Fish "Rack" Overhaul

[SriAngel]

Living in NYC, space is very limited, and i only wish i had room to make my whole basement a fish room. For the time i have a fish rack. I just procured a 300 gallon tank on craigslist and i had to build a new tank stand to hold it (2.5 tons with water) plus 2 (20 gallon breeder/fry tank) plus a 55 gallon tank. One thing NYC is great for is discus water, its pretty much R/O water coming out of my tap. I had a plumber come and set up the drains, and drip system for the tank. I also plan on putting in a sump to recirculate the water and to add some minerals into the water to help grow out the juvies. Future upgrades will be putting in a thermostatic mixing valve and a sprinkler timer later on to automate water changes.

[senso]

Spriangel

Sounds like I plan of optimal use of space, something else NY'ers are good at.
What racks system did you use?
Please share any photos if you have some

Rossano

[SriAngel]

I have a lot of tanks, but they are all individual tanks that need to be laboriously changed one at a time. I want to have a system to seriously grow out my Wayne Ng's to their potential. I have a 7 foot space that i can use to create a rack central filter system. The main attraction will be a 240 gallon tank that is (7' X 2' X 2'). The bottom will house the sump, a 60 gallon tank and two 20 gallon fry / breeder tanks.

The blank canvas:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG8224.jpg

I had to make sure i construct the framing in order to support a 240 gallon which weighs approx 1.5 tons when filled with water. I used 4X4 Pressure treated lumber for the framing.

FRAMING COMPLETE : NEXT STEP PLUMBING

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG8225.jpg

I put up some plywood over the framing:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG8230.jpg

I used some styro as insulation and glued it to the plywood:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG8232.jpg

[rickztahone]

I have a lot of tanks, but they are all individual tanks that need to be laboriously changed one at a time. I want to have a system to seriously grow out my Wayne Ng's to their potential. I have a 7 foot space that i can use to create a rack central filter system. The main attraction will be a 240 gallon tank that is (7' X 2' X 2'). The bottom will house the sump, a 60 gallon tank and two 20 gallon fry / breeder tanks.

The blank canvas:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG8224.jpg

I had to make sure i construct the framing in order to support a 240 gallon which weighs close to 5 tons when filled with water. I used 4X4 Pressure treated lumber for the framing.

FRAMING COMPLETE : NEXT STEP PLUMBING

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG8225.jpg

I put up some plywood over the framing:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG8230.jpg

I used some styro as insulation and glued it to the plywood:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG8232.jpg

wow that looks great. i know the discus you aquired from Wayne Ng's will look spectacular in that. keep us updated

[SriAngel]

STAGE 2 PLUMBING:

My Plumber running the sewer line to the system using 3" PVC:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG8235.jpg

Each tank will have 3 Water Lines going to it:

1: Manual Water Line
2: Automated Water Line programmed by the automatic sprinkler
3: Recirculating Water line from the Sump

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG0062.jpg

More on the Automatic Sprinkler used to program fresh water into the system based on my preferences, like after a scheduled feeding from the auto feeder.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG0061.jpg

Note: I had to switch out the clear vinyl tubes on that automated line. It couldn't handle the water pressure and blew up like a balloon, eventually burst. I replaced it with washing machine hoses which are a lot stronger.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG0060.jpg

With replaced hose:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMsdG0058s1.jpg

[SriAngel]

The SUMP, which is a 35 gallon rubbermaid drilled with a 1.5" OVERFLOW.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG0004.jpg

The SUMP OVERFLOW is an absolute necessity and is directly linked to the sewer line. The system adds fresh water periodically from the timed sprinkler valve, and the excess water is drained here.

The FLOAT VALVE ON WATERLINE is designed to maintain the water level at a designated level. Also it compensates for water evaporation in the system.

The media basket stand is designed to hold a clear plastic basket holding mechanical and biological filter media.

I will be placing 10 to 20 pounds of crushed oyster shell in the sump to harden the water. We have amazing water in NYC, literally the water is so soft that you can breed discus in our tap water without any additives nor an Reverse Osmosis Unit. The downside is that the water is too soft to sucessfully grow out fish. The Crushed oyster shells will be used to add minerals back into the water.

