where is the lumbbbeeeerrrrr???? lol
get on with mr. owl - we cant wait! lol
get on with mr. owl - we cant wait! lol
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This weekend... possibly... maybe ... I will get it framed out at a minimum ;Punch Framing it really shouldn't take long at all... once I have all the cuts its pretty easy to fit it all together. After its framed then the real thinking begins ;Shiftywhere is the lumbbbeeeerrrrr???? lol
get on with mr. owl - we cant wait! lol
yup - thats the part i am waiting on... the post framing part.
The longest part of this build might be the scaping! Thanks for following!Drooling. Subscribing.
Dig the 'scape on the old tank. Looking forward to seeing the new one!
One thing to throw in additionally is what I've been done in the past to help quick cycling a tank, which is a little side work.I've been thinking too often about this new build... and I have two things at the top of my mind.
1) What size sump should I go with? 50/55/60? I'd like to maximize room under the tank for additional equipment, so I'm not quite sold on going for a 48" sump. I of course need it to hold enough water that drains from the main display if the check valve were to fail. Also the sump needs to hold at a minimum, an appropriate sized skimmer, Santa Monica Rain2 Scrubber and a return pump. Additionally I've been seeing more and more use of an external return pump... what are the advantages there? Thoughts on this?
2) Last is the actual starting of the new tank (as in the cycle). I have a gallon of pond matrix in my sump, so no doubt even if I didn't cure my rock (which I will), I could start this tank in a day. However.... my main concern is that there is a bacteria imbalance in my system which causes problems with SPS. I am in the process of re-balancing it but only time will tell if I'm successful. I like the thought of transferring all the good stuff on that media, but not the bad.
I had another alternative thought as well... if I were to buy another gallon of pond matrix and request if my LFS would allow me to put it in their main display sump to seed it. The only issue I have there is I have seen parasites (ich) in their tank before and I do not want that in my tank.
My last option is somewhat the slowest but still quick (not for the fish though)... which is to copy how @PSXerholic started his new build. My fish would have to wait a couple extra days while things get established but this would allow me a truly fresh start. Let me know what would you do?
One thing to throw in additionally is what I've been done in the past to help quick cycling a tank, which is a little side work.
Fill a black bucket with dry rock and saltwater.
Give it a shotglass of Vodka every day.
Run a skimmer in it.
Dose Biodigest daily too.
Run this bucket for week with a powerhead.
After this week, you should measure zero or at least low nitrates indicating good bacteria population established in the rocks.
Ammonia should measure zero.
If you transfer these rocks then submerged in a new tank, that gives you active rock which is capable of starting a new or fresh tank system with more stability since the bacteria is there.
Also, you mostly populated good bacteria from the glass vial.
Not much bacteria from the rocks would make it in this brew against the good ones from the vials ;-)
Could I do this the same but with water changes as opposed to a skimmer? Either way I think this is the route I am going to get. I'm trying to source some cheap rock locally (let me know if you know of a place ) but it looks like the cheapest option is from Billy's Reef Connection. Comes out to about $1.80 per pound for 200lbs. It is dry rock though so it's a great option for a complete reboot!One thing to throw in additionally is what I've been done in the past to help quick cycling a tank, which is a little side work.
Fill a black bucket with dry rock and saltwater.
Give it a shotglass of Vodka every day.
Run a skimmer in it.
Dose Biodigest daily too.
Run this bucket for week with a powerhead.
After this week, you should measure zero or at least low nitrates indicating good bacteria population established in the rocks.
Ammonia should measure zero.
If you transfer these rocks then submerged in a new tank, that gives you active rock which is capable of starting a new or fresh tank system with more stability since the bacteria is there.
Also, you mostly populated good bacteria from the glass vial.
Not much bacteria from the rocks would make it in this brew against the good ones from the vials ;-)
Well, the skimmer goes into the bucket, lol.wow... awfully small skimmer to fit in a shot glass of Vodka ;Pompus!
The problem is the biowaste coming out of the rock.Could I do this the same but with water changes as opposed to a skimmer? Either way I think this is the route I am going to get. I'm trying to source some cheap rock locally (let me know if you know of a place ) but it looks like the cheapest option is from Billy's Reef Connection. Comes out to about $1.80 per pound for 200lbs. It is dry rock though so it's a great option for a complete reboot!
Additionally one thing I will add to your method... is adding a gallon of pond matrix to seed that the same as the rock
The problem is the biowaste coming out of the rock.
With no skimmer it's going to be a stinky situation with a crash in the bucket.
Oxygen will go so low, that you will create a toxic environment.
Wouldn't do it without skimmer.
Remember my built, where I had to place the skimmer into the display to run and keep everything aerated when the bacteria bloom started ;-)
I used the BRS dry rock for that 300 restart. But also had the Nitrate reactor full of mulm!
One thing you need to be aware on a fresh quick start is the Microfauna.
Only bacteria won't help you on the long run to keep nutrients down and the biology alive.
You need to introduce Microfauna.
Means all the thousands of critters you usually seed with a few pieces of Liverock or dirty mulm from another matured tank system.
I guess you have that covered by using your existing rock.
Recently I had someone who failed to start the tank and when I checked under the microscope the sample of the sand, there was nothing in there, totally dead except bacteria.
This tank was started with dead rock from scratch and with no live rock or any seeding. Nitrate and Po4 spiked up pretty high after 6 months, only liquid bacteria had to be constantly dosed to consume some of the nutrients. After seeding the tank, the biology became self sustaining with lowering nutrients.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microfauna
Check these Videos I did a while ago, very interesting,
and remember this next time, you siphon water with your mouth, lol!
Around these parts we say hoot hootWoot woot. Finally !!!