210 South American Community Build

[dpatte]

I recently acquired a used 210 gallon tank that had previously been used for salt water. I have decided to create a 210g South American community tank.

The first issue I had was getting the tank from Chelsea, so I decided to get professional movers. Sam and Sam Junior of Sam's Moving on Scott Street were the lucky guys. I have to admit I've seldom seen a bigger guy than Sam. They wrapped the tank in blankets and saran, then lifted it. I was very impressed. Leaving the basement, Sam basically had all the weight as his son guided it from the top. They soon had it in their truck and it was on its way. Sam said it was about 95 Kg!

When they arrived at my place, they left it on the truck. See, I had two 150 gallon tanks that I had just emptied in my basement, and I needed them out before the 210 came in. They moved them out and then brought down the metal stand for the 210. Next was the tank. It was a little tricky in the kitchen getting around the stove hood, but they managed it, and soon it was on the stand.

The next day, my wife and I cleared things out of the way and painted the room black. When the paint was dry, I walked the tank on its stand to where the 150 had been. My basement floor is ceramic tiles over concrete and slopes towards the basement drain, so I leveled the stand using hardwood blocks and cedar shims under the legs.

In the past few days, after deciding to go S. American, I decided to start cycling the tank. I added 300 lbs of mermaid pool filter sand which covers the bottom about 3" deep, then filled the tank to 85% full. I then added an AC110 filter. It took 100ml of ammonia to bring it up to 5PPM.

That night, while relaxing i looked at the stand. I had previously noticed it had minor surface rust on the bottom shelf, which was not an issue, but then it occurred to me that I hadn't checked the condition of the main shelf for the tank. The movers had placed the tank on the stand before I had checked it out.

The tank was over 200 pounds, the gravel was 300 pounds, and the water was probably 2000 lbs. I still had about 500 lbs of rock to add, as well as lights, and I started to get nervous - 1.5 tons on a stand that I hadn't checked! It looked pretty good, but if I had only checked the shelf first!

And I couldn't think of a way to move the tank to check the stand, even if I emptied it, without calling the movers back. So I figured I should either get another stand and get them to move it to the new stand, or have to call them twice - once to get it off the stand and once to get it back on the stand - if the stand required resurfacing.

I didn't sleep that night.

The next day I decided that a new stand was the least expensive way to go. But no one had a 72x24 metal stand in stock and no one could guarantee anything for 3 weeks.

So I finally decided to build my own stand. My 150 tall (which by the way is for sale) is on a custom stand that I built and it turned out to be an excellent design for strength and stability. Its a shame the stand is not quite long enough, nor high enough for the 210. But I have decided to make a new one using the same pattern, but just a little larger than the one for the 150. I start that in the next few days.

In the mean time the 210 is still cycling but with only 100 g of water in the tank. When it comes time to moving it I'll drain the tank for 1 hour, move it, then refill and continue the cycle. The filters at least will maintain their current stage of the cycle during the process.

Oh, and I picked up 60 black neons, and 50 serpaes which are in quarantine tanks on my rack, waiting for the big day.

I'll keep people posted on the progress.

[werehatwere]

Wow!

Sounds stressful! Whered you get the fish? Big Al's?

If you dont mind my asking, how much were all the fish?

[lucius]

How much did the movers charge you?  PM if you prefer.  I may be in the same boat next year if I go through with a 100 gallon plus in the basement next year.

Thanks.

[dpatte]

Big als west had the serpaes and black neons at $1/ea. I expected they would be tiny, but they are full sized.

The mover's were not cheap (it took them 4.5 hours to do the whole job) but I highly recommend them. They were professional considerate and very cautious. Their prices are negotiable, it seems.

[dpatte]

Since I last posted, I have decided to go with a new metal stand after all. When it comes in from Big Al's I'll get movers to move the tank to the new stand, then I'll have a chance to properly inspect the old one.

In the mean time I picked up 5 gorgeos BNPs that are now in their own 35 g quarantine waiting for the 210 to be set up.

