In tha ghetto

[PythonWallace]

I set this up about three weeks ago, and it's working great. I have two angels and a pleco in it, doing great and growing. It's my ghetto grow tank and light reflector. My turtles leave my original fish alone, but if I put a new small fish in their aquarium they chase it around and eat it. I decided to set this grow tank up so I can let new fish get big enough to add to the turtle tank. I'm getting a 125 gallon aquarium for the turtles soon, so if they still want to chase the angels I will move the fish back into the 40 gal.

I had the large Critter keeper and some of the PVC pieces, so I only had to spend about $5 for the ball valve and a few connectors. The reflector is a $2 sheet of aluminum that I cut, bent and bolted into a reflector, and added a $2 bulb base and $1 extension cord.

I used the pump for the filter to pump water into the intake for the Critter Keeper, with a ball valve to control the flow or shut it off for maintenance. The main output drains down through the filter in the main tank. Then I added a backup drain, so if I get a clog in the filter or a twist in the drain line the water will still drain back into the main tank, instead of over flowing 40 gallons of water onto the floor.



Intake


Intake and main drain


Backup drain


Reflector

[Patrick Long]

Nice!!!!!!!!!

Man I wish I could keep plecos in my tank.

I started with albino...got ate.

Got a BIGGER Chocolate Albino......got ate.

Gonna try a normal see if he makes it!

[TankMasterOG]

i sead id seen it all... but i have never ever seen that ....YYY..

[joepythons]

Great idea .Now run out to get the patent on it lol

[seclark]

I feel so dumb right now you people are geniuses!

[PythonWallace]

I feel so dumb right now you people are geniuses!

Nope, my IQ is only 153. Thanks, though!

Update: I just moved the fish from the top tank into my turtle tank a few hours ago. The turtles checked out the angels for a minute, but they urned around and left them alone. I've never seen them do that with smaller fish that wre added, so I think they are all large enough that they will be ok in there.

[accidental777]

Wow....I think that is the most effort that I have seen anyone put into a critter keeper lol. Looks like you have done a great job. What kind of turtles are you going to be keeping with the angels and how big are they? I am slightly curious, I have seen a few people on cichlid forums that have done red ears with oscars and such.
Also, is that a panaque? It is gorgeous! I don't have much going for plecos right now except for my leopard, a larger chocolate, and some albino bushy nose. I have had a hankering for one of those royal plecos but have been put off by a lot of keepers who have had issues keeping them alive.

[4theSNAKElady]

The key to keeping royal plecos is ...wood. They love to munch on it!!

[accidental777]

I do have a ton of driftwood. I got a ton of it for free when I picked up my 240 gallon aquarium. I just need to get it all anchored. That is going to take at least a day with all of the nice stuff I have lol. It sits in rubbermade tubs for now.
I love plecos in the panaque family, simply gorgeous. I noticed Jeff Rapps has been selling some nice L numbers.....someday.