Hi,
I have a new project in the pipeline and I’d welcome some feedback on what I’m planning before I get started. There’s no particular reason for the project, other than I caught newtankitis. My aim is to get somewhere close to the self-sustaining minimal input type thing (plus water changes!) with lots of random critters living in the tank – Asellus, worms, etc etc. It will be quite lightly stocked with something TBC depending on how the tank’s water conditions end up.
I’ve bought a TMC 90x45x45 marine set up off Ebay which I’m going to run “low tech” planted. I hesitate to say “low tech” given the amount of gubbins involved. The tank is plumbed and will run a sump (I’m aware of the potential risks with the design of this tank’s overflow system). The tank will hold 170 litres ish with water at the overflow level; the sump will probably hold another 50ltrs ish.
Water will drain into the sump through a filter sock then over a weir into the next chamber where there will be a mattenfilter with layers of foam descending from coarse to fine. That will feed the next chamber in which there will be complete floating plant cover, probably Pistia, and possibly if space allows some Riparian planting too. (The sump will be lit by on a reverse cycle to the display tank). Then in the final chamber there will be a load of alfagrog (some could perhaps go under the floaters too?). To increase oxygen/water agitation there will an air stone running too, or possibly very small power head for more circulation.
Water will then be pumped back to the display tank. Totally tank turnover I reckon will be quite low, maybe 3-5 times per hour and the flow in the display tank will also be low. I want to get a split outlet that I can direct both at the surface and in the middle of the tank. The tank comes with 2 x Koralias so I have the option to increase flow in the display tank if I want, but it’s not what I intend initially.
Temperature will be relatively low, around 19-20c. My water is very soft. I’ll add a little oyster shell grit in the sump.
Lighting is TBC. The tank comes with a TMC tile, but I’m not sure whether it’s a marine version. I’m not overly worried about lighting.
I don’t intend to dose ferts unless needed, duckweed index style.
Substrate is where I’m swithering – and possibly just messing about for the sake of it (and because I’ve already spent enough money).
Last spring I did this https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/metamorphosis.40205/ and the substrate was sediment from a local pond mixed with a bit of sand. Seemed to work, and brought lots of life with it. My temptation now is to try a soil substrate using soil (molehills!) from the area near the pond, this is mainly birch wood and the soil is a very fine sand loam with a lot of decaying leaf matter. I’ll collect some of this and soak it for a few weeks (several water changes), along with some more sediment. I’ll again add some sand, I want to try this uncapped in tank (it looks quite au naturale). It worked in the tank above, lovely clean water, but could equally be a disaster. I plan to experiment in a tiny tank I have to see how it settles and copes with water flow/disturbances. The high oxygenation I hope the sump will provide will hopefully ensure that the tank does not suffer low o2 levels due to substrate decomposition.
As for plants, it’ll probably be quite crypty (soft water ones if I can work out which they are!), and other “easy” plants.
Hard scape will be locally collected lake driftwood roots – I think one is willow, the other may be pine…
All thoughts welcome. My aim in posting is to avoid future disaster.
Thanks
I have a new project in the pipeline and I’d welcome some feedback on what I’m planning before I get started. There’s no particular reason for the project, other than I caught newtankitis. My aim is to get somewhere close to the self-sustaining minimal input type thing (plus water changes!) with lots of random critters living in the tank – Asellus, worms, etc etc. It will be quite lightly stocked with something TBC depending on how the tank’s water conditions end up.
I’ve bought a TMC 90x45x45 marine set up off Ebay which I’m going to run “low tech” planted. I hesitate to say “low tech” given the amount of gubbins involved. The tank is plumbed and will run a sump (I’m aware of the potential risks with the design of this tank’s overflow system). The tank will hold 170 litres ish with water at the overflow level; the sump will probably hold another 50ltrs ish.
Water will drain into the sump through a filter sock then over a weir into the next chamber where there will be a mattenfilter with layers of foam descending from coarse to fine. That will feed the next chamber in which there will be complete floating plant cover, probably Pistia, and possibly if space allows some Riparian planting too. (The sump will be lit by on a reverse cycle to the display tank). Then in the final chamber there will be a load of alfagrog (some could perhaps go under the floaters too?). To increase oxygen/water agitation there will an air stone running too, or possibly very small power head for more circulation.
Water will then be pumped back to the display tank. Totally tank turnover I reckon will be quite low, maybe 3-5 times per hour and the flow in the display tank will also be low. I want to get a split outlet that I can direct both at the surface and in the middle of the tank. The tank comes with 2 x Koralias so I have the option to increase flow in the display tank if I want, but it’s not what I intend initially.
Temperature will be relatively low, around 19-20c. My water is very soft. I’ll add a little oyster shell grit in the sump.
Lighting is TBC. The tank comes with a TMC tile, but I’m not sure whether it’s a marine version. I’m not overly worried about lighting.
I don’t intend to dose ferts unless needed, duckweed index style.
Substrate is where I’m swithering – and possibly just messing about for the sake of it (and because I’ve already spent enough money).
Last spring I did this https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/metamorphosis.40205/ and the substrate was sediment from a local pond mixed with a bit of sand. Seemed to work, and brought lots of life with it. My temptation now is to try a soil substrate using soil (molehills!) from the area near the pond, this is mainly birch wood and the soil is a very fine sand loam with a lot of decaying leaf matter. I’ll collect some of this and soak it for a few weeks (several water changes), along with some more sediment. I’ll again add some sand, I want to try this uncapped in tank (it looks quite au naturale). It worked in the tank above, lovely clean water, but could equally be a disaster. I plan to experiment in a tiny tank I have to see how it settles and copes with water flow/disturbances. The high oxygenation I hope the sump will provide will hopefully ensure that the tank does not suffer low o2 levels due to substrate decomposition.
As for plants, it’ll probably be quite crypty (soft water ones if I can work out which they are!), and other “easy” plants.
Hard scape will be locally collected lake driftwood roots – I think one is willow, the other may be pine…
All thoughts welcome. My aim in posting is to avoid future disaster.
Thanks
