55 Gallon Sub Tropical Aquarium

One of my 55 gal tanks required a stand build and then setup for a power head and HMF (Hamburg Matten Filter).  The HMF with plumbing under the gravel will provide great filtration and quiet operations.  Easy and inexpensive to replace.  This project began October 2023.

Building the stand:

I used 2x3s for all support.  I had 3/4” plywood on each end and some back pieces to add to the support.

The Front was a 1/2” sheet of maple plywood.

Now the Filter system.  I have used HMF filters for many years and wanted to keep the one for this tank.  I researched some river tanks that used power heads but none integrated the HMF filter.  I flipped the filter that had the air tube at the top and put that on the bottom of the tank.  This allowed the plumbing to be on the bottom.  Using the shape for the most stability, I put the PVC pipes together.  

NOTE: I built a wall out of acrylic and some plastic mesh so cleaning the HMF filter would not disturb the gravel.  Usually when you pull the filter out the gravel caves back into the empty cavity, making a big mess.

Since I have a black background, I painted the PVC black. Power heads are usually black as well.

Added Gravel, hard scape, plants, cover and a light:

Plants are all from my summer Tubs.  The dwarf Sag and Valisneria can take the cooler temperatures.   Thinking about the fish now.

In a week or 2, I will update with the fish being added.  The fish have been brought in from the tubs and are all out in the garage now so will choose later.  

Here is the tank as of 1/22/2024:

Barbs are doing well.  Most of the gold barbs were bred in the outdoor tubs.  I put three mature gold barbs in this tank to give me a total of 11.  The Odessa Barbs (6) came from Select Aquatics and are beginning to color up nicely.  There are also 5 albino cory cats in the tank.  No heater, one box filter and the HMF filter are doing a great job keeping the tank stable.

 Menola Aquariums

We moved in Dec 2021 and I have been building shelving.  I brought 3x33 gal and 2x 15 gal aquariums from Bunker.  Also the Fluval Spec and the half 10 gal.   I purchased a new 15 gal tank to complete the rack.

Here I am going to focus on the Aquariums and Tubs at Menola Court.

July 28, 2022

All tubs have fry.  Platys have tons of fry and the White clouds are multiplying.  Below are the fathead (Rosey Red) minnow fry.  They are dark so I read the white gene is recessive.  But there are many fry with 3 different sizes.

 

Mar - July 2022

The existing 3 tubs are doing great.  I have been trying to remove the Gumbrosia from them.  The small tub on the left with the cover has White Cloud Moutain minnows - lots of fry.  The next 40 gal has some Dalmation mollies and Platy (Xiphophorus variatus).  The middle large tub has Rosey Red Minnows that have survived 2 SC winters.  The empty tub on the right has some platies right now Xiphophorus maculatus Red Velvet. There are many fry in there as well.

 I am keeping 3 smaller outdoor tubs below.  The 3rd one is missing from this picture but has a water Lilly in it.  All these tubs have Gambusia Mosquito fish in them

 Testing the temperature in the garage to see about how hot it gets.  So far high reading was 80 in the top row.  I added a fan and that keeps them all uniform.

Jan-Mar-2022

Fluval Spec from Bunker and Barringer

48"  33 Gallon Rack  7" Spacing  -- 24" 15 Gallon Rack 7" spacing

10-Mar-22 

Air pump in place and all tanks have some fish in them.  New 15 gal went on the bottom Right rack and I emptied the half 10 gal. 

Most tanks have Rosy Red Minnows but the bottom Right has White Cloud Mountain Minnows.

2021 TuffStuff 110 gal tub journal

6/29/21

Below are some of my plants and the 100 Gal TuffStuff Tub.  I have added some rosy red minnows to the tub and there are many tree frog pollywogs in there now.  

The sunny succlents area.

The TUB

Hardy Water lilly bloomed

The shade garden.

Solar fountain and many understory plants beneth.

 

3/28/2021

I had cleaned out the big tub and moved plants into other smaller tubs.

