New 150RR

[armthehomeless]

I am slowly working on setting up a tall 150 Reef Ready Tank. I just finished setting up my other two tanks that I was alloted in the house. They are a 92g Yellow lab tank and an 80g planted rainbowfish tank.  Don't tell anyone - but there are four 10g's in the closet, and a couple larger ones in the garage!!! I've got several questions to ask your opinion on:

I want the background to be black... but this tank is 30"+ tall. I have always used the black plastic stuff and taped it to the back, but this won't work without doing this multiple times. Is there anything  that is nonpermanent (no painting) that will get me a nice loking black background?

Secondly, I wanted pool filter sand as the substrate but have been unable to find any. Where is this stuff hiding?

Lastly - it will be a tang tank. I have a colony fo 25 Tropheus "bemba flames" that are going in there for sure. I also have a colony of Cyps and a few other fish (Lamps, Julies) that don't have a home in my other two tanks. What would you do?  Throw them all in there?  Sell some off? Hide a fourth tank?

[Delock]

Re: New 150RR

I would try some flat black acrylic. There is a shop on Long Point that will cut it to size for you.


I would throw them all in......

[rrocket2002]

Re: New 150RR

Go to a fabric store and buy a yard or two of some thin black cloth.  With a little ingenuity you could hang or attach this to the back of your tank.

When you say Cyps, do you mean Frontosa?  I don't remember you having Frontosa, if you do, they don't do well with Tropheus.


Pool Filter Sand can be found at any Pool Store, like Leslies Pools.  Leslies sell theirs for around $11 for a 50lb bag.  

IMO, use the tank for Tropheus.  Can the other go in your planted tank?  Not sure what to tell you except hide another medium size tank.  

Raul

[CichlidFan]

Re: New 150RR

Ditto the black acrylic, and I would give the julies to CichlidFan.....  

CF

[Mzungu]

Re: New 150RR

I was thinking the same as Raul - go to a fabric or crafts store. A lot of times they have sheets of plastic and/or vinyl sold by the yard, as well.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: New 150RR

I would flat black spray it....but the fabric would be second.

As for the fish I would find a new home for the lamps/julies and just keep the cyprichromis with the trophs or ditch all but the trophs and find 25 more bembas!!  :wink:

[armthehomeless]

Re: New 150RR

I like the idea of black acryllic... but am going to a crafts store as Rrocket and Mzungu suggested before I make any decisions. I'll swing by a pool supply shop as well. Go figure - you can get pool filter sand at I pool supply shop.!

Raul: You are correct -  I do not have Frontosas. I have 16 (17 before the move but one jumped) Cyprichromis leptosoma "Kipili Pt" (pic in photo gallery). I suppose they could go in the planted tank if needed to. The pH in my planted tank is a bit lower and the water is a bit softer. That would really be a last resort.  

Ek: There will be more tropheus in the tank...

CichlidFan: I'll PM you when fry grow out.

[Spot86t]

Re: New 150RR

Walmart and Lowes usually carry pool filter sand.  I've seen it at the Atascocita stores.  Haven't looked for it lately though.  I've gotten mine at Leslies once - a 50lb bag that was split open - they gave me a 30% discount on it since it was the only bag they had (middle of winter).

For the back of the tank - Walmart or dollar store - a black vinyl shower curtain might work nicely - with plenty left over!  Easier to clean than cloth if it gets wet.  Toss in the clothes dryer with a bath towel for ONLY 5 minutes so you can get the fold marks out.  I had some leftover landscaping fabric I wrapped around half of one of my tanks - works OK, it's what was handy without having to leave the house :).

Speaking of tropheus...  you coming to Scott's Saturday?  if so, wanna swap out the canister filter and flag fish with your tropheus and AE while your out that way?  I live right on your way there, so let me know.  BTW - he's not quite so shy now  :) and he just LOVES those spiro pellets!

[armthehomeless]

Re: New 150RR

Sure... Bring everything to the swap. I'lll definitely have the canister filter. I'll try to bring the flagfish as well. They are currently at a friend;s house.

[Spot86t]

Re: New 150RR

Great - I'll see you there!

[h0nkzz]

Re: New 150RR

arm i used this stuff call DIP IT ... you can find it in lowes ... its about $5-6 a can, its rubber in liquid form so you can apply it like any paint and it should make a solid black background ... it peels off easily whenever you want to remove it ... and it comes in black ...

ps : applying it can be a little messy though !  

[eklikewhoa]

Re: New 150RR

arm i used this stuff call DIP IT ... you can find it in lowes ... its about $5-6 a can, its rubber in liquid form so you can apply it like any paint and it should make a solid black background ... it peels off easily whenever you want to remove it ... and it comes in black ...

ps : applying it can be a little messy though !  

I was thinking about this but didn't know the name of it.....probably the best option!!

[armthehomeless]

Re: New 150RR

I'll try it next time... The tank already has water in it! Thanks all.

[armthehomeless]

Re: New 150RR

Well, after one minor problem, I got the wet dry up and running with no leaks or anything. Next problem: The tank (probably the floor) is not level. I know better than this I should have used a level first... but there wasn't one handy. That and the fact that I was on a sugar high(COOKIES) probably had something to do with it. You should be able to see it on the picture. What is the best way to get this tank level ???

[wvgdiscus]

Re: New 150RR

Wood shims works wonders.