Ch4Rlies New 2.5 Feet Tank Journal

[Akasha72]

I don't think tangled cables would be classed as a fire hazzard ... if they were every house in the world would be catching fire day after day lol. Where fire hazzards start is when people start plugging extentions leads in to extentions leads. The worst fire hazzard now in the U.K are mobile phone chargers left plugged in even after the phone is fully charged... a few tangled up cables? I think we're fine

 
Unless the cables are damaged of course ... that's a different matter

 
As for the filter ... I had to take my shelves out of my cabinet as the filters are too tall. I wish I had the skills to get them back in but higher up as it's wasted space... that said though - I'd need to take them out to disconnect the pipes to maintain the filters so maybe best left as they are

 

[Ch4rlie]

Yes, as Akasha says, tangled cables are not really a fire hazard unless cables are damaged, just more unsightly and potentially hazardous due to children pulling at the cables and causing total havoc!
 
Also from personal experience have seen rabbits and pet rats gnawing away at these cables, as anyone who has kept house rabbits, they will chew on ANYTHING especially cables

 
But tbh, I am a little ocd when comes to seeing wires and cables. I HATE seeing wiring and cables, especially from tv's, satellite boxes, DVD players etc, I will go out of my way to ensure you can's see these cables and being a neat freak for that sort of thing

(I even did the in-laws tv and sat cables tidying away and putting up a shelf for the sat box etc while they were away on holiday, it REALLY bothered me

)
 
 

As for the filter ... I had to take my shelves out of my cabinet as the filters are too tall. I wish I had the skills to get them back in but higher up as it's wasted space... that said though - I'd need to take them out to disconnect the pipes to maintain the filters so maybe best left as they are

 
Akasha - you DO have the skills, you just don't know it

 
These sort of DIY mini projects are actually very simple and only basic tools required, a bit of common sense and a little bit of planning ahead is all it takes. Go on, have a go, even if it fails, you can say you at least tried

(my sister was like that, saying things like "I dont have the skills" or "I don't know what to do", then when her hubby left her, she started doing these little projects as not much choice, she is now pretty good

)

 

[Akasha72]

I probably do have the skills as I'm a hands on type of person and my mind is set up for logical thinking... the thing I have always lacked it confidence. I've been a single lady a long time and my Mummy always said to me as a kid 'if you want something doing - better do it yourself!' and she was right. I ask Dad to do a job for me and I wait ... and I wait ... and I wait ... and then do it myself, bodge it and get shouted at for not waiting lol
 
When I can finally afford a new tank and cabinet I'll end up doing as you have done with this tank Ch4rlie, I'll end up adapting it to fit everything before my fish go anywhere near it. I guess I'm afraid of damaging the cabinet with the tank stood on it and fishes inside it!

 

[daizeUK]

Hehe glad I reminded you!
I also had to raise the shelf in my cabinet to accomodate my Eheim which is why it occurred to me.  Even so, I didn't allow enough space and the outlet hose was squeezed up against the shelf.  Over time this distorted the hose and restricted water flow.  I've now fixed the problem but it may serve as a cautionary tale.  Although I'm sure your DIY skills are much more competent than mine!

 

[NickAu]

 
Akasha - you DO have the skills, you just don't know it

I agree.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Quick little update -
 
The shelf saga is now complete

 
As Daize mentioned earlier, she had trouble with the hose from her filter being kinked by the shelf, this worried me a little when did the first level of 15mm above orignal height, so for peace of mind decided to add a level thats 25mm above original line.
 
  
                      (shelf at 15 mm higher)
 
 

                      (shelf at 25 mm higher)
 
 
And then decided to add another one of these baster, tweezer and scissor holder thingy from 40mm drainage pipe for a bit more storage. To make it more aesthetically pleasing, decided to do away with the grey one and put in two white pipes of equal length instead, which are held up with white pipe holders. So much better

 

​

 
Just waiting for the end caps to put in for bottom of the pipes whihc i ordered online, delivery is longer than i ancipated

 

[daizeUK]

Think about where your filter shut-off valves will go too.  Ideally you want them on the underneath side of the shelf for ease of disconnecting the filter.  A poorly positioned outlet valve is what led to my hose getting kinked.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Hmm, theres no shut off valves that came with this eheim filter, its brand new.
 
