Getting together ideas on new 6ft :D

[Minniechild]

I've been going on about it for YONKS, and now there is a plan for reinforcing my chests of drawers (not that I know exactly what it is, but at this point I just want it done ), which means I can start planning for my new 6 ft tank . Not sure yet if it'll be a 45 wide or 2 ft by 2ft (Which is what I want), as will have to see how wide we can make its base. Fortunately, it doesn't change the rest of it

Soo I'm about to go and flip the second pond over so it can start to fill with water, and my indoor axies can start moving outdoors for the duration of the swap-over (hopefully I'll be able to get it done within a two to three week period). By the end of the build, there will hopefully be ten very happy little lotls in the tank, half my Red Cherry Population (So that if the ones who go in all get eaten, there's a backup load, and some guppies for axie entertainment

My plan so far is based quite heavily on MereB's AMAZING tank build: http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...ate/76744-new-huge-tank-build-stay-tuned.html , though I've gathered a few additional ideas

Filtration (from the tank base up):
Home made under gravel filter running on a 2-bore aquaone air pump (Think towel rack layout)
Layer of polyester wadding
outlet for canister filter (running through a lattice with the same design as UGF (But offset so it sits in between each bar of the undergravel) so they can be swapped to clean the filtration system on a regular basis)
1cm thick mesh bags of pea gravel
Organic soil mix (Saw the walstad tank poll, looked worth a try ) with 3 serves of blackworms for good soil health
Cap Layer of sand (Not sure yet if I can afford to go to black sand which would be AWESOME!!!)
inlet for the canister filter
Hill-thing built with more mesh bags and big stones, with heaps of plants threaded through the mesh to stop my axies going on a plant-razing path of destruction


Some things I'd like help with are:
1. Any points you can see that wouldn't work?
2. What thickness works best for UGF piping?
3. Any thoughts on what to look for in a soil? (Bearing in mind my budget is next to nothing- fortunately I'll be mostly relying on stuff I already have from my 4 ft )
4. Any thoughts for cracking massive pebbles (20cm-30cm each)?

So far, as I'm reusing a HEAP of stuff from my current tank and craft bags, I'm thinking/hoping the setup (excluding the tank) should be around the $50-$100 mark, as that is my post-tank budget
And yes, I most certainly shall be posting pictures :grin:

 

[Jenste]

drooling in anticipation and green with envy!!!

I would love another tank as my 4 foot is full and the local LFS had an adult female albino turned over and I want her....I have 3 wildtypes, 3 leuc and 1 golden albino and always wanted an albino but I have no room for her at the inn sadly. And I have a rule, first come, first stay. But she is a gorgeous chubby thing.

 

[Minniechild]

Oh I can understand that! Bertie was like that for me (my dark melanoid lady)- although it was the pissy goldfish who'd freaked out at the spike in temp and had her yelping "HELP!!!" that got me (All the other axies had been bought, and Craig (Who I got my first six axies off) was starting to pack up so she went in with the fish whilst the port-a-pond was emptied). Also one of my larvae has caught my eye and heart-(he's a really bright gold), and so is staying in addition to the melanoid albino I've got my heart on So tanks officially not going to be gaining any more occupants once they've moved in .

 

[Jenste]

Esp since I just adopted a few goldies who my coworker decided she had to get rid of... I am cycling extra filters for the tank now to up the filtration capacity while I have them in quarantine. I would love to have a large tank like you or an out door pond (I keep begging for one)

but my hubby is very anti aquatics, so the fact that I have as much as I have....well I know what to be grateful for and when to pick my battles! For a man who never even had a betta/goldfish bowl growing up....having a 72 bow, 36 bow, and 4 ten gallons currently set up with four 30 gallon bins on standby that I use for raising ACF/Axolotl juvies....he is very giving!!!!

 

[Minniechild]

Guess who now officially owns a 6x2x2 ft tank Not picking it up for two weeks (My uncle's big-backed Subaru is off the road, and there is NO WAY I'm trusting it in the back of our trailer), so got time to get the reinforcement done on my chest of drawers- Dad's decided that marine strength wood is the way to go.
Still, moved all my axies into the larger pond today- all present and accounted for and in excellent condition (if decidedly not impressed at the disruption to their day), so ready for the next few weeks of Camping.

 

[Jenste]

so jealous!!!!! I might also be upgrading - 6 feet sounds like the perfect size lol

 

[MandiceP]

I just got a 4ft tank last night (upgrading from a ten gallon) So I feel your excitement. my biggest thing right now is deciding how to decorate it. I can't wait to see pics of your new tank set up!

