Dwarf Puffer tank build thread

[Deep Seven]

Heavily Planted Dwarf Puffer tank w/refuge build thread

I decided what I'm doing, now comes the doing part!

29 gallon display tank, with 15 gallon refugium.

DT will have dwarf puffers (DPs), otos, and any shrimp that can avoid being puffer food. It will be heavily planted, with an attempt made at a DP biotope. (Except for the otos, which are from south america. Not sure about shrimp atm)

Refugium will have snails (puffer food), plants snails like to eat, some CUC, and possibly breeder shrimp (if the puffers eat them too). I'm entertaining the idea of stocking the refugium with a betta and some tetras as well. The refugium will be on display.

To do list:

1) DIY CO2 system. Sugar water and yeast style, with a good disfuser.
2) Tank modification. I plan on adding structure to my display tank to add more features, like multi-level display, and a sizable low-light cavern area for plants that prefer more shade and hiding spot with room to move around (most hiding spots are cramped). It will be a stand alone structure, secured by the substrate and other aquascape features.
3) Lighting system. Most likely DIY unless I find exactly what I need for a great price.
4) Aquire needed equipment: pump and filter system, heaters, UPS (my area is prone to blackouts).

I will need to get test kits, fertilizer supplies, medications and anything else I might need in a timely manner. (200 miles from the closest LFS and during an emergency, it could be a week before I can visit it.)

Stuff to do: I'm starting on the CO2 system first, this weekend I'll buy the supplies to finish the CO2 system, and get what I need to build the tank mod structure and lighting system.

Things to know: I'll be researching and deciding what plants I want to use and how they will fit into the aquascaping. Will also need to learn more about the feeder snails and whats required to breed them.

The biggest monkey wrench in my plans: I'm still not sure where I can buy dwarf puffers in my area.


The reefers are trying to get me to go SW, but my mind is made up. Dwarf puffers here I come.

 

[Greenmaster]

I'm along for the ride even if you are abandoning us reefers

 

[Etunes]

followin.

 

[maxima423]

the betta would be awesome in the refugium, the problem is the betta might eat the shrimp ^_^, the tetras would do great

otos are suppose to be great with dp's ^_^ but like always, it depends on the puffer, are you only going to be having one puffer? if planted insanely, you can prob have 3-4

ill be following!!!

when i get a better job, ill prob make at least one SW tank, but i only like a few SW fish... the french angel because of specific reasons, clownfish ( not because of nemo ) and lion fish ^_^, only way ill make a SW is if i make a tank to accommodate them

 

[mom2reds]

following I love puffers and have though about putting them in my tank and some point after I get the plant thing down good, that seems to be taking me years...LOL.

Please post pics as you go.

 

[Stickleback]

Sounds interesting

I had a question typed out for you, but not wanting to sidetrack your thread DeepSeven, I will put it in a new thread...

 

[FishEggs]

any fish in the refugium will greatly reduce the shrimplets. snails dont need much to feed on. you can throw your plant trimmings into the fuge for them and they'll also eat the same fish flakes you feed to the fish.

reefers mess with your mind anyway so good call on that and they are still illegal in many places.

 

[TequariumLerro]

Puffers are seriously aggressive but very active if you like swimmers. I have easy access to puffers but thought they might disrupt the planted set up. Are they suitable for a planted aquarium?

 

[Deep Seven]

Puffers are seriously aggressive but very active if you like swimmers. I have easy access to puffers but thought they might disrupt the planted set up. Are they suitable for a planted aquarium?

Dwarf Puffers are carnivores. They don't eat plants, and they don't do much digging (from what I've read). DPs do like a "complicated" aquascape, they are intelligent fish and enjoy areas to explore and play in. As far as I know DPs are fine for planted tanks (as long as they don't eat any other animals you want in there) and planted tanks are great for dwarf puffers.

When I decided to do dwarf puffers I was looking for the best set-up for them, which after some research was a heavily planted tank IMHO. Some people claim dwarf puffers don't care if the plants are real or fake, as long as there are lots, but for myself, I decided that I think dwarf puffers would care, and would prefer live plants (as long as I keep good water quality, is that harder with a planted tank?)

 

[TequariumLerro]

Thanks for the info. Right now I have mainly small fish, so I am looking for something bigger. Puffers are a good size.

Water quality is easier to deal with in a non a heavily planted aquarium for me. If you know what you are doing though, it shouldn't make much of a difference. Excessive plant rotting, which is what I had using a dutch method, made the water a bit murky. I had this set-up with out using co2 and lack of sufficient lighting. I no longer attempt that type.