Maybe need to buy this seperately as makes sense to have these for these maintenanace cleans. Even though my plan is with these poret foams would mean less cleaning of the filter due to dentrification process. (thats the plan anyway)
 
Good points though Daize about the shut off valve position, I will work something out. Thanks.

 

[daizeUK]

It's possible to live without valves but personally I wouldn't want to!  A pair of double tap valves make maintenance SO much easier.
 
E.g. these: http/www.charterhouse-aquatics.co.uk/eheim-double-tap-connector-12mm-p-1033.html?osCsid=46412822625e747806a6fe383b9da71e
 
(assuming that your filter takes 12mm hose like mine).
 
My first Eheim filter came cheap off Amazon and it didn't include the valves either.  By the time I'd purchased the missing taps and media I'd paid pretty much full price anyway.  My second Eheim was a good deal on Ebay and I made sure it came with the taps!

 

[Ch4rlie]

Daize, do you know....
 
These are the EXACT ones I ordered not more than two hours ago from the same website!!
 
Also got 9mm double tap ones ones as well, probably overkill but I'd rather have them than not, also ordered another spraybar, so I can join two spraybars together so it goes the whole length of the tank

 
Can't wait

 

[daizeUK]

 
What are the 9mm taps for?
 
Looking forward to seeing what you do with the spray bar.  I've got a rather unsatisfactory arrangement in my 60cm tank where the U-bend comes from the back at an awkward angle and the spray bar only covers 2/3 of the tank.  It's better if it comes from the side but I can't do that on my hooded Interpet tank.

 

[Ch4rlie]

What are the 9mm taps for?

 
I have two sized hoses for that Eheim 150. One is 12/16mm (input) the other is 9/12mm (output)
 

 
Hence why think need the 9mm double taps as well, if not, then can get refund

 

[daizeUK]

Oh that makes sense, yes I use a tap on both inlet and outlet and both make life easier!
 
Having a tap on the inlet means that the filter will be self-priming, i.e. you just re-connect the tap and turn it on and the filter will refill automatically from the tank water.  Without it you'd have to take the intake out of the tank and drain the hose, then replace and suck on the outlet to prime the filter.

 

[Akasha72]

I'm sat here shocked to my bones that they make filters without shut off taps 

 talk about nightmare waiting to happen 

 
My JBL's have 3 shut off taps/valves (whatever you choose to call em) One in the middle that you open and close first then one for each pipe - you can't remove the pipe head without opening all three - excellant safety design ... makes me glad I chose these filters and not Ehiem 

 
 
Good job we're experienced ... if that was a newbie ..... 

 

[Ch4rlie]

I'm sat here shocked to my bones that they make filters without shut off taps 

 talk about nightmare waiting to happen 

 
Yep, happened today

 
Found tehre was a small leak overnight, the bottom shelf has expanded a bit. But not too bad though.
 
So I saw that I had to take one of the hoses off, I started by clamping the water inlet hose and then undid the outlet hose, ugh an unplanned water fountain occurred

 
What a pita that was, am so glad i ordered double taps that should be delivered by end of week.
 
Anyway, another update time. The cabinet door is now complete

Am pleased with that if am honest
 
 
 
Much tidier now, wish I did this ages ago

 
 
With the arrival of another spraybar so that it covers the entire length of the tank, I then set out to drill smaller holes 90 degrees of the orignal holes, the idea is to create flow below and in front of the spraybar, makes for less dead spots in water column.
 
  
 
Plants finally showing new growth, the riccia on the wood is going great guns and growing real well, the Thailand plants, whatever they're called and now shwoing new shoots on top of stems. Seems theyre much like vallis plants, melts at first then bounces back with new growth. Am hoping they will send out runners or fill out more.
 

​

 
Tank as it is now, added grey background, looks good.
Why grey?
Well, I wanted black and the GF wanted white decided to meet in middle and go with grey

 
Worked a treat I have to say

 
Of course I have now removed the internal filter now I have the main filter fully set up and running. Only thing is, even with the holes at 90 degrees the flow is not quite what I expected, maybe if I enlarge the holes that I drilled slightly more, may get a little more flow.
 
As it is, it barely causes the surface to move and its kinda slow inside the tank, but am certain there will be no dead spots but......

unsure.....