New big tank

[andywg]

First, good news:

Finally, I have taken receipt of my new tank.

At 6 x 2 x 2 (150 gallons) it will provide the final home (or at least for the next 2-3 years) for our larger fish (schools of balas, Chalceus and BGKs)

Here you can see it sitting in front of the 85 gallon it will replace (6’ x 18” x 18”).

Here is Myska the cat looking at the old tank from her new vantage point.

And here she is checking the inside out

Next the bad news:

To get it into the flat it had to go up 4 sets of 7 steps (2 whole floors) which was not a fun job!

On the way up the only piece not padded managed to clip a stair and create an arrowhead of cracks in the bottom.

The next 3 pics show the crack:

Still. It should only cost about £50 to get another 6’ x 2’ pane to be sealed underneath this one and then I’ll seal a patch over the top on the inside and seal all around the edge it extends to. An unwanted, but not too hard job (just hope I can drill the whole in the right place properly for the standpipe).

 

[bunjiweb]

Looks like a pretty bad crack. Make sure you seal it properly, probably worth putting a patch of sealent over the top of the crack aswell.

Looks good though! What kind of filtration etc. are you planning for it?

Ben

 

[debiasir]

gutted about the crack but as you say should be cheapish to repair

good luck with it

 

[andywg]

Should have made it clearer.

As well as sealing a new bottom underneath I will seal a glass patch to cover well past all the crack on the top too.

I'm just dreading trying to move the fish over. Having to cathc them from the little one, put them in the big one, move the little one, put them in the little one, move the big one and then put them in the big one. All cause the new one replaces the old one.

I can see some stressed out Bala sharks in the future...

Edit

Filtration will be in the shape of two 14 gallon sump tanks packed full of alfagrog and a couple of UV sterilisers with the tank being turned over anywhere up to 3000 LPH by an Eheim 1262 (same as is running on the current tank, basically 30 gallons of sump for 150 gallons of display).

In the future I may add a Fluidised Sand Bed as well just to try and ensure I really am over filtered as the stocking will be moderately high but nothing the sumps can't take.

Edit

Eheim 1262 is 3000 lph and not 9000 lph.

 

[Lynz781]

I think that would just tip me over the ed.ge..

 

[bunjiweb]

Go to your local fish shop and ask for some bags to put them in for an hour or 2. Altenatively get some buckets or containers from your local pound store and contain them that way. They won't get anywhere near as stressed and you can acclimatise them better.

Sounds like you are having ace filtration! My 6x2x2 has an Eheim 2217, a 2213 and 2 x 730L/H powerheads in it. Totals around 3200l/h i think... Although as my fish grow i may get a small pond box filter that has a small UV in it. They are made by a company called Blagdon and cost about £70. Just needs a pump to drive it which wouldnt be too much....

Ben

 

[andywg]

For pumps I would always recommend Eheim. A little costlier, but so reliable. I think I got mine for around £60 - but that was a massive bargain. around 6000 lph is normally available for around £65 on the internet (I think it was Watford Aquarium).

The filtration is twhat I use now - except I tried using the second sump tank to plant so as to remove nitrates. Failed with that and I will soon fill it up with Alfagrog. I may try an algae turf scrubber someday, I'll see how adventurous I get.

Now I just gotta build the stand and hood... Where's that 4x4 and 2x4...

I may try the bags. I'm just not too sure how big a bag I can get, since a number of the fish have burst through the 6" barrier. But I guess Koi bags should be ok...

 

[bunjiweb]

12x20" small bags from your lfs should be sufficient, If you don't know how to catch the air ask an assistant to show you their method.

Ben

 

[andywg]

Hmm, the lfs has an oxygen line they insert into the bag and inflate the bag with...not really practical for me.

I have an idea though. And if I bag them I shuld be able to complete the move extremely quickly.

I am considering buying a cheap second hand Fluval 404 so that I can make some modifications to the sump tanks though. There was one for around £30 without the pipes last week in a not so LFS.

 

[freshmike]

What a cute cat!!!

Also, it's too bad about the crack...just look at it this way, the new pane should add about 75 more pounds to the tank!

 

[andywg]

Since you're liking the cat... Here's a couple of the larger (but equally old) kitten exploring the new tank and looking at the old one.

Andy

 

[Paul_MTS]

cor what an ass!!, not exactly encouraging having a crack all ready!

You could also try asking for poly boxes, and then just to be on the safe side line them with bin liners. These keep the water and fish fairly warm, my ray came from yorkshire in a poly box with just water in and went straight into my tank!

sizes of bags wouldn't be a problem, although if you ask for larger ones (koi size) they will start charging probable.

 

[CFC]

This will sound like madness but i put all my fish in the bath when i move them, obviously i scrub and rinse the bath out several times with fresh cold water first to remove any soap residue but then i just fill the bath with tankwater, pop the fish in, move the old tank and fill the new one back up with the old water in the bath. Ive done this twice and had no problems.

Bummer on the crack, my 200g got chipped as we bought it in when a friend with the strength of a half dead sparrow decided he couldnt hold his corner any more and dropped it onto the metal threshold strip in on the front step. Luckily it wasnt serious and hasnt affected the tank structurely.

 

[Lynz781]

OH yeah, I remember years ago my dad did that with fish from the pond. It was so much fun having fish in the bath

 

[andywg]

My problem with the bath is running up and down the stairs with my fish in nets.

I know it's probably not that bad for them, but tres stressful for me!

I'm liking larger bags since then it'll be a case of draining the current tank, sliding it out, stand and all and then pushing the new one in and filling it up.

I may get some larger tubs to be on the safe side (and throw an air stone in to help with airation).

I have reverted to the bath before but I'd sooner avoid it this time, especially with how well the largest bala can jump these days.

Paul, I was gutted about the crack, but it'll cost around £50 and then I can be fairly certain the tank will never leak out the bottom (with 20mm of glass there...). Considering it only cost a total of £195 for the tank, the cover glass and delivery to downstairs, I can't moan

And next time it moves it will be professionals, so I don't care about the xtra weight!