I emptied the 100 gal tub and removed all old debris.

I lost all my anubis nana and Buce -- sad -- the cold was to much.  However, all my java fern, Sagittarius, Hygro polly, and other stem plants survived. Bolbitis seems to have survived but the larger leaves died back -- we will see.

I will try to post a picture later.

I also bought a small solar pump to try on the tubs.

 Moved to Charleston SC in October 2020

Only took one Aquarium (Fluval Spec V) setup with me -- on Sunroom.

I have 3x 33 gal, 2x 15 gal, and one half 10 gal tank with me in SC but all empty and stored in the Shed.

I have the big 100 gal tub filled with plants outside since the move.  

We are excited to build our new home down in SC.  

Will keep y'all posted when possible.

My Future stocking Hopefully

I will be landscaping the new house.

Fishroom after 1 year April 2018

Fish Pictures

All the tanks are filled with fish.  

Here is the latest video My Fishroom

Below are some pictures from Wed 25-APR-2018

125 Gal Bottom Planted tank

125 Gal Mbuna African Cichlid Tank

29 gal Middle tank with Pearl Dianos,Corys and Kribs

Red Wag Platies in 15 Gal Left tank

55 Gal Middle White Cloud tank

33 Gal top with Rasboras and pygmy cory cats

Platies again

15 gal Right Chopra Danios and Lemon yellow Labs

33 Middle Albino cory cats, Neons and Rummynose Tetras

29 gal bottom shrimp tank

Fishroom build Jan-Feb-May 2017

This hopefully will be the progress of my fish room build.  I have taken the extra room in the basement (was a dark room when we moved in) and am converting it into a fish and dog care room.
The plan is to put in a sink and some Aquariums.  This will consolidate the tanks in one room and get some them off the rugs.

The project began in Jan 2017 and completed to full operation on May 1, 2017.

November 2017 JRAS meeting:

My presentation at the meeting and the handout can be found at the link below: 

JRAS presentation and Handout location

Below are some pictures of the process:

Had to move the shelves out of the room before construction began.

Running electrical for outlets

The Drain from the darkroom sink

Installed the sink -- this was BIG - fish rooms need water.

Central air pressure system seen in many fishrooms.

Dual 125 stand framed with plywood

Plywood added to all Racks

From 21-FEB-17

Racks are painted

48" Rack on the left with 33 Gal tanks --
on the right is the 30" rack  with 2x 29 gal and a 20 long on top.

Future home of the 125 gallon tanks

Door reversed - thanks to Kurt Lehnert!

Door

Countertop and Cabinets installed 2/26/17 (Thanks to Joe Silver's help)

Weekend work 4-5 March 2017

emptied the 15 gal tanks to about this level to move

Temporary location for the fish

55 Gal Tanks are empty

Rack installed in the fish room now

Pano of the fish room -- all racks, cabinets and sink installed.

Hawaii Pictures hung in the bathroom - just thru this in here.

Photos from the Weekend of 3/18/2017

Dog grooming too!

New 125 gal -- put Oracal vinyl on back.

New 

Electrical work on 125 gal stand completed.

Finishing touches

Contacted Marineland about a small gap under the tank

New NuTek Flooring

30-APR-2017  I finally got the light mounted and started putting in the substrate to the lower 125 gal tank.

The bottom 125 Gal

The 125 Rack

The 33 Gal Rack

On the left the 30" Rack

The 48" rack - moved from the other room.

All tanks are in place, filtering and cycle and setup is completed.  More work on the bottom 125 gal moving the rest of the fish and adding the Gravel I bought at Aquariumplants.com.  I have about 7 gallons of substrate and it will end up looking like the middle 33 gal tank. 

This 125 gallon on the bottom rack was the final aquarium for the fish room.  Angela made me some vinyl labels for all of the aquariums and the door.  This will conclude the fish room build.  I am adjusting to the water changes now and normal maintenance.  

Thanks to everyone that helped me with this project.


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