My Biotope Attempt

[Trevor W]

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u603/Trevor_de_W/IMG_20150924_215222_zps2q6iktxx.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/Trevor_de_W/media/IMG_20150924_215222_zps2q6iktxx.jpg.html)

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u603/Trevor_de_W/IMG_20151028_200348_zpsl6q9gmsg.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/Trevor_de_W/media/IMG_20151028_200348_zpsl6q9gmsg.jpg.html)

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u603/Trevor_de_W/IMG_20151028_200423_zps5e8er6v4.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/Trevor_de_W/media/IMG_20151028_200423_zps5e8er6v4.jpg.html)

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u603/Trevor_de_W/IMG_20151013_081030_zpsdssotdn0.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/Trevor_de_W/media/IMG_20151013_081030_zpsdssotdn0.jpg.html)

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u603/Trevor_de_W/IMG_20151011_204844_zpskxsmg0hb.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/Trevor_de_W/media/IMG_20151011_204844_zpskxsmg0hb.jpg.html)

Watch in HD


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHtlGChbCvI


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T5oH5QEIGE

[rickztahone]

Man that setup is clean! That is exactly how I would set up a tank like that. Overflow looks awesome, return via lily pipe. I thought of doing this myself actually, do you basically run tubing from your return pump to it? Do you have to reduce the size and does it affect your gph? Really, really nice. Subscribed.

[vectex]

Wow really nice! You are a brave one if are not planning on using a cover. Those Discus can jump! :D

[Trevor W]

Man that setup is clean! That is exactly how I would set up a tank like that. Overflow looks awesome, return via lily pipe. I thought of doing this myself actually, do you basically run tubing from your return pump to it? Do you have to reduce the size and does it affect your gph? Really, really nice. Subscribed.

Thank you for the compliments!!

Those lily pipes were just sitting on the rim because I had nowhere else to safely store them. But I liked the idea of having more water movement to help bring detritus to the overflow. My main return pipe is pvc and runs through the overflow and up and over the weir. As soon as I get some decently flexible hose I will be placing a small pump in my return section beside the main pump. The hose will run through the side panel hole that was cut for this reason.

If I was using lily pipes as my main return line I would use the larger diameter (3/4") pipes to handle the higher flow. When I add this smaller pump I will only maybe have to adjust the gate valve on my main drain ever so slightly to accomodate the extra flow. I also could of run a T off of my main return line with a valve to adjust the amount of water but this works better for me.

[alcastro]

I really like the shadow cast on fish and sand.
al

[Discus-n00b]

You're wasting a side!! ;) If I had the overflow on the end like that I'd rotate that sucker into a true peninsula!! Basically my dream tank setup btw, peninsula style like that. Excellent setup!! Love glass lilly pipes, I've thought of using them myself going forward or for my next setup.

I'll be keeping an eye on this one, keep us updated!

[jmf3460]

beautiful fish, beautiful setup and great photography. I would add some tannins for an even more authentic biotope look. also lighting is a little bright for my mental picture of what a biotope is but some tannins would make it look darker all around. are those cameta yellows? beautiful!! a job well done. I too would have a top.

[jmf3460]

also a black background would make that sand and fish POP!!

[Second Hand Pat]

Beautiful tank Trevor and the fish look fantastic :)
Pat

[Crockett]

Awesome set up, really impressive and the quality of the Discus is excellent !

[Trevor W]

I really like the shadow cast on fish and sand.
al

Thanks! The single point light source really gives a more natural look I feel.


You're wasting a side!! ;) If I had the overflow on the end like that I'd rotate that sucker into a true peninsula!! Basically my dream tank setup btw, peninsula style like that. Excellent setup!! Love glass lilly pipes, I've thought of using them myself going forward or for my next setup.

I'll be keeping an eye on this one, keep us updated!

Thanks Matt!
funny thing is the tank was designed and made to be a peninsula tank, however due to the room that it is in there was no place to have it oriented this way. I will try and keep up with the updates.


beautiful fish, beautiful setup and great photography. I would add some tannins for an even more authentic biotope look. also lighting is a little bright for my mental picture of what a biotope is but some tannins would make it look darker all around. are those cameta yellows? beautiful!! a job well done. I too would have a top.

