Progress...

[jojouk]

lovely tank.

off to the TOTM section with you, quick sharp!

Really? Oh thanks so much...I think I get far to over critical of my own stuff, bit of a perfectionist! Having a planted tank is making me deal with my issues! Obsessive compulsive - poo on the substrate; does my nut in. Asymetrical layout; I have a symmetry obsession - everything square and symmetrical in the lounge. The tank is kinda like my creative side screaming out.

However - im actually quite normal, all that makes me sound like a nut job!

I have got to remove the juwel internal first - its too ugly! And you cant quite see it, but I have a sponge filter maturing in there that im moving to a little 5 gal for shrimpies.

BEST hobby in the world.

 

[Jay1983]

What a transformation beautiful looking tank. well done

Jay

 

[jojouk]

What a transformation beautiful looking tank. well done

Jay

 

[jojouk]

New to me external filter arrives today

 

[jojouk]

New filter is here! However, it still has some water in it and only one hose...

So better get cleaning it, and off to my LFS to see if I can get a hose

And to the DIY store to get a craft knife to hack out my old Juwel filter... wish me luck!

 

[jojouk]

Ok, so TT EX1200 installed...but I have had minor issues with it. When I first plumbed it in it was a little bit noisey. I have been told that these units are virtually silent.

So Today I pulled it appart, cleaned the impeller, cleaned and re-greased the O-ring.

Put it all back together, and it wouldnt prime

Took me 2 hours to figure out I had an air lock in the headunit. I shook that out over the bath and drained out all the water. Put it all back together and it primed, and water is flowing.

It is still humming, but not as bad. I would say that it is about the same level of hum as my Juwel internal. Which is still in the tank - I chickened out removing it just incase I could not get the TT to be quieter.

HOWEVER - very happy with the flow, the build quality, and the effect on the tank water already - looking much clearer even only after about an hour on the tank, so happy in that respect, just wish it could be a little bit quieter.

I also today have changed my fert regime. Now using Green Low - from e-bay. Its just a pre-mixed dry fert mix, that you mix with water at home. Dosing 10ml per day at the moment, as I am pretty heavily planted. Holding off the Seachem Flourish Excel as well at the moment - will let you know what happens!

 

[Tizer]

Rock it back and forth, air bubbles will escape and it should become less noisey. Thats all it is.

 

[jojouk]

Rock it back and forth, air bubbles will escape and it should become less noisey. Thats all it is.

Yeah I have tried that - rocked it and air came out, all gone now, but its still humming. Its not too bad, but still there

 

[Tizer]

Rock it back and forth, air bubbles will escape and it should become less noisey. Thats all it is.

Yeah I have tried that - rocked it and air came out, all gone now, but its still humming. Its not too bad, but still there

be a bit more violent with it

 

[jojouk]

Rock it back and forth, air bubbles will escape and it should become less noisey. Thats all it is.

Yeah I have tried that - rocked it and air came out, all gone now, but its still humming. Its not too bad, but still there

be a bit more violent with it

I was quite rough...I think I may have expected too much, I thought I would not hear it at all, but when I heard a hum, I was dissapointed. Im very happy with it tho

 

[jojouk]

Tetra sending me a new impellor, hopefully it will quieten it down a little!

Other than that, I now have my Juwel stand! In dark wood to match the rest of the living room furniture

Only problem in that the EX1200 does not fit in the cupboards Doh!

But it does fit in the middle bit, but that is a sealed unit - nowhere for cables/tubins to get out to go to the back of the tank. So for the first time in about 4 years, I have done a bit of DIY with a drill - scary thought!

I have drilled out holes on the back for the tubes to go through, and if I do say so myself, not that bad of a job!

Now need to wait till thursday to move the tank onto it - I cant lift it on my own!

 

[Tizer]

Nice one, should do the job, just remember the pipes are not "that" flexible and if the stand is pushed back against the wall they might be under a little pressure. If it were me i would have probably used one of these:

One big hole in the back for both pipes. But, tiz done now and should be alright!

 

[jojouk]

I used something very similar...

I was going to get a couple of those plumbing parts that bend a bit, not a 90 degree angle, but slope gently? The holes are fairly large, 10mm bigger than the pipes, then an extra 10mm for the nozzle - so I can get them in and out without disconnecting the hoses.

I also did them quite high up, to prevent unnecessary bending

I can always butcher the stand a bit more if it doesnt work very well!

 

[jojouk]

Tank is on the stand!

Tank is re-filled with water!

Fish are back in!

BUT

All plants are floating - no more time to arrange it all...

Fishies are looking a bit stressed - but lights are off, should feel better soon...

ANOTHER air lock in the TT EX1200, so cant prime and get it running - will have to sort tomorrow now...

Im frazzled! But it looks really good

 

[Tizer]

Tank is on the stand!

Tank is re-filled with water!

Fish are back in!

BUT

All plants are floating - no more time to arrange it all...

Fishies are looking a bit stressed - but lights are off, should feel better soon...

ANOTHER air lock in the TT EX1200, so cant prime and get it running - will have to sort tomorrow now...

Im frazzled! But it looks really good

nice, although i still dont understand this air lock guff, i've got two of these filters, i've cleaned both of them about 3 times and never got an air lock. Are you sure you have both taps on the tubes open ? sounds odd