Bills CDA 225 gal 72x30x24 tank upgrade/SPS Dream Tank!!!

[Fudsey]

1000 lb. Capacity Hydraulic Table Cart

Amazing deals on this 1000Lb Hydraulic Table Cart at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

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Do both...

or rent one.

 

[Billldg]

UMMM...I was looking at my 40b today and noticed what looked like a baby trochus snail. I was like, no way, tank is only a little over a month old, well sure enough, I am looking at a baby red banded trochus snail. Just wondering how is this possible on such a new tank. I hope they did breed as I need a ton for my new tank, LOL!!! What is cool as these would be 2nd generation trochus snails as the bigger ones were born in my tank a couple of years ago. Now the question is, is this a one off baby trochus, or are their more.

Sorry for the picture quality. It seems that when I take photos with my apple work phone they look good on the phone, but when I download then to a computer, the resolution upscaling stinks. I need to start taking photos with my Samsung S20 +. ;Facepalm

 

[Billldg]

I got my stand up on the dollies today, and I am getting the ramp cut and ready for use. I also received another 20lbs of KP Aquatics live rock today. I said I would use 40-60 pounds of live rock, but I really don't have the space in my sump for it. I will start to cycle it and after a few weeks I will add some of my scape rocks to the brute cans to help build bacteria on the new rock. As much as I want this tank up and running tomorrow, I have learned the hard way that patience is key. I am hoping to have it up and running sometime in February.

The 20 lbs of live rock I already have in my 40b and the 20 lbs I just received will be enough.

 

[Billldg]

I was able to get the stand into my house by myself, now I just need someone to help me move it off the dollies, LOL!!! ;Hilarious

Hopefully I will get my tank in my house and on the stand today as well.

I will just us Jack Post instead of build a wall support to put underneath the flooring. The Jack Post are easier to install and cheaper and they hold 9000 lbs each fully extended. I will use 4 of them and a 6x6x10 beam.

 

[fishguy242]

ya'know really seeing a lack of pics here..

 

[Billldg]

ya'know really seeing a lack of pics here..

Haha!!!;Hilarious

Here are some pics at where I stand.

 

[Billldg]

This is what the sump will look like in the stand.

 

[Billldg]

I have to put this out there, as I have received several PM's asking about CDA and my tank experience. Though my tank is not up and running yet... ... I have to say the tank I received far exceeds my expectations. The tank is built like a actual tank. It is solid, no bubbles in the glue, glass looks great, and the delivery was very easy and it was packaged perfectly. The eurobracing looked great, the silicone was clean, the reinforced seams were clean as well. The stand was great as well, so no issues there either. CDA tanks are great, their is nothing else I can say.

 

[Tom Stevens]

I have to put this out there, as I have received several PM's asking about CDA and my tank experience. Though my tank is not up and running yet... ... I have to say the tank I received far exceeds my expectations. The tank is built like a actual tank. It is solid, no bubbles in the glue, glass looks great, and the delivery was very easy and it was packaged perfectly. The eurobracing looked great, the silicone was clean, the reinforced seams were clean as well. The stand was great as well, so no issues there either. CDA tanks are great, their is nothing else I can say.

I agree, I basically have the same tank and it is build like a tank! Working with Zoya and Trent were great! I would recommend a CDA as long as you are not in a hurry.

 

[Billldg]

Sorry, no picture updates today. I would take some of my final finished aquascape, but I started it down. I finished securing enough that I started to tear it down to soak it in the trash cans with the cycling live rock to get the bacteria in it. I removed some more to finish securing the rock under it. I want to be able to place it in the tank in 5 or 6 pieces, thus making it easier to keep the scape I did. Plus, not having to fiddle with the scape when I move it will speed up getting the tank cycling. I plan on placing another few, big pieces, of my aquascape in the brute trash can in a week or so. I want to make sure the live rock is finished cycling and then I will place a couple of pieces of live rock in a second brute trash can and place more Marco dry rock in it to help seed it.

 

[Tom Stevens]

No pictures! OMG!

 

[Billldg]

Well, being creative I was able to at least get the tank out of my garage and in my house. I will still need several people to help me lift it. I just wanted it out of my garage and into a more stable environment temp wise.

 

[Billldg]

I have been looking at how to pipe a bean overflow, the plumbing isn't hard, just trying to figure out how low and high to make the full siphon and half siphon stand pipe and how high to make the emergency.

I also just ordered 2 random flow generators as well.

 

[Billldg]

I just added another large section of dry rock to my Brute trash can with the actual live rock in it. Will it turn the dry rock into live rock, not actually, but it will give the actual oceans bacteria a chance to populate the dry rock. I may even take a piece of live rock and move it to a second Brute trach can and add more dry rock to it. The whole purpose of me doing this is to help give the tank a chance to start off at an even better position. I will add a few pieces of actual live rock to the tank, the rest will go in the sump, but I want the coraline algae on the live rock in the tank. Some may ask, why go thru the trouble of starting a second Brute trash can, that is just more work. My response would be...What are you willing to do to have a successful tank.

 

[fishguy242]

can you scrape off glass in old tank ,to help seed ?? lil' saltwater ,coralline,blender..make for a nice booster

 

[Billldg]

can you scrape off glass in old tank ,to help seed ?? lil' saltwater ,coralline,blender..make for a nice booster

Nope, I don't want to add any Aiptasia. The new thank will have live rock, so I plan on nothing but actual ocean bacteria and coraline algae. I added Double Helix coraline in a bottle, and it worked great The downside was that it also caused the sand to turn to concrete. You have to have a ton of flow turning over the sand, aka blowing it around, to keep it from happening.

 

[Billldg]

Not one to stand still, I installed the external overflow and returns.

 

[Billldg]

Another thing to remember, especially to those are are building their first tank, always take a inventory of what you want, AND what you have. When doing the plumbing always factor in for human error, aka, I can plan it in my mind. It doesn’t work, trust me I know.;Facepalm

This is not my first build, and still I find myself making errors in calculating what plumbing fittings I need. This is the reason I took a photo of what was included and I will add what I want to achieve the plumbing I want.

I case you are wondering, LOL, the left is my drain fittings, and the right is my return. The 3 1.5 in 90's in the middle are extra.

I also have a lot more fittings as I plan on cutting in my carbon reactor and algae scrubber, not to mention my check valves on the return.

 

[Billldg]

Sorry for the blue photos, didn’t have time to install the lens on my phone, but I added the first fish from my current DT to my 40b. It is probably not happy currently, but it will be.

I also added another plate coral to the tank. I would add a few more fish to the 40b, but I know better. The only way to catch them is to drain the old tank, which may happen next week.

 

[Tom Stevens]

I have been looking at how to pipe a bean overflow, the plumbing isn't hard, just trying to figure out how low and high to make the full siphon and half siphon stand pipe and how high to make the emergency.

I also just ordered 2 random flow generators as well.

I can send you a picture of mine if you want. Also, I tried the random flow generators, but took them off as you had to keep the heads pretty deep to keep an air vortex from forming and I was afraid of siphoning if the power got cut.