I want to do an Asian biotope since it is low tech. This is where I might house puffers. I am scoping some areas to get rocks and plants from.

 

[Jason7894561230]

Im here to

 

[Deep Seven]

Quick update.

I haven't made much physical progress, but I've been busy the last couple weeks researching substrate, supplies, etc., and I've also been designing and re-designing my aquascape plans trying to come up with something that looks cool, reflects my personality, and gives puffers a fun happy home. It seems the more I know, the more I realize I don't know. Sooner or later though I'll know everything. Dang, where'd that train come from?

Anyways...

I have 3 chores planned for this weekend:

1) Visit 3-4 aquarium stores looking for availability of supplies and plants for a puffer biotope
2) Pick up some DIY acrylic supplies for aquascaping, and possibly DIY overflow
3) Going on a treasure hunt looking for "driftwood*", and possibly rock
4) SHHHHH. I snuck in a fourth chore, try and find local CO2 supplies.

I'm going to visit some of the larger LFS and chain stores in the "big" city. See if I can find good substrate supplies, plant suppliers for the species I want, and most importantly, a dwarf puffer supplier.

I'm going to grab the glues and solvents and what-not needed and start praticing my acrylic work by building the structures I want for my aquascape. If that goes well I will design and make an overflow.

I've decided to try some local arbutus trees for my driftwood aquascaping. After spending some time researching, it seems this is a species of manzanita tree that grows in my area (manzanita is a popular aquarium wood). After a lot of reading, it seems the people in "my area" have used this tree to great success and I haven't found anyone saying otherwise. (Except for the negative Nellies saying "I don't know, it must be bad") I will be treating this wood to the boiling, baking, drying techniques suggested for treating future aquarium wood.

This project is going slower then I had originally anticipated, but I'm taking the time to try and research all the potential problems and difficulties so that when it is built, it's done right.

 

[Tabbykat9698]

Can't wait for pics! Anyway I have DP's they are sooo awesome!! It took my LFS about 2 months to get them in though. They had them on their order list but the distributor was slow about sending them.

 

[Deep Seven]

Well, my weekend some somewhat successful. I visited a couple LFS's, got a list of available plants for my biotope so I can start getting serious with aquascape design, found two stores that said they could get dwarf puffers, and one said he had an order for dwarf puffers coming in next week. I missed the acrylic and CO2 supplies, the store was closed by the time I got there.

My driftwood hunt was somewhat successful in that I think Arbutus will work, but I don't think I got any pieces I'm going to use, the really good stuff I couldn't carry to my car. I found another area that looks real promising to get some good pieces, so I'll do a serious hunt soon, hopefully after a good storm rolls through and knocks some fresh branches down.

And, due to popular demand, here's a few pics:

Here are my tanks, with the wood I collected. DVD added for scale.

Close up of the main tank, I just cleaned it out so it's still wet.

With flash off to avoid glare

 

[FishEggs]

a good start

i liked that movie. it's a good family movie

 

[Deep Seven]

Also small quaratine tank. Should be big enough for fish I'm using in this set-up. It's a little dirty atm.

Yeah it was an awesome movie. Not sure if I'd call it a "family" movie, rated PG for frightening scenes; it can be scary for young children.

 

[Deep Seven]

Big storm hitting my area right now, suprised I still have power, which reminds me I must work on a hefty UPS or generator back-up for my heater and pumps. Anyways, with the storm a bunch of branches should come down tonight so I'm going wood hunting tomorrow .

I'll run a bunch of other errands as well, maybe even see some puffers, one of the fishstores said they were getting some in.

 

[Jason7894561230]

Is it set up yet or still cycling?

 

[Greenmaster]

I think he is still a ways off... I don't think he even has his substrate yet. (or even decided what he is going with for substrate)

 

[Deep Seven]

I'm still in the design phase. I'm collecting wood right now in case I have to cure it for a while.

I've located a place to purchase DPs, Otos, and ghost shrimp.

The substrate is something I'm still trying to figure out. I'm disappointed at whats available from the stores around here. One LFS had flourite red and black, one LFS had active-flora red, the two chain stores had laterite, and that was it for planted substrate. Everything else was painted rock. (I'm looking for natural red gravel to simulate DP natural habitat)

I'm thinking of doing a layered substrate using laterite and active-flora. It looks like this combo will get the look I want, and give my plants a happy home for years to come.

Yeah, I'm a ways off. I'm taking my time, trying to work out all the mistakes before I actually do them. I'm also spending a lot of time on my aquascape design, trying to imagine how it would look and not liking it, then re-designing it and so on.