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System v4.0: Snow edition
Sunday, December 7, 2014 10:24 PM
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So after being in the biz for the past three or four years I'm happy to be back to being just a hobbyist. Now living in a new place, new job and having some spare time, I want to get back into the breeding part of the hobby. Never had enough time, so now it is purely for fun. I'm still not sure what I want to breed (be it fish or invert) so I'm trying to make a system that will let me do a little of everything. Not happy with what I'm seeing tank wise, I plan on making the entire system to do the following: 1) Must not be bigger than 5' long, or 2' wide. 2) Weight when full of water must be less than 400lbs (second floor). 3) Must be easy to clean/feed/take care of. 4) Just broodstock in this system, larval and live feeds are for later. 5) Keep it under 50 gallons, sump included. I've got a couple rough ideas I'll sketch out tonight/next couple of days. I'll take pics as I build it, as I'm sure there will be new ideas once I get this system built. One last thing - making the entire thing from wood, with the only glass being for viewing.
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Thursday, December 11, 2014 10:52 AM
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I keep going back and forth on designing this. By trying to be as flexible as possible, it seems I'm ending up with Jack-of-all-trades and not being efficient one way or the other. Pelagic or demersal? I can't decide. Now I'm toying with an invert system addition which wouldn't be made of wood, but plastic. Decisions, decisions.
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Monday, December 22, 2014 5:29 PM
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So after running numbers and time/effort etc. I ditched the wood and went back to tanks. Two 15's A 10 And a 30L Are now ready to be painted in the garage. I might grab a 15 for a single stand alone tank in the bed room, but for the most part thats about all I can do being upstairs. Now to work out a stand/frame for them.
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Tuesday, December 23, 2014 9:44 PM
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Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Wednesday, December 24, 2014 12:37 PM
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Was hoping to have tomorrow to work on them but I couldn't find the right plywood for the the stand. It's all good, I still need to paint the tanks, order bulkheads/drill bits etc. Oh and buy tools
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Sunday, December 28, 2014 6:03 PM
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So got some things accomplished today, hoping for more tomorrow: Plywood cut/bought: Check Top w/Light for 10G: Check 4' LED Strip light (very bright, equals 100W, uses 19): Check. Funny thing is I got the top w/light and the 4' Strip light at Walmart of all places. (Also found some sweet, sweet blue and black 40G tubs for 16$ too). The shop light was 25 bucks - and comes with a hanging kit you'd find on a light fixture. I'll get some pics tonight of the tanks w/lights. Still need to get 2x4's to make frame, but I can get that tomorrow. Really thinking of trying one of the titanium heaters w/external controller - Apt stays around 68-70, so I'll need something to bump temps to 80ish. Working on what to use for a sump, as I think I'll just be running two 15's and a 10 for broodstock. The 30G is looking like it will be set up for something else. Still need to put my 30G rimless JBJ tank up too.
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Sunday, December 28, 2014 6:37 PM
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I'd like to see that led strip light from Walmart. I have a need for something like that. Just $25?
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Sunday, December 28, 2014 6:39 PM
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Yeah I was pretty shocked myself. Uploading pic now.
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Sunday, December 28, 2014 6:42 PM
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Light over two 15G tanks. UPC: 681131080323 Great Value 4ft LED Shop Light 1850 lumens, Cool white, 100 Watt Equivalent, uses 19 Watts. I'd like to find more of them, the store just had the one. Looks to be this: http://www.amazon.com/Fei...-48-Inch/dp/B00MJUCQB0 Just labeled with the walmart brand (And much cheaper)
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Monday, December 29, 2014 5:14 PM
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I believe I need to head over to Walmart! Hopefully they will have it in stock.
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Saturday, January 3, 2015 7:16 PM
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So after hitting Menards today for something totally unrelated, I came home with a module system that took all of 10 minutes to put together. (Still not where it is going to be, and I need to pick up a third railing set). 4'x17" 6' tall. Ends x2 (24 ea)= 48 Railings x4 (9 ea) 36 Cut to fit wood x4 (4 ea) 16 Wire to fit shelves (under wood) x4 (3 ea) 12 Total: 112 ~ 120 with tax. Cheaper than building it from wood (and buying tools) and totally movable. I'll paint the wood and drop down the second shelf 6" and that should be good. The sump will go on the bottom shelf (another $30 total). Overall I'm pretty pleased. Each shelf is rated for 2000 lbs, so not worried about 300
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Saturday, January 3, 2015 8:16 PM
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Looks sharp! Is the metal painted or coated? If not, I would suggest sealing it somehow. I wish I'd clear coated my metal rack.
