Buying a beautiful tank fully stocked and bringing home is like getting in a car accident and having to have plastic surgery. It will be done, but it is going to take multiple operations.
1.5-year-old RedSea 300xl
The Mistakes I made. (Doing again I would have them sell off the Livestock first, or have place to put it that was not in the main DT.)
- Rushing it (lack of planning)
- Calculate the water that you need ...double it, do not include old tank water though you will use what you can take (minus the detritus).
- Move current tank well in advance (previous build tread). https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/coloredrocks-elos-system-70-cube.856545/
- “You're gonna need a bigger boat” err... truck.
- The more bodies the better, better yet make sure you have at least one other reefer on BOTH ends Think of it like a construction job. (I only had the reefer on the dismantling side)
- Would be nice to have 2--Reefer 1 to watch over everything and look for potential issues. to look for Drain pipes not remove, Clear paths, when moving heavy items, Etc...
- Reefer 1 and 2 to handle livestock (we don’t mind getting our hands wet).
- Friends or family. Help with heavy lifting, equipment lay out, emotional support.
- Triple the time you think it will take you...
- Study the instruction manual... Including the stand assembly... Doubly so when it comes to leveling.
- Let your significant other know that a bomb is going to go off in the surround rooms as well. (She knew)
- Garage is off limits to cars... Not sure when that is coming back.
- Layout pumps controllers and cables together. (This tank had a lot of gear).
- More heaters (I had 4)
- Have a small frag tank (hospital tank setup to put “frags” in to mount later)
Things I did right.
- Feed and water the amazing people helping you (Beverage's of their choice).
- Take small frequent breaks.
- Pay for their gas.
- Gratitude. What comes around goes around.
Losses
SPS’s (RTN)some not all... and a small number of snails and crabs.Equipment:
- Red Sea Reefer XL 300 80 Gallon Tank + White Stand + Sump
-2x Radion XR-30 (Gen 4) AquaticLife T5 Hybrid Fixture with 4x ATI / Giesemann lights Setup currently with 2 Smatfarm lights for now as I figure out how to mount AquaticLife fixture
- Bubble Magus Curve 5 Skimmer
- Return Pump Jebao DCT Marine Controllable Water Pump
- Doser: New DP-4 Jebao Auto Dosing Pump Marine Aquarium Reef Doser Metering Pump 110V~230V
- 2x Jebao CP-25 /CP-40 /CP-55 Series Cross Flow Pump Wavemaker Controller
- 2x Macro algae lights - Innovative Marine LED
- 2x wireless controller to control pumps etc. from your phone, including timers for skimmer and reactors
- Heater: boxtech Aquarium Heater, 300W
- 2x reactors (biopellets, GFO)
- ATO: Tunze 3152.000 Nano Osmolator
Plan going forward is TBD.
Everything is stadium rock wall seating for now so landscape sucks... will post in a week or so once things settle-down. I am taking pictures is as I go.Controller Reef-Pi... Is still in the plan.
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