The PUMP is used to recirculate the water and first pumps the filtered water through a UV STERALIZER before it goes into the tank.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG0001.jpg

[SriAngel]

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMsG00553.jpg

OVERFLOW goes straight to SUMP

The drain is used to quickly empty out 240 gallons every night at 2AM for their 99% Water change.

[SriAngel]

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMsG00553.jpg

OVERFLOW goes straight to SUMP

The drain is used to quickly empty out 240 gallons every night at 2AM for their 99% Water change.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMsG00552.jpg

The 240 Tank is wrapped in foil bubble insulation for its radiant reflective properties.

[SriAngel]

I had to figure out a way for my 240 Gallon to have a high water turnover rate without a lot of water adjitation, because Discus like quiet calm waters. My solution was a custom 1/2" PVC spraybar at a length of 6.5 feet. I drilled it with tiny holes and plumbed it to the return from the pump. It seems to be working well so far.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG0012.jpg

[William Palumbo]

Man!..that looks awesome! You put a lot of thought and work into that. I would LOVE to have something set up like that. That almost makes keeping Discus easy!...Bill

[Darren's Discus]

Looks great,look forward to more updates,Im sure they will grow nice in the 7ft,love the spray bar.


cheers

[SriAngel]

The 240 Gallon tank filled and running on the system. Notice the sump on the bottom with the media basket. The top layer of the media basket is filled with filter floss. I have to admit the water now is crystal clear and the fish started shivering and laying eggs the day after, so i think they are digging it too.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG0055.jpg

[SriAngel]

A 60 gallon and two 20 gallon tanks added to the system:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG0006.jpg

[William Palumbo]

Looks good...Nice fish!...Just from the pic, that top board seems distressed, looks bowed and spaces in the joints. In the first pic, them joints looked tight. Just the angle of the pic?...Bill

[SriAngel]

The RESULT:

HAPPY FISH
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG0052.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG0217.jpg


COMING SOON:

Dressing up the rack in custom cherry cabinetry!

[SriAngel]

Looks good...Nice fish!...Just from the pic, that top board seems distressed, looks bowed and spaces in the joints. In the first pic, them joints looked tight. Just the angle of the pic?...Bill

Very Good Observation Bill,

The Wood did get a little bit bowed over time since there is not center brace. I did not put in a brace because it would have killed the aesthetics of the system. The gap in the joint however i think is a result of the torsion put on by the beam as it dried. I am very confident that the wood framing will hold up to the stress of the tank. There are 3 4X4 pressure treated beams running parallel and supporting the weight of the tank. The whole thing will be trimmed with panels and moulding very soon.

[rickztahone]

that's amazing. quite ingenious how you've used your own homemade sump and filter media baskets. keep the pics coming

[SriAngel]

The SUMP, which is a 35 gallon rubbermaid drilled with a 1.5" OVERFLOW.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG0004.jpg

The SUMP OVERFLOW is an absolute necessity and is directly linked to the sewer line. The system adds fresh water periodically from the timed sprinkler valve, and the excess water is drained here.

The FLOAT VALVE ON WATERLINE is designed to maintain the water level at a designated level. Also it compensates for water evaporation in the system.

The media basket stand is designed to hold a clear plastic basket holding mechanical and biological filter media.

I will be placing 10 to 20 pounds of crushed oyster shell in the sump to harden the water. We have amazing water in NYC, literally the water is so soft that you can breed discus in our tap water without any additives nor an Reverse Osmosis Unit. The downside is that the water is too soft to sucessfully grow out fish. The Crushed oyster shells will be used to add minerals back into the water.

The PUMP is used to recirculate the water and first pumps the filtered water through a UV STERALIZER before it goes into the tank.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG0001.jpg

Thanks Rick,

Not quite ingenious, i had gathered all these ideas scouring this section of simply. I just changed the application to my needs and just added another dimension.

