Journal 135g High Tech Planted

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Count Krunk

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Hello All,

I migrated over from planted tech forum. I found that one first, it is sort of dead, with (seemingly) only a couple dozen of active members, at least in the areas I care about.

Anyway, will list out what I'm planning

  • 135g old school oceanic
    • 72 x 18 x 24 (L x W X H) 183 x 46 x 61 (cm)
    • thick glass
    • glass center brace
    • rimmed
  • 40g breeder sump
  • Chiriros doser set
    • (Likely) custom mixed ferts
  • Yugang C02 reactor
    • 60" long x 2" pipe diameter
    • fed via a small pump for gentle flow (200gph~)
  • Custom build stand
    • 36" high, the only height lol
  • lights

My main question right now is substrate. I was planning on just going inert, to keep things simple, BDBS. Anyone have any thought on this?

Another question i just thought of, the Yugang reactor. I would think it makes the most sense to have the outfded of this reactor be submerged right next to the return pump. So the return pump slurps up this C02 rich water and pumps it right out into the display.

Fish - nothing is set into stone besides angels and schooling tetras. This is what Im thinking right now.
1692647811470.png

One more question to end this with. What temperature are we thinking? I was originally thinking 78, as I come from reefing background, but perhaps 80 would be better?

thanks all.
 
Hey, thanks for posting this! Be sure to set up your Build Banner as explained here.

The info looks sweet. I always wanted to run a sump with sponges only. Really looking forward to seeing how it goes for you.

IMHO, I would steer you away from the Reef Pros and to a light that is more geared to freshwater planted tanks. While both reef and planted tank LED lights are optimized for the photosynthetic spectrums, the reef LEDs tend to push towards the blues. I would suggest Chihiros, Week Aqua or Netlea these days.

Count Krunk said:
My main question right now is substrate. I was planning on just going inert, to keep things simple, BDBS. Anyone have any thought on this?
Click to expand...
I am recommending this to most people that are making the conversion to planted aquariums. It removes the substrate as a variable you need to deal with. So, I would tell you inert is a good choice.

Count Krunk said:
Another question i just thought of, the Yugang reactor. I would think it makes the most sense to have the outfded of this reactor be submerged right next to the return pump. So the return pump slurps up this C02 rich water and pumps it right out into the display.
Click to expand...
I can't answer this but maybe @Yugang can chime in here.

Count Krunk said:
One more question to end this with. What temperature are we thinking? I was originally thinking 78, as I come from reefing background, but perhaps 80 would be better?
Click to expand...
If you can run cooler, that's better for plants. I run 74-75F.
 
Great project @Count Krunk , looking forward seeing this develop.

Count Krunk said:
Another question i just thought of, the Yugang reactor. I would think it makes the most sense to have the outfded of this reactor be submerged right next to the return pump. So the return pump slurps up this C02 rich water and pumps it right out into the display.
Click to expand...
This looks good, and has the benefit that the water from the small pump, with reactor, feeds back into the main flow that goes from the sump into the display tank.

I don't know your sump dimensions, the surface area for outgassing. For calculations I assumed the sump to be 48*13*16. I would guess that your reactor dimensions 60" * 2" are slightly on the high side, as from my calculations I would target 54" * 2". No big worry, as I am assuming you use a CO2 regulator and a bit extra reactor capacity won't hurt.

Good luck with your build, and we are happy to help with any follow up questions.
 
@Art i thought the fish needed warmer water. I could def keep it at 74, as the tank will be in the basement.

@Yugang thanks i knew mine was a bit extra. I do have a co2 art pro se regulator. Plan to turn it on X minutes prior to lights on, depending on how fast the co2 occurs. Then off when lights go off.

As far as lights, no way in hell I’m spending $300+ per unit. Another member on planted tank has the 21 leds lights and his tank looks very nice. I’m fine with being a guinea pig of sorts and seeing if these lights can get it for a fraction of the cost.
 
Im looking forward to seeing this.
Water temp.... In cooler waters we can inject more CO2, or should I say its absorbed easier by plants. Most of our plants do quite well in 70-80 degree waters. Above 86 and only certian ones do well. I, myself live in the Pacific Northwest and my tank runs about 65 year round.
There is quite a debate on using CO2 with a sump. It basically boils down to one side saying you'll loose most of what your injecting due to the turbilance of the sump. The other side saying it doesnt matter. Not much we can do about it so gas away. Honestly the loss of a few molecules of CO2 is not that big of a deal.
Reef lights will grow plants the same as Planted lights. Only difference is the reef spectrum is more taylored into the blue and when blue is dominant it washes out the greens and colors turning the tank into a greyish soup color.
My big tank is sumped. Currently have 2x 100 micron socks which get changed out every weekend or they clog up. Also have bath luffa's, and a ton of lava rock followed by sponges. So (chamber 1 filter socks, chamber 2 Luffa's, chamber 3 bubble trap with sponges, chamber 4 sump pump surrounded by Lava rock).
 
Thanks @BigWave what fish do you have in such cold waters?

The lights are modeled “reef bar pro” that’s just their nicest model. They also have a 6.5k light i could do vs the 8k if we’re worried about spectrum.
 
Count Krunk said:
As far as lights, no way in hell I’m spending $300+ per unit. Another member on planted tank has the 21 leds lights and his tank looks very nice. I’m fine with being a guinea pig of sorts and seeing if these lights can get it for a fraction of the cost.
Click to expand...
Love it. Please share your findings. Looking forward to it. How much as the 21 LEDs?
 
I noticed the NilocG thrive planted tank lights are 12k, so I'm not worried at all about 8k + full spectrum being too blue.
 
