A Sinking Feeling: The Perils of Pangea

[dasaltemelosguy]

 

We recently consolidated three tanks down to two, larger tanks. In doing so, we combined fish originating from three continents and environments but possessing very similar personalities. 

 

 

We relocated the inhabitants of a 75G, a 125G and a 120G into the 125G and a new, 200G acrylic. The fish are Asian, African and South American but share very similar temperaments. The pH is 7.8 and we keep the temperatures at 77*F. This pH and temperature are compromise values. While they may not be physically ideal for any one type, they have been healthy, happy, growing, breeding and fearless for about two years, even before this consolidation. There’s no fighting, no chasing, and virtually no hiding. About the only peril we encounter is preventing jumping during feedings. I cannot qualify or quantify the value of a near stress-free environment, but it seems more important for their health than I previously realized.

  

The sole exception here was my Oscar. He's infamously aggressive and ill-tempered. To the point I could barely find tankmates. He killed or attempted to kill much larger Oscars, bichirs, Pacu’s, plecos and even some very aggressive mbunas as I kept trying to find something, anything that could live with him. Aside from the parrots he grew up with, he would only tolerate a dither group of Silver Dollars and most likely, only because there were 12 of them to share the abuse. Apparently, I failed to do read the room, and for some time. There was a dramatic change in my Oscar’s temperament when going from a 6’ tank to an 8’ tank, nothing less than Hyde to Jekyll. Once he had the space, it was like a different fish.

 

Tethys

As mentioned above, the water between the two types is basically a compromise. Part of the reason we set this rig up was the rapid growth of our fish. Most are now huge and were raised from juveniles such that, we really didn’t want to part with any of them. To that end, we adopted an “overstock/over-filter” approach. In an attempt to keep the water pristine, we set up a large filtration and huge UV sterilization system.

All of the filtration and aeration is hidden behind furniture. Each tank uses two Fluval FX6’s and a SunSun704b, the latter being carbon-filled and feeding a whole-house, 55W, UV light rated at 700GPH on each tank, for a total of over 2400GPH/tank.

 

 

Pillars of Strength

We design high-end, high-fidelity equipment and in part of our HIFI work, our loudspeaker designs, use large PVC pipes as loudspeaker enclosures rather than wood as it is light weight but much stronger than concrete, yet acoustically inert.

As such, I had a great deal of giant PVC in storage and so we made these columns. The tanks themselves stand on giant PVC columns.

 

 

Continental Drift

Some days after filling, we noticed the water level was increasingly askew.

 The floor began to sink!

Apparently when placing the columns, we missed the joists below. The columns were slowly sinking through the floor, between two joists. 

Pangea was sinking.

 

 

The sinking 200-gallon aquarium, now filled with fish needed the columns relocated precisely over the floor joists.

To lift a 2200lbs aquarium filled with fish was at least to me, a daunting endeavor but our choice was who to stress out more, the fish or ourselves!  The fish had already been moved once so lifting the tank was still preferable to draining it and moving the fish twice more.

Lifting a 2200lbs aquarium was pretty scary. To lighten the load and reduce stress and splashing, we drained half of the water. Yet it still weighed about 1400lbs. The only device we had available that can lift thousands of pounds was a truck jack. And to our relief and surprise, the truck jack worked beautifully. A stud-finder and the jack made this much easier than we expected. We were able to lift both aquariums several times and reposition every column over a joist as well as shim non-level areas with ease.

The fish never even noticed.

 

Laurasia

The 125G

Asian and South American fishes of similar personalities, sizes ranging from 2” – 4”: German Blue Rams, Mystery Snails, Plecos, Rainbows, Shubunkins, Dojo Loaches, Electric Blue Acaras, Severum, Silver Dollars and an old stowaway, a Chinese Algae Eater in a 125G standing on 18” diameter PVC columns:

 

 

  

 No Topless

 

The 200G acrylic tank was purchased used and had no tops. But these guys jump. As we planned on using emergent plants, we made the entire top out of plastic lighting grid to support them and allow light through. 

 

Gondwana

The 200G

In the 200G are African and South American fishes of similar personalities, sizes ranging from; a 14” Oscar, 14” Plecos, 8” Red & Gold Severums, 6” Silver Dollars, 6” Geophagus Hecklii, a 5” Parrot, a 10” King Kong Parrot and 5” Burundi Frontosas, standing on eight, 8” PVC columns.