[rickztahone]

Thanks Rick,

Not quite ingenious, i had gathered all these ideas scouring this section of simply. I just changed the application to my needs and just added another dimension.

it's still ingenious in my eyes because i never really see the details of members setups under the tank per say. i would eventually maybe try something smaller scale of your setup but i must inform myself more which it looks like you did in advance. thanks for sharing

[SriAngel]

it's still ingenious in my eyes because i never really see the details of members setups under the tank per say. i would eventually maybe try something smaller scale of your setup but i must inform myself more which it looks like you did in advance. thanks for sharing

This system works great because of the water in NYC, it has no chloramine and no detectable chlorine in the water. I can literally dump unaged, untreated water directly into the system. I am a little paranoid that one day the cityworks is going to flush the system with chlorine / chloramine. I tend to do the large volume changes at night when i can keep an eye on things. I will probably add a liquidoser if i were away for a long period of time.

[seanyuki]

Hi Angel,

Really like your setup.....need to build one too....those discus sure look healthy and happy.Thanks for sharing your idea of the overhaul.

Cheers
Francis:)

[Condor]

Angel, brilliant setup and lovely fish. Thankyou for sharing.

Adrian

[SriAngel]

Hi Angel,

Really like your setup.....need to build one too....those discus sure look healthy and happy.Thanks for sharing your idea of the overhaul.

Cheers
Francis:)

Thanks Francis,
If you need any suggestions when you start setting your system up, feel free to get in touch.

Angel


Angel, brilliant setup and lovely fish. Thankyou for sharing.

Adrian

Thanks Adrian,
The brilliance is in the clarity of my water now, the system can take 3 feedings of beefheart mix without the water going cloudy.

[ashaysathe]

Man Sri .. this is amazing..
I am gonna be down the Merritt Pkwy soon. I want to see this now.. don't worry about getting other things upto speed. This is gr8

[SriAngel]

Man Sri .. this is amazing..
I am gonna be down the Merritt Pkwy soon. I want to see this now.. don't worry about getting other things upto speed. This is gr8

Thanks Ashay,

Lol I appreciate the enthusiasm, half the fun of this build is sharing it with folks on simply. I think patience would serve you better, the WAYNE NG's are still in quarantine. I want you to be able to oogle at their AMAZINGNESS when you come down here, but right now they are in QT.

[ashaysathe]

ok ok.. I am doing the math here.. u got them last week of say 1st week of Jan, 6 weeks of QT that will be 3 week of Feb and we are all set.. that is one week from now.. cool deal..

Remember "Emerson" and his quote on Enthusiasm.. may be u heard it somewhere :))

hahahhahha. :D :D :D

[SriAngel]

ok ok.. I am doing the math here.. u got them last week of say 1st week of Jan, 6 weeks of QT that will be 3 week of Feb and we are all set.. that is one week from now.. cool deal..

Remember "Emerson" and his quote on Enthusiasm.. may be u heard it somewhere :))

hahahhahha. :D :D :D

LoL Ashay, you certainly are a pleasure to correspond with!

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

Looks good. Fish look happy as clams. My only comment is that your UV probably isnt going to work as well as you think (it'll work fine for algae) as the flow rate through it is much too fast for that wattage UV. If you were to do it over again, I would run the main pump straight back to the tanks while having the UV on a bypass where you can meter the amount of water going to it with a gate valve....then from the UV back into the sump. Just curious though, what is the pump rated for?

-Ryan

[SriAngel]

Thanks Ryan,

Just curious, What is the recommended GPH through a 40 watt UV?


Looks good. Fish look happy as clams. My only comment is that your UV probably isnt going to work as well as you think (it'll work fine for algae) as the flow rate through it is much too fast for that wattage UV. If you were to do it over again, I would run the main pump straight back to the tanks while having the UV on a bypass where you can meter the amount of water going to it with a gate valve....then from the UV back into the sump. Just curious though, what is the pump rated for?

-Ryan

[Eddie]

Thats a monster set-up. The fish look great too.

