The slow 112G jungle tank build ...

[Harry Muscle]

Awesome! What types of plants are you going to have in the tank?


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It's going to be a low tech tank based on Tom Barr's non CO2 approach. So I'll be going for plants that do OK in that setup. My look will be jungle style.

I've been compiling a list of more unique and rare plants that would work, but I will have probably some common ones too. Here's the list so far:

Crypt Flamingo
Alternanthera reineckii 'Mini'
White anubia
Plagionium
Echinodorus reni
Vallisneria contortionist
Bucephalandra sp. Brownie Ghost
Lobelia cardinalis "small form"
Micranthemum umbrosum 'Monte Carlo'
Echinodorus tropica carpet
Red Java Fern
Aponogeton crispus 'Red'
Aeschynomene fluitans
Hygro Pinnatifida
Aponogeton longiplumulosus (purple flower)
Hygrophila pinnatifida
Anubias stardust
Anubias pinto
Lagenandra meeboldii 'pink'
Cryptocoryne albida 'Brown'
Echinodorus 'Red Chameleon'
Cryptocoryne nurii
Echinodorus 'Frans Stoffels'
Ranunculus Inundatus
Nymphaea stellata
Helanthium tenellum
Littorella uniflora

Obviously I won't have all of these but I'm hoping to get my hands on at least a few.

Thanks,
Harry

 

[Fishobsessed7]

Awesome!


Fishobsessed7

Money Can't Buy Happiness, But It Can Buy Fish Which Is Pretty Much The Same Thing

 

[Harry Muscle]

Not much happened lately other than electrical in and around the fish room in the basement.

I got a really good deal on eBay on a high end brand new hard wired surge protector and power filter (http://www.brickwall.com/collection...20-amp-oem-industrial-surge-protection-module). I'll be installing this on the circuit dedicated for the fish room and tank. I've read a few reports of people's Neptune Apex units frying cause of power surges so hopefully this will prevent that from ever happening.

That's all for now.

Thanks,
Harry

 

[Harry Muscle]

I've added some Crypt Green Gecko and Crypt Parva to my grow operation:

Very excited about the Green Gecko.

Also some Crypt Affinis, Crypt Wendtii Green and Brown:

Thanks,
Harry

 

[fishenthusiast]

I've added some Crypt Green Gecko and Crypt Parva to my grow operation:

Very excited about the Green Gecko.

Also some Crypt Affinis, Crypt Wendtii Green and Brown:

Thanks,
Harry

I'm looking forward to seeing how that Crypt parva does in your setup. I was thinking about getting some for my low light tank.


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[Harry Muscle]

Not much to report lately, however, I did expand my growing operation. Here's what I already had:

And here's the addition. I decided to use one of the lights that will eventually end up over the tank itself. It's an Ecoxotic E-120:

Thanks,
Harry

 

[Harry Muscle]

Things having moving along slowly. I did get some more plants to add to my collection though. Got them at the HDAS auction. Ten plus stems of Styrogene repens:

Some narrow leaf java fern:

Bolbitis fern:

And some Asian water grass:

Thanks,
Harry

 

[Harry Muscle]

Found some Micranthemum "Monte Carlo" locally so it's now part of my growing operation:

Also finally back to working in the basement to get things ready for the fish room. Lots of electrical work happening. Finally wired up the junction box that connects the circuits coming in from the garage circuit breaker to the wiring the basement:

Thanks,
Harry

 

[Harry Muscle]

The circuit for the fish room is finally done (until the drywall goes up and all the fixtures go in). This included the Transit Voltage Surge protection that I installed under the stairs:

This means that soon the plumbing for the fish room sink will start ... and then I'm hiring the rest of the work out cause this is taking forever .

Thanks,
Harry

 

[Harry Muscle]

Finally started working on the plumbing in the basement. Here's a quick shot of the drain and vent setup that will be used for draining water from the sump during automatic water changes. Also at the top is the water supply box that will supply water for water changes ... it just hasn't been connected yet.

Thanks,
Harry

 

[Harry Muscle]

Plumbing is all done, yay. Here's the finished water change supply and drain/vent setup:

And here's the supply and drain rough-in for the fish room sink:

Next is some insulation and vapor barrier work and the rest is being hired out. This project should soon start looking like an aquarium project again

Thanks,
Harry

 

[Fishobsessed7]

Looking good!


Fishobsessed7

Money Can't Buy Happiness, But It Can Buy Fish Which Is Pretty Much The Same Thing

 

[Delapool]

Wow - huge detail there. Looking forward to seeing the rest.

 

[Harry Muscle]

After way to much time dealing with "life", I'm finally back at work on the tank. Today I spent some time extending the drain pipe to where it will eventually exit the drywall in the fish room.

Here's the drain pipe and return pipe that runs from the living room:

The pipe and elbows I'll be using:

I had to do a couple test fits to get the length just right. It's a very tight fit between the concrete wall and the studs supporting the stairs:

Gluing this in was a bit hard cause of the tight space but things worked out:

Here's the other end, currently supported by tape:

Tomorrow or Monday I'll be putting in this bracket to properly support this end:

Thanks,
Harry

 

[Delapool]

Wow - amazing to see the progress.

 

[Harry Muscle]

I finished attaching the pipe where it will exit the drywall in the fish room. Next I'm hoping to insulate it a bit to help with heat preservation. After that I'm gonna start working on the tank plumbing (drain, overflow, return, loc-line, etc).

Thanks,
Harry

 

[Harry Muscle]

I'm getting things ready for installing the Glass Holes overflow box and the return lines. One thing that Glass Holes recommends is using a gasket between the box and glass. However the gasket is round which makes keeping the box perpendicular to the glass a bit more difficult so I got the "local gasket shop" to cut one for me that fits the back of the overflow box perfectly.

It's made of EPDM rubber, like most bulkhead gaskets, and it has a standard 60A hardness.

I also put together the Loc Line return fittings today. Soaked one end in hot water and the other in cold water to ease with the assembly.

I also prepared the bulkheads for assembly by cleaning them up with some 400 grit sandpaper to make sure all the sealing surfaces are nice and smooth.

Thanks,
Harry

 

[Delapool]

Nifty (taking notes!). So how much to go do you think?

 

[Harry Muscle]

Nifty (taking notes!). So how much to go do you think?

It always seems like there's more

Harry

 

[Harry Muscle]

I wanted to start playing around with the aquascaping so I set myself up with a bit of a work area and pulled out all the wood and stones I have available.

Here are a couple driftwood arrangements that I tried out. I'd love some feedback.

Same layout, different angle. I also circled two branches that didn't seem to "go with the flow" of the rest of the wood. I'm thinking of cutting then of, depending on the feedback I get.

Here's a better shot of the piece of wood with those "offending" branches.

Here's another layout I tried, again highlighted the branches I'm thinking of removing.

And here's the same layout from a different angle.

Please feel free to let me know what you think.

Thanks,
Harry