Re: Making the jump from a couple of 10 gallon tanks to a 75 gallon

"Glengoyne" <stevenbecky@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1127768405.133970.98490@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Couple of things.
>
> I'm still leaning toward RUGF driven by a 404 or a pair of 304s. The
> LFS having the sale has numerous 404s, but only one 304...hopefully
> they will have more for their sale, but I'm not counting on it. I'm
> mentioning this because you mentioned food vanishing into the substrate
> and such..which I took as references to standard UGF.

A standard UGF traps food within the substrate (to be consumed by
bacteria, then producing ammonia, and/or dissolving into the water). A
UG vacuum moves food through a thin layer of substrate into a filter
system (to then do the same as above, or to be rinsed away during filter
cleaning). If you do not rinse to remove this accumulated detritus, the
effect is the same, TDS, DOC and NO3 goes up (all undesirable).

> I'm still trying to scrape up Filter plates that will actually cover
> the entire bottom of the tank...I'd just think that the whole concept
> of UGF/RUGF works best if you have the entire tank bottom covered. It
> might be that I'll have to actually be patient, and wait to setup until
> I actually have all the pieces I need.

It's a rare tank that I've set-up that had full width or length plates.
You never want it right to the front (or you see them in the glass), and
the back of a tank is usually deeper in substrate (limiting the UGF/RUGF
function), and the ends and back are usually filled with rocks, plants,
driftwood, pots etc. While aquariums *are* a sport of patience, I don't
think you need to wait for full-sized plates.

>>On my system, the canister running the vacuum does not get opened for
>>cleaning. I backwash it by reversing the water flow through it into a
>>pail
>>(it intakes through its spraybar). The 2nd canister is configured
>>conventionally for water polishing. I can use a finer sponge in this
>>one as
>>the vacuum canister is going after the bigger stuff.
>
> Are you saying that you don't need to do monthly cleanings of the
> Canister? So you just setup the mechanical filtering media once, and
> then back wash it for cleaning? Is there some sort of special
> configuration that you've come up with to make this work?

Correct, it's documented on my site. Fairly simply backwash set-up.
This is for the vacuum canister, though the other canister also gets
reduced maintenance.

Also keep in mind (slightly different subject) that with enough filters
(or a small enough fish-load) that you would never need to clean your
filters. If this sounds too radical, consider that almost everything
that gets trapped in a filter will decay and dissolve back into the
water, eventually. If there is a significant amount of filter media,
then this detritus will be well distributed through the media and will
decay/dissolve at a quick rate (warm oxygenated water with lots of
bacteria around ;~). If the rate of decay is as quick or quicker than
the rate at which new detritus is brought into the filters, the end
result is that the filters will never fill up. One of the secrets to no
filter maintenance is lots of filters. If you put three 404 filters (you
could use 304 pumps as they are interchangeable and you don't need the
flow) on a light fish load, how often would you think that you would need
to clean them? Remember, it is not linear (double the filter /= double
the interval). It's likely that you would be cleaning them annual, just
so that you could look inside. This sounds theoretical, but I've seen it
in practice, from customers who took the over-filtration approach and
then were always complaining to me because every time they went to clean
them, they were empty!! Again, I'm not suggesting you do this, but this
illustrates one of the lessor known mechanics of filtration. Also keep
in mind, not cleaning the filter means it is back in the water (as DOCs
or dissolved organic compounds), so water changes are still essential.

> Also something I haven't discussed is lighting. Both of the setups we
> are looking at accomodate twin 48" fluorescent tubes. I believe they
> specify T8, T10, or T12 tubes. In any case with hopefully a lot of
> plants in the aquarium...what kind of lighting should we need to help
> the plants, and best compliment the look of the fish?

Ah, lightning... your research is taking a natural progression (later you
will be asking where you can find 80 lbs of flourite or natural gravel
cheap, and does anyone actually buys LFS rocks? ;~).

There are a variety of factors to lighting : CRI, Kelvin range, wattage
or watts per gallon, depth of water, number of hours daily duration and
the appearance of the fish under the different types. Standard aquarium
packages are usually around 0.75-0.8wpg range, and you are at 2x34w/75g =
0.9wpg (or 1.1wpg if your ballasts will drive a 40w bulb). Typically, a
compromise between plant growth and algae control is to stay under
3.0wpg. Approaching 3.0wpg without CO2 injection is a little hazardous
(I'm doing it in one of my tanks for entertainment purposes). I have a
number of links on my site regarding lighting (on the links page under
lighting ;~), some of which may not even be broken links. If you don't
have time to research, add a 2nd strip light canopy to double the
wattage, and use a variety of bulbs, ie: plant bulb, full spectrum bulb
and a couple at around 500K (daylight) with high CRI values.

> We'll have to look into a TDS monitoring kit...as it is now, We just do
> water changes every seven to ten days.

If you gain any experience with a TDS meter, post it. I have no hands-on
experience myself. It's just on my list of things to buy and experiment
with.
--
www.NetMax.tk


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