[Mortis]

Originally Posted by ptaneja

Guys need urgent help. I am sick and tired of a new canister filter. How the heck you prime or start it the first time? I have used the button to prime thousands of time already, it looks like it starts, but just doesnt pick up. Need urgent help...!

Which filter is it ? Are you sure you have primed it correctly ? As in is the filter body full of water and after pumping the priming button has water filled the tubes ? When you turn on the switch is the pump in the filter head running ?
In Eheim filters there are taps on the pipes, these should be opened with the handles parallel to the pipes and in some other filters where both pipes fit into a single removable unit, the flap has to be pushed down, only then does it open up from the inside

[ptaneja]

Originally Posted by Mortis

Which filter is it ? Are you sure you have primed it correctly ? As in is the filter body full of water and after pumping the priming button has water filled the tubes ? When you turn on the switch is the pump in the filter head running ?
In Eheim filters there are taps on the pipes, these should be opened with the handles parallel to the pipes and in some other filters where both pipes fit into a single removable unit, the flap has to be pushed down, only then does it open up from the inside

thanks dude, got it working after all. Will share another problem very soon

[deathwalkr]

Sat a while in front of the tank hoping for this little fellow to come out and play. Did not disappoint

[ptaneja]

Guys, my 6 feet aquarium is ready, and undergoing water circulation with the help of filter. I have about a week of 10 days more before I introduce fishes.

Need suggestion on how to fill it up - height is 30 inches - length is 6 feet.

Gravel is ready - white sand + brown crushed stones.

Where to get some stones or toys etc to fill it up ? More importantly, how to fill up it's height ?!! Any local stores in NCR/Gurgaon - or online shops ?

[deathwalkr]

How to fill it's height? Did not really understand that.

2.5 ft is rather tall and can be a pain to maintain since it's hard to reach the bottom. If you can do it then nothing like it

Stay natural as far as possible. All the garish toys and decorations will only ruin the appeal of such a lovely tank.

Driftwood is the best and plants. Java ferns attached to driftwood look amazing.

What fishes are you planning to get?

Since it's a tall tank, you can split the types of fishes.

Plecos/Loaches/Bichirs/Catfishes as bottom dwellers

Barbs/Tetras/Silver sharks/discus/angels etc for middle layer

Arowana as top dweller

My choice would be a monster tank:
Bichirs for bottom
One florida gar
One asian arowona [whats the width of the tank?]
Indonesian Datnoids, Flagtail, Silver dollars

[TorqueyTechie]

Bought a betta fish along with a separate tank over the weekend. Was told not to put it along with the cichlids that I already have and also not to put more than one betta in the tank as they are aggressive in nature. Is that true?

[deathwalkr]

Very true. But please do get a bigger tank for the poor fellow and some cover as well. Plants, drift wood or something.

Bettas can survive in tiny packets of water but that does not mean that it is ideal. At least get a 1ft*0.5ft rectangular tank for him.

[R32_GTR]

Originally Posted by ptaneja

Where to get some stones or toys etc to fill it up ? More importantly, how to fill up it's height ?!! Any local stores in NCR/Gurgaon - or online shops ?

Get a tall stool or step ladder. Depending on the scaping you plan, it is a real pain to reach the bottom. You also run the risk of drop bigger rocks on the bottom and breaking the tank.

I got the step ladder but at one point, I thought of getting into the tank myself. I still managed this set-up in its 3rd cycle. Some of the fish are already in. Last cycle with only Seachem SAFE planned for this weekend.

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

How to fill it's height? Did not really understand that.

2.5 ft is rather tall and can be a pain to maintain since it's hard to reach the bottom. If you can do it then nothing like it

I think he meant its difficult to reach the bottom of the tank because of its height from the ground.

The other option I was contemplating was to get someone a little smaller into the tank with 60 kilos of Ryuoh rocks yet to be scaped in . My kid is only 4 so not very good at following instructions and could hurt himself.

[deathwalkr]

Lovely tank that Do send in some night shots

[R32_GTR]

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

Lovely tank that Do send in some night shots

Thanks! Will get some over the weekend once the rocks go in.

Cheers

[deathwalkr]

A school of Clown Loaches would be awesome to behold in that tank

[ptaneja]

Well, long story short - I have lost all of my fishes.