Best of luck
Eddie

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

Thanks Ryan,

Just curious, What is the recommended GPH through a 40 watt UV?

That particular model has a "max" rating of 25 gpm.....but that is for water borne algae only (green water). I would recommend a flow of no greater than 10gpm. At that flow rating, it will have the potential to take care of some bacteria/fungus. It's all based on retention time. The longer it is in contact with the UV bulb the greater kill rate it will have. Also, make sure you wipe the quartz sleeve atleast every 2-3 weeks to keep it perfectly clean. Any kind of buildup on it will effect its efficiency.

-Ryan

[aquagal]

damn...those are some nice looking fish! They DO look very happy. Thanks for the pics.
Sherry

[SriAngel]

Thanks Sherry!


damn...those are some nice looking fish! They DO look very happy. Thanks for the pics.
Sherry

[Ceahorse]

Good job. I like it simple like that.

I Have a few questions.

1. Do you have any problems with bubbles in the sump. If so, how do you keep them out of the pump.

2. If your running the sump contantly. WHy don;t you toss the heating coils in it too.

3. How much are you using to heat all the tanks. (Watts and Dollars (est))

4. You mentiones that NYC water is close to whats needed, so i assume that means you don't store water over night for the water changes. If not how do you get it to temp, just a mix of hot and cold water from the house plumbing?

Sorry to be picky. but im interested in setting up a simalar case in my home.

Ceaz.

[SriAngel]

Good job. I like it simple like that.

I Have a few questions.

1. Do you have any problems with bubbles in the sump. If so, how do you keep them out of the pump.

2. If your running the sump contantly. WHy don;t you toss the heating coils in it too.

3. How much are you using to heat all the tanks. (Watts and Dollars (est))

4. You mentiones that NYC water is close to whats needed, so i assume that means you don't store water over night for the water changes. If not how do you get it to temp, just a mix of hot and cold water from the house plumbing?

Sorry to be picky. but im interested in setting up a simalar case in my home.

Ceaz.

Thanks Ceaz,

To answer your questions:
1. No bubbles in the sump whatsoever.
2. I do have 2X250 Watt Ebo's in the Sump.
3. I have close to 750 Watts heating the system of 375 gallons. The room that they are in is very well insulated and warm, so that takes much of the heating expenditure away. Also the tanks are insulated with foil bubblewrap.
4. I have the hot and cold water lines running into the room and have valves on it, i simply manually adjust. I have a hot water tank that allows me 150 gallons of 86 degree water, after thats finished i have to wait another hour for the hot water tank to do its job. What i do at night is literally drain the tanks, the pump is controlled by a timer and is shut off. The water is automatically pumped in by the sprinkler timer at 2:30 am for 30 minutes and then again at 4am for another 30 minutes, by then all the tanks are full again. At 5am the pump is turned on along with the heaters automatically. When i wake up around 8am the tanks are fully filled and i have happy fish waiting for food in the morning.

[Ibanez540r]

That particular model has a "max" rating of 25 gpm.....but that is for water borne algae only (green water). I would recommend a flow of no greater than 10gpm. At that flow rating, it will have the potential to take care of some bacteria/fungus. It's all based on retention time. The longer it is in contact with the UV bulb the greater kill rate it will have. Also, make sure you wipe the quartz sleeve atleast every 2-3 weeks to keep it perfectly clean. Any kind of buildup on it will effect its efficiency.

-Ryan

He's absolutely right. Just be careful to not go to low with the flow. The can overheat and break. But the slower the more "stuff" they kill.

[Ceahorse]

Thanks Ceaz,

To answer your questions:
1. No bubbles in the sump whatsoever.
2. I do have 2X250 Watt Ebo's in the Sump.
3. I have close to 750 Watts heating the system of 375 gallons. The room that they are in is very well insulated and warm, so that takes much of the heating expenditure away. Also the tanks are insulated with foil bubblewrap.
4. I have the hot and cold water lines running into the room and have valves on it, i simply manually adjust. I have a hot water tank that allows me 150 gallons of 86 degree water, after thats finished i have to wait another hour for the hot water tank to do its job. What i do at night is literally drain the tanks, the pump is controlled by a timer and is shut off. The water is automatically pumped in by the sprinkler timer at 2:30 am for 30 minutes and then again at 4am for another 30 minutes, by then all the tanks are full again. At 5am the pump is turned on along with the heaters automatically. When i wake up around 8am the tanks are fully filled and i have happy fish waiting for food in the morning.

