My 500g Aquarium

[scuba guy]

I'm relatively new to the forum and have been asked for some pics of my show tank.

This is the latest picture - it's not great because of the daylight in the house (and reflections), but gives an idea of what I'm trying to accomplish. If someone can suggest how to take a picture, I'll try again (maybe in the evening).

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g230/mjz_3348/IMG_0887.jpg

You can also see the problems I have been having (reported in other threads) with water clarity (under the lights you can see the milky color) and you can see only 5 of my healthy Discus. The other 5 are hiding in the wood - not eating - probably spironucleus.

This tank has two 2260 e-heims and one 55 gallon sump/trickle filter. Water is strongly aerated via the overflow waterfall and surface flow (you can see in the upper right). I am slowly adding plants.

[Finatic]

It is a beautiful tank, and will be even better once you get everything figured out with your sick discus.

How long has the tank been set up? How about the 55gal sump? I wonder if what we are seeing with the cloudiness is some new water syndrome? I know a sump bio-filter takes about 6-8 weeks to fully cycle for the bacteria colony to establish and work its magic. Also, has the driftwood been boiled and or cleaned?

I assume that it all has, but Im just asking the obvious to eliminate the easy questions. Some of the more advanced members may be able to give you better help on other causes for cloudiness.

Lastly I would say don't let this intitial bump force you out of your plans for stocking 30 or so discus in your show tank (I have read your other posts on the problems you have been had). I think a fully stocked 500 gallon would be a sight to behold.

Good luck with everything!

[philip69285]

Very very nice looking tank I must say. I think it looks beautiful the way it is as those plants will fill out nicely. Maybe add some ground cover is possible (don't know how tall it is and how much light gets down there). Discus stress very easy and sometimes refuse to eat due to that stress. Sometimes they are sick and sometimes not. Always good to treat just in case tho. I normally use rid-ich and salt as my treatment for anything like that and they seem to perk right back up. Havent had to do that in a long time tho. Hope all goes well and Im sure others may have other opinions on it as well :). Welcome to the forum.

[scuba guy]

The tank has been filled and running for 3 months. The wood was cleaned and aged in barrels (not boiled - too big for the pots my wife has) for a few days to leach most of the tannins. Could the wood be causing the cloudiness (apart from tea color?). I do have purigen in one of the eheims.

The "magnetic cleaner" in the lower right hand of the picture gives you scale. The tank is 4 feet tall - about 4 feet deep and 8 feet or so wide.

I'd like to add more discus ... but.

I'll try and shoot a pic tonight to eliminate glare.

[akumastew]

I love you tank Scubaguy.

How do you manage water changes with such a large tank?

Can you easily vacuum the bottom with it being 4ft deep?

Or is that where your name comes from, because you have to get your scuba gear on to clean it. :p

- Stew

[MalawiTango]

WOW I wish I could have something that big in my place. Good luck and I hope you get it squared away soon.

[scuba guy]

I love you tank Scubaguy.

How do you manage water changes with such a large tank?

Can you easily vacuum the bottom with it being 4ft deep?

Or is that where your name comes from, because you have to get your scuba gear on to clean it. :p

- Stew

This is the risk I took with Discus - that one could set up a big biotope and provide enough water to fish ratio that not having to have a "pristine" environment can work. After all - Discus live in muddy waters in the Amazon. The water is low Ph and low dissolved solids, but there is a lot of dirt in there (particulates).
The key is keeping the results of metabolic waste down far lower than other fish can tolerate.

I can change 100 gallons at a time easily (25%). And I will be able to change more once I get the heating system working. Because the tank is new with a low bioload - I have time before the residual nitrate level becomes a problem. After 3 months, when I test for nitrate I get zero. 500 gallons is a lot of water. And I do weekly water changes.

Cleaning the gravel I use a long stick connected to the python. It works - not great, but sufficient to get at the easy to get at gravel.

And I do use my scuba gear (mask only) so I can see without the surface ripples, but only the mask - I try not to get wet.

Anyone interested in seeing a picture of the fish room behind the tank?

[William Palumbo]

I'd like to see a pic of it. Most of us on here love pics!...Bill

[Cooldadddyfunk286]

please, lots more pics...this is an amazing tank! really beautiful house too, I can tell by the reflection of the staircase on the glass! ;)

now you gotta fill it up with big beautiful vibrant discus!!! :D:D

take care.

[H82LOS3]

Wow very nice, more more more pics please :)

I wish my tank is that big!

[scuba guy]

Wow very nice, more more more pics please :)

I wish my tank is that big!

Big tank is nice, but only if I can keep Discus alive, otherwise a small aquarium that you can service easily is better - do I sound bitter ? nah ....

