40gal.breeder project.

[Cichlid Kid]

I'm almost done with my 40b stand. This whole project is a species biotope for breeding panda corys. I currently am successfully breeding 6pair of gbr's in my home but never have bred any cory species so I'm looking for some insight from other members on my setup and or any ideas for finishing my canopy. I have an AC110 filter,sand substrate and a 4 light fixture with 23w daylight compact fluorescent lamps. I have plenty of java fern, hygrophila stricta, driftwood etc...
Anything i can improve on or may be missing?

 

[Cichlid Kid]

 

[emerald76]

Do one heavily planted side with some driftwood then on the other side a few scattered plants but lots of open space. Also, my cories like to hang out in areas with slightly dimmer light so see if you can make driftwood caves or tunnels and pack the plants REALLY tightly together

 

[vanimal]

Can you grow plants with the lights you have on there now??

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Those lights are awesome for low to medium lite plants, economical too. I was thinkin about doing diy yeast co2 also. It's 92w of daylight so they should be strong enough and of the right spectrum. They seem to work well on my 20gal longs and the 40gal tank is only a couple inches deeper.

 

[bud29]

do you mind if I ask how much that lighting cost?

 

[Cichlid Kid]

I bought the fixture at lowes for $18 and the 4pk of 23w daylight bulbs cost another $9. So with tax it was still under $30.

 

[bud29]

Wow. That's cheap. I'll have to look into that.

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Well. I started adding some stuff today. 2 pc. of dw and some java fern plantlets from my other aquariums. Still lookin for that perfect piece of dw to set it off. I wanna find one that makes the whole tank POP! Everytime i find what i think is a keeper it turns out being the wrong type of wood or starting to rot etc... So I'm still on the hunt. Sooner or later I'll find it

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Woops. Forgot to load the pics

 

[severum mama]

You did a really nice job with that. I wish I was good at building stuff. Are you going to make some kind of cover or canopy for the lights?

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Thanks Severum mama. Yes I'm eventually going to make a hinged canopy so the whole top lifts to give me access for feeding, pwc and filter maintenance. I'm trying to find some thin 1/4" plywood to use so its not to heavy.

 

[mikem691]

Very cool. I like it.

 

[severum mama]

Thanks Severum mama. Yes I'm eventually going to make a hinged canopy so the whole top lifts to give me access for feeding, pwc and filter maintenance. I'm trying to find some thin 1/4" plywood to use so its not to heavy.

I kinda figured, since the rest of it looks so "finished". Please be sure to post up some canopy pics when you get done! I think your design is really interesting and unique. I like the rest of it too. LOL