Vision 180 - New Set-up Planned - Advice Please! Photos Added!

[Cheffi]

although a little off topic, i truely beleive that its good just to get a few disclaimers in there - we don't want people going off and filling their tanks up, having accidents becuase we did not warn them first..

Like i said the choice is yours, just be safe

This is true, but we must try to answer the question otherwise we'll end up rambling on about, tanks, filters, water etc. Then the thread can get very boring. All we provide is the info it's up to the OP to decide which way they go.

 

[Druchii]

So, would you be able to advise me re the following:

1. pros and cons of sand, and other options

2. Is Ocean Rock ok to use? Should I use anything else as well?

Any help and advice would be great

Thanks in advance

Hopefully we have now answered your original questions and then some too.....

Any thing else spring to mind ?

 

[Cheffi]

Tut

 

[Go_fish]

Druchii and Cheffi:

First things first guys - please don't start to argue over me - I am extremely grateful to both of your inputs with this (oh, and for the record I'm a 'she' ) I want to get this set-up right the first time, as I don't have the time to mess around with the hardware on a frequent basis.

Having given this whole thing much thought, I am very definitely going to use ocean rock and have found a LFS who sell 50kg for £70. This is the cheapest I can find in Bucks / Oxon area and I don't want to buy from ebay. Do you reckon 50kg is sufficient for my Vision 180 tank (I know, I know, how long is a piece of string question!!) ? I plan to put egg crate / plastic lattice / styrofoam stuff directly on the glass, then the ocean rock on top of this. I am not planning to use silicone as I think the ocean rock will stack well by itself - am I right?

I am still slightly undecided re the substrate. Am I correct in thinking these are the options??

1. sand only
2. coral sand
3. coral gravel
4. crushed coral sand
5. crushed coral gravel

It sounds like the sand or the crushed coral sand is the best option from what you guys are saying?


Filtration:
for now, I am going to keep the same external cannisters running. Eheim 2217 biological and Eheim 2213 mechanical. I bought these about 5 years ago when I first set up my community tank, and although they are the most basic of the Eheim range the 2213 runs an output of 440L per hour, and the 2217 an output of 1000L per hour. I am sure you will be able to recommend some good filters if / when I need to upgrade these ones? Currently, water is feeding back into the tank via 2 spray bars.

Power Heads:
none currently running. How many do I need? If any? Any recommendations on brands / models? Budget is not a huge issue (but dont want to spend stupid money on them)

Water:
we live in a hard water area - I have a full test kit so will do some tap water readings over the weekend and let you kow what they are

Plants??:
possible? not possible? I have seen a few photos of set-ups which have some tall plants with very bulbous bases (look a bit like small onions!).

Lighting:
Currently using 2 tubes; a grow-lux type and a high-intensity type. What do I need ideally for the best results in the mbuna tank?

Current tank mates:
have been running it down slowly. Current stock list is 4 clown loaches, 3 red-tail sharks, 6 LF zebra, 2 red nosed tetra, 1 albino bristlenose, 1 firemouth cichlid. So, what can stay and what must go? If possible, I would like to keep my bristlenose and the clown loaches.

Setting the tank up:
1. Can I build it all in one day? No time constraint, but is it ok to add the substrate right after putting in the rocks etc?

2. Can I put the current stock back in the same day? They will all have to go back in until I have a chance to get to The Goldfish Bowl to sort out some new fish.

We can discuss the stock list in more detail when I get the tank set up (planning on doing it next week).

Many, many thanks

Shame you guys don't live closer ... you could come help me build!





I forgot to ask - is there anything I need to be aware of when building up my ocean rock? For example, how do you get in to clean behind it etc? I was planning on building up a wall at the back, and extending it around the sides a little, but I don't want the gaps between the OR and the glass looking full of dirt.

Thanks

 

[Cheffi]

Druchii and Cheffi:

First things first guys - please don't start to argue over me - I am extremely grateful to both of your inputs with this (oh, and for the record I'm a 'she' ) I want to get this set-up right the first time, as I don't have the time to mess around with the hardware on a frequent basis.

Having given this whole thing much thought, I am very definitely going to use ocean rock and have found a LFS who sell 50kg for £70. This is the cheapest I can find in Bucks / Oxon area and I don't want to buy from ebay. Do you reckon 50kg is sufficient for my Vision 180 tank (I know, I know, how long is a piece of string question!!) ? I plan to put egg crate / plastic lattice / styrofoam stuff directly on the glass, then the ocean rock on top of this. I am not planning to use silicone as I think the ocean rock will stack well by itself - am I right?

I am still slightly undecided re the substrate. Am I correct in thinking these are the options??

1. sand only
2. coral sand
3. coral gravel
4. crushed coral sand
5. crushed coral gravel

It sounds like the sand or the crushed coral sand is the best option from what you guys are saying?