 

 

Deep Blue See

Reducing the number of tanks yielded some additional equipment, so we mounted three layers of lights with descending intensity and ascending color temperature. The front lights being warmer and brighter, the middle being neutral in color and subdued, and the rear being dark and blue creating an illusion of much greater depth. Placing two air stones under the center lights made for a natural looking, rippling water lighting effect on the stalks of bamboo. 

 

 

Burundi Frontosas & Geophagus Hecklii

 

Silver Dollars

 

Severum, Parrot & Pleco

 Geophagus Hecklii-Male Burundi Frontosa

 

 

King Kong Parrot

 

Burundi Frontosas

 

 

 

Red Severum

 

 

Oscar (Tank Boss)

 

 

Severums at Night

 

 

Severums at Dawn

 

The Curmudgeons (Oscar, Parrot, King Kong Parrot)

 

 

Narcissus

 

Macro Through Water Droplet

 

Electric Blue Acaras, Red & Gold Severums

 

Dojo Loach Photobombing Severums

 

Gondwana

 

 

 (Apologies for reusing some old photos!)

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 2, 2023 by dasaltemelosguy

[Guppysnail]

This is amazing. I’ve said it before but need to say it again. I would be hard pressed to ever get up off the sofa. Such an amazing view. 
The big tank looks like an entire underwater world. You did a fabulous job. I love it. 
 

@Shadow I’m tagging you because of your newest adventure. I thought you would enjoy seeing this marvel. 

[Shadow]

On 7/31/2023 at 2:00 PM, Guppysnail said:

This is amazing. I’ve said it before but need to say it again. I would be hard pressed to ever get up off the sofa. Such an amazing view. 
The big tank looks like an entire underwater world. You did a fabulous job. I love it. 
 

@Shadow I’m tagging you because of your newest adventure. I thought you would enjoy seeing this marvel. 

Thank you so much!!! This is sooooo cool!!

[Shadow]

@dasaltemelosguy Have to be honest though, I would be nervous and anxious all the time with those tubes supporting these tanks, even over floor joists. I am not a builder and luckily enough, in the south we flood too much for basements, so I am straight on slab. I remember watching a YTer that lives in Chicago in a high rise and she has like 50 tanks, several in one room...I was like, how does the floor handle that? Imagine the floor busting and all that water going several floors down, would be a nightmare. In case you cannot tell, I am OCD in many ways, hence why the hobby works well for me... I am always diddling. 

Your Bamboo is amazingly awesome!!!! WOWOWOW!! I love it! Mine are about a 1/4 of that size but I would love to find some that big to add to the background of more of my tanks. That room looks super chill and relaxing to be in as well. I am about to start two of my largest tanks yet...55 gal and 75 gal, both with SA Cichlids/Discus. Definitely good to know that you have both EBAs and GBRs in the same tank doing well together...also that you are raising warmer water fish perfectly in cooler waters while still keeping them happy, fat and sassy. I am debating on testing the waters, so to speak(pardon the pun), to keeping a few fish not normally kept together with one another while also not running my tanks as high as what some folks say they require temp wise. I know @DansFish said he is doing a test with Discus in sub 80 F water and atm, they are responding well. 

Definitely dig the overfiltration/overstocking method. I did that with my 48 gal rimless and run a 75 gal canister filter on it along with a flow bar filter rated for 30 gal. Thanks for sharing! Gives me more ideas in my brainstorming sesh, as I begin this weekend on the 55 gal. 🙂 

[Odd Duck]

@dasaltemelosguy, your tanks and fish are looking gorgeous!  The tubes make very sleek, futuristic looking stands!  Love it!

[Torrey]

On 7/31/2023 at 3:03 PM, Shadow said:

with Discus in sub 80 F water and atm, they are responding well. 

@Shadow as long as you don't get Heckel discus, they can be acclimated to cooler temps (~78 was the coolest to not get stress sick). If you breed a few generations, and keep each generation in progressively cooler water, they are more forgiving than adapting adult fish to cooler waters. The rivers can drop a good 2- 5 C over the course of 2 weeks during monsoon season.