Look at the rocks and then look at the magnetic glass cleaner (lower right) - everything about this tank had to be scaled up in order for it to look good.

[William Palumbo]

I've found Discus to be hardy. When I am killing catfish, guppies, plecos ect....the Discus are all fine!...It boils down to starting out with VERY healthy stock to start with. Half the battle is won that way. A tank like yours...I would have it filled with adult wild Discus. IMO, some of the best looking, AND healthiest Discus to get. Just hang in there and after awhile that tank will almost take care of itself...Bill

[Eddie]

Thats my dream tank size. I'd make it a full on amazon biotope!

Eddie

[lpiasente]

Thats my dream tank size. I'd make it a full on amazon biotope!

EddieIm with Eddie and the house looks fabulous.

[theblondskeleton]

Wow, that must be impressive in person! Best of luck with the illness. I hope you get it sorted soon!

For photographing your tank, wait until after dark, as you apparently have a lot of outside light in your house, and turn the room lights out. That will get rid of the reflections. :)

[scuba guy]

Thats my dream tank size. I'd make it a full on amazon biotope!

Eddie

That's exactly what I am trying to do - feel free to send suggestions on how to make it exactly that. The more wood the better I was told, but I have to get a handle on the clarity.

Perhaps it's just time and it will clear up on its own since it is such a large volume.

[Scribbles]

Incredible tank! I would fill it with wilds. Oh yeah, and more pictures please.

Chris

[rickztahone]

do you have an algal problems due to the natural light coming into the tank? the tank looks awesome and i would do what theblondskeleton said and wait till night time to not get any glare. do not use flash and you should be good.

[darbex]

Huge tank. By the way I love your stair case.

[scottishbloke]

Wow- you already have what both my wife and I dream about- a 500g discus tank for me :D:D:D and an amazing house complete with spiral staircase for the wife :D :D

Please post more pics soon, would love to see them (and the house).

Regards,

Colin

[target]

Wow- you already have what both my wife and I dream about- a 500g discus tank for me :D:D:D and an amazing house complete with spiral staircase for the wife :D :D

Please post more pics soon, would love to see them (and the house).

Regards,

Colin

LOL, I was thinking the same thing. Would love to have a tank this size, but definitely need the house as well.

[scuba guy]

LOL, I was thinking the same thing. Would love to have a tank this size, but definitely need the house as well.

The house was designed by my wife and I and built over two years. My two aquariums are built in to the structure of the home with their own water supply and drains. No more dragging hoses around to do water changes - and no more heading off to the garage where I use to have dozens of tanks. Now I just enjoy the show tanks as part of the furniture.

Over the years I realized that I had lots of tanks because I couldn't afford the dollars or the size of a truly big aquarium - and now we finally did it (only to have all these issues #()$&#()$&#)($*&).

Structurally there are 4 piers in the foundation beneath the aquarium to support the weight. The framing surrounds the glass and is sealed against it. The granite tops by the bar abut to it.

The tank is visible from anywhere in the front of the home - especially at night...and at night is when the water clarity issue is most obvious. A tank this size and prominently displayed just simply has to be crystal clear - it is why I made sure filtration is not an issue.

Based on what I read here I am getting the impression I just have to wait and let nature take its course. The ecology of the aquarium will settle out over time. The strong will survive the weak won't.

I'll load some more pics of the outside pond and pool that I think you all would like to see. The whole house design is built around water, rocks in a natural setting.

[akumastew]

You could try using a DE filter to clear up the water until your algae blooms settle down.

- Stew

[scuba guy]

You could try using a DE filter to clear up the water until your algae blooms settle down.

- Stew

Actually that's what I have been doing - you'll see the Vortex in the picture I will be posting shortly of the back room. The diatom filter gets the clarity o.k. for visitors - never really clear, just acceptable. That's telling me I have one celled algae in the water - not just bacteria. The diatom filter clogs up after two days - so there is a definite "load" in the water.

I'm thinking of a UV light system to add.

[scuba guy]

Here is a picture of the room behind the 500g tank:

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g230/mjz_3348/IMG_0893.jpg

You can see the two 2260 eheims underneath as well as the sump/trickle filter.
The left side of the aquarium which is not painted black is the water overflow for the sump filter. The water cascades 4 feet and gets tremendous aeration at that point. Sounds like a tropical waterfall.

You can see the Vortex Diatom filter on the floor that I have been using to try and clear the water.

The floor slopes very subtle to a large drain just under the tank - you can see the large green hose with the stop cock that I use to drain water easily from the tank - just open the valve.

