# Other Aquarium Forums > Freshwater Fauna > Catfishes >  New L46 Tank

## wasabi8888

Hi all

Want to share my new L46 tank. Fishes not added yet. Just completed today. Thanks to one of the bros here.

Sorry for the bad picture (reflection and lighting and White Balance)

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## Wackytpt

Finally we see the Palace. 

Hehe...

Nice one..

How many L46 are you thinking to add in?

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## wasabi8888

> Finally we see the Palace. 
> 
> Hehe...
> 
> Nice one..
> 
> How many L46 are you thinking to add in?




have space for about 10.... have 6 now...

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## Wackytpt

Cool...

You are using a 2026 for a 2ft tank setup right?

What gravel are you using?

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## wasabi8888

> Cool...
> 
> You are using a 2026 for a 2ft tank setup right?
> 
> What gravel are you using?


yup... mix of black and grey Dennerle gravel  :Smile:

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## Wackytpt

You got the guru down to help you setup ah?

Next time can I get your help to set up my L134 tank..

hehe...

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## mervin

I missed my L46........had all 12 pcs wiped out at one go........including 2 big females hand carried back from Taipei.......

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## wasabi8888

> You got the guru down to help you setup ah?
> 
> Next time can I get your help to set up my L134 tank..
> 
> hehe...


you will regret asking me.... Guru did everything.. i sat down on my chair and commented only....

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## wasabi8888

> I missed my L46........had all 12 pcs wiped out at one go........including 2 big females hand carried back from Taipei.......


what happened? when was that?

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## Wackytpt

Jeff,

You slacker ah.... 

Mervin,

Time to restart another tank..

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## doubleace

wow jeff very nice setup... who's the guru that help you to setup.  :Grin:

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## wasabi8888

> wow jeff very nice setup... who's the guru that help you to setup.


can't say the name.. just a very nice guru

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## Gecko

if keeping 10 would recommend adding another 2026 or at least a classic, you need back up and for rotation when you service the cannister....it will be the best investment for the breeding tank.

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## wasabi8888

> if keeping 10 would recommend adding another 2026 or at least a classic, you need back up and for rotation when you service the cannister....it will be the best investment for the breeding tank.


I do have a spare Eheim 2211... maybe i can do that.. wonder how the tank will look like with 2 rain bars

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## celticfish

Where did you get stock of grey dennerle gravel?
I was told it was out of stock...

If you add the second filter I'd suggest you tune the flow rate down for both.
Otherwise it will be a tsunami in the tank!  :Laughing: 

Placement of the caves is  :Well done: 
How are they being held in place though?  :Confused:

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## wasabi8888

> Where did you get stock of grey dennerle gravel?
> I was told it was out of stock...


I ordered from NA. Have to wait one week.





> Placement of the caves is 
> How are they being held in place though?


Just stack on top with slates.... :Smile:  not sure whether there will be avalanche though.... need at least 6 slates.... i am going to add more just in case

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## Wackytpt

Jeff,

Where can find those slates?

I am interested to look for them as I should be setting a L134 tank in the near future.

Cheers

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## wasabi8888

> Jeff,
> 
> Where can find those slates?
> 
> I am interested to look for them as I should be setting a L134 tank in the near future.
> 
> Cheers



NA has some...

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## barmby

I like this set up. very nice  :Smile:  looking good too.

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## Jungle-mania

Looks really clean and simple, yet very tasteful. Any reason why you use blue Oyama background instead of the usual black?

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## GER

Nice tank. where did you get the wood from?

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## mervin

> what happened? when was that?


That was years ago, I gave up all my tanks at least 3 years ago.

Added some cories into the tank and within a week or two........all died. :Crying: 





> Mervin,
> 
> Time to restart another tank..


My 1st L46 cost me $40 and my last was about $170+.(C328 and Taipei LFS)
Current prices.....I dont even want to guess...... :Opps:

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## wasabi8888

> I like this set up. very nice  looking good too.



Thanks!!!




> Looks really clean and simple, yet very tasteful. Any reason why you use blue Oyama background instead of the usual black?


hmmmm.. debatable... I want to try blue oyama. Even my lights are 1 arctic blue and 1 white light.. I hope it enhances the blue of the L46s




> Nice tank. where did you get the wood from?


Mixture of Green Chapter and Biotope....

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## Savant

Very nice setup!

I like the placement of the caves... I dont think I have seen anyone do it this way yet... but this is one style that will inspire many for sure...

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## wasabi8888

> Very nice setup!
> 
> I like the placement of the caves... I dont think I have seen anyone do it this way yet... but this is one style that will inspire many for sure...


Thanks for the compliment.. could not have done this without guru.. caves from Germany.....

