Potential New Aquarium

Intranick

Active Member
Hi,

It's been a while since I've posted, or had an aquarium due to moving around, etc. Duno if anyone recognizes me.

I have recently signed up to return to college for a Mechatronics degree, I have been doing some 3d printing via Reprap, and working.

At this point, it's just an idea, and I'm on the second floor of an apartment. I do not know how much this building could handle, as it's an older building but I was thinking maybe a 15 or 20 gallon build, and have sent an email to the company that owns the building (which generally has a no pets policy) requesting if its even possible (which is why its still potential, if I have one, I want permission)

The thing is, since I'm on the second floor -- and I have had an aquarium blow a seal in the past and leak water (luckily I was still awake and heard it leaking and managed to clean it up before it did any damage) -- what are some potential ways to catch any water leaks? I was thinking about building a box, either out of metal using the shop at work off hours, or plywood coated with something.. Any ideas?
 

DaveK

Well-Known Member
You could easily build your stand in the form of a box, so that if the worst did happen, it wouldn't cause a problem for the person under you. Plywood is lighter than metal, and easy to work with. It could easily be painted with epoxy paint. Such methods can even be used to construct tanks.
 

dmatt88

Has been struck by the ban stick
My washing machine has a plastic box it sits in in case of overflow or leaks. A wooden frame may b a little unsightly however I see it as feasible.

..........who wants a cold one.
 

Built347

Has been struck by the ban stick
Buying a quality tank (new) will almost eliminate the possibility of a leak or breakage... sorry to hear about your bad luck... but if were any more common than a rare occurrence of bad luck I don't thing many of us would be into aquariums... some of us have a lot of $$ wrapped up in livestock.. if a broken tank was a constant hazard I know for one I'd find a new hobby...

My honest opinion is buy a good tank... maybe even an aio tank... then u wont have any exterior plumbing inturn reducing the possibility of a leak even more..
 

Intranick

Active Member
well in the case of the leaky tank, I went with one of those cubes. I forget which brand (i think there was two at the time, iduno how many now) and there was a plastic backing on it (where the filtration area went into) that was adhered to the glass that made the three glass sides. the seal between the plastic and glass went. I have had a few all-glass aquariums and have never had anything remotely related to a leak.

Anyways, I got a response from the apartment. It would be a $300 deposit + show proof of renter's insurance to cover any damages caused by it should it leak. Guess this may have to wait a couple months.
 

Intranick

Active Member
I'm going to go through with it. I'm going to start cycling some live rock in the next month or so, while thats going on ill pay the deposit and show my renters insurance and carry on forward. i dont really care about unsightly the tank is for me :) I was thinking about an AllGlass 50 gallon aquarium or 40 breeder, of which I have the stand for. I was going to do a 20 gallon or so, but if they're going to make me pay a deposit im going to go with what I have equipment for
 

bmplank86

Has been struck by the ban stick
If you want to stay under 3ft in length, 40B is the best IMO. It gives you plenty of room to do some amazing aquascaping. They're a great size.


"No rain, no rainbow"
 

Intranick

Active Member
is the 40B really better than a 50? 50 is 18" high and the 40 is 16" high, wouldnt that be ideal even if the price is a little higher?
 

Intranick

Active Member
I was thinking about buying some dry rock from bulkreefsupply.com and cycling it in a rubber maid container i have thats just sitting here and buying a couple pounds of rock locally. anybody have any thoughts on that idea?
 

Intranick

Active Member
So then my question is...

So i have been reading up a lot lately, trying to get back in the swing of things.. I have had aquariums that did just fine without anything except a mechanical HOB filter, and they did fine. but yet, I have ran protein skimmers (or, my Remora skimmer to be specific) and they did fine as well, but a lot of people say you need both a fuge and a skimmer.. - the thing is, I dont plan on running a sump, since I think that for an apartment situation thats an added chance of a leak -- How important is a fuge, and what are the options that could avoid additional chances of leaking if possible, etc? I've never had one before but I've heard of huge benefits but, yet, I haven't yet had a tank for more than a year, but mostly because of rapid changes in my lifestyle that are starting to finally slow down a bit...
 

BLADEYAMAHA

Well-Known Member
I think you will be better off with good flow, a modest amount of live rock, a couple of phosban reactors with carbon in them and your Aqua C skimmer, you don't have to have a refugium, it does not help that much IMO.
 

BLADEYAMAHA

Well-Known Member
OK, well, would your stand work for a 50 gallon, it looks like it would. If you have to buy a tank anyways, I'd go ahead and get the 50 then.
 

Intranick

Active Member
yah its $40 more than a 40B to get the 50. my stand is actually rated for a 65.. that being said, how much should i worry about the weight on the floor in a 70s circa apartment building?
 

BLADEYAMAHA

Well-Known Member
Your just wasting your money if you buy hang on filters, just use phosban reactors(quantity 2, IMO) and put Maxi Jet 1200's on them and swap carbon 2 weeks apart so you don't lose all your bio filtration capacity that your carbon builds up and do that.
 
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