Sonora Desert Fish Nook (mini fishroom)

[FischAutoTechGarten]

Thank you Liz.

My wife is good. She definitely is feeling better. I would say this morning is the best that I have felt in 15 days, so that's good.

Yesterday evening we went for a nice walk with the dogs on an abandoned golf course, so it was nice to get out of the house. Then we ordered a takeout pizza, where we paid on line, and then had them set it on top of the roof of our car so that it was totally contactless. Small comforts. LOL.

I would describe my wife as completely bored and just ready to be over this!

[FischAutoTechGarten]

Peter, I admire all that you can do and figure out how to do so beautifully.

I try to make things look neat and like they belong out of respect for my wife. She works hard to keep a nice, clean, comfortable home and I don't want my projects to detract from that. Even when something is under construction, I try to wipe down, sweep up, tidy up, put things away, etc... It takes discipline, because I am cursed with this drive to constantly take on projects just because I want to learn something new and because I can... However, that can get out of hand and disorderly really fast. I'm so much better than when I was a younger man (total house remodels, too many car builds, etc...). I shutter to recall how many irons in the fire that I used to keep and the stress that caused my wife!

[FischAutoTechGarten]

This is a Static Fill test of the Sump with both Chambers connected together. 100% pure R.O. Water. I thought I had a True Union to fit between them, but I've misplaced it. I'm joining them together with 1" hose at the moment. Don't like being unable to isolate them from one another with a valve, so I have a true union on order and will replace this temporary hose arrangement. I can isolate every tank and divert the output of the Sump pump to the drain if I want to quickly drain it should I detect a leak and need to affect a repair.

SumpTestStaticFillBothChambers.jpg

I'll let this sit today and slowly bring each of the four display tanks on line, one at a time, over the next few days.

Still more work to do.

[FischAutoTechGarten]

Last night was a big evening.. Was going to start circulating water, but opted to add a big of silicon to very slip/friction fitting. Just didn't trust them (though admittedly they held up good when being tested on my patio). I'll let them cure for 24 hours before I circulate any water through them, which means holding off on filling the display tanks.

SlipFitJointsSiliconed.jpg

[FischAutoTechGarten]

Feeling better. My wife too. I had a full day of work, then got after it this evening and tonight.

Mixed 20lbs of 2mm gravel w/ 1000grams (2.2lbs) of fine laterite.

GravelLateriteMix.jpg

Placed 5.5lbs of the mixture in each tank to cover up the under substrate heating cables. It was messy.

DisplayTankWithLateriteMix.jpg

Each Display tank received an additonal 20lbs of 2-3mm gravel on top of the laterite substrate. Dinner plates placed in each tank to reduce splashing and clouding of water as they were filled.

DisplayTanksWithDinnerPlates.jpg

All the display tanks are full and circulating. No leaks in any of the tanks or the plumbing. (there were other leaks. I'll describe below). The water clarity is pretty good (pays to rinse the gravel before adding), considering the use of laterite in the lower substrate.

DisplayTanksOnMiniRackInitialWaterFill.jpg

Installed the water quality sensors (temp, pH, D.O., ORP, Conductivity) in the 2nd chamber of the sump and connected them to my homemade aquarium controller (need to complete the installation of that 2nd relay board in the enclosure). Need to neaten it all up and calibrate the probes. (D.O. probe needs to be rebuilt... I have the parts...). Obviously it's all temporary for now.

AquariumControllerSensorsInstalledInSump.jpg

So, what did I learn starting it up today?

1. My sump is loud. I thought the tubes falling into the filter socks would quite things down. Not really. Going to have to revisit that.

2. Flow is poor. I have a 1/2" line going leaving my circulation pump and feeding each aquarium. I need to have a 3/4" line leave the pump as a trunk line... and branch a 1/2" line off of each display tank. It's a minor amount of work.

3. My Mag5 pump is weak. I have a strong one in the R.O. Water Bodega (which is operating in bootleg mode at the moment...with garden hoses feeding it...), but the same model that I have in my Sump is noisy and week. I'll swap them around and see if that improves thing.

4. All external devices leaked. My 25W UV Filter leaked at threaded fittings despite the generous use of teflon tape... it's the odd fitting threaded barb fittings I used.... They are junk and I'll get better ones. My Flow Meter leaked... Again, the odd fitting threaded barb fittings... so that needs to get replaced too. My CO2 reactor leaked... Turns out it was missing a part.... So, I'll have to resolve that. Anyway.. during a startup..when all of your external devices spring leaks... you just start bypassing them and taking them out of the circuit..... oh and grab mops and rags.... That's why you don't see a flow meter, CO2 reactor, or UV Filter hooked up and in use in the final foto with the aquarium controller.

5. The cheap home depot racks are working out well. My de-rimmed tanks are trust worthy as well. The hydroponics tubing and fittings are the bomb: No glue, No clamps, just elbow grease and a heat gun. The valves are awesome.. I love having complete control of every input/output of each display tank.

