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Nicks 4x2x2

Nick16

Member
Joined
13 Aug 2008
Messages
1,759
Location
Surrey, UK
hi all, time to start my new journal for a new custom made 4x2x2 tank. It holds 450L of water :D The cabinet is home made and is going to have to take 1/2 a ton of weight. :!:
The journal is going to be a slow one as i still have a lot of work to do, before the tank is even ready to fill...

On with the basics

Aquarium: 48x24x24 standard tank from aquariums ltd.
Cabinet: Home made by my dad :D
Lighting: 4x54w Arcadia T5 Luminaire (only 2 will be used for the majority of the time, with a 4 tube mid-day burst)
Filtration: Tetratec EX1200 x2
Heating: 2x Hydor ETH 300w
Substrate:100kgs of Eco complete and osmocote for the NPK
Carbon Source: Via 2kg FE, into an external diffuser linked to one of the Ex1200's
Additives: TPN+
Hardscape: Redmoor root
Plants: (TBC) Eleocharis acicularis, blyxa japonica, Pogostemon Stellata (Eusteralis). (perhaps the odd lily bulb or aponogeton)
Fish/Inverts: a community set up. Keyholes, gold barbs, harlequins, SAE's, Rainbows

some images to aid your reading :lol:

The tank (obviously the cainet needs finishing and painting, and ignore the random things like manky blanket!)
The conservatory is still being built so i have no leccy atm :lol:
IMGP5986.jpg


IMGP6000.jpg


IMGP6003.jpg


with the cabinet being about 85cm tall and 60cm for the tank, there is no way i can get my hands to the bottom comfortably (plus im only 17), so i will need a step stool :lol:

My stash of FE's ready and waiting (got 5 of 'em for about £30)
IMGP6022.jpg


now onto my plans for the scape, i want this to be largely a scape without hardscape so very plant based so im planning a three blyxa mounds in a sea of hairgrass scape. (sounds like a food dish :lol: ) There will be a thin layer of stems at the back.

Note: was thinking of adding crypts but i havent yet and i might see how the scape turns out first before find tuning. Also the redmoor i think will be placed behind the largest blyxa island but reaching over or through etc. (i have little notes like 'hardscape?' to remind myself :lol: )
Plantplan.jpg


For now, i hope thats all.

as usual, any questions/queries please fire away.
 
WOW! im glad you finaly started this journal after you telling me about this and reading about you mentioning it :thumbup:
good luck with it all and one to watch for me... :D
 
so you think all four bulbs on most of the time?
i cant get another luminaire really as it will be a waste of ££, (have spent enough already on this :lol: )

4 bulbs = 216W
over roughly a 110 US gallon tank (thats including substrate, plants etc all taking up water space)

so near enough 2WPG, but the tank is deep....
 
i think your lighting is fine, i work it out at about 100 gallons with 216watts it a little over 2wpg. and 2wpg of t5 is a good standard and IMO capable, however it is quite deep o_O
do you have reflectors?
 
im working with US gallons as i was always told this was what the rule was based on, im sure others use US gallons.

well the reflectors are built into the luminaire i believe.
 
right an update for you guys. i have been busy priming the MDF, then priming the whole cabinet and then putting the first layer of paint on.
note: i have removed the top of the cabinet and its upside down, back to front sitting slanty on the top where it is drying.. (so any unpainted wood you see will not be seen when its fixed down)

also note there are no door handles as these have been temporarily removed.
plus its sitting on MDF at the front so i can paint some of the legs. - i havent finished painting yet but heres what i have done so far.

oh and the light isnt great for the photo's - its dark so i have used a small halogen light. :lol:

IMGP6151.jpg


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as usual lemme know what'ya think.
 
the tank and cabinet are now ready for me to add the final touches such as a black background etc.
i have filled the tank to check for leaks etc and so far so good!

IMGP6184-1.jpg


IMGP6185.jpg


ignore the tape on the luminaire and tank, it was for my measurements. :oops:
i personally hate seeing the waterline at the top of the water, so i have left the black gaffa tape on for now. i can always remove it at a later date.

one for the sense of depth.
IMGP6192-1.jpg


hope your as chuffed as i am. :lol:

i havent 'fiddled' with the pictures or bothered to remove the cables as there is no scape yet.
 
thats looking fantastic :clap: .i'd be well chuffed with that myself.when you bringing it over :lol: .
come on then,get some hardscape in there ;) .
 
im *hoping* to get some of the plants ordered tonight. with any luck. ive been bombarding the planted box guys with questions (thanks alot guys).

i have about 100kg of eco complete ready to go in there.
surprisingly enough, the tank is going to be almost without hardscape. 1 or 2 single pieces of redmoor and thats it. im planning for the plants to do the rest.
 
Nice setup. That is the same shape as the "120-gallon" that we have here. You will have lots of room for scaping and growing nice specimen plants.
 
it is a 120 US gal. :D

i dont want to do the water changes though. that god for eheim pumps! and 200 litre water butts!
 
JamesM said:
Check your PM bud - loving the tank and cabinet :thumbup:

:lol: thats the huge hole where all the plants are going to go. i really dont fancy splitting and planting 15 pots of acicularis ! :lol:
 
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