Filtration:
for now, I am going to keep the same external cannisters running. Eheim 2217 biological and Eheim 2213 mechanical. I bought these about 5 years ago when I first set up my community tank, and although they are the most basic of the Eheim range the 2213 runs an output of 440L per hour, and the 2217 an output of 1000L per hour. I am sure you will be able to recommend some good filters if / when I need to upgrade these ones? Currently, water is feeding back into the tank via 2 spray bars.

Power Heads:
none currently running. How many do I need? If any? Any recommendations on brands / models? Budget is not a huge issue (but dont want to spend stupid money on them)

Water:
we live in a hard water area - I have a full test kit so will do some tap water readings over the weekend and let you kow what they are

Plants??:
possible? not possible? I have seen a few photos of set-ups which have some tall plants with very bulbous bases (look a bit like small onions!).

Lighting:
Currently using 2 tubes; a grow-lux type and a high-intensity type. What do I need ideally for the best results in the mbuna tank?

Current tank mates:
have been running it down slowly. Current stock list is 4 clown loaches, 3 red-tail sharks, 6 LF zebra, 2 red nosed tetra, 1 albino bristlenose, 1 firemouth cichlid. So, what can stay and what must go? If possible, I would like to keep my bristlenose and the clown loaches.

Setting the tank up:
1. Can I build it all in one day? No time constraint, but is it ok to add the substrate right after putting in the rocks etc?

2. Can I put the current stock back in the same day? They will all have to go back in until I have a chance to get to The Goldfish Bowl to sort out some new fish.

We can discuss the stock list in more detail when I get the tank set up (planning on doing it next week).

Many, many thanks

Shame you guys don't live closer ... you could come help me build!





I forgot to ask - is there anything I need to be aware of when building up my ocean rock? For example, how do you get in to clean behind it etc? I was planning on building up a wall at the back, and extending it around the sides a little, but I don't want the gaps between the OR and the glass looking full of dirt.

Thanks

Aaargh that's a lot of questions

First things first take out the 'crushed coral gravel' from list..that doesn't exist

Ref filters: I like Eheims very much and if your's are still working then I'd stick with them. You know the old saying 'if it ain't broke etc'

Ref water: High ph hard water is ideal for Malawi.

Ref plants: It is possible to have plants with them however remember they like to dig through the substrate so chances are wherever you put these plants they won't be there by morning Nicksw has anubias and java fern (don't quote me on those names) in his tank and I think they look nice. Malawi would also eat a lot of other plants.

Ref lights: I am def no expert on lights however what you need will depend largely on what rocks and substrate you use. I have the ocean and coral sand and therefore I don't have high intensity lighting. I use a normal daylight tube and for the evening a blue moonlight tube.

Ref tankmates: Def you can keep the Bristlenose, I have two myself. Don't think the loaches but I'm not too sure.

Ref Setup: Provided you have boiled/cleaned your rocks and washed your sand I can't see any reason why you couldn't put the eggcrate in, build up the rocks then add the sand. I certainly did it that way.

Lastly I suppose it wouldn't do any harm short term to put the fish back as long as you think you can catch them again easily, but you may find that the tank will be a bit cloudy for a while til it settles down. Don't forget using the ocean rock and coral sand for example with buffer your ph. One thing I would say and I'm sure you'll be aware of this is. Don't leave your filters switched off and out of water for any length of time as the beneficial bacteria will start to die off.

Good luck will look forward to seeing piccies asap. P.S. I am a she too, long live the she's !!!!

 

[Go_fish]

Thanks Cheffi!

Lol - hadn't thought about the potential difficulty in catching them again once in with the OR!!!!!

Do I still have to boil / clean the OR - I thought it would be ready to use, after a quick rinse?

 

[Cheffi]

Well..... I had some very large pieces and couldn't boil them so I put them in a bucket and poured boiling water on them and left them for a while. Didn't have any probs with them.

 

[Druchii]

my 2 pence worth is...

1p .do what Cheffi has said

2p. clean your OR off with a garden hose spray in the back garden. Also clean your sand off in a bucktet prior to adding it to the tank, if oyu clean it properly prior to going into the tank it will not cloud the water at all, i just depends how dedicated/bothered/lazy/ you feel if you spend more time cleannig the sand it'll be a shorter time to have the tank water clean, the murkey water will not affect the fish in the tank. as long as it is just clean 'murky' water becuase its substrate only

 

[Cheffi]

my 2 pence worth is...

1p .do what Cheffi has said

2p. clean your OR off with a garden hose spray in the back garden. Also clean your sand off in a bucktet prior to adding it to the tank, if oyu clean it properly prior to going into the tank it will not cloud the water at all, i just depends how dedicated/bothered/lazy/ you feel if you spend more time cleannig the sand it'll be a shorter time to have the tank water clean, the murkey water will not affect the fish in the tank. as long as it is just clean 'murky' water becuase its substrate only

Re washing sand I had mentioned it in Ref setup. I didn't give any advice though on the lighting as I'm not that up on lighting but you are so perhaps you could offer some advice on lighting?

