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80L 24Lx14hx15w my soothe distraction

R

Radik

Member
Joined
26 Oct 2010
Messages
588
Location
London
Over 80 posts and no tank photo what a shame. No introductions before I just appeared from nowhere so to make it right I am going to post something today.

Brief history. I had tank from age 5 to 17, first 60L then 180L, managed to breed Neons at 15 by collecting soft water from mountains near where I lived. Terms like fertilization or good bacteria etc were unknown that time to me. Then I got puberty strike and hobby was out of interest.
Almost 3 years ago I successfully penetrated UK borders carrying my job from home country to the UK (no job stealing :lol: ) to improve English and for taste of different culture.
Last year I accidentally run in to few aqua shops and got my memories back so I bought 10g tank and started over again. 10g was used more as testing tank than anything else, trying to grow loads of plants and galaxy Danios rediscovering forgotten hobby.
Then suddenly 10g became too small and 2 weeks ago I bough my 1st Optiwhite for 44 pounds and here my journal begins.

Tank: 80L Optiwhite from rak-aqua for 44,- Very clean finish.
Filtration: JBL e900
Heating: Hydor Eth200
Lights: TMC GroBeam 500 Twin + Power controller (very cool, can't stop looking)
Substrate: Seachem black Sand 2bags + some scoops from 3rd
Decor: 12kg Dragon stones (some more than half used only) and Redmoor
Co2: 600g Disposable bottles DIY

Flora:
1 pot, Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides (maritima)
1 pot, Hydrocotyle verticillata
2 pots, Lilaeopsis mauritiana
3 pots, Utricularia graminifolia
1 pot, Staurogyne repens
Blyxa Japonica, few bunches from fellow member
Rotala Indica, Juncus Repens and Java Fern from 1st tank just few cuttings

Fauna:
None yet. Undecided but planning few ottos, pair of styphodon gobbies and shrimps. As main fish maybe I move Danios but I would like some tetras maybe rummy nose but they are quite big or dwarf pencilfish, can't decide yet. I would maybe aim for larger quantity of tiny fish.

Photos:
Here we go empty tank ready to get filled.
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Some detail on GroBeams. Expensive but worth. Planned on DIY but I would not save much and I was after controller and dimming features.
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1st layer just Seachem sand and Osmocotte. This was pain to wash and then dry out for easy handling but worth it. Sand looks awesome, I was looking for cheaper normal sand but could not find anything normal. The one from AE is just too fine. Slates are used in background to lift up and save sand.
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I had many ideas, always wanted root in between stones it took me ages to find right wood and stones was sort of jackpot what you get. Originally I planned mini landscape rocks but they change water a lot.
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1st water fill on Sunday 6th Feb
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3rd day cleaned up nicely but some tannins present from wood. Right wood needs to be weighted down for some time with stone on top.
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Left to tank is my office table. As I work from home all I have to do is turn head right and enjoy, calm dawn and relax.
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Thanks and thanks .. I am sure I would eyeball after bigger but no space at the moment, I would need new home for that. :(
 
Welcome back to the hobby, looks like u have a nice set up there. Tank look really clean and I'm sure once plants grow would look great.
 
JenCliBee said:
Looking really nice rad :)
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Thanks

Mrmikey said:
Welcome back to the hobby, looks like u have a nice set up there. Tank look really clean and I'm sure once plants grow would look great.
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Thanks, yes goal is to have a lot of plants but not too much, lot of hiding places but again not too much so I can find all little creatures and observe them.
ghostsword said:
Nice looking light setup. What sort of rack is that, that you got the light holding from? I really like it. Did you buy it on the UK, or had it made?

Thanks.
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Thanks, you can not imagine how desperate I was to get something like that. I was thinking of making DIY assembly from square aluminum tubes then I suddenly found this. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWNX:IT
It is made in china and comes with suspension wires, easy to set up and easy to position. You can slide it back and forth as main support is not screwed to the glass. To hold LED's together I used aluminum cover strip from Homebase and cut it to size.
 
Great find on that suspension kit! I have 4x Growbeams to suspend over my new 210litre tank and was considering a custom made hood! this is just what i wanted!

how exactly did you Get the beams to connect or did you buy some of the MMS kit from TMC?

Johno.
 
Johno2090 said:
Great find on that suspension kit! I have 4x Growbeams to suspend over my new 210litre tank and was considering a custom made hood! this is just what i wanted!

how exactly did you Get the beams to connect or did you buy some of the MMS kit from TMC?

Johno.
Click to expand...

No MMS Kit required. Those Twin LED stripes are supplied with 2 plastic holders and you just slide them on to LED stripes. You can secure 3x grobeam 500 or 1x grobeam 1000 this way. Plastic holders can be mounted under hood but if no hood you have to secure them on something like I did on piece of aluminum stripe or 2 stripes if more LED's for stability.
 
Thanks for the reply might have to see if i can get two more of those plastic holder things then since the other twin im using is and old 500 and wasn't supplied with one.. Either way ive ordered the 1m suspension kit off ebay :)
 
Tourney said:
Looks great, i love the light suspension kit. Could you tell me the maximum thickness that the side brackets will fit onto please?
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I measured 2cm thickness max.

flygja said:
I am loving that light setup!
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;)

Johno2090 said:
Thanks for the reply might have to see if i can get two more of those plastic holder things then since the other twin im using is and old 500 and wasn't supplied with one.. Either way ive ordered the 1m suspension kit off ebay :)
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I think they may have them as spares for cheap. Good luck.
 
The suspension kit is truly magnificent. I will order one now.

I am also looking at the TMC tile leds, as they have a long warranty and run cheaper than T5's. Just trying to justify the almost £300 to spend on it. :)

Thanks for links, and congrats on the amazing tank.
 
Ghostword, they are well worth it! Ive been using LED's for about a year and a half now and they are awesome! you wont go bacK!
 
Thanks Luis

I can assure you I spent 217 only for 2 stripes and power control unit. Without power control which is just little perk you can get them for around 138 ;) Just google it. I was also strongly thinking about doing them DIY but I wanted power control badly. And build cost would be around 90-100 euro with delivery for same amount of LED's, then add issues as how to mount them etc and it was not worth DIY. Mounting DIY under hood would be easy though. Now I have spare 1 power supply from Twin box and can do DIY for 10g tank for around 30 pounds build cost.

By they way 2 stripes seems to be enough, I can not measure PAR but I see pearling in right left cornet of the tank, water current is strong elsewhere to see anything. In case I can still add one more Stripe in the middle of the fixture or do some DIY job.
 
Thanks Radik, I will search them on google.

I was looking at the led tiles that George is using, they seem to be brighter than the tubes.

I got led tubes, with a controller the FX500's, but I am looking for another set, something diferent.
 
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