My 400g build from the groud up. HAVE I LOST MY MIND?!?!
- Thread starter TheBigB
- Start date
just read thru the whole thread.. build looks awesome. the more of the glass side and wood bottom tanks i see the more i want to build one. i was considering a steel frame with all glass sides but wood is really my fortae.... nice work !!!
Sorry for taking so long to update. I havent been able to work on the tank much as my job has kept me out of town for the last few weeks. I have more traveling to do this month so progress will still be slow.
The good news is I did a test fill. Everything went perfect with ZERO leaks. I left it full for 2 days then drained it to work on the plumbing
I drilled holes and installed the bulkheads
Here is the drain with ball valve installed. Still working out how I want to run the line outside, but I plan to hook it up to a hose and run lines to all my plants to water when I do water changes.
On a different note, I had to separate my fish in the 135 because they started getting to aggressive in the small space and my Texas and Festae laid eggs.....shortly after the Texas beat up the Festae pretty good so I had to remove her. During all this the Texas ate all the eggs....Maybe after I get them in the big tank I can get some Texas/Festae hybrids. I wouldnt mind raising a few of those.
Most of the plumbing is laid out just needs to be finished and glued in place, then all there is to do is fill it up again and cycle. So we are getting close...
I want to finish this this so bad, but I have been so unbelievably busy with work and the kid that its almost impossible to find the time. I may try to take a day or two off before I leave out of town to try and finish it up.
The good news is I did a test fill. Everything went perfect with ZERO leaks. I left it full for 2 days then drained it to work on the plumbing
I drilled holes and installed the bulkheads
Here is the drain with ball valve installed. Still working out how I want to run the line outside, but I plan to hook it up to a hose and run lines to all my plants to water when I do water changes.
On a different note, I had to separate my fish in the 135 because they started getting to aggressive in the small space and my Texas and Festae laid eggs.....shortly after the Texas beat up the Festae pretty good so I had to remove her. During all this the Texas ate all the eggs....Maybe after I get them in the big tank I can get some Texas/Festae hybrids. I wouldnt mind raising a few of those.
Most of the plumbing is laid out just needs to be finished and glued in place, then all there is to do is fill it up again and cycle. So we are getting close...
I want to finish this this so bad, but I have been so unbelievably busy with work and the kid that its almost impossible to find the time. I may try to take a day or two off before I leave out of town to try and finish it up.
Amazing build... gave me more ideas on what to do. as for your drain plan if it's going to be "permanenet" or semi maybe set-up a soaker hose system and just flip the valve to auto water a certain area. or even hook it up as you need to instead of dragging a hose around to water everything.
Thats a great idea, I was actually thinking of something kind of like that but using drip lines....the only thing is it will probably take FOREVER to drain this thing doing it this way
I struggled with this also. I ended up running a 1.5" drain line behind all my tanks and outside to my yard. In the yard I cut up an old garden hose and T from that to all my bushes. It works great.
The pics show the garden hose system, I have about 10 of the T fittings going to different bushes and trees.
The water flowing out of one.
The line leaving my house and going underground for a bit
The drain line inside the house
Multiply by 10 and I get very good flow. I can drain my 450 completely in about 20 minuets!
After water changes and getting the hose out to refill I could change out 100 gallons in 15 minutes or so.