Happened at 2AM at night. New aquarium (6 feet * 18 inches * 30 inches height)- was 10 days old, fishes were in it, filters, heaters and what not. All good. Woke up from sleep with a loud noise - and its water everywhere. Saw a huge crack from top of the glass to bottom, and water gushing out. No leak or joint opened up from silicone joints.

Took 2 hours to clean all the mess, moved the fishes to buckets of water, air pump and heaters put in, but all of them died in next 24 hours.

All said and done, it scared the s*** out of me. Got the glass pane replaced (back side - 6 feet length), and have filled it with water again(outside the rooms - just in case it cracks again). Been like that for a week now, thinking of emptying it this weekend, and get it in the house.

I dont know what went wrong - there is support of 4 inches long strip of 12mm glass running the entire length and breadth of tank in the bottom. The same strip is there on the top as a support. Also have the same 4inch 12mm glass strip connecting front and back glass on top.
Placed on a wooden sturdy table - doesnt move, level is perfect.
Placed a sheet of styrofoam below the aquarium to get an even load.

Anything else I need to do to avoid it ?
Should I not add stones ? I did added about 15 or so pieces of large stones. But they never moved, while adding them didnt touch the side walls. I am just clueless.
WHat happened - happened - scary thing is that I dont want this to repeat with my kid playing around.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by ptaneja

No leak or joint opened up from silicone joints.

I don't know much about building fish tanks, but ideally shouldn't you be using laminated or toughened glass?

[R32_GTR]

Originally Posted by ptaneja

Well, long story short - I have lost all of my fishes.

Happened at 2AM at night. New aquarium (6 feet * 18 inches * 30 inches height)- was 10 days old, fishes were in it, filters, heaters and what not. All good. Woke up from sleep with a loud noise - and its water everywhere. Saw a huge crack from top of the glass to bottom, and water gushing out. No leak or joint opened up from silicone joints.

Took 2 hours to clean all the mess, moved the fishes to buckets of water, air pump and heaters put in, but all of them died in next 24 hours.

All said and done, it scared the s*** out of me. Got the glass pane replaced (back side - 6 feet length), and have filled it with water again(outside the rooms - just in case it cracks again). Been like that for a week now, thinking of emptying it this weekend, and get it in the house.

I don't know what went wrong - there is support of 4 inches long strip of 12mm glass running the entire length and breadth of tank in the bottom. The same strip is there on the top as a support. Also have the same 4inch 12mm glass strip connecting front and back glass on top.
Placed on a wooden sturdy table - doesn't move, level is perfect.
Placed a sheet of Styrofoam below the aquarium to get an even load.

Anything else I need to do to avoid it ?
Should I not add stones ? I did added about 15 or so pieces of large stones. But they never moved, while adding them didnt touch the side walls. I am just clueless.
WHat happened - happened - scary thing is that I dont want this to repeat with my kid playing around.

Yikes... That's a disaster!

Did you fill up the whole tank all at once? There is immense pressure on the glass when you're holding so much water in the tank this size and thats whats caused the glass to crack and doesnt look like the silicon joints have given way.

The support 4 inch glass you mention are tank braces which are meant to hold the glass together (all 4 sides) and bear some support/load of the canopy and other filtration/lighting equipment .

You are supposed to fill water gradually (30% -50%) leave it for a few hours to see if its all holding up, add 10% every successive hour till you reach the desired level. This was what I was told by my guys and also detailed on other aquarium forums.

Adding rocks, substrate and decorations doesn't make much of a difference unless you've dropped them on the glass as opposed to placing them (I have 60 kgs of substrate and about 20 kilos of spider wood already. Will be adding about 60 kilos of rocks soon).

Originally Posted by Rehaan

I don't know much about building fish tanks, but ideally shouldn't you be using laminated or toughened glass?

Absolutely. Toughened glass is usually a given with these sizes / volumes.
But toughened glass tend to crack too.

[ptaneja]

Originally Posted by R32_GTR

You are supposed to fill water gradually (30% -50%) leave it for a few hours to see if its all holding up, add 10% every successive hour till you reach the desired level. This was what I was told by my guys and also detailed on other aquarium forums.

Filled it up half way, waited for 2 days, filled it completely, and it stayed for 3 days. After 3 days it gave away.

Thinking of skipping heavy stones this time - and just feel contented with plastic decorations cr@p.