# My triple split 40G



## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

Here is my triple split 40G breeder tank. I split it in three sections with two glass dividers. These dividers have 1" clearance between the lower side to the bottom of the tank, and about 0.5" between the upper side to the rim of the tank. The reason I left the 1" clearance below is so I can do some plumbing for DIY UGF connected to the canister intake, then the outflow of the canister is connect to a pvc pipe that then have one outflow in each section. I then make another pipe that connect all three section to equalize the water level, these equalizers are covered with filter foam.

Tank is 36"x 18"x 15", two pieces glass lid (small one on the front for easy removal to access the sections for cleaning,scaping, and feeding.

Here is the diagram, hope you get what I am trying to illustrate, a bit of imagination required. 









Now, the real picture, see if you can map it to the diagram above. Note that I have one Fluval slim 15 that sucks water from sec3 to sec2, and another one from sec2 to sec1. That plus a Fulval 205 canister serve most of the filtration work in the tank.









I don't have a picture of the first (left) section as it's scape the "industry wasteland style" ;-), I have cleaned it up a bit and currently it's housing 1 x baby golden, 1 x SSS cbs juvi (0.8cm), and a pair of young adult SS CBS.

The second (middle) section houses my tier 2 OEBTs.









The third (right) section houses my A-S grade CRS.









Hope you can imagine what it looks like ;-) Here is a group shot of my tanks in the basement, a total of about 120G of water. Another 36"x18" steel stand is still empty and waiting to be employed if I ever get enough shrimps.









I have to say, this is the best 8' of wall space utilized in the house ;-)


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

Looks like the tank I am currently working on. Except, it will have foam inserts on the dividing walls to allow the water to move from section, to section. Picture on my facebook page.

I envy that 8' wall! I wish I had room for that many tanks!

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## matti2uude (Jan 10, 2009)

That's a nice set up. I'd like to make something like that but use poret foam for dividers.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

I'm semi-happy with the dividers, but if I were to do it again, I would do this,

- Divider goes down more, leaving a quater inch clearance. You wouldn't believe how much water can go through that to level the sections.

- Drill one hole about 3" diameter 2" above the substrate, the first divider would have the hold 3" from the front glass and the second would be 3" from the back. This way the water will flow though most of the 2nd section. 

- The hole on the divider will get a piece of filter foam cut and fit snugly.

- Use smaller grain substrate especially near the divider, now I totally know how the babies can dig.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

J_T said:


> Looks like the tank I am currently working on. Except, it will have foam inserts on the dividing walls to allow the water to move from section, to section. Picture on my facebook page.
> 
> I envy that 8' wall! I wish I had room for that many tanks!
> 
> Posted with my Xperia, using Tapatalk 2


I checked your FB page, the tank looks really nice. BTW, what are those acrylic boxes that look like an in-tank filter or something.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

matti2uude said:


> That's a nice set up. I'd like to make something like that but use poret foam for dividers.


I have never used poret foam, may be easier to use but it's much thicker and take up real estate in the tank. Anywhere in GTA we can get that stuff?


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## aaronc (Jul 24, 2008)

Poret foam is distributed by Swiss Tropicals in the USA, you can maybe shoot them an email. 

Angelfins does sell poret but its the foam filters and not the mat type. Hope that helps.


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## aaronc (Jul 24, 2008)

Btw Nice set up !


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

randy said:


> I checked your FB page, the tank looks really nice. BTW, what are those acrylic boxes that look like an in-tank filter or something.


Thanks. I was asked if I could copy a tank, and make it fit specific needs. Curious, how deep are your babies digging? The divider on my build is set 3/4" off the bottom. I am thinking it may do well with some foam block under it to keep the little ones in the right section.

Yes, they are in tank filters. They were built for a member here. They were custom filters to suit their needs. Air stone driven. The tallest one is 7", and the shorter is 4.5" I have to go tweak a couple things. The airstone makes the lid want to float off 

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## matti2uude (Jan 10, 2009)

You can also get poret foam from http://cichlaholic.com/lists.html and they are in Saskatchewan. The poret foam may take up real estate but it is an excellent filter and increases your filtration while keeping the water level.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

JT, I have about 2 to 2.5" of substrate, and you can see in the picture I already make it deeper around the dividers and both baby CRS and baby OEBTs get to their neighbour's section without a problem. And I believe they go to the "up-stream" side only (so far). Maybe an instinct that if they don't they would be flush downstream by current.

So I think with the medium grain Akadama, even 2.5" isn't safe. However, I think if you use any other type of substrate then 1.5" should be okay for 3 quarters of an inch clearance.


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

I should've get my idea reviewed here before working on it, definitely some great input here.

Well, that give me the excuse to make another one... I am stairing at that two tier 36"x12" steel stand now with evil eyes....


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

randy said:


> I should've get my idea reviewed here before working on it, definitely some great input here.
> 
> Well, that give me the excuse to make another one... I am stairing at that two tier 36"x12" steel stand now with evil eyes....


Hmm, funny enough, that is the dimensions of the tank I am building.... And trying to gauge interest in a group buy for....

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## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

Randy, looking good....similar to my 3 ft divided tank, but I used the plastic netting material you use for crafting instead of glass. This way the way flows evenly through all the 3 sections. I also put 3 foam filters in each section, to provide biofilm for each of the sections. Aquasoil is what I used about 1.5 inch thick.

So far the OEBTs and Red Tigers have both molted in this new tank setup, so keeping fingers crossed they like it enough to start producing.

You can see my setup on my Red Tiger berried post.

Now you need to setup another one for those Taiwan bees your getting eh!


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

Hi Anna, I have a 20GL cycling under the 40g, that one will be used for TBs eventually. That one is divided into 2 sections to separate different types of TBs. The two 16G to the left of the 40G are ready for the TBs I'm getting. I have some goldens and CBS females in the lower 16G waiting for their mates;-)

I can spend hours looking at these tanks with different shrimps in them doing different things. They are so much fun.


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## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

one word to describe shrimpkeeping! ADDDICCCTTTIVE!!!!!!


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## camboy012406 (Jun 11, 2010)

|Hi randy where did you bought that metal racks?thabks


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

camboy012406 said:


> |Hi randy where did you bought that metal racks?thabks


I bought it from Kijiji, tank + stand was like $50.


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## camboy012406 (Jun 11, 2010)

randy said:


> I bought it from Kijiji, tank + stand was like $50.


wow thats cheap coz usually the cost of that steel rack is from 100-150$. how about the mesh that you tied the moss on it are those safe for shrimps? where did you bought it?


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## randy (Jan 29, 2012)

camboy012406 said:


> wow thats cheap coz usually the cost of that steel rack is from 100-150$. how about the mesh that you tied the moss on it are those safe for shrimps? where did you bought it?


The SS mesh? Yes, from a member on this forum. He sells it often, check the for sale subforum. His price is pretty reasonable.


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