karel.brits
Seedling
I've made my first scape about three years ago, in a 54 liter tank. Since that time we've moved to a bigger house.
Meanwhile the tank got overgrown with algae (it had no CO2, the internal filter didn't give enough flow, etc.) and the fish have recently died out as well.
I'm thinking now to invest in a bigger aquarium, around 100 cm or (by preference) 120 cm in length. There are some issues/challenges though that I need to tackle to get there.
First one is that my wife doesn't want a tank with a dedicated stand underneath, because we have no space to put that furniture in our house without having to remove other furniture. That's a no-go for her.
Instead she wants me to make use of the extended wooden shelve next to the mantle piece (see added pictures). It's a nice spot, but it has some direct sunlight in the evenings. It's not long exposed to that sunlight and it's not the brightest anymore of the day, bit could it have an impact on the growth of algae?
Next concern: is that shelve solid enough to carry the weight of a tank that has a content between 240 and 360 liter and weighs at least as much in kg (not even counting the weight of the glass, the possible rocks in the hardscape and soil)? Or does this shelve need extra reinforcements (vertical supports)? Is there a way to calculate this?
The shelve might not be entirely waterlevelled (didn't check it yet). Should I consider a rubber/foam carpet underneath the aquarium to level it out a bit more in case it's not water level? Or can I solve the issue in another way?
The long, vertical space at the right side underneath the shelve could be used for the technical equipment, I guess: external filter, CO2, ... I could make some extra shelves in there, maybe finish it off with a door to hide everything from plain sight. Power distributor could also be brought inside there.
My main issue here is that I might need to make a hole in the shelve to bring cables and hoses up to the aquarium in a way that they're hidden. If I ever quit the hobby, or in case we sell the house again later, can I still fix that hole in a way that it doesn't feel like a huge scar?
Any thoughts? Should I go for it, or should I pass and look for another solution? All useful ideas and recommendations are welcome. Maybe I've overlooked some things, since I'm relatively new to the hobby and didn't have a high tech aquarium yet. Could both be opportunities and threats. Anything that can help to give me some direction, is welcome. When I do this investment in a new aquarium and scape, I don't want to make a huge mistake that I might regret later on.
Thanks.
Verstuurd vanaf mijn ONEPLUS A3003 met Tapatalk
Meanwhile the tank got overgrown with algae (it had no CO2, the internal filter didn't give enough flow, etc.) and the fish have recently died out as well.
I'm thinking now to invest in a bigger aquarium, around 100 cm or (by preference) 120 cm in length. There are some issues/challenges though that I need to tackle to get there.
First one is that my wife doesn't want a tank with a dedicated stand underneath, because we have no space to put that furniture in our house without having to remove other furniture. That's a no-go for her.
Instead she wants me to make use of the extended wooden shelve next to the mantle piece (see added pictures). It's a nice spot, but it has some direct sunlight in the evenings. It's not long exposed to that sunlight and it's not the brightest anymore of the day, bit could it have an impact on the growth of algae?
Next concern: is that shelve solid enough to carry the weight of a tank that has a content between 240 and 360 liter and weighs at least as much in kg (not even counting the weight of the glass, the possible rocks in the hardscape and soil)? Or does this shelve need extra reinforcements (vertical supports)? Is there a way to calculate this?
The shelve might not be entirely waterlevelled (didn't check it yet). Should I consider a rubber/foam carpet underneath the aquarium to level it out a bit more in case it's not water level? Or can I solve the issue in another way?
The long, vertical space at the right side underneath the shelve could be used for the technical equipment, I guess: external filter, CO2, ... I could make some extra shelves in there, maybe finish it off with a door to hide everything from plain sight. Power distributor could also be brought inside there.
My main issue here is that I might need to make a hole in the shelve to bring cables and hoses up to the aquarium in a way that they're hidden. If I ever quit the hobby, or in case we sell the house again later, can I still fix that hole in a way that it doesn't feel like a huge scar?
Any thoughts? Should I go for it, or should I pass and look for another solution? All useful ideas and recommendations are welcome. Maybe I've overlooked some things, since I'm relatively new to the hobby and didn't have a high tech aquarium yet. Could both be opportunities and threats. Anything that can help to give me some direction, is welcome. When I do this investment in a new aquarium and scape, I don't want to make a huge mistake that I might regret later on.
Thanks.
Verstuurd vanaf mijn ONEPLUS A3003 met Tapatalk
