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"Out Of Sight" - Cat litter/Osmocote temp tank

Kosh42-EFG

Member
Joined
10 Jul 2007
Messages
201
Well, as soon as my window's are done the living room will be redecorated, which also means new tank time!

So in the lead up to then I've taken the opportunity to set up a small, temporary tank in the front shed of my house. This will be the home for my live stock during the transfer, and I'm also using it as a chance to experiment with cat litter and Osmocote, as it's new to me. This is my current, heavily overgrown tank:
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Bought a cheap Clearseal tank to go on an old stand I had from my reef set-up. Fill test:
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This is the first time in my life I've ever taken a lovely, clean tank, then squeezed a ton of filter gunk all over it before putting stuff in it. When I was a kid, I used to clean my gravel vigerously with a gravel syphon! How times change:
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Spread a small amount of Osmocote over the base of the tank in with the filter gunk:
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The washed and ready to go cat litter. No matter what the susbstrate, washing it is always a time consuming and pain in the backside process. Washed it for about 15 minutes to get the small particles out and get rid of the scent.
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Ready for the fill. The equipment along the back are sensors for the auto top-up, a pH probe and a temperature probe.
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The water for the fill goes through the first two stages of my old RO filter. This is just a fine filter to remove particles, then a solid carbon block to remove chlorine and nasties:
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This was the point I realised I only had three foot tubes, but I need two foot tubes to light it.
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Readings on the computer just after fill:
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That's all for now. Just leaving it to run over night and heat up. Have also now ordered some two foot T5 bulbs!

Thanks for looking.
 
looks interesting, Will be interesting to see it when it is all settled and set up properly! :D One really useful way to fill up your tank without making the water too cloudy, is to get a load of scrunched up news paper, and place it over the substrate, then put a plate on the paper, and pour the water onto the plate, then carefully remove the paper and the plate, and it should be pretty clear! I know it is a bit late now, but that should help for next time. Good luck!
 
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Did a 50% water change today, although it had all settled out. Just in case.

Am concerned by the pH swing water changes bring about. It's a shade over 7 from the tap, but after a day in the tank reads over 8. Not sure if it's something in the cat litter, or just the CO2 in the water from the tap suppressing pH, then the pH rising when the CO2 reaches equilibrium. May do a test with the water in an inert container.
 
Right, new bulks arrived so it was time to cobble together a lighting rig for the tank. I got a 24W Growlux and 24W Phillips 880 from Lamp Specs.

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Not pretty but does the job. Slightly worried it may be too much on the tank (30 x 12 x 15) but I already had the starter and lamp leads, so it kind of made my decision for me. Currently only on a short six hour cycle.

This shot shows the setting of the tank. This is why it's called "Out Of Sight" ;)

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Also threw in some plants, the space at the front is for some that I have on order at the moment. The Indian Fern was from ghostsword a long while back, Micrantenum Micraithemoides from Piece-of-fish earlier this week (this is less than half the portion I was sent).

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Also did a 30% water change after mixing the substrate. The water is maintained at 24 degrees by the Aquacontroller, and the pH seems to settle at 8.2 once the CO2 from the mains water gasses off.

The cat litter is an odd substrate. Its quite light but easy to plant into. However, it's also quite easy to knock plant out when you're planting near them. But oddly, I haven't had any come loose since planting them last night when I would normally expect to have one or two at least.

I also love the way it looks...

Thanks for looking!
 
Didn't know carbon removed chlorine, my lesson for the day :)
 
Cat litter seems to have settled down a bit, I am now only having trouble with the plants with smaller root systems floating off should you happen to brush past them.

I'm thinking of testing to see what the levels are like, but then another part of me says why not let it bed in more and the root systems establish. Last thing I want is it all floating when the Bristle noses have been tugging at the leaves.

Also now have all of the plants, so a couple of quick shot. And remember this tank is for utility and experimentation, not beauty.

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How did it turn out? I'm in the process of washing some cat litter and wondering if I should add osmocote?
 
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