# Other Aquarium Forums > Freshwater Fauna > Catfishes >  L46 Zebra Pleco tank setup

## Aquaculture

Why here? Its because I really don't know where to put this thread; aquascaping, DIY project or here? But this is where the catfish folks hangout and I may be able to get more information. Please shift as you deem fit Mods... I'm really sotong whether is it apporate here.  :Embarassed: 

All thanks to Celticfish, I've been badly injected by the L46 poision.  :Grin:  Also a big thank you to him for giving me some valuable pointers.

This thread is what I've conceptionalist to achieve a Rio Xingu scape... Sharing with you my thoughts on my step by step process and would greatly appreciate to exchange your dollar worth of thoughts with my 1 rupee as I'm not well verse as a handyman or a pleco expert. Lots of guidance needed....arigato.

Enough said, the below link is what my ultimate aim is.... though I've to admit its a little... very ambitious. Just pray hard that it would look almost there. 



Here's the link of getting there by the orginal creator, *Haavard Stoere,* http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/v...er=asc&start=0

This is the tank that I'll be using... understand that plecos are bottoms dwellers but so far, this is the only tank tank that has been approved by my OC  :Sad: ... so gonna make do with it. It measures 27.5" tall x 25" wide x 22" deep. (70cm x 63.5cm x 56cm).... yup, its a tall tank.  :Sad: 



To achieve the above look, I've decided to use river rocks. Main reason is the smoothness of it, the 'not-so-hard' context of the rock and their odd shapes. I've also realise that the odd shapes would later provide me some allowance for 'placing it the wrong way' as it seems like there's no wrong way.  :Grin:  :Grin:  101 ways to eat snake  :Grin:  :Grin:  Thanks for the lead Benny on river rocks. I've been searching at plant nurseries for them but so far, the ones at Thomson and Kovan but if found, they're usually the small ones, the size of a pebble and round. If not, they're big and round...  :Sad:  Please gals and guys, if you do have some odd shaped or know of any nursery selling big (about palm size), odd shape rock, do inform me. Thanks.

Due to unavailability of tools, I've to improvise here. My current weapons is just a mere hammer drill, a 20mm cobalt drill bit as well as a 12mm drill bit and its solely to drill caves, didn't get the diamond drill bit as recommended on the website. The decision to use cobalt drill bits is actually adviced by an old uncle I met whom used to work in a quarry site in P. Ubin and moreover, I needed a depth which a diamond drill but I've found is unable to faciliate. The 20mm is to make 'caves' and to enlarge the hole to my specific length, width and depth. Whereas the small one is to be used to 'file' the rough edges after drilling. May some expert enlighten me on the dimensions of the cave? 

Unlike Haavard, I don't think I'll be drilling a hole through the rocks - inserting a rod through them to act as a pilliar, then glue them to the wall. Instead, I'll be placing them one upon another with the base being the broadest, thinning out towards the top. They'll be attached via silicon to avoid a Hotel New World incident. I do hope this is practical & main advantage is that I can separate the rocks without any permanent scars. Another concern is to minimise the gaps in-between the rocks... which I intent to pluge the gaps using the small river pebbles... heehee sometimes found in hotel's landscape.

As for the base, I'll be using pure white beach sand that my Dad has brought over from Brunei years ago. Be using a very fine net siede to wash the sand. May I know if there is a better way to 'wash' the sand? As sand its inert, I don't think the salt would retain after being rinse a couple of times. But I may be wrong....  :Razz: 

As for filteration, nothing much to elaborate... just an Eheim 2028. I've actually toyed the idea of a sump but the available cabinet space is merely about 2ft.

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## akoh

The opening ie the width, is slightly wider from Zebra's R. pectoral to L. pectoral fin and depth of the cave is slightly longer than twice the size of the zebra. Cheers !  :Smile:

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## Aquaculture

Thanks akoh for your reply. I was doing some research on PlanetCatfish and the length of a L46 is about 3.1 standard length, therefore the depth of the cave should be about 6inch. 