6. I can tell I made the right decision by sticking with the two chamber sump. Lots of space for working. Going to install all of the level switches in chamber 2 next week.

7. Going to use one of the side walls in the fish nook to mount the external equipment. a nice 2'X4' black stained 3/4" plywood sheet stood off from the wall a bit should suffice to mount everything and keep it off the floor and somewhat out of sight.

8. Did I mention everything its really loud? Yeah... going to work on that.

9. Will hold off on flora and fauna for a couple weeks (have to cycle the sump filter anyway) as I want to get the rest of the equipment installed on the wall, install the LED strips and get the water circulation modifications made...

10. I don't have lids yet.. Need to make 6. Will use glass.. will have all cabling exit the corners through chamfered corners. Chamber1 of the Sump will have a smaller lid as the filter sock supports rise above it.. It will be soon, as I don't want all of that open water in my Den/Office/FishNook.

[FischAutoTechGarten]

Worked hard today... but spent the evening mounting the lights. It was quick.
I mounted two Ecoxotic 12" 6W Stunner Strips to a small piece of 1/2" x 3/4" x 32" wood... These lights are obsolete now, but I have a whole stash of New Old Stock, So I'm using them. They are 24V and I have them on a Common Dimmer for all Display Tanks.

StunnerStripsBeingInstalled.jpg

Here they are installed... Full Strength. They are 8000K. (I went back and forth when gettng lights years ago between 6500K and 8000K).

FishNookFullStrengthLights.jpg

Here are the lights dimmed.. Unfortunately the camera compensated for low light, so it's hard to appreciate difference between the two photos.

FishNookLightsSomewhatDimmed.jpg

Obviously, I have to add some extensions to the lighting cords and hide it all better. Same with the Heating Cables.. they need some extensions added so that I can hide them better as well. However, that's all I'm going to do this evening/tonight, besides clean my office/den up a little. We are over the Covid after more than 18 days. Tomorrow, we are going to get out of the house and perhaps do somthing in Tucson.

[FischAutoTechGarten]

Welcome to Beginning Aquarium Planting 101.

Well, yesterday I recieved an email that the very best local fish store in Tucson (probably all of Arizona) is closing in 3 weeks (https://www.arizonanatureaquatics.com). The owners are getting out of retail and taking jobs as environmental scientist/researches/educators. So, while my wife and I were in Tucson, we stopped by his store. It was already so picked over (people rushed to buy up his stock!). I bought many plant cuttings, and combed over all of his tanks finding the remaining Ottos and Amanos that were hiding out. My wife got some fancy tail guppies. I also bought an additional 200W submersible heater to set in the 2nd chamber of the sump... as it's colder in my Den/Office than the rest of the house and I was struggling to get above 74degF in the whole system (doesn't help that I don't have lids yet). For six months out of the year, I will be able to take that 200w heater completely out of service.

FishNookInitialBasicBeginnerPlanting.jpg

Once I raided my own aquariums, I have 2 Amano Shrimp and 2 Ottocinclus Affenis for each of the 20L Display Tanks. I have some Corydoras Julii distributed in the lower tanks. (5 in one, 4 in the other). I also put my wife's Fancy Tail Guppies ( 2 males, 2 females, and a freebie fingerling) in one of the lower tanks as well. That's all for fish... (and it's not that many considering the whole system has about 105 gallons). I won't add any others (okay, I will probably put 4 Ember Tetras in one of the upper tanks once the whole system achieves 80degF) until I have a full cycling of the filtration. I'll watch ammonia and nitrates/nitrites... and can always do a big water change as I always have about 60 gallons of pure R.O Water in reserve.

It's nice to enjoy and looks like it's always been part of the Arizona Room / Office / Den... now add / Fish Nook. During the week I will mount a the 2'x4' plywood (I got up really early this morning and routered, sanded and stained it... so it's ready to go) on one of the walls so that I can get the CO2 and UV Filter off of the floor and better manage some power cables.

ArizonaRoomDenOfficeFishNook.jpg

The 10 gallon quarantine tank in the picture is close by and ready to be put in service. There is another small planted tank on the other side of the room as well (a little 5 gallon mini aquarium) that has had the job of housing some of shrimp, ottos and tetras for the Fish Nook until it's all ready.

[FischAutoTechGarten]

I'd like get some of the equipment off of the floor and have a place to tie in connections. So began prep work to install an equipment panel. Panel is 2' x 4' and unfortunately won't hit a stud on one edge... which I knew... but as I want to really be able to suspend heavy devices on this panel, I want it secure. So I'm adding an extra piece of wood that will mount with Steel Toggle Bolts to anchor behind the sheet rock. The other two hit the studs. In the end..

PrepWorkForEquipmentPanel.jpg

I wish I had just installed a full width 3' x 4' panel, but I had already routered, sanded and stained a 2'x4' scrap i had laying around so no money needed to be spent. It will do.

FishNookEquipmentPanelHung.jpg

I should of put it about 6" lower, but oh well... It's there now.

