Jimbooo's Jungle Journal 2 (rio 180 - 40g)

[George Farmer]

Well James, I'm planning a 5x2x2' (it was 6' but the missus.....) - 566 litres (150 US gal.)

10mm braced float glass with clear silicone.

It will have a custom hood and cabinet.

Hood will house lighting, 4 x 80w HO T5 (2 x D&D Megatwin).

Cabinet will be ADA style (minimal design).

Both hood and cabinet MDF, professionally sprayed chocolate brown with clear lacquer to match leather suite (you've seen it).

Total cost for tank, hood, cabinet and (fitted) lighting - £1200.

Then I have filters (2 big externals), RO/HMA units, heaters (in-line), CO2 (2Kg and in-line reactor), ferts, substrate, hardscape, plants and fish.

I have a £2000 budget so hopefully it will work out nice.....

Oh, and I get substrate, ferts and plants free from Tropica!

Fish will be 6 blue diamond discus (15cm adult) and 40 rummynose tetras. Maybe some corys.

Aquascape will be very simple, slow growers. Ferns on wood and crypts (my new favourite plants). Open foreground for discus to feed.

Should start it this autumn after we've settled into our new house.

 

[Fillet 'O' Fish]

Well George Ive been reading your posts and replies for a clue on how you were going to go with you new large tank project, and finally you let us all know

One thing with your spec, you will be surprised how fast your 2KG CO2 cylinder will run out on a tank that size. Mines 4ft x 2ft x 2ft and it only last around 3 months (with a solenoid)

Looking forward to the Journal

 

[Themuleous]

Still looking lovely there Jim

Sam

 

[jimbooo]

that sounds awesome george. i'd love a tank like that although the budget wont stretch and if it did i think a 40" LCD TV would win over the tank....

i can get a rio400 for £638 from here

the boss will buy my rio180 for £200 with the extra lighting and external filter so the new tank will only set me back £438 plus additional lighting.

thats a huge cost difference i'm afraid and cant justify the extra.

if i was a single man then i would do it (and if i did it i'd be a single man if you know what i mean!)

if there are any other tank/stand combo's in this budget range then i'd consider them but up until now I haven't seen any apart from some big cheap unbranded tanks in my LFS but they have a cover glass and really heavy hood. i hate cover glass due to the condensation / water marks blocking the light and heavy hoods are a pain when you are always "in the tank" like we are.

fillet'o'fish - oh dear, you have just pointed out a shortfall. my 500G co2 bottle will last about a week then!!! better get a bigger one.

Sam - thanks old chap

 

[Miss Wiggle]

fillet'o'fish - oh dear, you have just pointed out a shortfall. my 500G co2 bottle will last about a week then!!! better get a bigger one.

yeah he's not wrong, Ian's fire extinguisher ran out once and he couldn't get another so bought an 'aquairum sized' co2 bottle from the lfs and hooked it up to his 60g tank........ it lasted 2 days no leaks or anything he just used it all up. invest in a fire extinguisher or at least a v big bottle!!

 

[Themuleous]

There is a 72x18x24 tank with stand in my local MA shop that's £645, gonna be my next tank when we move house and I've saved the money. That'll need at least a £1500 budget But you're right about the cover glass and hood, they can be big, could just not have one and use a luminary? EQJ do a 6ft 300w for £177, new bulbs would be £50, bargain! Might get this lighting as well, not decided yet.

Think this might be the year for the uber massive planted tank on TFF, nano tanks are sooo last year!

Sam

 

[jimbooo]

sounds awesome mate but still the same budget problem. i think juwel win hands down on the £ per gallon side of things.

i'd love to see the tank when it's all up and running. yours and Georges sound fantastic. i'm not too jealous.. honest.

 

[Themuleous]

Yeh guess complete kit setups always work out cheaper. My tank might be a few months off yet (have to persuade the misses ), but will be sure to start a journal as and when. Unlike George though I'll have to use cheap and nasty greenline plants, can even begin to comprehend getting 75% substrate coverage with Tropica plants! Unlike George, I'll have to pay for my plants and substrate! Will probably use the tropica substrate though, seems good by all accounts.

