Tank setup update

Keith Wolcott · Post by **Keith Wolcott** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 10:49 am

andyroo- I have been feeding them in the entrance to the bridge and they are now quite often entering the pipe, but only go in a few inches and return. I think that they will continue to get used to it.

Joe Klul- Thanks and if you are ever in southern Illinois, let me know. You would be welcome to stop by and see my setup.

I was disappointed that no new fish (that I know of) traversed the bridge last night.

wasserscheu · Post by **wasserscheu** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 12:44 pm

Perhaps moving theplastic plant to the further end/outlet may help?

The take some time to check what's up, I have observed that even new caves are not entered right away - they wait a little.

I'm happy, I got the Striatas right. They swim a little different to all my other loaches (with little observative stops in there movements).

Marcos Mataratzis · Post by **Marcos Mataratzis** » Sat Dec 06, 2008 10:44 pm

A really cool project!

I would do same here but position of my two tanks does not allows me.
Cool video but you will be asked to post another, showing lots of Clowns passing tru.

Marcos

Keith Wolcott · Post by **Keith Wolcott** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:54 am

Wolfram- I added plastic plants on the other end of the bridge now too. That was good recognizing the striata by his/her movement since you could barely see it.

Marcos- Yes, I plan to add clowns, but not until after I add dither fish to the big tank. I am trying to find red scissortails, but have had no luck yet locating some. Mad Duff posted a beautiful photo quite some time ago of these. If anyone has any reasons that this is not a good choice, please let me know. These get big at 5 or 6 inches, but I think 15 or 20 would look quite nice.

Yesterday I installed an Aquaclear 70 powerhead in the 300 gallon tank and attached the venturi (that usually is used to pull air down into the stream) to a hose that goes to the other tank and filled it with water. This pulls water from the other tank and then it returns via the water bridge. The advantage of this system over a direct pump is that if the siphon in the water bridge ever fails, this passive pump will not overflow the tank. I timed the water flow and it is moving 16 gallons per hour. Not fast, but enough to keep the tanks mixed.

I also temporarily added a second pump from the 75 gallon to the 300 gallon that pumps 150 gallons per hour. I did this so that I can feed on the large tank end of the water bridge and the flow is fast enough so that the food is carried into and through the water bridge. Feeding several times this way yesterday had multiple loaches and SAE's entering the small tank end of the bridge. In the early evening I put a lot of blood worms in the bridge and turned the lights out. I wish I could have seen it, but 3 hours later 6 striata (rather than 2) were in the big tank.

This morning a new first occurred (as far as I know). One of the striatas returned to the small tank.

I will continue feeding them in the bridge for a while.

Here's a recent picture (actually two pictures stuck together).

chefkeith · Post by **chefkeith** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:12 am

Great picture. I'll have to learn how to do attach 2 pics like that. I have a panoramic setting on my camera, but I've never tried using it.

raecarrow · Post by **raecarrow** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:00 am

I never would have noticed that the pics were stuck together if you hadn't said anything. The only place you can really tell where the seam is is toward the bottom of the pic. Great job.

How you would stick the two pics together is by either using photoshop or paint. (I would use paint)

LeStat · Post by **LeStat** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:36 am

That is a really impressive tank, forgive me if you have already stated but what are its dimensions?

palaeodave · Post by **palaeodave** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 3:15 pm

That really is stunning. I lack the skills, time and money to make a stand like yours. If I win the lottery one day I'll have to commission you to build another for me! I'm not that big a fan of clown loaches *ducks for cover* so I think your tank would look better with 20 striata, 20 kubotai and maybe 15 histies! Imagine what a sight that would be! My own inclination is towards massive groups of smaller fish, to preserve the sense of scale in a tank. That's just me. It's a beautiful tank no matter what you put in there!

newshound · Post by **newshound** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 5:35 pm

I do agree
love a huge tank with small fish
but
wow
great set up
you and the chef mix it up!!!!
can't wait to see more images and viddie (hint hint)

Joe Khul · Post by **Joe Khul** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:37 pm

I agree with dave. Give me 49 rummy nose tetras, at least 50 pangio kuhlis, 50 pangio unknowns (pandas) at least 50 sids, a dozen zebra locahes....ahem... sorry dreaming again

Of course my wife would prefer a good sized school of clowns...

Keith Wolcott · Post by **Keith Wolcott** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 8:12 pm

Thanks everyone.

LeStat- 9 ft by 2.5 ft wide by 2 ft high. 300 gallons.

chefkeith- I did not use a panoramic setting. I just took two pictures from the same distance and was careful to line up the top of the aquarium with the top of the picture. Then I used Photoshop to paste them together.

My motion activated web cam picked up a striata going through the water bridge this morning. The round tube distorts the image so you can't really see much and it looks like two striata, but the top one is a reflection. The link is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5OjsksCEnQ

Tinman · Post by **Tinman** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:09 pm

Fantastic ,
IME Loaches move in current so if you had a little tiny pump like the overflow boxes use just up inside your tunnel might get them to move/play there more.....Stunning Display

Keith Wolcott · Post by **Keith Wolcott** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:54 am

That's a good idea Tinman.

6 striata and 2 kubs are in the big tank this morning. Those are the first kubs to make it across the bridge!

Keith Wolcott · Post by **Keith Wolcott** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:06 am

The first SAE crossed the water bridge last night and one striata returned to the small tank. Thus, there are 5 striata, 2 kubs, and an SAE in the large tank now.

Graeme Robson · Post by **Graeme Robson** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:27 am

Superb!!!

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