Elaine2
Fish Fanatic
A forerunner of this message was originally posted on the catfish forum, so my apologies to anyone getting a second reading!
I am considering setting up a 6 X 2 ft or 7 X 2 ft tank later this year for plecs and corydoas and would welcome any thoughts or advice for doing this from those who have.
The tank will be sited on a solid, concrete floor, so the weight is not an issue. My thoughts are to build the support/base for the tank using breeze block pillars and a thick piece of MDF as this will easily take the weight and be cheap to do; this structure can then be boxed in to look like a cupboard and a filter system can be housed underneath. I have a large supply of polystyrene ceinling tiles for putting under the tank.
My thoughts so far on filtration are for some kind of external system, complete with a UV filter. If anyone has any recommendations re. makes (or ones to avoid), or suggestions for a DIY pump and filter then that would be very helpful, as would any suggestions for making water changes easier. The water supply to the house comes in nearby, so some kind of 'plumbed in' set-up is an option. Emptying water would be easy as the door to the house is also near by.
Regarding substrate, I am intending to use gravel. As I shall require a large amount this could be purchased from a local building supplies company IF (and only IF) I can guarantee that it is safe to use.
My two current set-ups both have textured backgrounds, which I like, and would seriously consider using again. An alternative would be building my own using thin pices of slate held together with aquatic silicone, but it would be a very time-consuming process to construct and would probably cost more than the commercial backgrounds! I am intending to purchase a tank second-hand, or get one made my a local, reputable person.
Any thoughts, comments or advice are welcome. I want to get this right first time, structurally at least.
Thanks in advance
I am considering setting up a 6 X 2 ft or 7 X 2 ft tank later this year for plecs and corydoas and would welcome any thoughts or advice for doing this from those who have.
The tank will be sited on a solid, concrete floor, so the weight is not an issue. My thoughts are to build the support/base for the tank using breeze block pillars and a thick piece of MDF as this will easily take the weight and be cheap to do; this structure can then be boxed in to look like a cupboard and a filter system can be housed underneath. I have a large supply of polystyrene ceinling tiles for putting under the tank.
My thoughts so far on filtration are for some kind of external system, complete with a UV filter. If anyone has any recommendations re. makes (or ones to avoid), or suggestions for a DIY pump and filter then that would be very helpful, as would any suggestions for making water changes easier. The water supply to the house comes in nearby, so some kind of 'plumbed in' set-up is an option. Emptying water would be easy as the door to the house is also near by.
Regarding substrate, I am intending to use gravel. As I shall require a large amount this could be purchased from a local building supplies company IF (and only IF) I can guarantee that it is safe to use.
My two current set-ups both have textured backgrounds, which I like, and would seriously consider using again. An alternative would be building my own using thin pices of slate held together with aquatic silicone, but it would be a very time-consuming process to construct and would probably cost more than the commercial backgrounds! I am intending to purchase a tank second-hand, or get one made my a local, reputable person.
Any thoughts, comments or advice are welcome. I want to get this right first time, structurally at least.
Thanks in advance
