Time for a tank breakdown and rebuild.

[Cisco_Ray]

My tank has been running for about 18 months now and I think its time to break it down and rebuild it.
I will be upgrading the filtration to a Oase Biomaster 600 and the lighting to a Fluval plant 60cm unit. A completly different aquascape mainly using wood and only Epiphyte Aquarium Plants. Will try and finish the clean up over the next few days and hopefully start the cycling process over the weekend. Will update with PICs and info.

Original tank.

 

[Cisco_Ray]

Empty and cleanup

 

[Cisco_Ray]

Temporary home

 

[GaryE]

Are you protecting the bacterial life in the tear down tank?

It's funny, I have a friend who's really into aquascaping, and he tears down the decor of his tank every 6 months or so. The tank always looks fine (as yours did) but he can't stand to look at the same scape for long. At about 3 months he starts wanting to make changes, and at 6 months, he does it on one day.

He's horrified at me letting set ups go for years, but then again, I redo about a tank a month since I have many set ups. The urge for changes is strong.

 

[MattW]

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with! Epiphytes are my favourite species of plants to use. I would like to try an Epiphyte-only scape someday. The one bonus is you won't need a nutrient-rich substrate to start with, as by the time they root down into it, the tank should be mature with fish/food waste. Well unless you gravel vac

Also, are your tanks custom-made? I haven't seen a tank like that before.

 

[Cisco_Ray]

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with! Epiphytes are my favourite species of plants to use. I would like to try an Epiphyte-only scape someday. The one bonus is you won't need a nutrient-rich substrate to start with, as by the time they root down into it, the tank should be mature with fish/food waste. Well unless you gravel vac

Also, are your tanks custom-made? I haven't seen a tank like that before.

Thanks. I did the breakdown and new temporary home setup in a few hours. I am not to keen on rooted plants as I leant my lesson as to not make the tank to cramped and difficult to maintain so sticking with Epiphytes. Also one or 2 fish died and I never found them and was hit with the black beard algae. I dont think the juwel internal filter was upto the job so hopefully the Biomaster 600 will do a better job.

Both tanks are not custom made. The oringal tank is a Fluval Osaka 155 and the temporary home tank is something I picked up on ebay. It is 70 lires and is a fish are fun FRF-611 tank

 

[Cisco_Ray]

Are you protecting the bacterial life in the tear down tank?

It's funny, I have a friend who's really into aquascaping, and he tears down the decor of his tank every 6 months or so. The tank always looks fine (as yours did) but he can't stand to look at the same scape for long. At about 3 months he starts wanting to make changes, and at 6 months, he does it on one day.

He's horrified at me letting set ups go for years, but then again, I redo about a tank a month since I have many set ups. The urge for changes is strong.

Thanks. My plan was to use some of the bio media from the tear down tank to help cycle the new tank build but I am worried as I was hit with Black beard algae and dont really want to carry that to the new tank. What do you think?

I plan to use 50% tap water and 50% RO water to cycle the tank.
I am worried that the fish might struggle with the new water though if I start a fully new fresh cycle.

 

[GaryE]

I just cleaned two fry raising 10 gallon tanks that had a version of black beard on the glass. I scrubbed it off but know that leaves a lot behind, and am going to gamble that I can hold it back with different light, additional substrate and more plants. I may reintroduce it, but I have to balance it against losing the cycle completely and rendering the tank temporarily useless to support life.

There's no easy answer on judgment calls like that.

 

[Cisco_Ray]

 

[Cisco_Ray]

I just cleaned two fry raising 10 gallon tanks that had a version of black beard on the glass. I scrubbed it off but know that leaves a lot behind, and am going to gamble that I can hold it back with different light, additional substrate and more plants. I may reintroduce it, but I have to balance it against losing the cycle completely and rendering the tank temporarily useless to support life.

There's no easy answer on judgment calls like that.

Thanks. I cleaned the tank well. My main concern is using bio media from old setup filter and putting it into the new filter.

 

[Cisco_Ray]

I am not very good at scaping.
Are these any good?

 

[MattW]

Looks great! Epiphytes will love those tall pieces.