ADG Raffle Tank - Finally!

[armthehomeless]

What lighting are you going to use? I like your planned layout.

[Mzungu]

Thanks!!

I couldn't have done it without my little helper:





Micro-Bubbles, anyone?





For some reason when we use the hot water (I used a combo of cold and hot) there are tons of tiny, tiny bubbles.

[Mzungu]

What lighting are you going to use? I like your planned layout.

Gracias!

It's a 4x24W T5HO fixture from Current. I'm using one of their 6700K bulbs, one 10K bulb, one actinic, and one "plant" bulb (all from Current). When I get the timer set up, I plan to turn on the actinic and plant bulb first, then the two daylights about 30 minutes later. Then, when it's sleepy time, turn off the daylights and then the plant and actinic bulbs 30 minutes after. I'll take some pictures of what the different times of the day look like when these bubbles clear up a bit.

[Mzungu]

Okay, now it's a waiting game for Geoff to get home. :)

As for the Marineland Canister filter: First impression, it's all right. I still like Eheims better.

1. Couldn't find anything in the directions on which outlet is the input and which is the output. For those wondering, the input is on the LEFT of the canister. Of course, I had it the wrong way at first.

2. The instructions say to push the self-prime button twice to start it up. Psh. Push it about 10 times rapidly and you're good to go. The self-prime's a one-up on the Eheims, I'll admit.

3. Apparently the masses voted on not including detailed instructions. This is why I'm waiting for Geoff - I need to shorten the hoses, but don't want to flood the place, and I'm not sure what exactly this "blocking valve" or whatever on the canister does. I'm hoping it's similar to quick disconnects. But it's only on the canister - no telling if it'll stop the suction enough not to flood the house. Good thing this is only a 30g or so.

4. Flow's pretty strong for my liking. I'm gonna have to do something about that. Not sure what. Maybe I'll look around for a stray spraybar.

[fishlady]

MB it's gorgeous......that is one sick tank girlfriend....i can't wait to see it all lit up .....keep the pics comin....thanks for sharing it with us.....
so awesome......

[tbui1178]

Nice tank MB!

[cichlid1409]

I like the layout ideas, except for the lace. I would go with some kind of sword with some color to be a real focal point. That driftwood is sweeeet!

[Mzungu]

Thanks, everyone! :) :)

I like the layout ideas, except for the lace. I would go with some kind of sword with some color to be a real focal point. That driftwood is sweeeet!

Thanks, Mike! I love the driftwood, it's such an awesome piece.

I will take your advice to heart, but for right now I'm keeping the Lace, lol. Ever since I had a lace plant flower in my 15g and had to give it away because it was getting too big, I've promised myself that once I got a tank big enough, with enough (more) room, I'd do it again. It's got to be one of my all time favorite plants, and I'd like to give it another try.

Lots of people say that Madagascar Lace does well, for some reason, with other, older, well-established plants living around it. My 15g has (and had) really old substrate and at the time of the other Lace plant, had tons of older crypts around it. I'd like to see if this one does as well. It's just a baby, so we'll see.

[cichlid1409]

I have never seen one flower, sounds cool. Feel free to prove me wrong wouldn't be the first time :)

[Mzungu]

I found the link to my older thread where I took some pictures of my last one, and after reading it, now I'm all nervous. I hope this one does well.

http://www.houstonfishbox.com/vforums/showthread.php?20024-Madagascar-Lace-Flower%21&highlight=Madagascar

[Mzungu]

Just turned off the lights for tonight. It's cleared up a bit.

Took some pictures of the different light settings.

All 4:



6700K and 10,000K:



Actinic and Plant Bulb:



All the pretty colors:



The pictures make it look a lot more blue than it looks in real life, BTW.

Thanks for all the nice comments, everyone. I appreciate it!!

[cichlid1409]

are you going to, or can you, set the light up so they come on at different times of the day and get a morning /mid-day/evening effect?

[TaTeR ToT]

i love this setup!
im guessing its an ada tank?
looks sweet, keep us posted

i might have to setup another planted tank now

[screename]

i love this setup!
im guessing its an ada tank?
looks sweet, keep us posted

i might have to setup another planted tank now

Actually, its not an ADA tank. Its a custom ADG tank she won a year or two ago.

Anyways, take looks like is off to a good start. I like that you used africana instead of the regular AS. Cant wait to see it fill in.

PS...... I told you that you would win C=

[kwc1974]

Good choice with letting the wood come out of the tank. I like breaking that extra space to leat the eye out of the tank, looks more natural