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## Savant

I know several guys in the forum I would call L46 gurus.... wonder who this mysterious guy is :P

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## ZANE

I have to say, this is the nicest zebra pleco breeding setup I have seen anywhere. Everyone else's is just plain functional like a zebra pleco baby mill. But yours also take the aesthetics into consideration and makes it more than functional - but also displayable. Congrats! 

If ever I decide to keep and breed these fish (if and when I have the time and money) your tank will be one definate sourse of inspiration.

ZANE.

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## wasabi8888

Thanks for the compliment. Well there are benefits to a simple set up for breeding.. For me, the L46s are not just for breeding, I really do not mind as long as they are happy in there....

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## akoh

Jeff ! nice set-up !  :Grin:

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## johannes

how many zebras you planning for this 2 ft set up? :Smile: 

looks cool...

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## wasabi8888

Not sure yet... Fauna could be

6 L46, 1 L173, 10 Corydoras Pygmaeus, 10 ruby tetras

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## khtee

1 L173 ???? He will be very lonely.....

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## ccs

> That was years ago, I gave up all my tanks at least 3 years ago.
> 
> Added some cories into the tank and within a week or two........all died.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My 1st L46 cost me $40 and my last was about $170+.(C328 and Taipei LFS)
> Current prices.....I dont even want to guess......


Guess today price can buy you 10 L46 last time haha

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## genes

For those who own the Back to Nature guide to L-Catfishes book. The caves reminds me of the spawning holes on page 45.

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## Jordi

nice tank setup for the beautiful plecos :Smile: 
what size is tank?

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## wasabi8888

Size of tank: 60X30X40 (H) cm

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## Savant

I just had a look at the setup again and I must say that they look very functional... The slopes will ensure that any waste or dirty will flow down and settle in at the front for easy siphoning... of course I am very infrigued as to how you managed to achieve this and how you will be able to maintain it as my sandscape in my pleco tanks shift quite a fair bit from both their movements and the high flow from the filter outlets...

Kindly advise as I may want to do some kind of a sloping thing myself now for my new setup...

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## Samuel2618

> Nice tank. where did you get the wood from?


Ya.. Nice piece of wood you got there.. Must took a long time to search for such a long piece of wood.. Really envy those people who have the money to set up L46 tank.. Me don't have that amount of budget to spend on fishes..  :Crying:

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## celticfish

Savant, I was told that slate pieces were used to "hold" the slope.
You can see a piece in the centre of the five caves left of the tank.
Though I do agree with their constant bickering the slope will be hard pressed to stay in shape.

wasabi8888, update on the slope maintenance when the fish go it, okay?  :Smile:

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## wasabi8888

> Savant, I was told that slate pieces were used to "hold" the slope.
> You can see a piece in the centre of the five caves left of the tank.
> Though I do agree with their constant bickering the slope will be hard pressed to stay in shape.
> 
> wasabi8888, update on the slope maintenance when the fish go it, okay?


Will do.. in fact, i will be adding more slates later.. one of the bigger changes is that one of the wood is still floating.. i managed to hold it down by the trunk at the back.. any shifts will cause the wood to float.. don't know why it still floats after soaking for almost 1 month already.




> I just had a look at the setup again and I must say that they look very functional... The slopes will ensure that any waste or dirty will flow down and settle in at the front for easy siphoning... of course I am very infrigued as to how you managed to achieve this and how you will be able to maintain it as my sandscape in my pleco tanks shift quite a fair bit from both their movements and the high flow from the filter outlets...
> 
> Kindly advise as I may want to do some kind of a sloping thing myself now for my new setup...



yes, you are right... it is functional but still there are chances that the food can get stuck at the back of the slope.. but since i maintain my tank once a week, it should be ok. what you don't see is that i actually have a reptile feeding bowl in the middle of the tank. this causes an indent downwards. I intend to drop my food using a tube into the indent, so that the L46s will go there to feed. since they are still small, there is a high chance that the food will stay in there hence making maintenance easier...

then again, i need to repeat myself because the credit of scaping the tank does not lie with me but someone else here. Although i understand the concept and probably can replicate this set-up, I have to thank that person for doing such a great job...

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## celticfish

Aiyoh, just reveal the scaping maniac, cum apisto maniac, cum pleco maniac lah! 
Kudos to the "unsung hero"!  :Laughing:

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## wasabi8888

> Aiyoh, just reveal the scaping maniac, cum apisto maniac, cum pleco maniac lah! 
> Kudos to the "unsung hero"!


of all people to ask me... you should already know even before we started.. i don't mind sharing but to respect the other party, else everyone starts knocking on his door.... but he reads my thread... if he wants to reveal... i am more than happy...

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## khtee

can post more pics of the tank with all the L46 inside?

