120 Litre Planted

[Flubberlump]

If you're gonna do it, might as well do it properly I'm looking at this regulator/solenoid/bubble counter/ check valve. Seems a good price compared to buying all of the bits separately:

http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aquarium-CO2-Solenoid-Regulator-Bubble-Counter-Built-in-Check-Valve-DC02-04-SILV-/180839981131?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item2a1ae7204b#ht_3385wt_808

Yeah at the moment I've got the filter outlet turned upwards a bit so that the flow bounces off the side of the tank. It's only cycling at the moment though haha.

Fancy selling your co2 equipment haha.

 

[Tizer]

True, but i wouldn't go too bananas just yet, else you might find yourself going one step forward two steps back. Plus if you do it all quickly, you will run out of things to do!

...and no, its taken me long enough to learn and piece it all together myself!

PS, aim it upwards and make it disturb the surface more, increasing the oxygen in the water while cycling.

 

[Flubberlump]

I was only kidding

I'll turn it upwards a bit more then

Yeah I will run out of things to do! My thinking is, if I get co2, plants etc pretty much sorted before the fish, I won't have to avoid squashing or burying them while I'm planting. Seriously, my kuhlis will sit under whatever is up in the air, even if it is looming down towards them. Nearly squashed one with a coconut cave this morning when I was cleaning my tank out. luckily for him I'm observant! I am looking forward to ordering my fish though, my lfs's don't stock everything I want.

 

[Flubberlump]

Fire extinguisher purchased. Courtesy of my boyfriend lol.

 

[Xraymark]

Agree with Tizer. Once you get a bit of money get rid of the internal. It takes up so much space.
Use lido as a search word on the forum. A few other people have done planted with the same tank.

 

[Flubberlump]

Yeah I've had a look, there are some really nice ones! Looking forward to getting it all planted up now. I think its quite a nice shape to play around with. Will keep the filter in mind, got quite a good deal on the tank and cabinet so didn't mind it. And I'll have a lot more room in it than in my current tank! Starting a new job in a couple of weeks so may have a bit more money in a few months.

Stage one of the cycle is complete! ammonia is being processed in less than 12 hours. I'm on the lookout for some grey pebbles or rocks now. The rock I already have is Yamaya rock, which I've only seen in big pieces. I want some smaller ones to play around with. I suppose I could always break the big pieces up with a hammer! I'm toying with the idea of some root type wood too. I don't want to overdo it though. I shall see. I can always add it in later with the placement I'm considering.

 

[Xraymark]

Thinking of buying the same tank so I'm following your project with interest.

 

[Flubberlump]

Great. feel free to give suggestions if you think of any! I really do like the size of the tank. We didn't have a lot of room for one, especially lengthways, so it's a nice size and good capacity for the amount of room it takes up. I'm just being careful to choose fish that don't need a really long tank. I sound like a Juwel salesman (I'm not lol.)

 

[Flubberlump]

Sorry I haven't updated the thread for a while, been waiting for the tank to cycle, it's nearly there now, nitrites have dropped right down.

So I've ordered these:

Regulator/solenoid/bubble counter/check valve: http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aquarium-CO2-Solenoid-Regulator-Bubble-Counter-Built-in-Check-Valve-DC02-04-SILV-/180839981131?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item2a1ae7204b

Atomiser: http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300680496545?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_1764wt_1417

Drop checker: http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180641027096?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_3193wt_938

I've already got a 2kg fire extinguisher, the co2 hose, and the 4dkh solution.

I'm hoping the bits from Hong Kong don't take too long to arrive.

I've got an old slate roof tile from my boyfriends parents. Will this be ok to break up for caves if I clean it up and boil it? Or will that not get rid of any toxins? I'm struggling to find pieces of slate, can only find the little garden chippings.

 

[Tizer]

as long as the slate doesn't have the red rusty stuff on it, i forget the technical term

 

[Flubberlump]

Erm.... Rust? Lol. No it doesn't, just a bit of cement or whatever they used in the 1800s to fix roof tiles. But it crumbles off so easily that I think I can get it all off. Ooo that's good then.

 

[Flubberlump]

Not a lot has happened in the last couple of weeks. For those of you who fishless cycle, the cycle stalled due to a pH crash when I went away for a couple of days, which has put me back a couple of weeks. Before the stall, ammonia was being processed in under 12 hours, and nitrite was being processed in about 14; I was ready to start the validation week a few days later. Now, 9 days after discovering the stall and upping the pH, ammonia is still fine but it's taking over 24 hours for the nitrite to be processed It seems to be improving each day though so fingers crossed!

Anyway, I have now received these:

All I'm waiting for now is the drop checker and bromothymol blue, which is on it's way from Hong Kong.

I've also made my slate caves from the roof tile I mentioned.

Before cleaning:

After:

There is nothing more exciting than scrubbing 200 year old cement of an old roof tile with a toothbrush.

..Other than breaking them up and filing off the sharp edges. Honestly, it took a day and a half of solid filing to get them ready. That's dedication for you! I also now know why cave men used it to make weapons.

Had a bit of a play about before filing them:

The finished product, the Slate City Apartment Complex! Spacious luxury accommodation suitable for all fish. Perfect for first time buyers wanting to settle down and start a family. Ground floor and first floor flats available.

Quite chuffed with it.

Sorry about the awfully blurry picture, didn't realise how bad it was until I put it on photobucket. The camera seems to have focused on the kitchen roll instead. You get the idea!

 

[FishFanatic04]

NIce paper towels I really love the cave. I have been wanting to to something like that so bad, but haven't found any slate yet. I bet you won't have much longer on your cycle if the nitrites are processing in 24 hours.

 

[Flubberlump]

I know it is nice paper towel. Next time I'll get ones with Winnie the pooh on or something haha!

Thank you I really struggled to find any slate. There were a few people selling it on eBay in little job lots, they'd obviously got hold of quite a bit and grouped it together to make a bit of money, it was about £15!! Then I went round to my boyfriend's parents house a couple of weeks ago, and there was this broken roof tile, just sitting there in the garden! So I asked if could have it, they were going to throw it away!!

Hopefully the cycle is almost done, fingers crossed! It was even closer to being done before it stalled though. Oh well, all part of the fun lol.

 

[Tizer]

Gonna silicone it together?