30 Gallon DIY Jellyfish Aquarium
 

I've got jellyfish ordered and coming in a few weeks so it about time to get an aquarium together for them. I've got a bigger tank project in mind but lack of time at the moment is slowing that project down. So, for now, a 30g tall tank will do.

My tank is based loosely on a kreisel aquarium design (Google for more info). Basically a rectangular aquarium with the corners (that the current will pass) rounded. More on that later.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/UG...g=w300-h400-no
This is the tank with the corners and perforated screen glued in. You'll have to pardon the ugly silicone job.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/JH...Q=w300-h400-no
I glued 2 pieces of glass into each of the bottom corners to lessen the angle of the sharp 90degree corner. This'll allow the current to flow around the corner more smoothly.
A single, larger piece of glass will work here (not as smoothly though) as well to make the 90dregee corner 45. But, I already had the thinner pieces of glass laying around, so I used them. It did make the gluing significantly more difficult though.
Gluing the corners in is a little tricky as you will only have access to one side of the join when the new glass is in place. To glue, I gooped on a bunch of silicone on the walls and botton to the aquarium where I thought the edges of the glass were going to sit. Then put glass in place in the tank, in the silicone. Then I gooped more silicon on the side of the joins that I had access to with the glass in place.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OZ...g=w400-h300-no
The screen plate prevents the jellies from getting sucked into the filter and houses the plumbing bits. It is .25” ABS plastic sheet.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OE...Q=w400-h300-no
I cut slots in the plate on a table saw. Just adjusted the height of the blade and carefully dropped the plastic down onto the blade from the top every .5” or so using a fence to keep all the slots lined up.
You could drill a whole bunch of little holes in the plate if you don't have access to a table saw (and if you have a lot of time).

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pT...w=w400-h300-no
This is the back side of the plastic screen plate. The hole is there so that I can run the tank on a sump filter. I may one day but for now, I'm just going to use a canister filter.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/VF...k=w400-h300-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/L8...M=w400-h300-no
The spraybar creates an even current around the perimeter of the aquarium and pushes water past the openings in the screen plate to keep the jellyfish moving by & not sucked in and blended by the pumps.
It is made of .5” PVC pipe and fittings.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/67...E=w400-h300-no
The spraybar's width is such that the elbows on the top cross pipe catch on the lip of the aquarium and hold the whole rig in place. I'll be using a Rio 800+ powerhead to drive the circulation in the aquarium (not the filter output (more later)).

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Tf...4=w400-h300-no
The spraybar hangs down into the tank far enough to be just above the slots in the screen plate.


I'm going to fill 'er up with water in the next couple of days and put it through a dry(wet) run. I'll let you know how it goes.

Interesting to see how this shapes up!

Built an almost identical system once, but then couldn't get the moon jellies I wanted and the Cassioepia jellies didn't need such an elaborate system (they just sit on the bottom and pulse).

Good job on yours. Looking forward to seeing it with your new jellies.

Anthony

Ya, I've run into the same problem with supply before too. A little perseverance pays off.

Thanks. The jellies should be here mid Sept.

Thank you!! Me too. Will keep you up to date.


I've kept the Upside downs as well. I really don't find them nearly as interesting and too much algae scrubbing with all the light they need.

Sounds pretty cool. I've built kriesel systems like these for rearing decapods. I can't see your pics on Tapatalk for some reason though.

On the inside of the tank, if I were to leave the spray-bar like this, the jellyfish would get hung up behind / on top of the spray-bar pipe.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Kp...0=w444-h333-no


So, I've positioned a deflector infront of the spray-bar to direct the water & jellies down past the spray-bar.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pL...g=w444-h333-no

Looking good. When do the jellies arrive? Are you pre-cycling the tank?

Supposed to have been by now but i've been busy and there's been a couple of delays. Looks like first or second week of october.

That's OK. Given me time to think about... the next / new & improved aquarium.