You can also see the water supply on the floor by the shelves. Water comes in from the house and goes through two whirlpool whole house cannister filters. The left one is mechanical (brown color) and the right one is activated carbon. If the flow is too fast - the carbon breaks the chloramine bond and passes ammonia to the tank - which I am on top of - putting the water into the over flow so the new water goes through the sump filter removes residual ammonia (and I use prime if needed). When I use a slow flow rate - there is no ammonia generated. When I change water, I test constantly - and have lost no tetras since I became aware of chloramine in my water supply.

[scuba guy]

Here is a picture of the courtyard showing the Koi pond in the top of the picture as well as the pool.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g230/mjz_3348/IMG_0897.jpg

The pond is bio-filtered by the stream that you can see to the left of the pool. The stream is about one foot higher than the pond and water pumped from the pond is sent to the high point (left part of the picture) and gravity flows the water through the stones and rocks back to the pond. Ammonia and nitrate are zero. Nitrate is zero because every time it rains, water is flushed out of the pond and flows to the back of the property so in some sense the pond is natural - water changes are automatic. In heavy rains, the pond is flushed clean with new water. The fish love it and have thrived. A secondary filter system needs to be re-fitted and that will clear the water of the algae (along with UV) by next summer - then the pond will look identical to the pool - except one has fish in it and the other one chlorine.

My wife and I will landscape the rest of the area in spring to complete the area.

[DiscusFreakaZoid]

Living the dream nice home and tank. Reminds me of a Cribs episode on Mtv

[Tito]

I've found Discus to be hardy. When I am killing catfish, guppies, plecos ect....the Discus are all fine!...It boils down to starting out with VERY healthy stock to start with. Half the battle is won that way. A tank like yours...I would have it filled with adult wild Discus. IMO, some of the best looking, AND healthiest Discus to get. Just hang in there and after awhile that tank will almost take care of itself...Bill


Same here.

[darbex]

Very nice

[scuba guy]

Shot this picture today at night so there would only be light from the aquarium.
You can get a good idea now of the water clarity problem I have been fighting.
It's not getting worse - just not getting better.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g230/mjz_3348/IMG_0899.jpg

[seancj]

Lovely home and tank.
Hook up a large wattage UV sterilizer to your tank and within days you'll likely see crystal clear water! You'll probably have to look into pond size UV's for your size tank.
Same thing happened with my tank. Put on a UV and I had crystal clear water within two days.

[Cakes]

Shot this picture today at night so there would only be light from the aquarium.
You can get a good idea now of the water clarity problem I have been fighting.
It's not getting worse - just not getting better.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g230/mjz_3348/IMG_0899.jpg


Oh my that is such a nice setup.

[scuba guy]

Lovely home and tank.
Hook up a large wattage UV sterilizer to your tank and within days you'll likely see crystal clear water! You'll probably have to look into pond size UV's for your size tank.
Same thing happened with my tank. Put on a UV and I had crystal clear water within two days.

This gives me hope! Can you recommend a UV source?

[scuba guy]

Oh my that is such a nice setup.

Imagine crystal clear water with 30 fully grown Discus !!

I can't wait .... probably will take a year at this rate.
(seems that my water cloudiness is one celled algae, although I'll need a microscope to be sure; when I use my diatom filter, it clogs up after one day with a green/brownish coat - a bacterial bloom would not do that).

[jimmyjoe]

My goodness what a big tank you have, and I might say everything in Texas at your house is very nice. Beautiful tank, pool and Koi pond your very lucky hope all works well in the New year. Jim

[scuba guy]

My goodness what a big tank you have, and I might say everything in Texas at your house is very nice. Beautiful tank, pool and Koi pond your very lucky hope all works well in the New year. Jim

There's some luck in life - mostly though it's HARD WORK, determination, willingness to take risk (most important). And Maalox.

[rickztahone]

Shot this picture today at night so there would only be light from the aquarium.
You can get a good idea now of the water clarity problem I have been fighting.
It's not getting worse - just not getting better.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g230/mjz_3348/IMG_0899.jpg

i can see why it would be difficult to catch your discus in that aquascape. I couldn't even see the Leopards though. good luck with the cloudy water issue, and great pond!

[seancj]

This gives me hope! Can you recommend a UV source?

Check several online pond supply stores and I'm sure you'll find something that will work for your tank. Buy one large enough to handle your water volume, preferably a bit more, and run it 24/7.

[akumastew]

This gives me hope! Can you recommend a UV source?

There was a post somewhere on here that described the correct pump rate to watts ratio for the UV.

I am sure you can use the search function to find it.

- Stew

[KEWX]

Great Tank! How about some more plants? Would they help with the water issue and add additional beauty to the display?

[bettebulldog]

heres a uv 4 sale http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?filteration&1262796001