My Photo Journal - Dual 55G Tanks

[enchanted]

Well, I decided to start a photo journal of my two new 55G tanks. I temporarily am using a Dual Top/Bottom stand that was included with the tanks until I have my stands complete.

Stand itself:

Top Tank on stand:

Both Tanks on stand:

I'm heading to Petsmart for 1x Pengiun 330 for the top tank along with a Rena Cal 30OW Heater, PennPlax 85G Pump, and a 12" airstone.

Then off to home depot for a 5 gallon bucket and 100lbs of Play sand. Maybe some rocks also, hopefully......

 

[littleme1969]

Hate to be a kill joy but the space between the 2 tanks looks a little tight Will you not have problems getting stuff in and out?...or is it just the angle the pic is taken from?..Looks good though...lots of room for more fishes

 

[enchanted]

Well, the bottom one is going to sit just cycling with no fish until I get my stand built. I needed it there for "weight stabilization".

Just waiting on my ride to Petsmart and home depot now. Petsmart is matching their web price on the Penguin 330 (24.95) and the Rencal heater (22.95).

 

[DogFish]

I sure am enjoying all your stories about acquiring these tanks and now setting them up. Keep going, I want to hear more! I hope to have a55 gal one of these days, so I will be watching to see what you put in yours. (You have two!! Just a little jealous here).

Won't it be a pain in the rear to have to empty these tanks to move them to your homemade stands?

 

[Vip]

it doesnt really look like it can hold, but thats just from what i can see from the picture, but damn that looks so cool, i cant wait to see them running, make sure you post more pics soon

 

[Ben]

thats wicked!

whats going in there?

 

[enchanted]

The top one is replacing my 30 (which hasn't even started really cycling yet. )

The bottom one in about 1 to 2 months (probably 2 months) will be a discuss tank.

I'm waiting for water to clear and then I will take more pictures......

My Pengiun 330 was missing the impeller so I borrowed the one from my aqua-tech for a little while to get the tank clear.

I spent 4 hours cleaning that sand and I still have silt, but it will clear....

 

[enchanted]

These are sort of one before and after (due to the double tanks....)

I made a major "sand newbie" mistake and just moved more buckets of water then I ever care to again.

1. Do not use a garden hose to fill a sand tank.

2. When they say syphon it does not mean use a bucket and just dump the top silt out.

3. Impatients = more labor and time....

I have not fixed the bottom tank yet, and most likely it is going to stay like that until the end of next week when I either buy a python or build one....

 

[enchanted]

After Plants......:

I had to do another 20% water change after this to clear silt. When I do the bottom tank I'm going to spend a lot of time working on the sand and making sure there is "0" silt if possible....


You can yell all you want, but I added the fish. Please see my post "I feel like a newb" to understand why......
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=58794

That is as much as I'm getting done with this tank for the moment. The half light I have another of, but it currently doesn't work. I've tested the bulb so I'm down to start or ballast and I don't have either that will match with it to test. The full one doesn't work either, and at $15.00 a bulb I wasn't ready to buy one for testing yet.

I'm going to be buying some more plants in the next week. Just not sure if I should add them now or later.... Plus my dad has some PVC he said I could have so I'm going to work on caves, hills, and mountains...

 

[enchanted]

I didn't have the heart to resize this one, it just came out soo goood.....

I left the flash on.. Didn't mean to, but it made a great shot.

http/ddihosting.net/larryfish/bestpic.jpg

 

[enchanted]

Hate to be a kill joy but the space between the 2 tanks looks a little tight Will you not have problems getting stuff in and out?...or is it just the angle the pic is taken from?..Looks good though...lots of room for more fishes

Actually, I can confortable put my arms between the two tanks and reach the bottom of the second tank.

I just need to get a Python or make one so I can do refills. (syphon is easy since the window is only about 3 feet away. )

The back is where I had to readjust with sand and half water full tanks..... Forget to figure in the filters...

 

[bunjiweb]

Looks good, although I wouldnt be surprised if that stand breaks under the weight of the water and ornaments, it is no where near structurally sound enough to hold that ammount of water.

Ben

 

[ChrisP]

That was also my first thought when I looked at the pic of the stand, the front does not look braced enough to hold the weight of the top tank.

Apart from that its looking good. B)

 

[enchanted]

Actually, this stand was designed for this and used for it for more than 7 years before the gal that owned it before me sold it.....

 

[jams.alaskan]

Your filter seems awefully small for such a large tank. Do you have plans of upgrading or adding another?

ALASKA