Jake's 40g Breeder Biotope Riparium - "El Rio Grande" [Setup Phase]

Let it begin!

"Once the bug has bitten you, there is no vaccine." - JakeJ


"El Rio Pico," this setups forefather

A Little Backround

Many of you have probably seen my "El Rio Pico" riparium. Great little tank. But if you begin to read the very first post, and many more, you will realize how unprepared, unlearned, and horrid at spelling I was. I mainly got by on luck, water changes, and hardy fish. Well, now that I have a good grasp of aquaria (and spelling!) I am going to up the ante. After getting the awesome parents of mine to OK the "Bigger Aquarium Bill" I freak out, and begin to scour Craigslist for a good deal. While looking around for a bigger tank, I decide on getting a 40g breeder sized aquarium. I also plan the tank out, a S. American Biotope, with riparium plant in the far left corner, lots of driftwood, and everything else that is needed, mostly using overpowered equipment from "El Rio Pico". This leads us to yesterday, when I learn of the Petco "Dollar Per Gallon Sale". I check my funds, think it over, and decide to get the tank new, and get a used stand. Late this morning (8/30/10) I come home with a brand new, Aqueon 40 gallon breeder aquarium! Which leaves us at the here and now. The tank won't bee setup 'till I get the stand, but getting the tank is a good excuse for starting a journal.


Petco a store that is on the rise... in my area!


The thing is huge!!!



Equipment List

Tank: Aqueon 40g Breeder w/black trim
Filter: Eheim Classic 2213 w/powerhead
Substrate: Pool filter sand
Lighting: 24" T5HO hydroponics light fixture w/24w 6,500k bulb*
Stand: Unknown
Flora: Vallisneria spp. Echinoduros spp.
Fauna: Unknown
Photoperiod: Unknown
Fertilization: Unknown
CO2: None Planned...

*Upgrading ASAFA

It will be a while before I can get this baby up and running, so be patient! (As I will have to be...) Please, feel free to comment and tell me what you think! If you see any problems with my plan, tell me. Please!


Oh my horrid cheese puffs, samples!!!


The tank...


Special thanks to: Petco, Hydrophyte and Riparium Supply and everyone who has helped me with my aquaria!

nguyendetecting said:

good buy, I also got a 40. I wanted to do pool filter sand but couldn't find any today and settled with soil master select. Everything looks good, saw that your lighting is 24" the tank is 36", just my 2cents. goodluck with putting it all together

Click to expand...

Yeah, it was a great deal, considering that they are normaly $110-120! The light fixture I have is only for a while, untill I save up enough to get a longer fixture.

fishycat said:

Yay, another 40B to stalk - I mean, watch! That's such an awesome upgrade for you!

Click to expand...

When I got it, and put it by my 20gH, and was like- :woot: The thing is beast!

Thanks for the comments!


On a good note, the parents changed their minds, I will be making a DIY stand this weekend! (Cross you fingers...) I plan on making it look like an over turned crate, using 2x4's and lath. Not sure what I am going to paint it, or if I am though.

I will keep you guys and gals updated!

fishycat said:

Painting it black would match the tank, and would be a neat effect with the "crate" look. More contemporary than country, if that makes sense.

Click to expand...

I understand where you are coming from on that, but I think I am going to stay with the counrty look, less work and I like it better.


This weekend, depending on how things go, I may set this thing up!

In With The New, Out With The Old - Tank Setup, But Dry

Today was a big day, atleast when it came to my aquaria! (And college football...) I begin with moving the flora and fauna from "El Rio Pico" to an extra 10g setup with a heater and air pump late in the morning. The fishes seem fine, which is a releif. Once all the "perishable" stuff was moved, I moved the substrate (pool filter sand) into some large buckets to be pust to use later. With the tank emptied and the stand cleared, it was time to say good by. *Sob*.... :icon_eek:



The final hours of "El Rio Pico"...


Takin' everything out


The holding tank


It's.... Gone!


Well anyway, my awesome dad "helped" (Ok, he did everything!) me make the stand. Several 2x4's, screws, and wafer boards later, the stand was lookin' good! So early this evening, everything was inplace! The Eheim was clean, the stand was up, and the tank was on top of it. But this is where a little problem takes place, the reinforced wafer board which the tank is sitting on is uneven. So I will have to wait 'till I can even the stand out, (tommarow) to fill the this baby up! This is totally OK with me, since am I pooped and the idea of filling and dumping around forty buckets of water into the tank sounds a little, "unfun." I did spend some time aquascaping the thing though, so this update isn't totally worthless!

Tell me what you think!



Da Mess!


The Stand in All Its Glory


More of The Stand


Aquascape!

ROYWS3 said:

I really like the hardscape. Looks like you could use a little more sand though.

ROY

Click to expand...

Yeah more sand is probably a good idea... I just threw together the hardscape to have something to look at for now, I will probably change it around alot when I plant it. Thanks for the comment ROY!