Thanks!

The light itself is just the top off of an old floor lamp with a really low wattage led bulb. I had planned on adding an inline dimmer switch to it but I like the brightness to me in person it is not too bright but yes a true biotope would be a lot dimmer and the tannins would be very heavy. I have had a number of rimless tanks in the past and have not had any fish jump. When these guys were first added they would often get spooked but that mostly just involved darting to the back corner behind the driftwood. I have everything to make a diy net top but so far I feel its fine. Only thing that has happened in the last couple months is a couple lemon tetras went through the overflow teeth and hung out in the overflow for about a week till I was cleaning it and found them hahaha. Yes they are Cameta yellows or browns from the Rio Tocantinis, the angels are wild as well and collected from the same place


Beautiful tank Trevor and the fish look fantastic :)
Pat

Thank you Pat!


Awesome set up, really impressive and the quality of the Discus is excellent !

Thank You!

[plecocicho]

Gorgeous tank, i would only maybe add some pothos or floating plants. What are tank measurments, water parameters, wc regime, what do you feed them?

[Trevor W]

Gorgeous tank, i would only maybe add some pothos or floating plants. What are tank measurments, water parameters, wc regime, what do you feed them?

Thanks!

Funny thing is that I have a 55 gallon tank on the same wall as this one that I will be moving soon and that tank has a very large pathos plant that will be moved to this tank.

The display measures 36"L x 24"W x 18"H ~65 gallons.
The sump measures 32"L x 20"W x 16"H ~45 gallons, if I had to guess I would say that it currently has roughly ~25-30 gallons in it.

I do not measure my water parameters, I use straight tap water with a ph around 7.2 - 7.7
TDS varies and I will have to check what my RODI unit says currently but I would guess fairly high around 300 - 400 ppm.

For water changes I only do 20 - 25 gallons once a week, but keep in mind that I monitor the tank and the fish and if I notice any changes in normal colour variation or behaviour I will increase the amount that I change.

Currently I feed a combination of blood worms, 2 different flake foods, brine shrimp, and FDBW. I do not feed a lot, once in the morning and once in the evening of a couple cubes each time with combination of bloodworms, brine shrimp, or FDBW with a few random pinches of flake between feedings or in the later evening. I ran out of FDBW so they have been just getting blood worms and brine shrimp. If I was feeding a home made food I would have to do larger more frequent water changes. I will also throw in a piece of cucumber for the pleco and cories to pick at.

[Trevor W]

Here is a couple pictures of the plumbing and sump taken just after I filled it for the first time to leak test the plumbing.

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u603/Trevor_de_W/20150919_105427_zpsckiomlmo.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/Trevor_de_W/media/20150919_105427_zpsckiomlmo.jpg.html)

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u603/Trevor_de_W/20150919_105330_zpsoa749oew.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/Trevor_de_W/media/20150919_105330_zpsoa749oew.jpg.html)

http://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u603/Trevor_de_W/20150919_105400_zpsmnktggho.jpg (http://s1324.photobucket.com/user/Trevor_de_W/media/20150919_105400_zpsmnktggho.jpg.html)

[CrazyAngels]

Trevor, that is a clean setup my friend. I love the simplicity of it yet ever so functional. Congrats.

[rickztahone]

This is by far one of my favorite setups. That is literally exactly how I would like my DT to look as well. TFS. I am subscribed to this thread for sure ;)

[jawfish]

Really nice clean set-up Trevor.
I really like it... The sand the rock, the shallow tank.

Yhea this is an inspiration for my next show tank...

Kep us updated on the Cameta.

Cheers,
Fred

[Jack L]

nice setup, the overflow noise would be an issue for me though
and are those orange laser cories?

[Trevor W]

Trevor, that is a clean setup my friend. I love the simplicity of it yet ever so functional. Congrats.


This is by far one of my favorite setups. That is literally exactly how I would like my DT to look as well. TFS. I am subscribed to this thread for sure ;)


Really nice clean set-up Trevor.
I really like it... The sand the rock, the shallow tank.