Sam

EDIT - re CO2, there seem to be fairly regular pub/welding cylinders on ebay, that come pre-filled. Normally go for around 30-40quid, but you'd need to pick up from Hampshire. Same as the ones I've got. Getting refills might be tricky, but worse case there is a welding place near me that does them. Still gotta be cheaper than a 500g cylinder!

Sam

 

[lljdma06]

The tank looks beautiful, James. By the way, bowfronts aren't so bad for pictures. My 36g bowfront takes some pretty nice shots.

I love your angelfish. It's a veiltail, right? I've got two of the common variety in my 36g. No veiltails, but yours is very pretty. I can't wait for mine to get that big.

llj

 

[Dave Spencer]

The Rio 400 is cheaper here James at £498.99 and delivery is free and prompt:

http/www.rocketaquatics.co.uk/product_in...f664f533f13f51e

Shop around and you might get it cheaper.

Dave.

 

[jimbooo]

thats awesome dave, thanks for that mate.

juwel is looking like an even better option by the minute...


llj - he he i'm really the wrong person to ask. put it this way her name is gemima and jeremy gay pointed out to me that gemima was an odd name for a boy! as to the species i have no idea, i didn't even get the sex right. he/she is lovely though. i've never seen any others like her (sorry he's a girl in my eyes, too late to change now). all the adult angels i have seen have a fat body and shorter fins, baby's always look cute but i am yet to see a comparible adult. i bought her back in the day when i asked for "4 of those" in the LFS accompanied by a pointed finger, knowing nothing about what i was buying so didn't note the name on the LFS tank.

sam - i thought about plants and have decided to keep the fern in the new tank and go with a huge glosso forground, kind of like georges famous layout in his rio125. that way i can carpet loads of the tank at little cost. it also sucks loads of nutrients from the water so hopefully will help me through the early stages. As to substrate i was going to use ADA but thinking about it this may cost me more than the tank!! what does tropica substrate look like? i dont think i've seen it.

 

[RadaR]

go with a huge glosso forground, kind of like georges famous layout in his rio125. that way i can carpet loads of the tank at little cost. it also sucks loads of nutrients from the water so hopefully will help me through the early stages. As to substrate i was going to use ADA but thinking about it this may cost me more than the tank!! what does tropica substrate look like? i dont think i've seen it.

With such a large area taken up with glosso thats going to be a real pain when thinning it out after a few months and starting it again. Im sure you remember how much it hurt your back last time Just something to think about.

Heres a link that shows a pic of the tropica substrate

 

[jimbooo]

Hi there people. as per the update last weekend here are the new arrivals i didn't have pictures of before now.

Golden Panchax (females are white)

2 Platys

not new but thought this worth posting, my favourite fish, 3 of my 6 sterbai cory's

and some tank shots after a prune.

hope you like...

Jimbooo

 

[Themuleous]

Nice pics JIm, I have always liked sterbai cory's. Tanks still looking nice.

Sam

 

[cheesy feet]

Nice tank,just amazing! I just spent 1hr 1/2 reading 11 pages .I am going to change my rio 400 into a planted tank with discus later this year.IMO instead of buying a juwel aquarium buy one from these guys.£40 delivery for any size aquarium.This is what they say. WE BUILD ALL SIZES TO ORDER. IF YOU DO NOT SEE THE SIZE YOU REQUIRE PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR A PRICE.WE BUILD CABINETS AND STANDS WITH HOODS FOR ALL SIZES OF TANKS. PLEASE CONTACT FOR PRICES.WE BUILD VERY LARGE TANKS ON SITE, IN YOUR PREMISES. PLEASE CONTACT FOR QUOTATION AND PRICE.
http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/60-x24-x18-5ft-x-2ft...1QQcmdZViewItem
http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/84-x24-x18-7ft-x-2ft...1QQcmdZViewItem

Look at these insaine prices!