DIY 2 level, 3 tank stand plans

[Enki]

Hey everybody. As you may have seen previously, I am in the planning stages for a new tank set up. I learned a lot from the 50 that is up and running now, through fresh experience and great advice here.

I have a little 'closet' space in the computer/fish room that is not being used well at all, and I think would be a great little nook to put in some tanks.

One of the biggest things I learned from the 50 is that the more planning the better. I have worked up some drawings as I plan and I am hoping I can get some feedback from those with more experience.

Here is a front view of the proposed setup:

The stand is essentially the garf.org plan, with the bottom shelf right on top of the bottom 2x4s. 30gal breeder on top for a colony of Lamprologus ocellatus. On the bottom a 25gal for fry grow out and 10gal hospital QT along with the canister filter for the 30.

This is top view of top shelf

30g breeder, 36"x18"x13". I want to set up plumbing so there will be almost no visible equipment in the tank. DIY overflow box in the back corner with the inflow pipe running down to the bottom glass and out through a port in the box and under the substrate. The blue circles represent outlets pointed up and sideways to create a slow whirlpool current and create surface agitation.

This is top view of bottom shelf

Sponge filters and bare bottoms for both of these tanks, as they are 'working' tanks.

That is the plan so far, I would greatly appreciate any feedback, positive or negative.

 

[BillyZ]

looks like very well thought out plans, I don't see any real issues...

my only thought, and this is an ignorant comment as I'm not familiar at all with the fish you'll be putting in there, but are you sure you want to have a swirling water current? Given that you've stated these will be breeding, QT and grow out tanks, I assume there will be little to no decorations in the tank? If so, I think I would be worried about that swirling water building up too much momentum and causing the fish to become exhausted just trying to get around in the tank.

again, i made a lot of assumptions and I'm quite ignorant on that species so take my comments as uninformed suggestions

 

[Enki]

I appreciate the comment! I am looking for problems, so I can address them in the planning stages.

I'm thinking a SLOW swirl would be a good way to keep water moving thru the whole tank and push surface debris toward the overflow in the 30.

The 30 is for shell dwellers, so there will be a ~2.5" bed of pool filter sand with shells scattered around and a few rocks, but mostly open space in all the tanks. The fry I hope to be growing out will be Aulonocara 'Ngara' at first and hopefully some ocellatus later as well.

I was thinking of relatively small powerheads running sponges in the 25 and 10, 3 of the same device actually. That way I can have 2 running in the 25 all the time, and when I need to get the QT going, I can pop one of the established sponges in the QT and put the 'spare' sponge in the 25.