While waiting for the new stand, I have decided to at least start the cycle. I have an ac110/500 running on a half filled tank with 300lbs of sand in the bottom of the tank. Today the ammonia almost got down to 0, and I see no nitrites, only nitrates. I added more ammonia to bring it back to 5ppm. I hope to get it able to consume 5ppm/day. I know when I get the stand and move the tank, I'll be disrupting the sand and filters for a short period of time, partially killing the nitrogen cycle, but it should come back soon after the move is done.

I'll get photos here once the tank is on the new stand.

[dpatte]

As for filters, I am thinking of the following.
- 2 AC110/500s
- 1 Emperor 400 (it will only run when the lights are off, to help in dispersing the extra CO2 at night).
- 1 Magnum 350 w/micron filter. The intake would have been a turbo-twist 12X, but my bulb is burned out, so I'll start with my turbo-twist 3X then upgrade it when I get a new bulb.

The tank is drilled with two bulkheads in the right hand glass. The tank will have an outboard mag18 pond pump drawing water from the right hand side of the tank, and returning it to the left side, giving the tank a left-to-right waterflow of about 1500 gph.  Water in the left, and out the right - somewhat of a river effect, I hope.

For lighting, I have MH's but I haven't even looked at them yet to figure out how I will set those up. Obviously, I will need  a lot of plants to help subdue the lighting for South American fish, which generally avoid superbright lighting.

[dpatte]

Where did the Nitrite go?

I've been cycling this tank for a while and finally the ammonia is disappearing. Each day I bring it back up to 5PPM. But I was surprised that it has never shown ANY nitrite when i test it each day - not even this morning.

Supposedly the ammonia to nitrite portion kicks in first (in about 18 days), then about 5 days later the nitrite -> nitrate portion kicks in. But my testkit still showed no nitrite.

I though i had better check into this and got a fresh nitrite test kit. Glad I did! 15PPM nitrite!

So the lesson for the day is, don't trust your old test kits.

Other news today, is that I got the new stand - now all i have to do is empty the tank again, move it again (100KG), and set it up again. LOL

[dpatte]

Well, moved the tank to the new stand, and started the setup. The tanks had just cycled, so the timing is good.

I drained the tank, removed the filters, then moved all the gravel. The tank was moved in 45 seconds, and then it was time to rebuild the tank again.

On went the filters, and in went the sand, in went 150g of water, and 150 drops of AP water conditioner. But after so much stirring, the sand has made the tank cloudy somewhat. I started decorating the tank anyway. My biggest problem is a lack of tall plants, but patience is a virtue LOL.

Photos to come today.

I also moved the 60 black neons to the tank.

[Fishnut]

I'll have to remember those movers.  I have a 150 to move a few feet in my basement in the spring.

The plan is to move the fish presently in my 72 to the 150 after it's moved, then to put a nice school of Altums in the 72.  So, I've been watching a lot of youtube videos lately about the amazon basin and it's "friendly" inhabitants.  There are some AMAZING videos out there which are in German (I think) but they show the areas of the amazon rivers where Altums live.  All videos show a lot of valesneria type plants, long tree roots and LOTS of leaf litter with a very high amount of tannin in the water.  So, that's the plan for me when I do my "Amazon" biotope.  I'm not sure it will look as shiny and pretty as some other tanks, but that's not the focus.  Perhaps it would be a good idea to find bulk almond leaf somewhere.

There's usually some nice looking bags of vals in the meeting auctions.

[exv152]

Perhaps it would be a good idea to find bulk almond leaf somewhere...

Here is a link http://www.planetcatfish.com/shanesworld/shanesworld.php?article_id=409 an idea was wanted to try out myself, doing tannins with oak leaves, and the bonus is it's free.

[dpatte]

Tank is still slightly cloudy,  and not yet quite filled oto the top

[exv152]

Have you had a lot of success growing anubias in the substrate?

[dpatte]

Never had a problem growing Anubias in the substrate. But like javafern, the rhizome must be above the surface of the substrate.

[dpatte]

I have decided that I have too many black neons, and too many serpae. I'll probaby reduce both schools by 30. I have 10 Columbians, which of course will get larger, but I think 20 serpaes, and 30 black neons will probably be enough.

[Peekay]

Great wood! 
Congrats on your smooth move.