Paxthemax
Community Member
This past weekend I upgraded from a 75 up to a 125.
I had the 75 running for about 13 months this time and it was going well but my wife and I wanted bigger and better. The only LFS in Sacramento that I trust (shout out to aquarium depot) had a sale on aqueon tanks. We liked the price of the drilled 125 with dual overflows so we pulled the trigger and got it. We really wanted the 210 but after talking it over we decided it was to much for now. We move every 4 years, we are talking about having kids and then there is the fact that we rent since we move all over the country.
My wife got a purple tang about 6 months ago and it's getting big, 5-6", it was about 2-3" when we got it. This was part of my argument to get the new tank.
The LFS ordered one in and we actually picked it up a week after paying for it. In that week of waiting I started getting everything ready.
I got a bunch of trash cans and used a few to make more water to go with what was going to be drained during the move.
I had everything planned out for a one day move. The water was ready, help was lined up and everything was ready. Sunday morning came and I started the move. I started by removing the rock. After the rock was out I started removing some of the water. When the tank was half empty I removed the fish.
In the containers with the fish I put in air stones and heaters. It took about 3hrs to get to this point. At this point I had my help come over. We moved the stand and cleaned around it and cut a board on the bottom to fit the new 30 gal sump. Next we put the tank in place and marked for the overflows and returns (the 75 had an overflow box so there was nothing to re-use). After drilling we installed the new support arms for the lights. At this point I was 6-7 hours in and ready to start filling it.
Now was just doing it all in reverse. The only difference was this time we put in a small "beach" because she "had to have it". I was using a small power head so it took a while to fill the tank. After filling the tank I haphazardly put the rock in knowing I was going to be getting more rock. I started trying to get all the plumbing done but the bulkhead fittings and home depot were not cooperating and I was not able to complete it on sunday. So as a precautionary and temporary solution I put the uv sterilizer in the DT till the sump was up and running.
After trying 3 options I finally was able to get the plumbing completed.
It's not pretty and there are things that kinda scare me but it works.
Next I ordered and received 80lbs of dry base rock from amazon. Say what you will, I'm afraid of transmission from live rock plus I have to save money wherever possible and this was one way, $47 for 40#s or $1.99/# for dry at the LFS or $10.99/# for live rock, no brainer for me.
My wife had fun telling me where to put all the new rock after rinsing it off.
The one upgrade that is done is a new simplicity 2100 DC return pump. It's a lot nicer than the old Rio pump I was using.
The other upgrades I'm waiting on are: a new light, another AI hydra 26. The other is a new protein skimmer, my plan is to get a simplicity 240 DC.
Now I have to decide on some new tank inhabitants. Current list is:
Purple tang
Foxface
Coral beauty angel
Mandarin dragonet(female)
Lawnmower/algae blenny
2x green chromis
2x perc x occy hybrid clowns
I want to get another mandarin (male) and I would really like a reef safe fairy wrasse. If there wouldn't be aggression i would like to get a tomini tang and a flame angel too. Other than that I'm not sure what I'm going to get.
I had the 75 running for about 13 months this time and it was going well but my wife and I wanted bigger and better. The only LFS in Sacramento that I trust (shout out to aquarium depot) had a sale on aqueon tanks. We liked the price of the drilled 125 with dual overflows so we pulled the trigger and got it. We really wanted the 210 but after talking it over we decided it was to much for now. We move every 4 years, we are talking about having kids and then there is the fact that we rent since we move all over the country.
My wife got a purple tang about 6 months ago and it's getting big, 5-6", it was about 2-3" when we got it. This was part of my argument to get the new tank.
The LFS ordered one in and we actually picked it up a week after paying for it. In that week of waiting I started getting everything ready.
I got a bunch of trash cans and used a few to make more water to go with what was going to be drained during the move.
I had everything planned out for a one day move. The water was ready, help was lined up and everything was ready. Sunday morning came and I started the move. I started by removing the rock. After the rock was out I started removing some of the water. When the tank was half empty I removed the fish.
In the containers with the fish I put in air stones and heaters. It took about 3hrs to get to this point. At this point I had my help come over. We moved the stand and cleaned around it and cut a board on the bottom to fit the new 30 gal sump. Next we put the tank in place and marked for the overflows and returns (the 75 had an overflow box so there was nothing to re-use). After drilling we installed the new support arms for the lights. At this point I was 6-7 hours in and ready to start filling it.
Now was just doing it all in reverse. The only difference was this time we put in a small "beach" because she "had to have it". I was using a small power head so it took a while to fill the tank. After filling the tank I haphazardly put the rock in knowing I was going to be getting more rock. I started trying to get all the plumbing done but the bulkhead fittings and home depot were not cooperating and I was not able to complete it on sunday. So as a precautionary and temporary solution I put the uv sterilizer in the DT till the sump was up and running.
After trying 3 options I finally was able to get the plumbing completed.
It's not pretty and there are things that kinda scare me but it works.
Next I ordered and received 80lbs of dry base rock from amazon. Say what you will, I'm afraid of transmission from live rock plus I have to save money wherever possible and this was one way, $47 for 40#s or $1.99/# for dry at the LFS or $10.99/# for live rock, no brainer for me.
My wife had fun telling me where to put all the new rock after rinsing it off.
The one upgrade that is done is a new simplicity 2100 DC return pump. It's a lot nicer than the old Rio pump I was using.
The other upgrades I'm waiting on are: a new light, another AI hydra 26. The other is a new protein skimmer, my plan is to get a simplicity 240 DC.
Now I have to decide on some new tank inhabitants. Current list is:
Purple tang
Foxface
Coral beauty angel
Mandarin dragonet(female)
Lawnmower/algae blenny
2x green chromis
2x perc x occy hybrid clowns
I want to get another mandarin (male) and I would really like a reef safe fairy wrasse. If there wouldn't be aggression i would like to get a tomini tang and a flame angel too. Other than that I'm not sure what I'm going to get.
