My tanks!

So! After starting my first tank about a year and a half ago - I've recently acquired another two! The first came about because a friend of mine offered me some young clownfish (I know, marine - belongs on MASA), the second came about because my neons were mysteriously dissappearing! My LFS had some really cheap H20 rounded front tanks for sale and I couldnt resist. R70 for a 50L rounded glass tank?? With glass cloverplate and clips! So I bought two!

Below; my first tank. 70L and is now very well established, I'm quite amazed at how little attention it needs. Water change (gravel vac) and filter cleaned once a month! It always looks crystal clear! I think my tendency to err on the side of underfeeding helps somewhat. I used to have black algae covering all the leaves of my plants - until I got an ottoclinus in!! WOW! Cleaned the tank spotless in a few days, definitely one of my favourite inhabitants! Planning on adding and restyling the driftwood.

Next: This is the marine nano I've got on my desk. Just the one baby clown in here, but two more coming next week! Sorry for the marine post, but its part of my tank collection. Marines have really captured me, the abundance of life in the tank apart from the fish is quiet something. The pulsing xenia is something that has to been seen first hand... Very low tech nano btw - NO skimmer or sump. Managed with frequent water changes and this fish eats every individual flake from my hand! So dont have a lot of waste inputs.

And finally! The latest freshwater addition. This started as a temporary "naughty tank" for my spotted raphael catfish - he was eating all my neons!! My friend bought a chinese hillstream loach for me, and I am quite besotted with the little fella. Very cute manerisms! PLEASE excuse the algae! But I don't think the hillstream loach would be happy if I removed his dinner! ;-) NEITHER of these fish belong in such a small tank at adult size, so it really is a temporary fix. Will definitely upgrade to 70L or 100L! I feel that at the moment its okay. The catfish has a lot of cave space and seems happier than he ever was in the 70L - even with live food! :blink1:

 

Notes...

So, all my tanks have been setup with minimal budget in mind... They also had to be as quiet as possible, because they're all in my room!

The single biggest cost cutter I've come across is lighting. I no longer use ANY of the conventional ballast seperate florescent tubes etc. All my tanks use 18W CFL energy saver globes (6400K). These go for R24 each from spar, and seem to last forever! I run a dolphin internal f800 in my 70L, a small internal elite in my marine and a small atman internal in my new fwater. The two 50L run on small 50watt heaters and the 70L on a 100W. The two fwater tanks have plain ol builders gravel in the bottom - I love the natural look of it, and the plants seem to do very well. Slate free from my next door neighbours building site and driftwood free from natures valley beach These tanks bring me so much pleasure, my room is my sanctuary now!

Thanks all.
D

 

Very nice Bro.... I like the simplistic yet stylish look of both your fw tanks. Recently aquired a 1.2m myself and am thinking of going the CFL route for lighting.

 

Thanks KiazerG Thats sort of the look I was going for. I highly recommend CFL lighting, it's hands down been the best DIY method I've tried out. Not sure how it would work with many other plant species, but the ones in my tank grow like weeds!

 

very nice setups! the marine nano is nicely laid out... are you supplementing, for the xenia with Iodine? If you eventually setup a tank dedicated to the hillstream loach then definetly try to get some sewellia lineolata for that tank - awesome color and amazing antics when the males display...

 

Dane, stupid question, but do you literally just stick the light into the holder and wire it up? It's always seemed too simple for me...?

 

Thanks dolphin! Those sewellia lineolata look amazing!
No supplements in the nano marine. The only corals are the pulsing xenia and a few little zooanthid polyps that hitchhiked across, so not sure if its worth dosing... That xenia literally exploded under the cfl globe, I've never seen anything grow like that! My friend has had two xenia frags of similar size to the one I got, and after 2 months under a regular daylight florescent tube they've hardly changed at all... Mine has tripled in size, at least! And still need to get a lot more rock into the marine nano... But still going for the coral island centrepiece look.

@Gawie - wiring these lights couldn't be easier. There are screws that anchor the ends of the cable to the fittings. If you've never done any wiring or anything then read a few diy guides. Don't forget to "thread" the copper wires so they don't fray, and insulate with electric tape.

Oh, and the "lampshades" are also temp DIY jobs. Just a bottle thats been cut straight down the middle.

 

indeed the centre island look is very appealing...

the iodine will certainly benefit those corals in the long run as that xenia will deplete any currently in the water. regular water changes with high grade synthetic salts also replenish trace elements...

 

I use nsw for the nano, no synthetics for me! ;-) Thanks for the advice tho, I'll definitely look into iodine dosing!

 

Saw some sewellia lineolata last week. Really cute buggers.

 

Stunning looking tanks there bud. Also love the small salt water tank you got going there. Very Simplistic, but and amazing study table centrepiece.... must be very calming effect when studying/working... Hmmm.... You got me thinking now...

 

I always thought you need allot more equipment for a marine tank. Great looking tanks!

 

Thanks guys

@Zoom, all the tanks help me destress from my studies and work, its needed! Hahaha The marine nano is awesome to have next to me while I working - take a look at a vid of the pulsing xenias if you havent seen them before, really something beautiful. And they're not a rare coral at all - probably the easiest to grow, and cheapest to get a hold of.

@Franna, for a proper full blown marine tank you do. Skimmer, sump etc etc. But mine is very basic and the ocelaris clownfish are tank raised (free from a friend at the 2oceans aquarium!) and very hardy. They are still very young so not a big bioload. I manage it with fairly frequent water changes instead of all the equipment. The whole setup cost me only about R180 - but the fish was free and I had the heater lying around. (Ie: pump - 80, tank - R70, light - R30)

 

Would you be able to put a second CLownfish in their. I always feel sorry for a lonely fish on their own.

 

Yes, definitely! There are two more baby clowns coming this week!
Its funny tho, in the absence of other fish it has become totally habituated. Seems to recognise me and almost want attention! Feed it from my hand, flake by flake! Love the little guy!

-Ps: Will probably upgrade to a 70L when the clownies grow up a little...

 

Hey Dane!!

Nice Setup(s) there!!

Can you per chance PM me where you got those small tanks?? Do they still have any left?? I am looking at getting about 4 or 5 for my guppies to breed in!! Will they take a 50 watt heater ok?? Which heater did you use??

Cheers
G!

 

lovely tanks dane, i like the fact that you did alot of DIY...very nice dude...

 

Thanks all DIY was vital to cut costs, CFL for the win!

 

Big G - pm sent

 

Your tanks look Awesome Dane. Well Done