42 replies to this topic

[chocky]

Last weekend I bought myself my first fish tank breeding rack off gumtree.   I started this thread just to keep track of my progress, post lots of photos for anyone thats interested. Comments & criticism are welcome.

 

Super excited to bring it all home. Since I only have a little hatchback, I've made 2 trips so far picking up what i can fit, today will hopefully be the last time I have to go there. (how many times i have told myself, how handy having a tow bar would be...)

 

It's a 6ft rack and came with 6 3ft tanks that have been divided, glass lids for all, 3x 6ft fluro lights, marine ply wood for each shelf as well as foam. 

 

I'm going to replace my 2x1m pond with this rack. I just feel i'm not really enjoying my goldfishies as much when they are in the pond. Plus its more of a pain to keep clean. 

 

This weekend i'll be giving the rack a clean and sand to get rid of the superficial rust. I've bought some black spray paint (meant for rust/metal) just to go over those spots after. (I think this rack was used by a reefer before)

 

Also need to give all the tanks and lids a good clean. My partner only allowed me to buy this rack on the condition that it has to look spotless. lol 

 

Down the track will eventually replace all the fluros with LED, the glass lids with lightweight polycarbonate sheets, and swap with someone 2 of the 3footers for a 6/5 footer (if it fits) that will house my goldfish. 

 

The rest will be for guppies, my peppermint bristlenoses, and whatever else i eventually stock up on  

 

As much as i would love to have a centralised system, running to a sump, I think i would just feel better keeping everything separate (in case of illnesses etc) . 

 

ANyhoo will post up photos later this evening 

[Riggers]

Sounds awesome mate! I hear what you mean about the sump system. When I ran my racks I used all individual sponge filters for each tank, I found it easier for cleaning and way better for quarantine of new fish

Looking forward to seeing your pics mate

[chocky]

Sounds awesome mate! I hear what you mean about the sump system. When I ran my racks I used all individual sponge filters for each tank, I found it easier for cleaning and way better for quarantine of new fish

Looking forward to seeing your pics mate

 

Excellent. That was the plan too. I have a fairly largish air pump that i bought from vebas about a year ago that has 8 outlets. pretty sure it should be enough. (didnt even think about QT. good point!) 

 

Just picked up the last 3 tanks. Now i'm waiting for 5:30pm to come quicker.. hehe 

[Riggers]

Hehe awesome!! I love the setting up and building part of keeping fish the most

Yeah the larger air pumps are wicked, I ran 19mm poly the entire circumference of the room and just run airlines off that a 90lt/min air pump comfortably runs 50 tanks!

[chocky]

Hehe awesome!! I love the setting up and building part of keeping fish the most

Yeah the larger air pumps are wicked, I ran 19mm poly the entire circumference of the room and just run airlines off that a 90lt/min air pump comfortably runs 50 tanks!

 

Me too - i find i learn a lot along the way. yes making plenty of mistakes but finding better ways to do things is always satisfying 

 

That's the dream.. one day to just have a dedicated fish room.

[chocky]

So just got home to start cleaning up the rack. And now realised how massive it is....

it's actually too tall for where I wanted it to go :S (Oops..) haha

 

3rd and last trip:

 

tanks and lids:

 

was meant to go in that corner:

 

tad tall..(corgi for height reference)

Edited by chocky, 19 August 2015 - 12:32 PM.

[Riggers]

Nice clean looking tanks mate, that's going to be wicked once it's up and running

[shayne]

looking good ,what you already have is looking good to. A tape measure and a grinder or dropsaw [ metal cutting disc] will fix that height issue.Cut it to fit and adjust your shelves to suit. Discuss it with people and if you dont have the tools shout out, i have both and pass leeming often, cost you a smile and maybe a cutting disc. Oh and a chat about fish

[chocky]

looking good ,what you already have is looking good to. A tape measure and a grinder or dropsaw [ metal cutting disc] will fix that height issue.Cut it to fit and adjust your shelves to suit. Discuss it with people and if you dont have the tools shout out, i have both and pass leeming often, cost you a smile and maybe a cutting disc. Oh and a chat about fish

Ta mate
we'll give it a go this weekend. We have an angle grinder just need to buy the disc as you say

The bottom of the racks have holes so there's the option to bolt it down.

Is it necessary?

[dicky7]

I have something very similar .. mine is not bolted down but in a well protected area, and no children to climb up it but it is up to you

[chocky]

Ok no worries
No kids here haha just 2 stumpy legged corgis haha

[Poncho]

Someone's got the fish bug

Looking great chocky. I agree with what rigs said about air driven filters but there are advantages to sumps too. More potential for designing automatic water changes and greater water volume making the system less vulnerable to fluctuations in water chemistry. There's pros and cons to both methods.

I'm doing a rack now and have just finished building the sump. About to plumb the tanks but I'm seriously thinking about putting valves on all the inlets/outlets and running sponges simultaneously in all the tanks. That way I can pick and choose at any point in time which tanks are part of a sump filtration system and which are isolated.

Look forward to seeing your progress

[chocky]

Thanks Poncho  
I had the fish bug for a while but just waiting for the right set up to come up on gumtree to buy heheh

after going to my first pcs auction too a few weeks back just seems like a nice community to be involved with. 

 

valves are good idea. i hate the ones at masters though (the white pvc with red tap). i have one that works just fine, and another that is an absolute nightmare trying to turn open/close. 

 

i won't be setting up and running every single tank straight away so i'll have time to think about it and plan it out hehe  

[Mattia]

Dont put Those white and red ones, they can be Nasty at times. <br />Use the black and green plastic ones, much better seal and easier to open/close

[chocky]

My partner cutting away for me haha


Tomorrow we are moving the big pond out the way and setting the shelves up.

[YIN93]

He is a keeper lol.

[dicky7]

bet the neighbours don't think so....  grinding at night in the backyard

[chocky]

bet the neighbours don't think so....  grinding at night in the backyard

Lol yeh told him that. But it was around 7pm so not 'that' late..

[chocky]

Today we had to empty and move all my ponds out on to the lawn so we could position the new rack to its new home

 

Here's the old pond emptied and ready for a hose down tomorrow:

 

Goldfishies patiently waiting:

 

Hmmm..

 

Tanks in (still need to clean them though):

 

Tanks with the two tubs that i'm going to keep:

 

[dicky7]

Looking good