Count Krunk said:
what fish do you have in such cold waters?
Click to expand...
All tetras along with the clean up crew, otto's, shrimp and snails.
A bunch of us rock Colins (NilocG) LEDs. He stands by his stuff 100%. Also very active in the hobby. They are ugly black boxes but do pack quite a punch. Pushing 1k par at substrate.
 
ADA used to, and probably still does, use 8K as the light because it makes the greens and reds look crisper.
 
Count Krunk said:
Hello All,

I migrated over from planted tech forum. I found that one first, it is sort of dead, with (seemingly) only a couple dozen of active members, at least in the areas I care about.

Anyway, will list out what I'm planning

  • 135g old school oceanic
    • 72 x 18 x 24 (L x W X H) 183 x 46 x 61 (cm)
    • thick glass
    • glass center brace
    • rimmed
  • 40g breeder sump
  • Chiriros doser set
    • (Likely) custom mixed ferts
  • Yugang C02 reactor
    • 60" long x 2" pipe diameter
    • fed via a small pump for gentle flow (200gph~)
  • Custom build stand
    • 36" high, the only height lol
  • lights

My main question right now is substrate. I was planning on just going inert, to keep things simple, BDBS. Anyone have any thought on this?

Another question i just thought of, the Yugang reactor. I would think it makes the most sense to have the outfded of this reactor be submerged right next to the return pump. So the return pump slurps up this C02 rich water and pumps it right out into the display.

Fish - nothing is set into stone besides angels and schooling tetras. This is what Im thinking right now.
View attachment 2798

One more question to end this with. What temperature are we thinking? I was originally thinking 78, as I come from reefing background, but perhaps 80 would be better?

thanks all.
Click to expand...
Good stuff count!

I wanted to comment your stocking based on my experience with electric blue acaras. The ones I have are very mean to other fish. They seem to have a severe disliking to angelfish. I tried just about every possible option to keep them together and it only ended with dead anglefish. The only option that has worked for me is keep them
In different tanks.

My acaras have been prolific breeders, the only thing that slowed them down was to allow a group of 6 stay together with a large rotkeil severum and many bristlenose plecos. I think the severum keeps the acaras off their breeding game by being a big somewhat docile dominate fish. The plecos eat any eggs that they do end up laying pretty quickly anyway. When I want the acaras to breed I have to remove the plecos. These all reside together because the plecos breed to much just like the acaras and having all of them together cuts way down on my baby fish culling chores.

Once you have a pair formed of acaras you will have more soon enough. Just my experience with them. Different strains might have different demeanors. I think I’m on my 4th generation of electric blues from the original pair and they are all as mean and prolific as the originals. Beautiful fish and I will continue to keep them.
 
FrankZ said:
Good stuff count!

I wanted to comment your stocking based on my experience with electric blue acaras. The ones I have are very mean to other fish. They seem to have a severe disliking to angelfish. I tried just about every possible option to keep them together and it only ended with dead anglefish. The only option that has worked for me is keep them
In different tanks.

My acaras have been prolific breeders, the only thing that slowed them down was to allow a group of 6 stay together with a large rotkeil severum and many bristlenose plecos. I think the severum keeps the acaras off their breeding game by being a big somewhat docile dominate fish. The plecos eat any eggs that they do end up laying pretty quickly anyway. When I want the acaras to breed I have to remove the plecos. These all reside together because the plecos breed to much just like the acaras and having all of them together cuts way down on my baby fish culling chores.

Once you have a pair formed of acaras you will have more soon enough. Just my experience with them. Different strains might have different demeanors. I think I’m on my 4th generation of electric blues from the original pair and they are all as mean and prolific as the originals. Beautiful fish and I will continue to keep them.
Click to expand...
Thanks i was worried about that. They have big mouths so i was also worried about them eating the small fish.
 
All plants will be coming from online, please let me know who you have good or great experiences with. I’ve ordered from buce, won’t again. As well as dustins fish tanks, which i would do again.
 
As much as I don’t want to i think the acaras will be trimmed from the fish list. Perhaps opening up space for some gouramis??

Pls post your gourmai experiences below!
 
Gold Gouramis - hassled my angels until they were all dead, hassled other gouramis until there were just a pair left, snack on molly and ancistrus fry, keeping populations in check, get along well with mollies (leave the fry alone after a certain size), danios, corys, panda garras. Fairly peaceful once their rivals were eliminated! I would not keep any non-dwarf Gourami with Angelfish again.

Honey Gouramis (different tank) - very, very docile and fine with guppies, glass catfish, ember tetras, black neons, hillstream and khuli loaches, otos. They keep to themselves and each individual has a separate “territory“ in the tank, but do feed together with no bickering. I would be afraid that angels would harass these peaceful dwarf gouramis to death.
 
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Thank you for your feedback @*Ci* .

Does anyone hve thoughts of pearl gouramis or paradise fish? Those are the two i am considering.
 
To keep yall abreast of my thinking, fish wise.

This is first and foremost an angel fish tank. Angels are my favorite fw fish. After angels it goes to rainbows. After rainbows it goes to tetras. Anything that compromises those above 3 likely won’t be added.
 
Hello all. After thinking and reading. It seems it would be best to have the flow back from the sump be a spray bar?

What or flow pattern? Im thinking circular from the back to front.

Thoughts?
 
Also, operation basement organizing and building is underway which is required to finally get started on this tank.

My table saw motor start capacitor died so i have a new one coming. Fingers crossed that does it, as the part was only $14.

I have a 100% metal delta table saw that i absolutely love. So def hoping this brings it back online.
 
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