New Tank By New Member

[Vethian]

Hello,
 
Im brand new to this forum and brand new to this hobby.  I thought I would share some of my pictures of my tank.  I found a 29 gallon tank for very little money and on a whim I bought it.  Thus, launching me into this new hobby!  I started by roughing out a stand.  

 
Finished the edges and painted.

 
I then chose sand as a sub straight.  I like the look.  painted the back a rich green.  added some dried bamboo for character and a couple of fake plants to judge scale and look for future additions.  I had some glass, so i made a hinging top.  I also had a LED light i used to add some light in my hall if needed.  I repurposed for now.  I plan on making a LED hoodlight soon.  Can you tell I like DIY stuff?  

Now, I didnt read up online when it came to starting my cycle.  I went by the store clerk's knowledge.  *bangs head on desk* So, I did add 4 Cherry Barbs and will monitor the water while it cycles.

 

 

[Vethian]

I have one more pic to share...

 

[Ch4rlie]

Hello and

to the forum!
 
Thats a great bit of diy skills on that stand, tank and stand looks real good.
 
29 gals is a decent sized tank so you will have some stocking options.
 
Cycling the tank, you fell into the trap so many folks have done, bought fish before being aware of any requirements for preparations
 
Ok, worth having a read of these articles on fish in cycles, but I strongly recommended you rehome or take back these barbs and start a 'fishless' cycle which is MUCH easier.
 
Fish In Cycle - Part I
 
Fish In Cycle - Part II
 
Fishless Cycle
 
 
I know from your other thread that you have a little 2.5gal betta tank for your daughter so you are already aware of how to change water and have heater and dechlorinator etc
 
Good luck.

 

[LyraGuppi]

The bamboo looks great!
 
BTW, welcome to TFF!

 

[Vethian]

The bamboo looks great!

 
BTW, welcome to TFF!

Thank you!  
 

Hello and

to the forum!
 
Thats a great bit of diy skills on that stand, tank and stand looks real good.
 
29 gals is a decent sized tank so you will have some stocking options.
 
Cycling the tank, you fell into the trap so many folks have done, bought fish before being aware of any requirements for preparations

 
Ok, worth having a read of these articles on fish in cycles, but I strongly recommended you rehome or take back these barbs and start a 'fishless' cycle which is MUCH easier.
 
Fish In Cycle - Part I
 
Fish In Cycle - Part II
 
Fishless Cycle
 
 
I know from your other thread that you have a little 2.5gal betta tank for your daughter so you are already aware of how to change water and have heater and dechlorinator etc

 
Good luck.

those are some great links.  Thank you!

 

[Akasha72]

looks good. Great DIY skills on that stand! It's looks super cool 

 
 
Just one question ... where's the filter in this tank? I can't see one or have you just done a good job of disguising it?

 

[Vethian]

I started building a sump filter...but things got wet and the wife freaked out.  lol.  She made me buy a filter system.  I cant remember the brand.  But, its on the back of the tank.  it does 250 gallons per hour.  Its a chemical filter.  I had to cut an access panel into the bathroom wall and another cutout hole for the filter.  The green backdrop mask the canister.  the return is towards the surface and the intake is black.  If you look real close at the one one barb in the foreground in the center right, you will see a faint outline of the intake tube.

The filter is a Marineland HOT Magnum Filter.  It is a hang on canister filter.

 

[Munroco]

Can just imagine me telling my wife I need to cut a hole through into the next room

. Nice looking tank though. You could possibly get away with doing a fish in cycle if you keep an eye on water stats. Welcome to the hobby and the forum

 

[Vethian]

oh, she was hyperventilating.    but, she knows I will fix it up.  When I got home, the bamboo was looking off.  I think the supplier lied about it not being treated or the bamboo looks bad after time under water.  I took it out and put some rocks in for now.As for the holes, I duct taped the wood panel and I am building a box/shelf to hide the hole and give me a place to store food and stuff.  also, it will provide me a place to mount the light.
 

 

 

[Akasha72]

well done on hiding the filter! I couldn't see it at all ... and with you being new to the hobby I just wanted to check that there was a filter! You'd be surprised what some 'fish stores' will advise and we see a lot of the fall out on here 

 
 
I think the little cherry barbs will be okay, so long as you keep an eye on the stats (pH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate) and be ready with a hose to change some water if it starts to climb. Four baby cherries should have a small bio-load so I'm not expecting to see massive problems with a fish in cycle but you never know. Keep feeding to a minimum and you might get away with it.
 
Now ... when are you free to come do some DIY at my house 

 

[Vethian]

well done on hiding the filter! I couldn't see it at all ... and with you being new to the hobby I just wanted to check that there was a filter! You'd be surprised what some 'fish stores' will advise and we see a lot of the fall out on here 

 
 
I think the little cherry barbs will be okay, so long as you keep an eye on the stats (pH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate) and be ready with a hose to change some water if it starts to climb. Four baby cherries should have a small bio-load so I'm not expecting to see massive problems with a fish in cycle but you never know. Keep feeding to a minimum and you might get away with it.
 
Now ... when are you free to come do some DIY at my house 

Thank you on the compliment.  My goal was to limit how much of the equipment could be seen.  I think, however, that when I get better lighting it will be more apparent.  But, it should not be distracting.  

 

[Akasha72]

that was my goal too with my latest set up. What I hated the most was looking at the heater .. no amount of clever planting seemed to hide it completely and so I wanted rid of it. I also didn't want to look at an internal filter as they are so ugly so I got myself 2 external filters that fit in the cupboard neatly out of sight then got myself a hydor external heater that attaches to the external filter pipes so that sits outside of the tank and heats the water as it passes through the pipe back into the tank.
All I see now is two black pipes in each corner with a basket on the end (the inlet) and two small nozzles (the outlets) at the top pushing clean water back into the tank. If you don't want to look at black plastic pipes for the external I believe you can now buy glass ones 
 

 

[Vethian]

Nice, my initial sump filter build was going to house the heater in the sump.  I was learning the art of plumbing and siphon control when my wife over-ruled my choice.  haha

 

[Akasha72]

lol .. in theory external heaters are safer really as there's no electrical current inside the tank. There's also nothing to break inside the tank and cause mayhem! 
 
My Dad still shouts at me for putting my hands in the tank ... despite calmly explaining several times that there is nothing electric in the tank!

 

[Tongue_Flicker]

Hello there and welcome aboard! Looking good