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Saturday, January 3, 2015 11:41 PM
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It's powder coated brown/tan, I'm debating about painting over that as well. Not super worried as I'm only running 40ish gallons on that system. The main issue is temperature is going to be -10's for the highs the next few days this week.
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Sunday, January 4, 2015 2:51 PM
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Gotta say I forgot how fun and easy these are to work with. It took me longer to move the tanks/wood than it did to adjust the level of the two crossbeams. Originally planning two 15's and a 10 and use a 20G for a sump, now I might just use a single 15 and one 10G. I need to get a bigger sheet of plywood for the feet to sit on (or just use a couple of 2x4's so I can spread the weight out, plus screw the feet into those). Other than some odds and ends (ordering bulkheads/plumbing etc) starting to come together. Heater and pumps are on the way from Amazon, so looking like the third week of January I should be able to get it running if all comes in on time.
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Monday, January 19, 2015 5:07 PM
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Another change - using a single 30G (36"x12") to house a group of similar fish. I like the idea of not having to drill tanks/get bulkheads and do all sorts of plumbing. Just need to clean it out and paint the back and it is ready to start the cycle.
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Monday, January 19, 2015 9:14 PM
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So, are you still trying to decide whether to go with demersals or pelagics? As a fellow breeding nut I don't know how you're going to be happy with so few tanks. Have you picked out your target fish yet?
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Monday, January 19, 2015 9:34 PM
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Dave I'm stuck in being in a second floor apartment. Still not sure if I'll be living here after a year (being transferred is big possibility). Probably demersals, but if I need to I have a garage I can modify for more room. My car might not like me during the winter tho!
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Thursday, July 9, 2015 12:55 PM
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V5.0 coming in August - moving to a bigger place where I can have an actual dedicated fish room. Tanks on hand: 10G x1 15G x2 20H x1 30 x1 40B x1 75 x1 After running the numbers, I just can't see ever using 10G tanks for broodstock - simply as the needed parts to plumb them into a system are just not cost-effective. Best example I can give is that four 10's will be about 41-42" wide if stacked side by side. Three 20's will be about 37-37.5" if stacked side by side, and have a third more volume. I'm also going to use 40B's as broodstock, as the surface area is insane for the size of the tank. (And one 40B still uses less wall space than four 10's!) Debating between another couple tanks. Trying not to get carried away before I move, but I'd like to be able to get systems up and running so I can start searching for possible broodstock. I'll have a new thread (v5) once I'm moved in. The steel racking I got will be used in the livefoods/larval room, perfect for BRT's!)
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Friday, July 10, 2015 10:54 AM
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Interesting thread, I am on the finishing up stage of a system with a 90, a 55 and a 50, UGFs, and a sump, have water in all and adding salt, have some 'live' gravel to add once the salinity is up, and just for fun several female mollies converting to salt. I have another 55 in the fishroom for growout . Re: wood tanks, I am looking at the Instant Ocean marine 3/4 ply, fiberglassed. I made the sump for the 3 tanks of this. Its well covered in Frank Hoffs book. I would wind up with 6 sections of 28gals, probably 26 with lower water level. I am looking at this for some small fish breeding tanks. It'll be another month before I start it, but have the marine ply now for a unit. It will be on a 2by4 stand. So far so good on the start, I am thinking of going down to Tropicorium next week for some starter stuff, I also have a 'pod' rack, several 10gal tanks, and several 5 gal buckets on the bottom with some 3 gal Walmart square water jugs on 2nd and 3rd shelves, with 2 liter bottles on the top. But its all not functioning yet, major effort is on the 3 living room tanks. Why did you rule out the ply tanks? After looking at options it seemed the ply was the easiest way to get the 6 'tanks', all in one unit for me anyhow. Fascinating thread, thanks for sharing.
Jake We are all in this together
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Re:System v4.0: Snow edition
Friday, July 10, 2015 11:36 AM
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I haven't ruled the ply tanks out yet - there is still a part of me that wants to make a 48"x36"x30" for a display. The single sheet of glass would run about 100ish (1/2" or more thickness, 5/8's maybe), the wood and materials another 300ish. The problem I run into is once I build that tank (and put it in the basement) it will never come out - and that isn't a great idea when renting
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