David R's 370g thread...

'vspec'

Feeder Fish
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Jul 15, 2010
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Ok, revisit time, Sorry bud, Got busy with my own tanks earlier & didn't really have much time to read the last few pages. So it was a super skim.

So, Sump issues, not good. You mentioned your redesigning the sump stand, why is it not level the first time bud? Your craftsmanship, the floor, or both?

Was first go purely an unforeseen design flaw?
Shooting in the dark by saying the weight of the intake tray is held up by the side walls leading to this?
Option exist to build a flow-able box core to support the weight instead?

The question i should be asking is - how thick is the glass & what turnover per hour caused this, and follow on from that, at what percentage of future operating capacity where you running at?.
Cause If not simply flex from above, & this is showing backpressure in its channelling design this early, then youve got an issue that will a) prompt a redesign, or b) requires a diamond hole saw to assist.

Second leak, unless its due to the initial stress crack, in the corner you said - is usually covered by builder warranty. Even if its custom, that makes it even more important it falls under this banner. Please tell me such a thing exists over there?
Talking personally, if I had this issue, & transportation was a logistical nightmare to begin with, id have the builder roadtrip it at the next available opportunity.
We're not talking some guppy with an all in one jebo here, this is the start of big boy territory, and as such commands attention.

If there's anything i can assist you on, yell out ok
 

David R

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Apr 26, 2005
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Well after months of procrastination, flu, a holiday, more flu and more procrastination, I finally got around to re-doing the stand for the sump today. When I moved the sump onto the new stand, I noticed the front left corner has come unglued at the top of the join. Unfortunately I cannot solely lay fault on the builder/manufacturing flaws as I moved it by slightly pulling on the front panel, and although I thought I exerted nowhere near enough pressure to un-glue a join I could be wrong. However, the fact remains that it was made from 6mm glass when IMO it should have been 10mm and that it was inadequately braced. I've decided that because of this its time to cut my losses and go back to the drawing board with the filtration.

After having a behind the scenes tour of the National Aquarium on holiday and seeing how they filter their tanks I'd like to look more into the option of filter socks, which I will do this weekend. I'd love to get my hands on an Ultima filter but I'm sure that the cost of shipping one here from the states would make it too expensive.

Sorry its taken so long to get to this point, I'm so disappointed about the whole thing, and embarrassed its taken so long. Hopefully I won't take so long in finding a solution!
 

'vspec'

Feeder Fish
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yep, nothing should be made out of 6mm, not if its got glass written anywhere in the sentience. welcome back bud, glad your feeling better....you are right?

Look forward to your new direction, so when ever your ready bud, fire away
 

David R

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lol yeah I'm fine. Got some serious thinking to do this weekend, considering combining the filtration for the 220g and 370g into one mega-sump......
 

David R

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Apr 26, 2005
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Right! The worlds slowest build is once again making progress!!!

New sump should be ready by the end of the week, sand has been added to the tank and it is currently running with a 120L plastic bin for a sump. I might even chuck the rotkeil severum in just to kick things off, there's no media in the temporary sump (got about 20kg of ceramic noodles seeding in my other sumps so there shouldn't be much of a cycle when I get the proper sump in place and add the media and fish) but I doubt one fish will make enough waste to cause any problems in 1400L of water.

The water is still a little cloudy after adding the sand yesterday, and I haven't added the rocks at the base of the background for the pleco caves, but you get the idea anyway...



Here's the latest revision of the stock list...
1 black aro (now about 8" and already in with the geos etc)
10 Geophagus altifrons
1 Heros sp. 'Rotkeil'
1 Satanoperca leucosticta
1 L128 blue phantom
1 L204 flash pleco
1 L81 small spot gold nugget
1 LDA78 Pekoltia brevis
3 L066 king tiger (maybe more)
and once they're big enough 6 Uaru amphiacanthoides (currently just over an inch long but eating like pigs)

As the altifrons and uaru mature I may thin some out, I don't want the tank to look packed full of fish and if/when they start breeding there is likely to be trouble...
 

David R

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I just tested the water in this tank for the first time in ages, the gH is about 40, kH 20, and the pH is 7.4. Compared to the 5' the fish are currently in, the gH and kH are almost identical, but the pH is <6.0. Not ideal for the fish I'm going to put in there, but not too bad. I'll put some peat in the sump once its set up and hopefully bring the pH down a bit.
 
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