1. i didn;t see the filter media.. when i thought. .i guess that does the job pretty well.
2. NA
3. I guess the room makes a big difference.. Here in Taiwan, its extremely rare for a house to have any heating/ insulation. Most of the year is quite warm. In fact alot of peeps have to buy cooling systems for certain fish they choose. I like the bubble foil idea.. Should help alot.
4. Doesn;t the extreme emptying shock the fish at all.. Im sure they get used to it. but seems like it would be fightening to me if i were a fish. Mind you i have logic. SO you have adjusted the hot/cold ratio already and when the pump kicks in it lets them both flow?

Lastly,, Vaccuuming. after each feeding, THis water loss is accounted for with the flow valve in the sump?

And the sump is only on the large tank. 200G i think you said.?

[SriAngel]

1. i didn;t see the filter media.. when i thought. .i guess that does the job pretty well.
2. NA
3. I guess the room makes a big difference.. Here in Taiwan, its extremely rare for a house to have any heating/ insulation. Most of the year is quite warm. In fact alot of peeps have to buy cooling systems for certain fish they choose. I like the bubble foil idea.. Should help alot.
4. Doesn;t the extreme emptying shock the fish at all.. Im sure they get used to it. but seems like it would be fightening to me if i were a fish. Mind you i have logic. SO you have adjusted the hot/cold ratio already and when the pump kicks in it lets them both flow?

Lastly,, Vaccuuming. after each feeding, THis water loss is accounted for with the flow valve in the sump?

And the sump is only on the large tank. 200G i think you said.?

4. Alot of discus keepers drain the tanks so the fish are swimming on their sides. Sure it stresses them out, but the fact the lights are out helps abit. Besides when the water is all filled up they get their joy back.

Yes the float valve compensates for vaccum loss.

Sump is connected to all tanks, each can also be isolated from it. They all have their own seperate water line, and automatic water line. This would be paticularly useful when i have breeding pairs. Remember i said the sump had a lot of crushed oyster shells to harden the water, well the breeders need soft water.

[SriAngel]

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/sriangel5/Tank%20Filtration%20System/CIMG0001.jpg

I wanted to highlight a feature i didn't explain in my previous post. Note the python (GREEN) in the picture. For those who dont know what a python is, its a great invention designed to use the water pressure in a faucet to siphon and drain your tanks. Eliminating the use for buckets and hoses (also a lot of swallowed tank water). I have it directly plumbed in my fish rack. I used to have to hook it up in the bathroom 10 feet away. It resulted in a lot of flooding in my basement, as a result of the bathroom sink overflowing. Now its not only more convenient that its plumbed in directly to the fishrack, i dont have to run all the way to the bathroom to shut it off and on.

[hedut]

WOW beautifull fish you have their, nice job:thumbsup::thumbsup:
Hendri

[chintz]

it's still ingenious in my eyes because i never really see the details of members setups under the tank per say.


Have to agree 100% with Rick on this point!

No doubt about Sriangel's in-depth knowledge on Discus and his tremendous set-up here, but his kindness and generosity in sharing very single minor detail parts by parts and steps by steps to us all here are even more admirable.

[SriAngel]

Have to agree 100% with Rick on this point!

No doubt about Sriangel's in-depth knowledge on Discus and his tremendous set-up here, but his kindness and generosity in sharing very single minor detail parts by parts and steps by steps to us all here are even more admirable.

Thank you Chintz,

I would like to thank the academy....oh wait wrong speech...lol Actually I have to be appreciative of the existence of forums such as simply where one can learn and share their knowledge for improving the hobby. Thanks Al & Ryan!