Yhea this is an inspiration for my next show tank...

Kep us updated on the Cameta.

Cheers,
Fred

Thank you guys very much for the generous compliments! I will try to keep this thread updated.


nice setup, the overflow noise would be an issue for me though
and are those orange laser cories?

Yes those are orange laser cories, at least that's what I believe them to be. The overflow is actually dead silent and the only thing I can hear in this room, as far aquariums go is the hum of the return pump and the splashing from the eheim on the 55 gallon at the other end of the wall. That is why the overflow is designed the way it is. Full siphon = dead silent, open drain = emergency (noisy by nature and purposefully left to exit above the water in the sump so that I can hear if it kicks in due to the main drain strainer being plugged.)

[Jack L]

Thank you guys very much for the generous compliments! I will try to keep this thread updated.



Yes those are orange laser cories, at least that's what I believe them to be. The overflow is actually dead silent and the only thing I can hear in this room, as far aquariums go is the hum of the return pump and the splashing from the eheim on the 55 gallon at the other end of the wall. That is why the overflow is designed the way it is. Full siphon = dead silent, open drain = emergency (noisy by nature and purposefully left to exit above the water in the sump so that I can hear if it kicks in due to the main drain strainer being plugged.)

Oh so in the video I was hearing the other tank?

[Trevor W]

Oh so in the video I was hearing the other tank?

More than likely. I never listened to my video but I will go check it out. The video was shot with my phone so it more than likely picked up the other tank. That tank is typically always .5" - 1" lower than the outflow of the eheim and as I sit here right now it is all that I can hear besides the hum from the return pump. I will try and take another video and hopefully show it by unplugging the canister. Also the 55 is only really about 2.5' away from this tank and the room is a small spare bedroom/man cave/fishroom.

[Jack L]

in any case, really like the setup. i just picked up on the noise as i was SHOCKED at how loud overflows are in a typical setup, and so i spend some time tinkering to make mine so quiet i can hear the fish eating underwater.

[Trevor W]

in any case, really like the setup. i just picked up on the noise as i was SHOCKED at how loud overflows are in a typical setup, and so i spend some time tinkering to make mine so quiet i can hear the fish eating underwater.

Thanks!

Yea I am just uploading a quick video. Funny thing is that in the video I threw a bit of food in and I can hear it and hopefully the video picks it up.

[Trevor W]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYeAK5ZMZ-A

[Jack L]

ok, that is super quiet. approved :)

[pastry]

How the heck do you guys get that " water rippling reflection" off the bottom-effect? Tried different things and still can't get it. Isolated LEDs above flow? Love that

[Trevor W]

How the heck do you guys get that " water rippling reflection" off the bottom-effect? Tried different things and still can't get it. Isolated LEDs above flow? Love that

Yea it comes from the single point light source and the surface movement from the return line. The more surface movement the crazier the "shimmer". What I am using is just an old floor lamp that I had in my garage with just your typical led bulb. This is the same effect as when people refer to metal hailde lit tanks having "shimmer" or any style pendant light fixture like the Kessil leds. As long as it is a single point light fixture and you have some degree of surface movement.

[marinum]

Excellent job!

What is the size of the tank?

[Trevor W]

Excellent job!

What is the size of the tank?

Thank you!

The display is 36x24x18H ~65 gallons with about another 25-30 gallons in the sump below.

[Jack L]

correct, LEDs do it.

[Tindomul]

First time poster here and I have to say your tank is amazing!!
One question from this newbee, what is that glass pipe hanging on the right side of the tank, and what is it for? THanks.

[rickztahone]

First time poster here and I have to say your tank is amazing!!
One question from this newbee, what is that glass pipe hanging on the right side of the tank, and what is it for? THanks.

That is called a "lily pipe". OP said he wasn't using this one in particular but a lily pipe "set" is used as an intake and output of a canister filter. This is for aesthetics purposes. It really helps in the overall look of a tank, however, they can become very dirty, very quickliy, so they have to be cleaned often.