Your current Fish tank Setups!

Associate
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Its actually only a 10l tank the fluval one (thought it was 20) but i ripped out the back compartment for extra space (i use it for cull tank/snails )
Big tank has a cheapo 3£ ebay sponge filter , small tank has a larger sponge filter https://www.shrimpcorner.co.uk/home/t2-filters.html both run of a double air pump ,i use sponge filters mainly cos theyre shrimo safe and find them more effective in small tanks than normal filters / hob filters (not the best of photos /\ but the water is crystal) , the heaters are just cheapo 10£ 50+100w ebay jobbies.
No probs wit the gaps here, got 30mm of play with it , aslong as u dont brim the tank you should be fine.
I went for seperate bits workedout bit cheaper , the lamp and filter with the scapers tank look a bit pony to me.
 
Soldato
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No it's black sand, though under the Fluval LED's it looks silver. Not the look I was going for but the Missus thinks the lad will like it as it looks a bit like the moon.

So how many of you guys have done a DIY tank? Stumbled across some videos of it earlier and it looks pretty simple and far cheaper than buying a tank. I'm thinking if they're reliable I may have a go once I move my lads aquarium up stairs when his room's finished.
 
Soldato
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So how many of you guys have done a DIY tank? Stumbled across some videos of it earlier and it looks pretty simple and far cheaper than buying a tank. I'm thinking if they're reliable I may have a go once I move my lads aquarium up stairs when his room's finished.

About 18 months ago I was gonna build my own acrylic tank. I still have the acrylic and bonding agent, but due to bad health, maintaining an aquarium isn't really possible at the moment.

I have no idea how it would turn out, but whatever happened it would have been interesting.
 
Caporegime
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About 18 months ago I was gonna build my own acrylic tank. I still have the acrylic and bonding agent, but due to bad health, maintaining an aquarium isn't really possible at the moment.

I have no idea how it would turn out, but whatever happened it would have been interesting.
I had to give up my lovely freshwater tank due to ill health. The maintenance and water changes got too much for me :(
 
Soldato
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I had to give up my lovely freshwater tank due to ill health. The maintenance and water changes got too much for me :(

That's a real shame mate, they can be very relaxing.

I've had a few reef tanks. And was gonna set up a small one for a couple of lightening clownfish. Then my diagnosis went from a possible transplant in the future, to definitely in the next few years. So the thought of having to leave the aquarium for an undetermined amount of time, with no warning, made it unworkable. It's gonna be enough of a hassle getting someone to look after the dog.
 
Soldato
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I'm sorry to hear that guys, setting this one up with my messed up leg and only a little bit of help from the missus has actually gotten me on my feet more, knackered and sore but guessing it can only be helpful in my situation.

Hope things work out for you guys
 
Soldato
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I don’t have a DIY tank, if I was ever to attempt one it would be acrylic. I just wouldn’t trust a DIY glass tank.

The best thing I have ever got to deal with tank maintenance was a python water changer. Lifting buckets when doing a 100 litre water change 10 litres at a time gets old very quickly.
 
Caporegime
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That's a real shame mate, they can be very relaxing.

I've had a few reef tanks. And was gonna set up a small one for a couple of lightening clownfish. Then my diagnosis went from a possible transplant in the future, to definitely in the next few years. So the thought of having to leave the aquarium for an undetermined amount of time, with no warning, made it unworkable. It's gonna be enough of a hassle getting someone to look after the dog.
Hopefully in the future, if everything goes OK, I’m gonna have a reef tank at long last. always wanted a koi pond as well. Absolutely adore koi carp.
 
Soldato
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I'm sorry to hear that guys, setting this one up with my messed up leg and only a little bit of help from the missus has actually gotten me on my feet more, knackered and sore but guessing it can only be helpful in my situation.

Hope things work out for you guys

Thanks Vidar. I hope you and the family enjoy the tank.

I'm always planning new ones and keeping an eye on the technology available, which has come on leaps and bounds in the last few years. Maybe one day I'll live the dream and have an in the wall aquarium, with an Achilles Tang and Rhomboidalis Wrasse!
 
Soldato
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Hopefully in the future, if everything goes OK, I’m gonna have a reef tank at long last. always wanted a koi pond as well. Absolutely adore koi carp.

Oh yes a pond would be immense! The koi fascinate me as I can't tell an expensive one from a cheaper one. I'm pretty good with clownfish though, they have so much variety now, and have gone through a designer phase, in the last decade. Having a reef is getting easier now with the all-in-one tanks, and the automatic dosers and testers. Hopefully soon you will be able to set one up!
 
Caporegime
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Oh yes a pond would be immense! The koi fascinate me as I can't tell an expensive one from a cheaper one. I'm pretty good with clownfish though, they have so much variety now, and have gone through a designer phase, in the last decade. Having a reef is getting easier now with the all-in-one tanks, and the automatic dosers and testers. Hopefully soon you will be able to set one up!
I know, it’s incredible. You can have two fish look pretty much identical, but one of the Japanese experts can come along and instantly tell that ones worth £100, and the other ones worth £10,000! It’s staggering.
 
Soldato
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I know, it’s incredible. You can have two fish look pretty much identical, but one of the Japanese experts can come along and instantly tell that ones worth £100, and the other ones worth £10,000! It’s staggering.

Marine fish are priced mainly on availability as most are caught wild. And the ones that are bred, have had a lot of research put into them. So they start expensive but become cheaper as more are distributed. A few years ago lightening clownfish were over a grand now I think they can be got for under £500. But with koi there are so many of them bred that there's some sort of arbitrary (to the untrained eye) price system involved. Whenever I go to a garden centre I find it impossible to judge them.
 
Soldato
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All the Kip in the garden centre will just be Chinese/tai mass produced stuff that has had any potential high quality would have been separated out, non will be show quality fish, not even close.

I find the same thing with fancy goldfish, the general quality on the market is poor, almost all have significant flaws ranging from a droopy tail to completely deformed. Again all the higher quality stuff has been graded out and sold at a higher price, hardly any retailers bring them in here because UK consumers are so price sensitive when it comes to fish.
 
Soldato
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All the Kip in the garden centre will just be Chinese/tai mass produced stuff that has had any potential high quality would have been separated out, non will be show quality fish, not even close.

I find the same thing with fancy goldfish, the general quality on the market is poor, almost all have significant flaws ranging from a droopy tail to completely deformed. Again all the higher quality stuff has been graded out and sold at a higher price, hardly any retailers bring them in here because UK consumers are so price sensitive when it comes to fish.

Yeah some of the fancy goldfish look like they're having trouble staying upright. That can't be healthy. At least the koi still look the right shape.
 
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