120 gallon slow build

[Lonny]

Is the blue tube on the right your RODI line?

 

[Brandon42]

Fish are doing great! All over the tank and eating good. Even the crab is out and about today. I did however notice today that the crab i got only has one arm! As to how I didn't notice this at the pet store is beyond me but the little guy is doing great none the less. And yes it's amazing how much you can fit in a sump although I'm wishing mine was bigger now that it's running. when I have the cash I want to build a fuge to sit next to the sump. So I can grow macros and cheato.

 

[Brandon42]

 

[Brandon42]

Is the blue tube on the right your RODI line?

Yes that's the RO/DI tube. I ran the line behind the dishwasher and around the trim to the tank. This way I can just screw the sink attachment up and run the water right in. It's a little ghetto right now. I bought the tank and faucet kit as well but had to wait for some missing parts and haven't gotten to installing it. Once that happens it will only require flipping a valve to go from drinking water to DI water to the tank.

 

[Lonny]

Nice, I need that. As for your sump just build it yourself. I promise it's easier than you think. I looked at synergy and others that were in the $400 range and like most of us it didn't fit my budget. So for a $120 for a sheet of 1/4" extruded acrylic I built my sump and have enough material left over to build the ATO reservoir. It was good practice before I took on the tank build. Cast is more expensive and optically more clear than glass but for the sump it didn't matter to me. On a side note those damsels are wicked fast right?

 

[Brandon42]

To be honest I never thought about building one. My sump would have been in the $300 range but I got it for a steal. $250 for the tank and $150 for the sump. Both brand new, Craigslist can be a wonderful place lol. I'll look into building one. I was planning on. Finding a 20gallon that will fit in there and placing the baffles my self. That plus 2 small pumps really shouldn't run all that much. I can get most of it at Walmart. Someone needs to sell removable baffles.
And yes the damsels are so fast. And my larger one the black and white one is a master hider. Disappears into the rock so well.

 

[Lonny]

Yes I would have gone the fish tank sump route to but I needed the practice for the tank. Mine darts into the holes in the rock so fast I can't believe he hasn't brained himself yet lol.
If you figure out removable baffles patent it!

 

[Lonny]

So round two with the shrimp.

 

[Brandon42]

So round two with the shrimp.

Nice! Hopefully this time it goes better for you. I want one of those bad but gonna want a couple weeks still.

 

[Brandon42]

So round two with the shrimp.

Does your wife know you took that pitcher lol

 

[Lonny]

She wasn't happy about the pitcher. Good eye. Lol. I think I just set the world shrimp acclimation record! Four hours! Figured they were staying warm in there so what's the harm. They're in the tank now. So far they seem happy.

 

[Brandon42]

Hahaha well I'm glad there doing good. Hopefully they stay that way! What kind of rock is your shelf rock? I'm really jealous of that one lol

 

[Lonny]

Thanks. They've been in the tank for a few hours and looking good:) it's tonga shelf rock from BRS. Costs more than pukani but I only needed a couple pieces. All that rock is epoxy puttied together. I like it but if for some reason I ever need to pull a rock I'm screwed.

 

[Brandon42]

Well it looks awesome, that will suck if you ever need one out though. I just realized are you not using a skimmer?

 

[Lonny]

Thanks brando. I have a skimz skimmer. Just haven't started it up yet. But I'm thinking this week for sure. Put some chato morpha in the sump to and a bottle of pods. Hoping to get a good population going so I can get a mandarin goby.

 

[Brandon42]

iv been running mine sense i fired up the tank system figured it couldn't hurt.its been removing a decent amount the whole time. going to be ordering my lid today. really cant wait to muffle out some of the running water noise. todays gonna be all about lowering the sound of the thing. also less evaporation will be nice lol

mine will be bigger than this one but exactly like it

 

[Lonny]

Cool! Quiet less evap win win!

 

[Brandon42]

Cool! Quiet less evap win win!

lid is ordered, should be done friday! ended up being less expensive than i though only $80 for a custom lid! that right there should quite the tank down considerably because most of my noise is the water running over the over flow.

 

[Brandon42]

are your shrimp still alive?

 

[Lonny]

One is. I even feed him with a turkey baster. He ate good. Don't know what happened to the other one. They looked happy when I went to bed, when I got up he was dead on the floor. So frustrating! We'll see how the one that's left fares. They did just get these guys in so maybe he would have died at the lfs as well. I'll feel better about it if the one I got left lives. If not I got a water issue that I don't have a test kit for.