ScapingScotsman
Member
Hello all.
This is my first attempt at creating a journal on here. I've been lurking around the forum for a while now and took the plunge into bankrupting myself and becoming an addict of the hobby. I'll no doubt make many errors along the way but it's all a learning curve. I've had small shrimp based planted tanks over the last two years and wanted to do BIG on one.
I suppose the advantage of a big set up too is any nutrient issues or water issues are much more manageable in the sense of plenty of room to rectify with out sudden issues.
The title pretty much gives away the set up itself. Having taken a liking to the few sumped set ups I've seen floating around. I really wanted to give this a go myself.
I bought this set up last year, but when covid hit. I head to dedicate most of my time to making hand gels and what not for the NHS and police services so it got put on the back burner.
Set up so far.
Aqurium systems L'aqaurium 720 150x55x52 LHW plus sump and glass cabinet.
Main tanks is 500l ish
Sump 200l
Return pump is there DC5000 pump so 10 times turn over.
I like the fact it's programmable. So feeding time, night time flow rate etc can me much calmer.
I've opted to give both Alfagrog and Seachem matrix a go as the main filter medium, along with the 3 x filter socks, and filter wool in between.
Heater - still to decide which ones to go for. Maybe two eheim or similar.
Lighting:
- aquarium systems series 6 led unit. This has a phenomenal amount of customisation on which I'm going to spend this weekend playing around with and confusing myself. This unit is one sexy bit of kit. Maybe a tad technical but a worthy investment.
Hardscape:
I've ordered 5 bags of ada amazonia 2 soil, along with some stunning manzanite wood pieces and Landscape stone from aquarium gardens which should arrive mid week next week latest, so I'll be giving the hard scape a shot.
Im using crushed lava rock as an initial layer towards the back of the aquarium. My idea behind it is it'll help with higher areas, and also good for both extra bacteria colonisation, and rooting media for bigger plants.
Co2:
As I have copious amounts of chemicals at my disposal, I'll be using a combination of my own liquid co2, and a large co2 set up by means of a large pub gas bottle that I'll hide away,
Co2 regulator I'm looking to get one from aquarium Gardens.
Running it 24/7 I think given sumps off gas alot of co2, and I'll have a go at making some kind of mechanism for completely dissolving the co2 bubbles.
Fertilisers:
Dry fert dosing straight into the sump. I have heaps of dry salts from what we use in some of the chemicals at my place so this should help keep my costs Down.
Fauna:
Bee shrimp.... Mainly shrimp, a few hundred eventually I think in this. Whikst I do love set ups with one species of fish, I plan to have a large family of shrimp in this that will keep on growing through the life of the set up and don't want them eaten up. I've seen some beautfil shrimp only scapes on here and they really come out of there shells (pardon the pun) when on there own.
Im gojng to give the seeded bacteria method ago with some of the aquarium systems stuff that was kindly indluded by swell UK when I bought this last year.
Foliage: haven't quite got this stage yet.
Thanks all for looking for now. I'll update with some photos as it progresses.
This is my first attempt at creating a journal on here. I've been lurking around the forum for a while now and took the plunge into bankrupting myself and becoming an addict of the hobby. I'll no doubt make many errors along the way but it's all a learning curve. I've had small shrimp based planted tanks over the last two years and wanted to do BIG on one.
I suppose the advantage of a big set up too is any nutrient issues or water issues are much more manageable in the sense of plenty of room to rectify with out sudden issues.
The title pretty much gives away the set up itself. Having taken a liking to the few sumped set ups I've seen floating around. I really wanted to give this a go myself.
I bought this set up last year, but when covid hit. I head to dedicate most of my time to making hand gels and what not for the NHS and police services so it got put on the back burner.
Set up so far.
Aqurium systems L'aqaurium 720 150x55x52 LHW plus sump and glass cabinet.
Main tanks is 500l ish
Sump 200l
Return pump is there DC5000 pump so 10 times turn over.
I like the fact it's programmable. So feeding time, night time flow rate etc can me much calmer.
I've opted to give both Alfagrog and Seachem matrix a go as the main filter medium, along with the 3 x filter socks, and filter wool in between.
Heater - still to decide which ones to go for. Maybe two eheim or similar.
Lighting:
- aquarium systems series 6 led unit. This has a phenomenal amount of customisation on which I'm going to spend this weekend playing around with and confusing myself. This unit is one sexy bit of kit. Maybe a tad technical but a worthy investment.
Hardscape:
I've ordered 5 bags of ada amazonia 2 soil, along with some stunning manzanite wood pieces and Landscape stone from aquarium gardens which should arrive mid week next week latest, so I'll be giving the hard scape a shot.
Im using crushed lava rock as an initial layer towards the back of the aquarium. My idea behind it is it'll help with higher areas, and also good for both extra bacteria colonisation, and rooting media for bigger plants.
Co2:
As I have copious amounts of chemicals at my disposal, I'll be using a combination of my own liquid co2, and a large co2 set up by means of a large pub gas bottle that I'll hide away,
Co2 regulator I'm looking to get one from aquarium Gardens.
Running it 24/7 I think given sumps off gas alot of co2, and I'll have a go at making some kind of mechanism for completely dissolving the co2 bubbles.
Fertilisers:
Dry fert dosing straight into the sump. I have heaps of dry salts from what we use in some of the chemicals at my place so this should help keep my costs Down.
Fauna:
Bee shrimp.... Mainly shrimp, a few hundred eventually I think in this. Whikst I do love set ups with one species of fish, I plan to have a large family of shrimp in this that will keep on growing through the life of the set up and don't want them eaten up. I've seen some beautfil shrimp only scapes on here and they really come out of there shells (pardon the pun) when on there own.
Im gojng to give the seeded bacteria method ago with some of the aquarium systems stuff that was kindly indluded by swell UK when I bought this last year.
Foliage: haven't quite got this stage yet.
Thanks all for looking for now. I'll update with some photos as it progresses.