 

On 7/31/2023 at 12:29 PM, dasaltemelosguy said:

Apologies for reusing some old photos!)

Nothing to apologize for, and this is amazing!!!

Guppysnail and I could hang out on the couch indefinitely, lol

How often do you have to gravel vac to keep everything looking so phenomenal?

(Serious compersion joy, here!!!!)

[Shadow]

On 8/2/2023 at 1:30 AM, Torrey said:

@Shadow as long as you don't get Heckel discus, they can be acclimated to cooler temps (~78 was the coolest to not get stress sick). If you breed a few generations, and keep each generation in progressively cooler water, they are more forgiving than adapting adult fish to cooler waters. The rivers can drop a good 2- 5 C over the course of 2 weeks during monsoon season.

 

Nothing to apologize for, and this is amazing!!!

Guppysnail and I could hang out on the couch indefinitely, lol

How often do you have to gravel vac to keep everything looking so phenomenal?

(Serious compersion joy, here!!!!)

Lets not get ahead of ourselves yet with the few generations thing...lol! I am just hoping to keep them happy and healthy first...breeding I doubt will happen in the tank environment as I have heard its pretty imperative to have them in smaller tanks with the sides blocked out and bare bottomed for them to have any success really. AGAIN, I am no expert just a hobbyist that has wanted to keep them for a while now and has the plan to do so. Nature willing they will stay happy, healthy, fat & sassy! 🙂 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

First off, @dasaltemelosguy, the tanks look awesome!  I still love the temple like quality the PVC lends to the aquarium as well.  I think you could have dedicated this offering to Poseidon himself!

On 7/31/2023 at 1:29 PM, dasaltemelosguy said:

use large PVC pipes as loudspeaker enclosures rather than wood as it is light weight but much stronger than concrete, yet acoustically inert.

On 7/31/2023 at 1:29 PM, dasaltemelosguy said:

The tanks themselves stand on giant PVC columns.

I was shocked that all this mention of PVC didn't somehow conjure @madmark285 from elsewhere on the forum as PVC is a loved material of his.  😁 It's a really cool build! 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Wow! What amazing tanks! I would have to echo @Shadow about the pvc but knowing you from here I HIGHLY doubt you didn't engineer it out prior to this even being set up. I admire your skill my friend. They are absolutely stunning. That along with trying to make sure everyone is as optimal as they can be is definitely science and magic all at once. 

[dasaltemelosguy]

On 10/5/2023 at 5:03 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Wow! What amazing tanks! I would have to echo @Shadow about the pvc but knowing you from here I HIGHLY doubt you didn't engineer it out prior to this even being set up. I admire your skill my friend. They are absolutely stunning. That along with trying to make sure everyone is as optimal as they can be is definitely science and magic all at once. 

I know, the term "PVC" can be deceptive. In my HIFI designs, I use these as loudspeaker enclosures due to its strength and inertness. This is also why I had so much of it lying around. It’s an amazing material. In some Japanese architecture, they actually use these columns as bridge supports! They are stronger than concrete and weigh only a few pounds and being so inert, they are more resistant to chemicals, temperature and water damage than concrete or cement.

Of course, none of these matters if you place them in the wrong spot! We did that and the floor began to sink. This was after it was up & running and full of fish. So much for calculations. Lifting a full 200-gallon aquarium was harrowing but it actually ended up very easy to do. A stud-finder and my car jack did the trick as we lifted the 2000lbs edifice and relocated the columns over the floor joists. The fish never noticed but I needed a drink!

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Yes, typically when people think PVC for whatever reason they think not durable- not really sure why that came about since I've never been able to break a piece of it. Intrepid Partner was not surpirsed about your set up either when I excitedly told him about it. This is the stuff, afterall, that we put underground to carry water to and fro and it doesn't fail very often and if it does, it's probably at least partially human error (like when you accidently miscalculated their placement, this happens!). I am though- relieved that you were able to remedy that without having to disassemble the entire set up! 

Edited October 7, 2023 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[TheSwissAquarist]

I like the idea of an elongated aquarium going round the edge of one room like a skirting board. If you ever have to redo the tank (god forbid!!) some Boesmanis would be super cool to give it that riverine effect.