[MostlyDiscus]

Looks great Angel,


NY had the best bagels in the states, due to the soft water. Your passion for reds is evident by the photos. I would consider dropping the uv. The uv cost money and you have the water to do more changes. Check on that rubbermaid tub to see if it will leach due to the soft water. Sometimes storage bins will have chems in them to hinder moths and insects. Just a thought. You have very nice fish. Red covers are nice indeed.

Ed

[SriAngel]

Looks great Angel,


NY had the best bagels in the states, due to the soft water. Your passion for reds is evident by the photos. I would consider dropping the uv. The uv cost money and you have the water to do more changes. Check on that rubbermaid tub to see if it will leach due to the soft water. Sometimes storage bins will have chems in them to hinder moths and insects. Just a thought. You have very nice fish. Red covers are nice indeed.

Ed

Thanks Ed,

I use the UV primarily to keep the algae away, its doing a great job so far. As for the rubbermaid tub, it had run in the tank unoccupied for many months before i started adding fish in. I do love my red covers...i want them to make millions of babies lol!

Angel

[ashaysathe]

Thank you Chintz,

I would like to thank the academy....oh wait wrong speech...lol Actually I have to be appreciative of the existence of forums such as simply where one can learn and share their knowledge for improving the hobby. Thanks Al & Ryan!

I agree but, I think, you'r being very modest here. I have now read what you have built here but to me and my knowledge about plumbing .. i still would not be able to do what you have done even if I follow it step by step looking at the post. I admire it very much.
To think out of the box is great.

--Ashay

[salth20]

Looks good...Nice fish!...Just from the pic, that top board seems distressed, looks bowed and spaces in the joints. In the first pic, them joints looked tight. Just the angle of the pic?...Bill
Agree. A very long span with no center brace, even for a 4x4.

[SriAngel]

Agree. A very long span with no center brace, even for a 4x4.

Hi Salth,

From "Standard Handbook For Mechanical Engineers", Seventh Edition, the fiber stress at the proportional limit for clear shortleaf pine is 7700 psi. Applying a safety factor of 4 gives an allowable stress of 1925 psi.

These values and assumptions used in a very simple (f=Mc/I) bending analysis of the beam indicates the allowable stresses in the beam will be reached with a total static load of 1965 lbs (983 lbs at each attachment point). I have three beams running parallel so multiplying by a factor of thee yields a total static load of 5895 lbs or 2947.5 lbs at each attachment point. I think this is sufficient for a tank that weighs approx 2,000lbs with water. Again a little give in the 4X4 is to be expected and there was a little warping of the beam as it dried out. Okay boys and girls! isn't MATH fun? lol

[spyder]

Sriangel
Im curious what part of the city do you live in? Im in Brooklyn and Im hoping I can bypass storing water.

[SriAngel]

Sriangel
Im curious what part of the city do you live in? Im in Brooklyn and Im hoping I can bypass storing water.

I live in Queens spyder, I believe that we share the same water supply. Check your water parameters and you can even call DEP, and get a water report.

Angel

[Kenny's Discus]

Angel,

Great setup, great fish and a great friend. What more can I say?:)

Glad to see everything back in order after the unfortunate fire incident.

Kenny
p.s. - come build me the auto WC system I'll let you have first picks of my future shipments LOL!:D Keep up the excellent work bro!:)

[lauris]

Great set-up. The reason there is a gap under the horizontal pieces is that they absolutely don't bear any weight. There is no better evidence that horizontal cross-pieces such as in your design (much less that you have three) do not bear any weight or contribute any structural integrity to the stand is that they do not even contact the underside of the tank! All weight is borne on the vertical uprights and you are more than secure in that regard. You could cut off the horizontal 'supports' and you would only increase your access space to the various levels. Like Scotty told Kirk, "I cannot change the laws of physics". As for other issues raised in this thread, IME there is not stress involved in 90-95% water changes. I get many spawns after just such a thing. The key is to be consistent. If you are doing 50% changes a couple times a week, then keep it up. If you are doing 95% once or twice a week, also fine. Issues arise when you skip a week or two or try to switch from one regimen to another. Again, very well thought-out approach.