I'm unable to find any information on the Zebra's R. pectoral to L. pectoral fin or the height of dosal fin. May someone please guide me in this?

Thanks.  :Smile:

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## celticfish

I think after seeing the tank you post most have been stunned to silence...  :Grin: 

The "standard" dimensions I came across are:

Length: 1.5 to 2 times Total length of fish
Height: body heigth + 1/2 to full erect dorsal fin 
Width: body width + one pectoral fin fully erect

This ratio will cater to most acistrus, hypancistrus and the like for cave dimensions.
Okay you still have a headache with the "actual" size...  :Opps: 
Let me go measure zCliff's cave and post the measurements.

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## celticfish

Okay, I just measured the internal dimensions of the cave.

Length: 137 mm
Height: 28 mm
Width: 40 mm

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## Aquaculture

Thanks for the dimensions Celticfish. 

I've run into kind of a road block for river rock... habouring the though of mixing lava rocks or others with it but the different textures is pulling me back.  :Sad:

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## celticfish

Just a note.
"River rocks" look like granite to me.
So if you remember your geography about granite being one of the hardest stones...
You may want to get the drill and experiment on one piece before collecting a bunch.
If its easy to work with then get more.
Otherwise, its back to the drawing board...  :Sad:

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## Gecko

> Thanks for the dimensions Celticfish. 
> 
> I've run into kind of a road block for river rock... habouring the though of mixing lava rocks or others with it but the different textures is pulling me back.


A common problem...I ended up "cheating" with Drift Wood. :Grin:

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## Aquaculture

> A common problem...I ended up "cheating" with Drift Wood.



heehee.... I'm also having the same thoughts. As I'm considering the amount of weight... whether the tank can hold after I load the tank with rocks, sand and then water. The thickness of the tank is 10 or 12mm... I forgot :Razz: . 

Yup, looks alot like granite, especially when soaked - except that it is smooth to the touch.

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## celticfish

The tank should be able to "hold" the weight.
Its the bottom area that counts for this portion of the weight.
It just cannot be moved safely after you complete the project.
Kind of like "Here I stand, Here I fall; Come what may."  :Wink:

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## Gecko

Guys

After dinner, I am going to attempt to redo my tank....watch this space... :Wink:

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## eeeeemo

gecko! if you redo *YOUR* tank.. wont *YOU* disturb their breeding??
actually zebras grow larger than 3.1inch....

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## celticfish

The 3.1" quoted on PCF is SL not TL.

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## Aquaculture

Its Monday, my ears are semi deaf and my hands are numb...  :Grin: 

Started drilling the 'caves' over the weekend. Won't say its impossible but it sure is hell a lot of work to drill only a few centimeters deep....  :Sad:  maybe my technique is wrong but at least the river rocks didn't crack. I intent to make 4 caves.... guess it'll take longer than expected.

In the meantime, I'll be thoroughly cleaning up the sand to fill the base...

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## freddiewee

haha hey bro heard your technique, quite funny and innovative.

you ever considered using styrofoam balls? then roughen and paint them later? i dont know maybe it will be easier to cut and doesnt make you go deaf  :Grin:

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## Thirteen

plecos will chew on styrofoam correct?

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## Quixotic

_Hypancistrus_ spp. are primarily meat eaters, so they are quite safe with plants, wood and other decorative materials.

The herbivores (some omnivores) and wood eaters especially (e.g. _Panaque_ spp.) will just about chew on anything they can get hold of.

Remember, not all plecos dietary requirements are the same.  :Smile:

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## stormhawk

Where the rocks are concerned, perhaps you might want to use slate. I last saw them at C328, not sure if they still stock them. They're pretty flat.

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## Aquaculture

Reason why I choose rocks instead of slate is that it gives a more natural 3D view. I'm also drilling the bugger to make caves out of them but it really hard work.  :Sad:  So much effort, so little achievement.

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## Savant

Hi Bro, 

Care to share why you think slate is less of natural 3D?

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## Aquaculture

Its kind of flat and doesn't give a sense of dynamic to the scape I'm working at.

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## Savant

Thats a super nice slate piece

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