 

[adambrum]

my 2p worth

This egg crate thing its a bit hard to find i think in the US its for use in light fittings, I use a filter separating sheets that are used in big pond filters so you can pick them up in most lfe pond sections.

I added juwel structured back ground to my tank instead of plain black and it completely non reflective as its in the tank and i feel safer leaning the ocean rock against it being made of foam.

Almost forgot lighting, It does not really matter as there are normally no plants but i have noticed some of the best looking tanks only use a small amount also if its to bright with the white rocks and white substrate you can drain the colour of the fish.

 

[Cheffi]

my 2p worth

This egg crate thing its a bit hard to find i think in the US its for use in light fittings, I use a filter separating sheets that are used in big pond filters so you can pick them up in most lfe pond sections.

I added juwel structured back ground to my tank instead of plain black and it completely non reflective as its in the tank and i feel safer leaning the ocean rock against it being made of foam.

Almost forgot lighting, It does not really matter as there are normally no plants but i have noticed some of the best looking tanks only use a small amount also if its to bright with the white rocks and white substrate you can drain the colour of the fish.

Good point ref the background. I'm really not happy with my black background and I'm gearing myself for emptying the tank and putting in a nice structured one instead.

 

[Go_fish]

Hey guys (and girls!)

Thanks for all the feedback - am getting very excited about building my tank tomorrow evening! I stopped by my LFS yesterday afternoon to have a look at their Ocean Rock. They are charging me £90 for 50kg, but it is WAY better than the other stuff I saw for £70. The £70 stuff was just solid lumps of rock. The stuff at my LFS is blanched white, with a honeycomb effect, so lots of holes for my baby fish to hide in, and much nicer looking as well. So, very pleased with that. Also chose my substrate - am going for crushed coral sand with a little bit of silica sand and a little bit of coarse coral mixed in. Should be fine.

I have used the black Juwel background in the past, but found that after about 2 years the stuff started to disintegrate so I ripped it all out. Will sort out a background once everything else is set up. Am also going to run a few airstones (will put them in place inder the substrate) for aesthetics and also to help with moving the substrate.

No doubt I will be up to my armpits in sand and cold water this time tomorrow - roll on!!

Just like I have read on here, my LFS have also advised that I bulk buy juveniles over a period of a few weeks so everyone settles in together. So, now to the stock list ....

I will try to take some piccies tomorrow - can anyone tell me the best way to get good results from a digital camera (flash on glass etc)?

 

[Cheffi]

Hey guys (and girls!)

Thanks for all the feedback - am getting very excited about building my tank tomorrow evening! I stopped by my LFS yesterday afternoon to have a look at their Ocean Rock. They are charging me £90 for 50kg, but it is WAY better than the other stuff I saw for £70. The £70 stuff was just solid lumps of rock. The stuff at my LFS is blanched white, with a honeycomb effect, so lots of holes for my baby fish to hide in, and much nicer looking as well. So, very pleased with that. Also chose my substrate - am going for crushed coral sand with a little bit of silica sand and a little bit of coarse coral mixed in. Should be fine.

I have used the black Juwel background in the past, but found that after about 2 years the stuff started to disintegrate so I ripped it all out. Will sort out a background once everything else is set up. Am also going to run a few airstones (will put them in place inder the substrate) for aesthetics and also to help with moving the substrate.

No doubt I will be up to my armpits in sand and cold water this time tomorrow - roll on!!

Just like I have read on here, my LFS have also advised that I bulk buy juveniles over a period of a few weeks so everyone settles in together. So, now to the stock list ....

I will try to take some piccies tomorrow - can anyone tell me the best way to get good results from a digital camera (flash on glass etc)?

I believe there is a thread somewhere on how to take photo's. When I take them I make sure tank is lit up and room is dark with curtains pulled so no reflection on glass. You shouldn't need the flash. Have fun

Here's the link: How to take aquarium photo's

 

[Go_fish]

Well, I am pleased to announce the tank is now built!! After a 7 hour marathon, starting at 5pm yesterday, the filters have been done, gravel out, crushed coral sand / sand mix in, airstone in, ocean rock in - yay!! Also cleaned the inside of all the Eheim tubing, spray bars etc with a pipe cleaner - so all looking spick and span.

Will take some photos tonight and post them up for your comments

 

[Cheffi]

Well, I am pleased to announce the tank is now built!! After a 7 hour marathon, starting at 5pm yesterday, the filters have been done, gravel out, crushed coral sand / sand mix in, airstone in, ocean rock in - yay!! Also cleaned the inside of all the Eheim tubing, spray bars etc with a pipe cleaner - so all looking spick and span.

Will take some photos tonight and post them up for your comments

Great look forward to seeing them