ColonelCrow
Active Member
First things first:
RS Reefer 200XL G2 Deluxe(meaning RS 90 LED not planning to replace yet?)
RS pro salt(blue cap)
Loads more, ill include very soon!
Had ants in my pants waiting for this. Tomorrow is they day for adding the first fish to my first ever marine aquarium!
First of August i dropped a nice fresh jump shrimp from Publix into the tank. Thatvwas a fun experience. Walk back to butcher section. "Hi how can help you?" "Could i have one of those shrimp please?"
Taken aback and not wanting to give bad service the nice lad clarifies, "One? Or one pound?"
"One please!" With a gleaming smile off to the register!
Beep! "I dont mean to be rude i just have to ask why just one?"
"Well unfortunately i have an allergy to shrimp so i cannot eat them. I just want to drop this little fellow into a tank of water and watch him decay." The clerks face quickly turned from intrigue to horrow but before she could respond, "As the shrimp decays it releases amonia into the water which feeds bacteria that feeds....." as everyone behind me in line is in the process of dialing 911 i finish the quick explination of the nitrogen cycle and the fact that i am in fact starting a new aquarium. Her look of horror was replaced again with that of intrigue as she thanked me for the new bit of education. I suggested she look into the hobby while everyone else hung up with 911 and started to applaud.
Ok the apllauding and 911 calls arent real. I dont think anyone was behind me as id have been aware and not wanting to hold up the line. Rest of story is true and was the first time i really got excited for the adventure i was starting.
Obviously i dont have much to show yet. My next post i will get into the startup and equipment a bit more but i thought id start with my first impressions on the lid i received today from clearview lids as i havent seen as much as id have liked before i decided to make the purchase.
I went with the Pisces EXO
Firstly the ordering process can be a bit confusing there were a couple times i inflated the price by including descriptions that werent necessary. ExMple would be where they ask if you want the location of a cutout to be left or right side and i would type in standard center. This assumes a customization and adds an extra charge. So be careful of that.
That said i had ordered a light cut out for my 1 light mount that connects over the overflow which is already cut out. I received an email from them wanting to clarify exactly what i needed including verifying measurements and placement of cutouts and lids and issued a refund for my ordering mistakes that day. So chances are if you blunder the customizations in the way i mentioned in the last paragraph. They seem both capable and honest to catch your mistakes and proactively take care of you.
Big up for that!
45 days to build was my quoted time. Mine shipped the 20th day.... 2 or 3 days before it shipped i sent then an email saying i didnt want to be a bother or try to rush them but i was excited as my cycle was ready and just wondering if there was any update. Response i got was the less than desireable standard stick to the advertised window. But again 2 or 3 days later i got an email that it had shipped(25 days early.) I dont know if my email made them decide to bump me up in the que, i hope not for the sake of others orders but i ordered after reading a thread here saying his shipped on the 9th day.
On delivery(see first picture) my heart sank... no way it survived the way these people handle the post... i wish i could remember but i cannot which shipping method i chose... i cannot even remember if there was an option. Delivery time fro VA to FL 2 days. Opened the package and well they ship these often enough and know better than me how they hold up. No problems!
Getting long winded so ill trail off here and leave with pictures and an invitation to ask any questions if you have about the lid or this tank i will be sharing more about either later today or tomorrow before i head to pick up my first fish!
Cheers all! So excited to have you with me on this adventure.
Oh yeah so first impressions on the lid: 4.9/5
Was expecting feeding lid to be hinged(not that they ever say it is) so down a tenth on the rating. But thats tentative as the way it fits im leaning toward preferring it as it and without any hardware or dowel like hinges in place.
Edit: i just wanted to point out the last picture is the extreme. I had pushed the lid flush to back and right side of the tank. Gap is 1/8" or if you center over tank 1/16" around. Think the say this will be the case on their site. Not a complaint just showing what to expect. Dont think anyone expects or wants a perfectly flush contact point to the glass do they? Oh and sorry for feet.
