# Sticky  1450 US gallons in 2 tanks DIY with Malawi



## youdoom

Here a tube from my 2 Malawi tanks 1450 Us gallon total DIY project.
Later is shall post more pictures from the start to the end of the build.

http://youtu.be/ApTx5IOyo18


In October 2011 I started with the construction of the 2 aquariums, they are made of plywood and liquid pond liner.
Also all filter parts are self-made, in the same way as the aquarium.
The total capacity of the system is 5500 liters (1450 U.S. gallons).
The entire aquarium system is heated by a central heating exchanger.
All lights are equipped with LED lights.
In the filter portions will also be a buffer, given that it is used to preheat the water.
The weekly water change is done entirely by the coupling of the aquarium system to the reservoir of the toilet.
Auarium water is then used to flush toilets, fresh water is then refilled with tank system.

The filter portions will consist of a wet biologist, 2 dry filters, two sand filters, and a heat exchanger




















































































































































































My youtube cannel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEIxtjPlpdRSVEhG5cgxvqg?view_as=public


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## ZebraDanio12

Wow....nice tanks! I'm jealous!

Also thats an interesting way to light a tank.


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## emc7

Wow doesn't seem adequate. Love the idea of fish poop flush. You use no more water and the fish get fresh water all the time.


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## grogan

Wow! What a great idea.


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## yannis2307

someone should sticky this...


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## kay-bee

Simply spectacular!


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## re3561

Awesome. Love it


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## BV77

GREAT set up. I'm on my way to Best Buy......my keyboard is shorting out from all the drool that is now on it.....


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## Charlie1

Wow, love your tanks!


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## youdoom

Summary construction aquarium 2 part 1

I started building my 360 cm (141 inch) aquarium. This aquarium i make, just like my previous project, from multiplex and liquid pond liner. I liked working with these products with my 2200 liter Malawi aquarium. I want to link both aquariums to each other through the filtering. I got reasonable extra capacity with my Malawi aquarium, but do want to make a new filter part with that. Also for the heating i would like to link the aquariums to eachother. And also my current heating system has extra capacity.
Besides all this i want to make a solarcollector for the whole system. 
I started building the substructure of the aquarium, i think it is easy to make and doesn't cost too much.
I have build aquarium stands before, but when i was working this afternoon on the one i'm making now, i got the feeling that i made it wrong the other times or to difficult. Used too much wood than while it wasn't nesecary. 
I plan to finish the whole with laminate. And i think i will also do that with the already existing aquarium, because i want both aquariums to have the same look. 
The existing aquarium i painted, looks ok, but i don't want to paint for weeks anymore, lol. I don't know yet what i will use to create a background. 





























Today i bought the wood for the aquarium and some underlayment for the construction. I connected the parts together and glued some 
parts, including the underlayment. I still have to do some work at the construction, but i'm satisfied with the progress. 
Getting stuff always takes a lot of time, so i hope the next few days i can work and take it easy.
I do have to buy some material to finish it, but i saw at a retail shop some laminate that i liked and can use for that and this week its for 
sale too!

The costs so far are:
110 euro (145 USD) for the bars + screws
240 euro (316 USD) for all the wood of the aquarium + plate material for the substructure, glue and screws
I bought everything at a retail shop where i also could use some coupons for 20% off.










































I'm mostly busy with the front, the whole is quite long this is especially a difficulty at the top of the frame.









I'm almost ready to work of the substructure. I bought laminate for that and was looking how i want it to look when it is finished.
I think the best way to do it is as in the picture.


























I don't know yet how i want to make the filter cause there are several options.
On the pictures you can see an example of how i could make it.
The filter excists of a relatively small before filter and a room for the pump, than the water will be spraid into the dry filter. The whole dry 

filter is filled with bio balls and substrate.
I could of course also choose for a somewhat more confessional preparation with for example a large wet biologist.
Feel free to give your opinion ...


















Glueing the laminate takes quite long. I am depending on the numbers of clamps I have.


























i have made the pre-filter and overflow.

























Mickey.
My youtube cannel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEIxtjPlpdRSVEhG5cgxvqg/videos


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## OhYesItsMe

Now we know who stole Lake Malawi!


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## Obsidian

Love that it "goes green"! You did an excellent job setting up your tanks, as I am sure you know. The best part is how colorful you are able to make this tank since you can keep so many different cichlids. Not to mention that you own a house big enough to put this into LOL.


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## konstargirl

I want your tanks!! lol


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## TheOldSalt

I made this one sticky.


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