[FischAutoTechGarten]

At the bequest of my wife, I worked on the noise. Pump swap was successful and it's much quieter (and more powerful). I lengthened a few lines from the aquarium discharges that feed the Sump.. They now extend beyond the waterline emptying directly into the filter socks... I can still remove the filter socks, but it's a bit of a wrestle. Good thing the tubing is quite flexible.

Mission accomplished it is very, very quiet now.

SumpChamber1Entry.jpg

[FischAutoTechGarten]

Decided to put the UVFilter and other In-Line equipment on the new mounted Equipment Panel in the Fish Nook.

MountedUVFilter.jpg

Two things... and it made me laugh really hard!

1. I forgot to plumb the CO2 Reactor back in! So mad.. used up the last of my 1/2" hydroponics tubing and 1/2" elbows... so now I can't put it back in until I get more supplies. CO2 Reactor has to be the last thing before returning to the Display Tanks because I fear if I have free CO2 bubbles (my reactor is small and I need to buy/build a bigger one) running through the Flow Meter, I might get false readings. Stupid is what Stupid does....

2. There really is too much stuff for this 1/2" tubing with the UV Filter, Flow Meter, CO2 reactor all in series and the near 5' head and then branching to 4 1/2" lines for each Display Tank.. Considering plumbing everything at 3/4" right up to the 1/2" aquarium valves at each tank. The 1/2" into each individual tank is fine..and the lateral outlets really work well when there is good flow even at 1/2". Here's a photo of the performance when I take it down to two display tanks and the equipment...even though at 1/2"... It's very good.

DisplayTankInlet.jpg

Anyway, some fine tuning is in order...

[famtsberg]

Looks great, you and the wife have done a great job.

[coralbandit]

Looking good .
Mag drive pumps although very reliable are loud and add heat to the tank ..I have been told on average 4 degrees above room temp ..
I have models from 5-24 over the last 10 years . I still use some but replacement impellers aren't cheap for them ..
I switched my sumps over to DC pumps . I love them even though they are cheap Chinese knock offs .
They are digitally controlled so adjusting flow is easy and economic ..I do and have always oversize my pumps but with the digital it easy ,safe and cheap ..
I do agree you should probably increase to 1 inch or 3/4 and then reduce to individual tanks .Maybe only reduce the lower and leave the upper at 3/4 to "even out flow " without using individual gat or ball valves ??
Looking good though Peter !

[FischAutoTechGarten]

Looks great, you and the wife have done a great job.

Thank You Fritz! My wife has taken a real interest in the setup.... I was oblidged to add fancy tail guppies to two of the four tanks for her.

Looking good .
Mag drive pumps although very reliable are loud and add heat to the tank .
I do agree you should probably increase to 1 inch or 3/4 and then reduce to individual tanks .Maybe only reduce the lower and leave the upper at 3/4 to "even out flow " without using individual gat or ball valves ??
Looking good though Peter !

Tom,
I already have individual ball valves on everything...for isolation and flow control. I actually keep my Mag pump fully submerged in the Sump... that way that waste heat is helping me out in the winter but ... It also quiets it down a bit.

I definitely need to improve the turn-over ratio of the whole system. 3/4" right up to the ball valves of each tank. thinking about putting the CO2 Reactor and the UVFilter in parallel instead of series... you don't need all of the water circulating through both of them at every turn over.... splitting the flow between them... and then rejoining after will remove those devices as flow bottlenecks...



Fixed that folding door that got bashed when it fell on the Sump (and broke it).

FoldingDoorFixed.jpg

Desert Aquarist Society Vinyl Sticker... No adhesive.. Won't damage paint... Until I get arund to affecting a permanent repair. ;p

DASStickerOnDoor.jpg

Tomorrow I'm off to Seattle for the Weekend. And Yes Yes Yes, I'm going to visit Aquarium Zen... (Aquariumzen.net) one of the finest fresh water fish stores in the USA. Kind of excited. Will bring a styrofoam cooler on the plane!

[FischAutoTechGarten]

I've done an initial planting and introduction of fish to the aquariums. Stock is from Arizona Nature Aquatics (Tucson, AZ) and Aquarium Zen (Seattle, WA). It's all basic inexpensive stuff as I get used to running in the entire Fish Nook. Looking forward to getting a few more corydoras species, dwarf plecos, and ramirezi varities from good private breeders / hobbyist.

FishNookInitialFloraFaunaLeftLower.jpg

FishNookInitialFloraFaunaLeftMiddle.jpg

FishNookInitialFloraFaunaRightLower.jpg

FishNookInitialFloraFaunaRightMiddle.jpg

There are no discus, but allot of the varities that I have chosen often accompany discus. The guppies belong to my wife, and I am required to maintain a healthy number of varities, as that is what she really enjoys seeing swimming about in the tank.

Now the re-learning really begins!

[famtsberg]

Looks amazing sir, you and your wife should be very proud.