[SriAngel]

Angel,

Great setup, great fish and a great friend. What more can I say?:)

Glad to see everything back in order after the unfortunate fire incident.

Kenny
p.s. - come build me the auto WC system I'll let you have first picks of my future shipments LOL!:D Keep up the excellent work bro!:)

Thanks Kenny,

Don't tempt me, You just might find me at your Magic Garage with a bundle of PVC Pipes LOL.

Angel


Great set-up. The reason there is a gap under the horizontal pieces is that they absolutely don't bear any weight. There is no better evidence that horizontal cross-pieces such as in your design (much less that you have three) do not bear any weight or contribute any structural integrity to the stand is that they do not even contact the underside of the tank! All weight is borne on the vertical uprights and you are more than secure in that regard. You could cut off the horizontal 'supports' and you would only increase your access space to the various levels. Like Scotty told Kirk, "I cannot change the laws of physics". As for other issues raised in this thread, IME there is not stress involved in 90-95% water changes. I get many spawns after just such a thing. The key is to be consistent. If you are doing 50% changes a couple times a week, then keep it up. If you are doing 95% once or twice a week, also fine. Issues arise when you skip a week or two or try to switch from one regimen to another. Again, very well thought-out approach.

I agree Lauris, consistency is key, I think the problem arises when the municipal water supply changes the chemical composition of the water..for example adding chlorine or chloramine.

[shoggoth43]

Nice setup!

A possible safeguard against the water company dumping chlorine/chloramine would be a couple of large carbon block filters in the main water feed system. As long as the water flow were slow enough or you had enough carbon to give the proper amount of dwell time you should be more than capable of dealing with any amount of chlorine or chloramine they could dump in there on you short of hooking up a tanker truck of bleach directly to your main.

I've read 10 minutes dwell for carbon is good for chloramine. I have no idea how much carbon you'd need or what size cannister for this. That might only be practical for an auto drip system. However, the drip part of that is somewhat of a misnomer as you could easily "drip" a gallon per minute 24x7 if you had the right amount of carbon. If you cut it down to 1 gallon every 5 minutes that's 12/hour and 288/day without needing all the timers and such. However, that doesn't really let you keep an eye on things easily but seems like there's less to go wrong since you already have all of the overflows in place.

Another possibility would be a high capacity RO system to ensure nothing got into the system. Since you already have really good water it should last quite a while between maintenance, but you'll probably have to double/triple up and such, which would just make things impractical.

I did wonder about the pressure treated lumber. Given what it's treated with, I was under the impression that it wasn't supposed to be used indoors. Is this room in a basement or otherwise well ventilated? Maybe I'm mistaken in the use of pressure treated wood?

-
S



I agree Lauris, consistency is key, I think the problem arises when the municipal water supply changes the chemical composition of the water..for example adding chlorine or chloramine.

[Armandi_Fishcarer]

Angel, love the setup & fish. A simple system full of enjoyment I guess. Thats what I plan in the near future!

Regards
Ahmed ;)

[Disgirl]

Very beautiful fish and a wonderful wc system you have there! Just wondering what is under that floor??? Is is all on a cement slab, basement? That is a whole lot of weight on the floor.
Barbara

[SriAngel]

Very beautiful fish and a wonderful wc system you have there! Just wondering what is under that floor??? Is is all on a cement slab, basement? That is a whole lot of weight on the floor.
Barbara

Hi Barbara,

This is in the basement, all cement slab. Thank you for the complement, the wc system keeps the fish growing and beautiful.

Angel

[shawnhu]

This system works great because of the water in NYC, it has no chloramine and no detectable chlorine in the water. I can literally dump unaged, untreated water directly into the system. I am a little paranoid that one day the cityworks is going to flush the system with chlorine / chloramine. I tend to do the large volume changes at night when i can keep an eye on things. I will probably add a liquidoser if i were away for a long period of time.

