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Rio 400 upgrade and refurb project

Mark D

Member
Joined
2 May 2015
Messages
47
So the time has most come to start the refurb and upgrade on the Rio 400.
4 years ago it looked like this:
2011-11-11%2018.01.26.jpg

However today it looks like this:
2015-05-23%2014.10.39.jpg

I had been considering a refurb and upgrade for some time, but recent equipment failures have moved things along (first a heater failed on and cooked everything but a single yo-yo loach. Then a seal started a slow leak on the 2nd canister filter).

A few minor things I have done already, like the seneye. However it will be a total empty out and start again with regards to most of whats in there.

I already have some new wood soaking and its pretty much waterlogged, I also have some java moss in my old shrimp tank growing ready.

I am looking at this in 3 phases:

For phase 1:
  • New heaters - 300W Hydor inline and 200W internal. The 300W Jewel one running now was my emergency standby, put in after recent failure of the superfish unit, the active led does not function so no good long term, and the fluval E300 has a tendency to display low flow even with a wavemaker pointed straight at it!
  • New back up filter, just a cheap internal one for now (see phase 3). The Aquamanta EFX1500U can handle the tank by itself, but I want something as a backup
  • New Substrate - Pea Single (for now) my current set up is play sand so I am used to dosing ferts based on minimal nutrient in the substrate
  • New Rock - Dragonstone
  • New Wood - Mix of finger root and mopani
  • New basic planting - Java fern, Anubius, cryptocorene etc to get things going
  • New Air stones/ornaments - Its not a pure planted tank, but a mix
Phase 2:
  • Pressurized CO2
  • New lighting system - I am finding the Jewel ballasts increasingly troublesome, with really wired quirks like needing to be manually plugged in to start then working off the timer plug, not working with reflectors fitted etc So time for something more reliable.
  • Increased planting and improved ferts routine (currently using easylife liquids including easy carbo, looking at alternatives including EI)
Phase 3:
  • Lifesupport upgrade - probably one of three ways I am looking at here, another Aquamanta EFX1500U or similar, a thermofilter (probably an Eheim one) or sump. This is further out, so very much open to ideas
  • Substrate Upgrade/Replacement - I do like gravel around airstones but looking into options better suited to plants for the rest of the tanks.
Most of phase 1 will be done on 4th June when I have arranged for an extra pair of hands. However as long as the kit arrives in time next weekend 30/31 May I will be draining the tank for a scratch repair session.

I will look to keep this updated with progress. Any ideas, tips, comments, questions or advise welcome.
 
Given that those inline H heaters tend to fail in a stuck ON position, I'd not run one with an additional heater, also consider using the 200W rather than the 300W (it should give you more leeway time) - there are some online "seminars" on running the Hydors using an external thermostat controller.
As you're thinking of upgrading to a thermal Eheim etc, I'd just use a decent intank heater in the meantime.

Adding CO2 can be done fairly economically (check out CO2Art) so I'd look at adding that sooner ... you can spend a lot on plants & then fighting algae/poor growth etc (when CO2 is usually the "answer")

Crypts tend to prefer an enriched substrate, so why not add a soil layer such as Tropica's Plant Growth Substrate (you can layer it just in the areas where you plan crypts) & top with a fine "gravel" - Tropica's YouTube channel has loads of examples & plant care etc.
If you're going to do a substrate "upgrade/replacement", I'd do this in the Phase 1, rather than breaking down the tank, moving fish/shrimps etc to do this in Phase 3
 
Thanks Alto, I will look into the plant growth substrate, can probably get something in time. I have ordered the other items for phase 1 already, but I did start looking into the external thermostat for the heaters, how reliable are they?

Phase 2 will come in pretty quickly, probably a few weeks after phase 1, just finalizing what kit to get for it. CO2Art kit with an FE is the way I am leaning.

Phase 3 will be 6months to a year later
 
So some things have been decided, the plant substrate has been ordered along with CO2 kit, 5KG FE and new lighting. While I read up more and work out the details of EI ferts I am going to go with TNC Complete in the mean time.

I have also found a local place (City Fire in South Croydon) that does FEs on an exchange basis, £15 plus vat for 2kg and £40 plus vat for 5kg
 
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