without me having to worry about getting conned. But no one seems much interested because of the distance (around 24 hrs flight time) and hassles involved in excise & duty.

*Would be most grateful, if there is any member located in Bangkok or any member having contacts with suppliers in Bangkok who can help me out with atleast the name of a genuine supplier. My LFS guy will collect the fish from him. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks all.*
Btw, I am located in India.


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## ranchialex (Dec 4, 2011)

Seems maybe the best solution for you to get what you really want is to place an order with an importer in Calcutta and then go there to pick it up (and confirm the quality/authenticity) yourself.

I can't even pronounce the names of the fish you're looking for


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> Does it appear that I never really had a big Ammonia spike before falling to Zero ? The temperature in my 165 G tank has been set at 31 deg C. I thought, Ammonia spike and subsequently complete conversion i.e. full bacteria formation should take around 7 days


It can vary. If seeding with bacteria, I find it takes about 7-10 days. If not 4-6 weeks. I didn't read through the thread to see what approach you took, sorry.

4ppm is a lot of ammonia. You can kick that down to 1-2ppm and dose every 2-3 days now until nitrite tests 0, then you're done. If you don't have fish yet, just keep dosing every 3 days and do some moderate water changes.


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## Shahlvah (Dec 28, 2011)

Where did you find your sand blasting silica (sugar size)?


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

Yes Tim, could not control the exact amount whilst dosing it with Amm. Hydroxide. Anyways, now that my NH3 is zero, i will have to wait to see how long it takes for the Nitrites to reach Zero. BTW, didnt seed my new tank with any old media ...... started it afresh. So I was really taken aback that the NH3 reached zero so quickly. I dont have fish as yet, I am doing the fishless cycle.

Thanks Alex. Wish I could get my fish through you since you are leaving for the US tomorrow. But i know its a lot of hassles with the customs etc and I dont want to put you in any discomfort, waiting for the clearance of excise etc. Again, its a long journey for you when you return and you will be tired. Will speak to you after you return home.

My LFS guy will be placing the order with the importer at Cal who will then do the purchase from Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok. Thats where, all these importers get their supplies. And one can get stuff pretty cheap too. However, Gibberosas are difficult to get, since production/collection at the Lake is low due to its greater depth etc. And lots of dubious sellers everywhere specially if you cant recognise the variant correctly. Most shopowners dont keep Gibbs in their shop in Bangkok since they have to import it from Germany etc, only the big shops keep stock. Dont want to be duped.

Anyways, I will pay my LFS fella ONLY after I have confirmed that its indeed a Gibbs. I wouldnt have had to worry, if I were in the US. Good breeders and genuine Gibbs with them - wouldnt have got cheated with the reputable breeder.


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

I got the Sandblasting Silica sand from my LFS fella. Its sugar sized ...... wonder if its that clear from the pictures. Though the pictures show that it is completely white (maybe flash effect), but its actually a little brownish ..... not completely white. Dirty white you may say.


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## ranchialex (Dec 4, 2011)

You know another idea... lots of Indians vacation in Thailand. Visa on arrival. Fish pilgrimage 

We can do some research about importing our own fish (rather than going through importers). I go back to the US at least every 10 months, I'm curious to know how doable it is, red tape-wise. Also wonder what is required, packaging wise. I often have long layovers before my domestic connection, but I'd have access to my baggage. So my thought is maybe I could open the bags (inside boxes) and get some fresh air into the bag before re-sealing them for the final 2-3 hours. Maybe not worth it... but I'd be receiving shipped fish stateside, then turning around and carrying them around the world, then another few hours once I'm in India.


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

> Yes Tim, could not control the exact amount whilst dosing it with Amm. Hydroxide. Anyways, now that my NH3 is zero, i will have to wait to see how long it takes for the Nitrites to reach Zero. BTW, didnt seed my new tank with any old media ...... started it afresh. So I was really taken aback that the NH3 reached zero so quickly. I dont have fish as yet, I am doing the fishless cycle.


Could take 2-3 weeks for this phase, as it's generally a longer period of time. But, sounds like the cycle is already on a fast track.


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

Thanks for your help Alex, but dont want to trouble you  

One fella has contacted me from Bangkok in a different cypho forum. Says he is a breeder and has 5 Mpimbwes (Hope you didnt break any teeth pronouncing it) :lol: :lol: :lol: But I need a total of 8, have written back to him. Also, asked him for photographs along with parents. Its pretty difficult to identify the variety-CP when they are so young. The fella says they are only 17 days old. Most importantly, dont want to be duped.


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## ranchialex (Dec 4, 2011)

Well the tank's a month in - time for some updates!


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## Fishy_Cichlid (Aug 4, 2011)

WIP Alex. Waiting for my round river rocks and the tank is empty at present. My fish is supposed to arrive this Saturday. 8 F1 Kapampas. But I first need to validate their authenticity before stocking. Otherwise, fish goes back to the importer. If it turns out to be a bad case, then I need to start all over again.


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