3 Attachment(s)
3 part Aquarium renovation
part 1 -- Explanation
Part 2 -- Fish room
part 3 -- Ingredients
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Part 1 --> Explanation
I am doing a multi hundred dollar upgrade to my fish tank.
I have kept fish continuously since 1969 and my equipment has changed many times. Sometimes I had a dozen tanks, but since I moved here, just the one. I have 4 fish that are about a hundred years old, thinking about adding some Discus this Fall.
The tank is 150 gallons, and I have had it since 1986. I built the stand out of cheap 2X4s housing studs with just a hack saw and a $10 drill as I had no time for things that needed tools back then (so I had none). I see no reason to upgrade the tank or the stand as both remain sturdy.
http://yardcraphome.com/attachment.p...tid=3156&stc=1
http://yardcraphome.com/attachment.p...tid=3157&stc=1
For my new home (since 2001) I drew in a fish room which is a narrow room with a work sink. The tank sits on the other side of the wall in the big room near the TV. I watch/enjoy it a lot.
In 2001 I built a filter out of a large plastic tub I filled with plastic media and some glass balls which were the top of the line then. I fed clean water from small canister filters into the tub which then drained into the tank through the wall. I did not touched that tub since 2001, just cleaned the canister filters that fed it.
I have accumulated equipment for a major change over the last weeks.
For the fist time in 13 years, took the tub away, tossed it and the contents. It looked OK in there, but WTF?
I drained and cleaned the tank with bleach for the first time in 13 years. It took about 7 hours to refill the tank as I ran all the water slowly through an ion filter. This is the same filter I use to filter water to make beer.
http://yardcraphome.com/attachment.p...tid=3158&stc=1
"API Tap Water Filter effectively removes impurities and dissolved solids from tap water. It removes sediments, chlorine, chloramines, heavy metals, organic chemicals, and inorganic ions from tap water - creating contaminant-free deionized water for reef, saltwater, freshwater, and planted aquariums."
I use no gravel as I think that is just a place for bad things to hide. If you must have a bottom, use sand.
My tank is always clean. I do partial water changes when the mood hits me. The clean bottom allows the filters to work more efficiently.