 

[Bdyoung]

I would ditch the UGF they're outdated. You'd be fine with just a cannister, but if you're looking for some more bio filter (which is why I'm assuming you want the UGF) you'd be better off with just a normal sponge filter.

 

[Minniechild]

Been doing my research, BD, and while I do agree that by itself, a UGF is probably not the best filtration system, what I'm trying to get it to do is draw down the waste products from the axies into the soil layer, where the blackworms and microbes can use it more efficiently than if there wasn't an active draw on it. That way there should be no pooper scoopering for me (I suck at it big time, ergo overcomplicated filtration systems...), more plants for axies to play in and more stable water levels than if I'd just chosen one method over the other.

Also, new question: How does one properly (and to it best efficiency) use a corner weir? The new tank has one built in, (No bottom outlet to a sump- pretty much a glass box in the corner) so I'd love some pointers

 

[Wildebeestking]

Just looked through the thread that inspired this. I cant wait to see the first pics of this. I'm planning on converting my empty 45 gallon into a habitat for an axolotl myself. Probably going to steal some ideas from this.

 

[Minniechild]

Why thank you!
Quick update:
The 4ft is out, and ready to be picked up by its new owner *yay!*, additionally got the polyester wadding, the mesh (not the stretchy stuff, but a nylon 180cm across fabric at $3/metre) for the gravel bags and the piping for the canister inlet (Which I'm putting below the gravel layer- not sure if under the UGF will work-any thoughts?)
In other news, talked to my local Bunnings' resident cabinet maker, and he's suggested that I should move to a Dexion (super reinforced steel) frame rather than wood (No matter how much I get, it's going to fold like a sapling in a cyclone), which I'm fine with (go gumtree!!)
Also considering starting up some guppies in the square outdoor pond (vs. the round one now housing all the 'lotls), so that there's enough of a population going when the tank's up and running that Izzy won't eat them all in one night...

 

[Minniechild]

So went to pick up the tank today....and it was too big (by 5-FIVE!!! Centimetres!!) to fit in the back of my uncle's massive station wagon...So attempting again next weekend with with my other uncle's commercial van
Also found out that it has an outlet hole/thingy in the bottom (more on that here:
http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...5739-best-way-use-corner-weir.html#post344472), so hoping for advice on how to best utilize it! I've attached some pics of the tank, along with the filter inlet plate.

...Which I should go into!
Thinking about trying to get the poop down to the worms, a basic ugf wasn't going to cut it, so using the inlet of the canister as the outer edge of the first layer, then running thin air line in the middle as a more conventional under gravel filter. This will then get some old bread crates over the top, followed by a layer of nylon mesh, (Tied around with cable ties) the gravel bags, the soil and then finally the play sand topper

Still, thought I should post the pics as I'm ridiculously excited about it

 

[vladimere]

Man i wish i had found this thread sooner.We have a 6 foot custom built as walkers dont need to much height in the tank, instead of having dead wasted space Thanks to our local tank builder(which is now one of our business partners in our little venture).We had a 6 foot by 3 foot wide by 30cm high built,cost us $235 to do makes feeding cleaning and all the yucky stuff easier and don't have to go massive filters for large amounts of water to filter.It stays alot cleaner easier to dig eggs out of,and so mch easier to move when its necessary.And alot easier on the chiller to with less water to chill

 

[Minniechild]

Niice!
Considering we've just had (another) change of plans (The tank arrived safely and with an added dose of Drama), as my Dad's/Dad under mum's coercion decided it's too big to put in my room (I hereby disclaim I did the measurements, it fits into the spot with 40cm to spare length -wise, and could be at least 20cm wider out into the room before it became unusable...). Now, it looks like it's going into the rumpus/play room, which kind of defeats the purpose as the entire idea was to get the tanks OUT of the rest of the house and consolidated down into the 6ft and a tank-tank for Trouble...Shouldn't complain, just have to hope Mum doesn't complain too much as I went into this with the right motives and plans, and it's not my fault that the solution I came up with and which would have worked exquisitely has been vetoed.
*End rant*

In other news, done my research into how to run a sump, not really sure I want to at this precise moment as the tank IS so big that the extra volume (at this point in time at least) isn't necessary, fortunately found some super dooper plugs which should do the job of keeping the weir sealed until such time that I decide to go to a marine setup (Not likely as I love my caudates waaay too much), and allow me to use the weir box as a shrimp/guppy hideaway. Also, it'll make sure that if I choose to move to a sump-setup before I pull down the tank, all i'll need to do is drain the weir box, run the pipes through (Will hopefully have an outlet port built into the stand) and sync the system up.

Next step: Build the blasted stand and get the darn thing IN!!!