My Newly Finished 55 Gallon Setup

[MinionZer0]

I just posted all this in the intro section... then I noticed the gallery.

I had to change the actinic bulbs to regular bulbs because the fish weren't very active and their color didn't stand out. The actinics were there for the Piranhas due to their sensitive eyes.

As of this weekend the tank is populated with:

9 Neon Tetras
5 Glowlight Tetras
5 Black Neon Tetras
3 Flame Tetras
3 Buenos Aires Tetras
3 Hyphessobrycon
3 False Julii Cory Cats
1 Leopard Danio
3 Zebra Danios (Big finned)
3 Cherry Barbs
2 Gold Algea Eaters

Tank with 100% actinic bulbs:

Tank with standard bulbs:

Here is a vid of the whole tank setup:
http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVu6rm1j8lw

Here is a closer up:
http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0Ti8-3cHwc


Instead of buying the mad expensive plants from the pet store I decided to craft my own. Let me know what you think.

- Mark

 

[RRasco]

nice setup, how did you 'craft' your own plants? and what are actinic lights? i like the light spectrum that you are producung though. lots of nice activity in that tank.

 

[MinionZer0]

Thanks... lol, I just explained the same thing in my intro

It was actually really easy and really cheap to make my own plants. I went to the arts and crafts store and picked out some plants that I liked from their selection, which is pretty varied. They come with really long stems so you have to cut those down. It's usually several steel wires wrapped so you might have to cut away the the cover first and clip them individually or keep bending them back and forth between two pliers until they break. Then for the base I used a clear silicone. I laid out a piece of plastic wrap and poured the silicone into a cube big enough where I thought it would keep the plant steady underwater, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Make the cube as big as you think is necessary. Stick the plant into the cube and wrap it up with the excess plastic wrap. I molded it by hand once it was covered to make sure it was smooth and covering the stem of the plant. Drop it in a big plastic cup and let it cure for two days. You will probably have to set up some splints to keep the plant standing straight. After two days you are good to go. You can even add rocks to the silicone once you have poured it and before it dries to mask it's appearance better.

Actinic bulbs produce light spectrum that looks dim blue hue almost like a black light but it doesn't damage the eyes of the fish... also doesn't have the glow effect. They are used for coral growth and invertebrates. I was using them because Piranhas hate light since they live in murky waters. They used to bug out and hide whenever the standard flourescents came on.

 

[jayjay]

Just a quick question but in your stocking I don't see any pirahna?

 

[flattrack23]

Hey like the setup. Some of the plants almost look real! It looks good. Real plants would make it look a little better though! hahaha. liking the tank though. What is the bubbler thingy in the middle?

 

[MinionZer0]

I had the Piranhas for about 5 years but 2 died in a heater overload that sent the water over 100 degrees and the last two died several months ago.

The bubbler is just a small air stone... the wife wanted it

lol.. it would look better with live plants but I don't have the patience to maintain them.

 

[RRasco]

hrm...they look like real plants to me...but im not plant guru either. i always wanted to get a tank and put jelly fish with black lights, thought maybe they would glow badass. so is the first pic moon lighting? and the second one with the actinic bulbs? or are there different specktrums that make them darker?

 

[Zagggon]

Awesome tank, I love the moon lighting!!!! What are the moon lights called?

 

[samyboy]

very nice!

 

[MinionZer0]

The first pic is the Actinic bulbs and the second is two standard flourescents that came with the tank. I have a blue background so it's making them seem like both are in a blue lighting.

 

[RRasco]

very nice, maybe ill use some of those for moon lighting instead of cathodes. is that what you are doing now that you dont have the pirahnas?

 

[flattrack23]

Those ' gold ' algea eaters you have in your sig are chinese algea eater's im sure of it. GET RID OF THEM ASAP IM SERIOUS! They may be fine now but when more matured they will harm other fish by sucking to the side's of there mucus membrane and killing them. They also will chase all fish around. Just giving you a heads up.

 

[MinionZer0]

The Chinese algea eater looks different than the gold.

Gold:

Chinese:

True they are semi-aggressive but I'll keep an eye on him.... (I say him because one has died) So far I haven't had any issues. He likes to hide inside the plastic wood ornament.