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## wasabi8888

Hi all

An update of my L46 tank. I took the opportunity to shoot the other tank which is a L134 tank. Please enjoy

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## Captain Telecredible

Your cardinals look very brilliant in the last picture! Your tanks looks very natural. Indeed those plecos looks very cute!

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## celticfish

You should have done the "upgrade" ages ago!!
Big difference now and you can see them out and about!  :Grin: 
Also nice to see the slope is holding up.
Kudos to the "secret scaper"!  :Smile: 

Is it the pink florescent casuing the colour cast in the L134 tank?
But the colours on the cardinals still look stunningly accurate.

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## wasabi8888

yes it is.... but the fact is that, the whole tank is quite pink....what you see is almost the real thing.. the cardinals are that stunning...

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## chaq

Hi, very nice setup. May i know where you got the round caves?

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## wasabi8888

> Hi, very nice setup. May i know where you got the round caves?


Thanks. I ordered the caves from Germany.

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## nutx

Would like to check whether the cave is seal up behind? And the way you place them into the gravel, does this mean that you have no intention to remove the cave? So if your pleco breed, how do you remove the eggs?
Thanks.

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## wasabi8888

The cave is indeed sealed up from behind. I have no intention to remove the cave...

I do not intend to remove the eggs as well

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## nutx

Hi, that means the egg will hatch inside the cave....any risk for the fry to be eaten by the bigger pleco inside?

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## genes

Wa, can see the zebras now compared to the old tank and their colors are stunning. Looks like they have settled down well in the tank.

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## wasabi8888

> Hi, that means the egg will hatch inside the cave....any risk for the fry to be eaten by the bigger pleco inside?



Not sure about that, Anyone can share?




> Wa, can see the zebras now compared to the old tank and their colors are stunning. Looks like they have settled down well in the tank.



they have.... and they are coming out as well..

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## drakeho

Hi Nutx 

When you say the bigger pleco in the cave , do you mean the father ?

Chances are the father will help to polish the egg ball and also to take out those 'unwanted' eggs in the process till the eggs hatch .

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## barmby

wasabi8888, your tank setup, choice of fishes, substrate and arrangement of caves have certainly live up to the name of AquaticQuotient who believes in fish health, arrangement and overall & overview beauty of a tank. by far the best l46 setup i have seen. thanks for sharing.

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## wasabi8888

> wasabi8888, your tank setup, choice of fishes, substrate and arrangement of caves have certainly live up to the name of AquaticQuotient who believes in fish health, arrangement and overall & overview beauty of a tank. by far the best l46 setup i have seen. thanks for sharing.


Hi Colin

Thanks for the compliment. First time someone paid me such a compliment... to the extend of living up to the name of AQ.

Thanks again.

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## SCOPE

Very creative setup....stacking up the caves....Great idea!
Hope to see your breeding soon!

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## Shiv

Beautiful setup.

Any more updates..

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## nutx

> Hi Nutx 
> 
> When you say the bigger pleco in the cave , do you mean the father ?
> 
> Chances are the father will help to polish the egg ball and also to take out those 'unwanted' eggs in the process till the eggs hatch .


 
Hi..Understand the Father will take care, except for unfortunate case... :Mad: 
But after hatching, the small pleco start to move about, will they be attack by others Bigger pleco of same type?

So, we can actually just leave them inside to hatch... :Wink: 
(but why every experts seem to remove them to breeder box? Too free for photo taking? :Roll Eyes: )

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## Cup

That is the cleanest looking tank I have seen in my entire life.

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## wasabi8888

> That is the cleanest looking tank I have seen in my entire life.



Thanks for the compliment esp for someone coming from the US...

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## benny

I must say this is one of the most pleasant and enjoyable catfish setup I've seen in a long time.

And from what I understand, the equipment and other considerations are all very well thought out too.

Well done!

Cheers,

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## wasabi8888

> I must say this is one of the most pleasant and enjoyable catfish setup I've seen in a long time.
> 
> And from what I understand, the equipment and other considerations are all very well thought out too.
> 
> Well done!
> 
> Cheers,


Thanks to all who have help and contributed in one way or other!!! You know who you are..

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## genes

Jeffery, black sponges are available. The yellow one "shines out" in the setup.

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## trident

Jeff,
Very nice setup and the tank was beautifully shot  :Smile:

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## wasabi8888

> Jeffery, black sponges are available. The yellow one "shines out" in the setup.


Eugene

Let me know where to buy them. The yellow ones that you see is great for the Eheim 2028/2026 inlet. I do not need to cut because it fits just nicely. Also the quality of the sponge is rather good. It's from Otto.


Let me know if you know where to buy the black ones of similar quality.

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## genes

What i do is buy those small size stick on glass sponge filters and use the sponge. The quality of those sponges are good too.

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