Breeding set up.

[copigeon]

Ive wanted to do it for a while now, since a disaster attempt at setting up a sump and manifold system on a set of plastic storage boxes, and with the decision to rebuild my greenhouse as a shed, Ive decided to start pricing up for my aquatics set up.

I intend to have either a series of boxes or tanks, for individual colour variations of apples/rams/canas etc, so I can experiment with selectively breeding the strongest colour lines.

At the moment, Im drawn between really useful storage boxes, the 35 litre versions at £10.99 each. Or dividing 48x15x12 glass aquariums into 4 or 5 partitions. Pets at home sell them for £49.99 each. So £12.50 ish per tank for 4 before the cost of glass dividers which I need to price.

The second concern is filtration, and the reason Im posting.
Currently I use, large external filters. My main tank (which Im debating to use for cana or shrimp) is currently fed by a proII ehiem canister, which does a fantastic job. But was damned pricey. My hatchery is filtered via a ehiem 22... something. Smaller canister.
If I go for individual colour specific tanks or boxes, I either have to consider a manifold again from a canister or sump (which is a nightmare and probably already discarded) or individual internal filters.
Ive been looking at the fluval + range, 3-4. Theres not a huge price difference between the fluval 3 and fluval 4... although the fluval 4 is physically huge.
Im wondering if anyone has any experience with either?
Ive found something similar which is a cheaper brand, same spec filter on ebay which Im mooching over... wondering if theres really much difference in quality between major and non major brand names.
Because Im going to need 10 of them, £24.99 and £15.99 is a huge difference.

[thedragonlord]

firstly, i have to tell you that breeding freshwater fish isn't very profitable unless on a huge scale

have you seen a decent aquatic retailers tank systems? thats what i'd use

have the tanks in 2 or 3 rows about 6 or so tanks in each row. have them sorted with overflows to return water into a sump (each tanks overflow on first row join up so first rows water flows into sump (same with other rows)) then have japanese matting (about 4 sheets) in first sump chamber, then bio balls followed by a perforated sheet to prevent the bio balls moving. then have your heater (large one) and a pond pump pumping waterup to the 2 or 3 rows on it's system through plastic pipes like kitchen plumbing pipes from B&Q so water then flows out of the pipe into each tank (above each tank) through a tap so you can isolate a tank if you need to

thats basically how to filter them, you could light them if you wanted, i dont see the need to other than T8/T10 house light things in the roof for you to see whats hapening

you could fit on a large UV if you wanted to

also insulate the fish house as much as you can, double glazeing as well to help keep the temperature up as you could just heat the entire fish house instead of each system, might be cheaper, also have an air conditioning unit or something thermostatically controlled to lower the temperature in hot weather

keep your breeding pairs in one or 2 smaller systems and then your fry in seperate large systems as the parents need better water quality to breed than u could get with hundreds of baby fish that are growing

buy food in bulk and have a small fridge freezer to store frozen foods and some sort of beverages to keep you hydrated while working in there (it takes alot of work)

you could also fit a veggie filter onto your system in a section of the sump before the water gets pumped into tank or plant a tank with lots of plants

anything else you'd like to know? i'd gladly help you as much as i can

[copigeon]

Its for snails rather than fish.. but not for proft, Im just interested in colour genetics.. same principal though.

One difference is the amount of waste, snails produce a serious amount of waste.

Ive already been through sump with return flow etc. and it doesnt work for me. Been there done that wasted a fortune too difficult to get the return flow adequet and equal (unless buying a premade setup which I cant afford)
Also it means they all share the same water, which I really want to avoid.

Im rebuilding my tropicalhouse as a greenhouse, which will be heavily insulated as it also houses my land snails/slugs/general inverts.

Ive been impressed by the fluval 3 that comes in the duo packages, which is why I have my eye on the fluval 4+ range and equiv from other brands.
Cheap, heavy filtration.

Cheers for the reply though, a sump and return system would be ideal, but DIY is a nightmare and theyre just too expensive otherwise.
I take it you breed fish?

[thedragonlord]

yea, not in that way, have 4 seperate tanks lol

i know some breeders/fish nuts/colleges at aquatics shop

i'll pm you with the email addy of the most experienced one, dunno if he'll reply as his computer skills are very limited lol but its worth a shot, i'll be able to give him a heads up tomorrow about u emailing him if ur going to

[copigeon]

I may do but Im away for a week, camping, so wont have time till I get back.
If he has any suggestions by the way he filtrates his tanks would be handy.

Cheers dragonlord.

[copigeon]

Decided to go for really useful storage boxes instead of dividing glass tanks, costs and the fact they come with lids the major factors. Easy cleaning and the fact I already use them for everything else the decider.

Still mooching over the cheaper internal filters, have bought 1 to see what its like.

Pricing up, 12 tanks will cost me in the region of £450.... starting with 4 as soon as the sheds done.