BigManAquatic' new 55 gal build

Probably will later, we about to leave for non-fish errands though. I got plenty of stuff to do later including boiling that stump. Extra nice cuz it is hollowed out a lot of the way.

I want to see pictures of the stump!!

I got a couple of pics. 5 gal betta tank in bg for size reference.

 

Giving the stump a good boil. Was checking it out in the LFS seeing how it would fit in a used 55g tank/stand combo they were selling for $100....i hate that kind of temptation!
So this is where we will leave it at for tonight.

 

Doing a bit of work on the tank today. Got the heaters placed and a couple pieces of decor. Will probably start cleaning up the dragon stone and start figuring out where i want that along with caves. No real urgency at this point. Will probably kinda just fit it all in while taking a break from housecleaning stuff

 

Just kind of playing around with some of thr decor i have.



Wish i woulda thought of putting caves in the substrate ages ago.

 

Ordered the hoods for the 55. Each petco in town only had 1, so i ordered from both stores so gotta go all over town, but between my petco rewards and the 10% off for the order online, store pickup feature, did save almost $20. Plus gives me an excuse to go to the one store, where the store manager is an old boss of mine. Have not harrassed him for awhile!

 

It was an adventure, but yay, i got hoods!!




Was an adventure, because on my way to the 2nd petco to pick up my preorder, they sent me a cancelled order email, because they couldn't find it, said it was not in stock. So since i was almost there, i went anyway, me and the aquatics guy found the hood on the wrong shelf, so i still got it anyway!

 

It was an adventure, but yay, i got hoods!!

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Was an adventure, because on my way to the 2nd petco to pick up my preorder, they sent me a cancelled order email, because they couldn't find it, said it was not in stock. So since i was almost there, i went anyway, me and the aquatics guy found the hood on the wrong shelf, so i still got it anyway!

They already have leds built into them? Did u come up with a stocking plan?

 

They already have leds built into them? Did u come up with a stocking plan?

I got the flourescent option, looks nice when on but not as bright as the LEDs, i have the LEDs on the 20s, but yes, aqueon sells them with lights.

I at least have the start of a stocking plan, enough to keep me busy for awhile!

 

Starting to get filters, lightsand heaters ready to plug in. Color coding the systems, so to speak, to make it easier to know what to unplug for water changes.

Getting airlines routed as well for the sponge filters. Trying to be a bit of a productive day, anyway.

 

Mostly full, pretty pleased so far except the wood is floating again.

 

Is that the wood on the right? Zip Ty a rock to it for a few months to get it waterlogged.

 

Is that the wood on the right? Zip Ty a rock to it for a few months to get it waterlogged.

Might even try a rock inside since it is greatly hollowed out. I tried some gravel inside but that wasn't enough.

Is that the wood on the right? Zip Ty a rock to it for a few months to get it waterlogged.

Turns out lead-free fishing weights in the hollow worked like a champ!

 

Ok i been busy early this morning. All i got left is few more gallons of water and to plug in the HOBs. Got the established sponge filters and heaters going.

 

Your getting there!!

 

It's looking good!

 

Best part of a new tank is millions of free bubbles! LOL

Looking good.

 

Well, heaters work. Went from 70 to about 85. Now working on getting things dialed down to about 78-80 range.

 

Just turned on the aquaclears. Pleasantly surprised how quiet the two of them are combined, mechanically. Can hear the airpump over them.

 

Kinda feel this version is a little too much.

 

Did a bit of adding and subtracting and moving around today.

 

what's going in there?

 

Did a bit of adding and subtracting and moving around today.

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That's my favorite iteration of your tank so far, if that helps at all, haha.

 

That's my favorite iteration of your tank so far, if that helps at all, haha.

My favkrite at this point too. Gotta move some stuff a bit more i think so some driftwood and rocks not as hidden, but think we are close

what's going in there?

Got some rams and tetrasfor the moment and some snails.

 

Finally got some tools of the trade hung up.

 

now there's an idea, organize your tools!

 

now there's an idea, organize your tools!

I have to...otherwise it drives me nuts

 

Moved some stuff around today, and random pics from around the tank.

 

Moved some stuff around today, and random pics from around the tank.

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Looks good. I'm curious - what goes in your terra cotta "pots" & what's the black thing on the right?

 

Looks good. I'm curious - what goes in your terra cotta "pots" & what's the black thing on the right?

Those are watering stakes, work great for pleco caves and for cave breeding fish.

I am assuming the black thing is either my "stump" or some other piece of driftwood.

 

Looks fantastic! I've definitely come around on fake plants, especially because I can have them with the stocking in my 75.

 

Looks fantastic! I've definitely come around on fake plants, especially because I can have them with the stocking in my 75.

If you are kinda picky there are some decent ones out there. I usually try to avoid the real cheesy looking ones, the really unnatural colors. My wife likes those for her tank, but she also has rainbow gravel too, so go figure!

I also tend to soak them for awhile in hot water to a)clean them off and b)seems to "loosen them up" so they tend to move a bit more natural.

 

Really gotta remember to get some pre-filter sponges this week. 2 of my new mystery snails got part of them sucked in and mangled and dead

 

Been treating for ich, hopefully the last dose of ich-x was administered today. Hoping to do a 50% water change probably saturday then put the carbon in the filter and let it do its thing.

 

Ok how’d ya do it??? Post 67 you got a 5g bucket in the stump on the right. That’s got to be what otterblue was talking about. Probably has something to do with Area 51!

 

Just turned on the aquaclears. Pleasantly surprised how quiet the two of them are combined, mechanically. Can hear the airpump over them.

Seriously, AC's are glorious for very little sound. The most I used to hear from them was the water spilling back into the tank if it got lower than I normally kept it.

The tank is looking good though. I also agree with you on the fake plants. There are some really good natural looking ones now these days. I have a tank full of them but will eventually move over to planted. Nice work!

 

Hey Aquatics, how far you want to expand your horizons? Maybe a school of bristlenose plecos, with a school of gourami for some color.

 

Ok how’d ya do it??? Post 67 you got a 5g bucket in the stump on the right. That’s got to be what otterblue was talking about. Probably has something to do with Area 51!

Classified top secret for plausible deniability

 

Hey Aquatics, how far you want to expand your horizons? Maybe a school of bristlenose plecos, with a school of gourami for some color.

Will be moving one of my albino adult male bn's over soon. Already got a clown, snowball and orange seam pleco in the tank. Not huge on gouramis, though. I have pretty much kept most of the common ones except dwarf gouramis at some point.

 

I am going to assume you're not stocking Brackish water fish cause that moves most peoples horizons pretty far

 

Finally got one of my bn plecos transferred to the 55 today.