Angel,

Nice setup you have there, lots of thought put into it for sure.

The bowing of the wood does concern me a bit too, but looks like you've got that all figured out, so I'll leave you to that.

What you mentioned earlier about straight tap, untreated has me thinking. We NYkers mostly utilize the Catskills water system, which is pretty much RO Water. But I know that it's treated with chlorine. I can even smell/taste it sometimes. I've been treating water with Prime, but I wonder if it's necessary as you say.

http://nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/wsstate07.pdf

Some parts of Queens run on well-water. But as the report above indicates, the well-water system was not in operation at all last year. I do not beleive your area is on the well-water anyway. Do let us know how the untreated tap water is working out for you, any negative effects to the bio-filters?

[SriAngel]

Angel,

Nice setup you have there, lots of thought put into it for sure.

The bowing of the wood does concern me a bit too, but looks like you've got that all figured out, so I'll leave you to that.

What you mentioned earlier about straight tap, untreated has me thinking. We NYkers mostly utilize the Catskills water system, which is pretty much RO Water. But I know that it's treated with chlorine. I can even smell/taste it sometimes. I've been treating water with Prime, but I wonder if it's necessary as you say.

http://nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/wsstate07.pdf

Some parts of Queens run on well-water. But as the report above indicates, the well-water system was not in operation at all last year. I do not beleive your area is on the well-water anyway. Do let us know how the untreated tap water is working out for you, any negative effects to the bio-filters?

Absolutely no ill effects whatsoever, i was like you when i first started, used to use prime. The only thing with using direct tap water is that you must let it degas first. For me letting the water enter above the water line is sufficient. A very hard learned lesson for me as a newbie was that i used to do water changes with a python and let the return water come in below the water line and wondering why my fish were all lying on their sides after a 70 percent water change. It all changed when i let the water out above the water line, and now i can literally do 99% water changes with no problems. Just to make sure my valuable stock is not affected by any chemical changes in my water supply, i will be putting in a carbon block filter to the supply line for the new fish room. This rack is going to be a prototype, and many improvements are going to be implemented in the new fish room.

[shawnhu]

Very interesting Angel, I didn't realize chlorine concentrations were so low that it could be gassed out that quickly. FOrtunately, Prime is cheap enough, and I don't currently have an automated water change system, yet. For now, adding Prime for every water change still works for me(insurance), but I will definately keep this in mind if and when I do an automated system.

Thanks for the info!

Shawn

[SriAngel]

Very interesting Angel, I didn't realize chlorine concentrations were so low that it could be gassed out that quickly. FOrtunately, Prime is cheap enough, and I don't currently have an automated water change system, yet. For now, adding Prime for every water change still works for me(insurance), but I will definately keep this in mind if and when I do an automated system.

Thanks for the info!

Shawn

Im sorry i didn't mean to imply that i was able to degas chlorine by adding water slowly above the water line. It only allows the atmospheric gasses such as nitrogen escape as they hit higher tempretures and lower pressure. Saving the fish from literally getting the "bends", which is very painful to watch. I have no trace chlorine or chloramine in my water, never tasted chlorine and verified by a water report. I would however like to insure my self in case was added in the future with the addition of a carbon block filter.

Regards,
Angel

[Cakes]

Absolutely no ill effects whatsoever, i was like you when i first started, used to use prime. The only thing with using direct tap water is that you must let it degas first. For me letting the water enter above the water line is sufficient. A very hard learned lesson for me as a newbie was that i used to do water changes with a python and let the return water come in below the water line and wondering why my fish were all lying on their sides after a 70 percent water change. It all changed when i let the water out above the water line, and now i can literally do 99% water changes with no problems. Just to make sure my valuable stock is not affected by any chemical changes in my water supply, i will be putting in a carbon block filter to the supply line for the new fish room. This rack is going to be a prototype, and many improvements are going to be implemented in the new fish room.

Oh snap, thank you for the above the water line tip. Nice setup, well done.

[seasiderick]

Great pics thanks for sharing.Rick