Setting up the road trip tank

[shari2]

So I'm finally going to set up the 55g road trip tank. Got the sand, rocks, plants (and I'm getting more), wood, tank, etc.

What I need to know: is a rio 2500 powerhead too much for this tank?
It's 36 x18 x18 inches.

I have a penn plax Cascade 1000 that's rated for 100g. It's currently on the other 48" 55g.

[newshound]

I can't answer tha t question but....
road trip tank???
what are you taking your loaches on vacation????
that would be a loachaholic!!!!!

[shari2]

I went on a cross country road trip with 2 of my daughters this summer and collected some sand from Lake Superior, some wood, and round river rocks from just about every stream/lake/river we encountered.

This is sort of a remembrance tank.

[Keith Wolcott]

Great way to create a cool tank!

There are better experts here than me, but I think it is nearly impossible to get too much current for a loach tank (I assume you are getting loaches). The rio 2500 is rated at 748 gph which should be quite nice.

[NancyD]

Cool idea shari. I have rocks from several trips in my tanks. I don't do many photos but "memory stones" are my speed even though I can't remember where all they're from .

[Rocco]

this gives me an idea. our vacation is coming up and the river trek I've been planning will push through.

[Jim Powers]

Great idea!!
If I would have known that, I would have brought you a rock or two.

[palaeodave]

I have some rocks from the beach in Orkney in my tank. They're in "Orkney Corner".

[shari2]

Well, the tank is up. Totally low tech. Decided not to bother with the rio. I have an aquaclear 900 and the penn plax 1000 to add to it later.

Seeded with biogunk from the 40, and not too cloudy for the first hour up.



Pirated some java moss and snails from the daughter's tank, and the wood has been soaking in the other tank since august. Added some boiled oak leaves because the tank just looked so bare I couldn't stand it.



And my favorite stone from the trip. No idea what it is, but it is so smooth it almost feels soapy. The snails seem to like it, too.



One of these days I'll figure out how to get decent pics, but for now, this is iit.

[palaeodave]

What fish are you planning to have in there? Leaves look like fun.

[Graeme Robson]

Looking great!

[newshound]

every thing in my tank is from lake superior
seeing as that is in my neck of the woods
actually I have a ton (maybe more) of rock from the shores and rivers in the area

[bslindgren]

Great looking tank Shari. And what a brilliant idea - this way those rocks will be on display as opposed to hidden in some box somewhere! Are those oak leaves?

[shari2]

What fish are you planning to have in there?

Here's a few.

JD's "Cronies". Been together for 12 years or so.



And one of the posse of 5. This one tries to attach himself to the yoyo cronie. The poor cronie does not know what to do with him.


Another posse member.


The yoyo solo. He's pushing 7 inches TL.


The clown solo. About 6".


The SAE. About 5"
Had a little mishap in the car on the way home and I think his dorsal took a hit. It should heal up on it's own, I hope.


There's two Sinibotia pulchra in there as well, along with my nasty single male angelfish. The yoyo put him in his place right quick.

That's a lot of fish to add all at once so I'll be keeping a careful eye on the tank for the next month. It's got a bioloaded sponge from the 40 which has a fat catfish, 3 clowns and formerly the angelfish.

JD also gave me some lovely plants so the tank is not looking quite so bare. Now if I can only keep them alive...

I love the red sand from Lake Superior! It's primarily on the left side of the tank on the top layer. The rest of the sand is also Lake Superior (I think). It's recycled from the substrate the tank had previously. I just sifted out the stones.

[Mark in Vancouver]

I'm extremely pleased that JD's fish got snapped up by a competent fish keeper! Nice looking tank, Shair.