Bringing the 125 back to life build thread

[Lifelongaquaria]

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[NY_Caveman]

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Ugh. Well, only one thing to do. Patience is key!

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Got the skimmer running with an air pump for now. Everything is well tuned and running all be it left hand and Frankenstein it will work well till redone.conch holding up last baffle and sponges squeezed between first and second.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Finally salvaged some wood so the stand build for the 125 should begin soon. I know it may seem like the 40 gallon has little to do with the 125 gallon but nothing could be further from the truth. The 40 will be the holding tank for inhabitants that have come out of qt, it will be the mother of my live rock, the nursery for my cheatomorpha, and allow me the proper time to get the larger tank started right making sure I never have to rush anything on the build as well as garauntee I have adequate housing options for new inhabitants without setting up completely new tanks that lack maturity and stability.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

A

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Forgot to show what I changed when I added the skimmer. Moved cheatomorpha to the first compartment of the sump as it was in the skimmers position. It's also the easiest and most cost effective way for me to have maximum air to water interface without adding any more equipment. Completely covered in bubbles all the time making it float as it would in nature. Moved black box of the to of sump now on its side shining directly into first compartment. Removed all but five of the sponges as they are to dense and allowed the flow to much and replaced them with pot scrubbers. Put carbon coated floss on top of the pot scrubbers. So there is carbon then pot scrubbers then one row of sponges ( from to to bottom) between first two baffles. It then flows through lava rock and skimmer before going over last baffle into last chamber with return and conch shell.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Finally tore down sump and put everything in a temp arrangement. I didn't double check the silicone. It had an additive and was not 100 percent silicone and began to dissolve. I know better never made this mistake before and hopefully will never do it again.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

P.s. water is cloudy from bacterial bloom due to prazipro treatment not dissolved caulk.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Sump rebuilt with 100 percent silicon #1 as it should have been to start with.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

After an insanely frustrating 2 days finally starting to look like thing might be getting right.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Frame for the 125 stand built got to cover it put doors on and get the 125 out of storage take it apart and resilicone it.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Have moved the 40 into it's finale aquascape for placement of some softies and lps. Purple tip long tentacle anemone put it's foot down in less than five minutes and Clarki back to hosting in under 15 minutes after acclimation.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Working on an entire room of aquariums just picked up two more complete systems 65 gal each with sumps lights etc. Things are moving slowly as my efforts are divided between my own setups not to mention other people's that I do for money or for friends.Just added smart around micro to the system. Really like it so far have heard nothing but good things and it is so easy to set up and use I almost don't feel bad for not making it myself.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

My apologies for how long it has been. In all truth have been busy with the hobby. Have changed a couple plans. Am now going to use the stand I built as a breeding rack for freshwater fish and quarantine for salt water fish and corals. Going to reinforce a piece of furniture that is perfect height and width and already stained. Have also been getting rid of turbelian From my Clarki in the 40 .Anemone is still happy and Has gained it's color and glow back from whatever it went through I got it and hasn't moved at all. Everything still stable been running with no skimmer for three weeks. Also have been busy with a 65 gallon build I did recently which has cycled nicely with zero alge bloom and ready for inhabitants.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

The 65 will be more preaditory than community hoping to make it more of an SPS tank. Hope to post the tear down and rebuild on the 125 soon.

 

[P-Dub]

Just a thought. The lava stones you are using in the sump contain a very high concentration of iron and magnesium. While both elements are essential for a reef tank, if this is what you are trying to create, you might want to consider replacing the lava with coral rubble. The levels of iron and magnesium leaching into your system may end up causing you a host of problems later. Can't say for certain but why risk it?

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

I have actually worried about the iron didn't think of the magnesium. I believe they are bound in the fused silica and not leaching but am not certain. I need to find out for sure. I have never had iron issues in any of my tanks but it does worry me. Good looking out thank you

 

[P-Dub]

I have actually worried about the iron didn't think of the magnesium. I believe they are bound in the fused silica and not leaching but am not certain. I need to find out for sure. I have never had iron issues in any of my tanks but it does worry me. Good looking out thank you

Also, understand that most commercially available "lava rock" is in fact, a silicate slag waste product from iron ore smelting, steel making blast furnaces or silicate type slag from coal-fired electrical generating plants.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Also, understand that most commercially available "lava rock" is in fact, a silicate slag waste product from iron ore smelting, steel making blast furnaces or silicate type slag from coal-fired electrical generating plants.

I truly had no idea that was a source at all thank you again. Would prefer Coral skeletons for a whole lot of reasons mostly because I feel they work the best for biofiltration and I know anything that could brake down from co2 etc would be good but probably pony have enough for one or two tanks.i am going to get a test kit for iron from the hardware store as soon as I can so I can get to the bottom of this.