RS Reefer 200XL G2 Deluxe(meaning RS 90 LED not planning to replace yet?)
RS pro salt(blue cap)
Loads more, ill include very soon!
Had ants in my pants waiting for this. Tomorrow is they day for adding the first fish to my first ever marine aquarium!
First of August i dropped a nice fresh jump shrimp from Publix into the tank. Thatvwas a fun experience. Walk back to butcher section. "Hi how can help you?" "Could i have one of those shrimp please?"
Taken aback and not wanting to give bad service the nice lad clarifies, "One? Or one pound?"
"One please!" With a gleaming smile off to the register!
Beep! "I dont mean to be rude i just have to ask why just one?"
"Well unfortunately i have an allergy to shrimp so i cannot eat them. I just want to drop this little fellow into a tank of water and watch him decay." The clerks face quickly turned from intrigue to horrow but before she could respond, "As the shrimp decays it releases amonia into the water which feeds bacteria that feeds....." as everyone behind me in line is in the process of dialing 911 i finish the quick explination of the nitrogen cycle and the fact that i am in fact starting a new aquarium. Her look of horror was replaced again with that of intrigue as she thanked me for the new bit of education. I suggested she look into the hobby while everyone else hung up with 911 and started to applaud.
Ok the apllauding and 911 calls arent real. I dont think anyone was behind me as id have been aware and not wanting to hold up the line. Rest of story is true and was the first time i really got excited for the adventure i was starting.
Obviously i dont have much to show yet. My next post i will get into the startup and equipment a bit more but i thought id start with my first impressions on the lid i received today from clearview lids as i havent seen as much as id have liked before i decided to make the purchase.
I went with the Pisces EXO
Firstly the ordering process can be a bit confusing there were a couple times i inflated the price by including descriptions that werent necessary. ExMple would be where they ask if you want the location of a cutout to be left or right side and i would type in standard center. This assumes a customization and adds an extra charge. So be careful of that.
That said i had ordered a light cut out for my 1 light mount that connects over the overflow which is already cut out. I received an email from them wanting to clarify exactly what i needed including verifying measurements and placement of cutouts and lids and issued a refund for my ordering mistakes that day. So chances are if you blunder the customizations in the way i mentioned in the last paragraph. They seem both capable and honest to catch your mistakes and proactively take care of you.
Big up for that!
45 days to build was my quoted time. Mine shipped the 20th day.... 2 or 3 days before it shipped i sent then an email saying i didnt want to be a bother or try to rush them but i was excited as my cycle was ready and just wondering if there was any update. Response i got was the less than desireable standard stick to the advertised window. But again 2 or 3 days later i got an email that it had shipped(25 days early.) I dont know if my email made them decide to bump me up in the que, i hope not for the sake of others orders but i ordered after reading a thread here saying his shipped on the 9th day.
On delivery(see first picture) my heart sank... no way it survived the way these people handle the post... i wish i could remember but i cannot which shipping method i chose... i cannot even remember if there was an option. Delivery time fro VA to FL 2 days. Opened the package and well they ship these often enough and know better than me how they hold up. No problems!
Getting long winded so ill trail off here and leave with pictures and an invitation to ask any questions if you have about the lid or this tank i will be sharing more about either later today or tomorrow before i head to pick up my first fish!
Cheers all! So excited to have you with me on this adventure.
Oh yeah so first impressions on the lid: 4.9/5
Was expecting feeding lid to be hinged(not that they ever say it is) so down a tenth on the rating. But thats tentative as the way it fits im leaning toward preferring it as it and without any hardware or dowel like hinges in place.
Edit: i just wanted to point out the last picture is the extreme. I had pushed the lid flush to back and right side of the tank. Gap is 1/8" or if you center over tank 1/16" around. Think the say this will be the case on their site. Not a complaint just showing what to expect. Dont think anyone expects or wants a perfectly flush contact point to the glass do they? Oh and sorry for feet.
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