Chelle's Ocean ... I'm Baaaaaccckkkk

Chelle's Ocean · Mar 26, 2017

Hey all! Long time no post!

Since moving/downsizing to the condo several (who follow me on Facebook) know my tank(s) have been in storage... which kills me . Doesn't matter if you have been in the hobby for 6months or 6 years.. you find a piece of your heart missing when you no longer have your reef to look at daily.
Sooo... since I cannot stand it anymore, (and since we have changed our move plan date) ... I am taking the plunge and diving back into my fav hobby!

Now granted.. I cannot fit all my tanks in the condo currently, lol, so made the choice to bring only the 55gal for now.. (and the 20long✔).

So far.. it has been rinsed out after soaking in a lite vinegar bath (since it had been in storage for so long) ... got the stand home- currently trying to figure out what/how I want to wrap the stand... tossing idea of tile topper for ease of clean up.. ? Then moulding on front/sides? Frosted doors to let sump light glow thru? Nothing set in stone yet as I keep changing what I want by what I see on others, lol gotta stop Googling and Pinterest-ing, lol

This tank is currently not one that's drilled, so will be changing over from canister to hob overflow once decided on which one to go with..

Anyhoo.... just posting to say I'm Baaaaaccckkkk, , and feel free to follow along my journey back to Reefkeeping.
Enjoy your day!
-'Chelle

143MPCo · Mar 26, 2017

Looks like you're off to a great start and welcome back!

Chelle's Ocean · Mar 26, 2017

Thanks! Very excited to get back to my lfs for weekly visits... you know they become like part of your family,lol

Alfrareef · Mar 26, 2017

Go for it Chelle! Glad to see a returning reefer...

Chelle's Ocean · Mar 26, 2017

Thank you ☺

Daniel@R2R · Mar 27, 2017

Welcome back!!

Chelle's Ocean · Mar 30, 2017

If you are following/friends with me on Facebook then this is a #repeat post, lol too late to retype- easier just to copy/paste lol
☆♡☆♡☆♡☆♡☆

#ScrewIt

Have been back & forth on what I am wanting to do with this stand.. and while I do have it pictured in my minds eye, .. it will be waaaaay too dang heavy to carry down the stairs when we do move out (*it will eventually boast beautiful moulding, trim and a ceramic tile topper)

Sooo for now, I threw a plain cushioned pad on top, that can be easily wiped down if needed ....

Aaaaaaaannndddd because a #GirlsGotGoals, , I did all this sh@#!! in less than 15 minutes, lol ..because I have a #teamcall starting soon, ....

So yeah.. #homealone and wanting to get it done like NOW, soooo .... shimmied the heavy butt huge dining room table over to the stand, carefully slid the tank onto the table, cut and set the foam pad, carefully shimmied the heavy butt tank BACK onto the stand, and pushed and pulled the table back to its spot, lol yeah #GirlsGotGoals , and it got done! Lol

For those who aren't in the know... my table is a tall pub style, heavy as fahhhhh , and a 55 gallon aquarium is not the lightest to toss around, not for me anyhoo...

So.. next on the agenda:
#rockscape !!!!
Hmmm gonna need more rock lol

#reef2reef

Chelle's Ocean · Mar 30, 2017

With current rock on hand..
Will be filling in that back wall with frags and rubble rock... a "living" backwall ☺

Chelle's Ocean · Apr 15, 2017

Update....
Stand, tank, rock, sand, water, salt, lights, heater, filter, protein skimmer..

Check!

Then no check!
Skimmer literally broke off after running through the weekend . Water splashing all over wall,etc

Contacted the company, and they are replacing the body , whew! All is good again

Sooo... currently not running skimmer- but all else is going great. Have 2 blue-green chromis + 2 red tip crabs to start... not going crazy as Reefapalooza is literally right around the corner, lol... so my tank will remain bare until we go and see what's what in Orlando that weekend

But I needed to see SOME life, hence the two duos, lol..

Hope everyone is doing well, have a great weekend and a Happy Easter!
-'Chelle

Chelle's Ocean · Apr 20, 2017

To date...
2 chromis, 2 red tips, a turbo, 2 astrea, 5 nassarius , 1 camel shrimp

All happy and healthy and waiting for the goodies to come back from Reefapalooza

Chelle's Ocean · Apr 25, 2017

My skimmer is now back up and ALIVE!!

Chelle's Ocean · Apr 26, 2017

Whew..;Wacky has been a crazy time without the bubbling gurgling of that skimmer, lol- but it is back on and going bubble-crazy

[very very happy about that]
I have been gluing a few rubble rocks here/there to the back of the aquarium- but stopped as I have decided YES going to go with the hob overflow after all.. the canister is giving me agita, lol..
So - looking at the ESHOPPS 300 vs the CPR 90..... and although I know [where] I will be placing it- I am not sure yet the space it will take up - so will glue more rocks around it after it is up and running..

9 short days until we head to Orlando for RAP

.. soooo excited.. saving all property in my tank until I see what will be available

Then I can start adding more color/life.. haha my husband is getting tired of looking at the "minnows" .. as he calls the chromis,

Chelle's Ocean · Apr 30, 2017

Love this! So besides 1 lonely mushroom I picked up, lol, I have a frag of this coming home to the tank next week ..was waiting til RAP to add coral.. but, hey, you know how it is, the coral just follows you home sometimes, lol. .. Cannot wait to see how this lil frag takes off