My tanks - The fake twins

Technics - Nov. 2020

Each tank has its own life system support composed of:

• Wave Station Tank 120 120x50x50cm 300L white glass (lower amount of iron oxide)

• SUMP DIY auto-clean with roll paper (mechanical), moving bed (biological), and other modules (more info on www.diyaquariumfilters.com)

• Lighting system Chihiros WRGB II 120 (integrated Bluetooth controller) + shades

• Heating Aqua Medic Titanium 200W + Inkbird Thermostat

• Ozone Aqua Medic 200 + reactor Sera 500 (made for CO2 injection) + UV sterilizer Aqua Medic Helix Max 18W

• Phosphate absorber with Sera PrefiX Filter 1.6L Nitrate absorber 6L Rhein-Erft Aquaristik

• Return pump Aqua Medic DC Runner 5.2 + stream pump Aqua Medic EcoDrift 4.2

• Air pump Eheim Air500 (silent pond aerator) for sump, biological filtration (moving bed K1 micro) and ozone line

• pH Monitor Aqua Medic

Fixed costs

Current material at current minimal price (find online, check with local fish store):

• Wave Station Tank 120 -> 2x 880€ (e.g. tank + meuble)

• SUMP DIY -> TBD but before as canister filter: Fluval FX6 -> 2x 250€ (e.g. here)

• Lighting system Chihiros WRGB II 120 -> 2x 350€ (e.g. here)

• Heating Aqua Medic Titanium 200W -> 2x 30€ (e.g. here) + Inkbird Thermostat -> 2x 35€

• Ozone Aqua Medic 200 -> 1x 260€ (e.g. here)+ reactor Sera 500 -> 2x 25€ (e.g. here) + UV sterilizer Aqua Medic Helix Max 11W -> 2x 90€ (e.g. here)

• Nitrate absorber 6L Rhein-Erft Aquaristik -> 2x 90€ (here) + 12x 15€ (here)

• Return pump Aqua Medic DC Runner 5.2 -> 2x 150€ (e.g. here) + stream pump Aqua Medic EcoDrift 4.2 -> 2x 90€ (e.g. here)

• Air pump Eheim Air500 -> 2x 45€ (e.g. here)

Total, for both tanks -> 4010€ with DIY filter or 4510€ with with FX6 filters.

On top, keep in mind:

• Upgrades done on stand: from wood panel to alu profil structure (see v1, v2, v3)

• DIY SUMP (see www.diyaquariumfilters.com)

• Fishes

This approximation is already a good indication of budget range to get similar result, if it is what you're interested in ;-)

Recurring costs

Water consumption

Automatically replaced by RO water from 40L reservoir RO

• Discus -> 7.28m³/y at 0,856 €/m³ -> ~6€

  • Water change: 200L/2w

  • Evaporation automatic top-off: 40L/w

• Tropheus -> 2.34m³/y at 0,856 €/m³ -> ~2€

  • Water change 200L/2m

  • Evaporation automatic top-off: 40L/2w

Power consumption - Jan. 2021

(Following screenshots are from Mi Home smart plug, more info on www.miaquarium.com)

Clearly heating (Aqua Medic Titanium 200W + Inkbird Thermostat) impact a lot, with clear difference between Tropheus (25°C) and Discus (29°C).

Interestingly lightning system (Chihiros WRGB II 120) setup very softened (~30%) is visible in the afternoon, 16h -> 22h.

• Discus -> 151.2kWh mth at 27,85 Ct/kWh (LEW) -> ~42€

• Tropheus -> 77.5kWh mth at 27,85 Ct/kWh (LEW) -> ~22€

Operating supplies

• UV lamp -> renew each year 11w -> 20€

• Filter roll paper -> 40m 10€ (here)

  • Discus (and L-catfishes) -> 2mth

  • Tropheus -> 6mth

• Salts water preparation -> related to water change

  • Discus -> Preis Discus Minerals 1kg 6600L 20€ (here) -> 200L/2w then 1y

  • Tropheus -> Instant Cichlid 400g 800L 15€ (here) -> 200L/2mth then 8mth