Dierks 75G Office Build

[Daniel@R2R]

Looking great!!

 

[Dierks]

Looking great!!

Thanks Daniel!!

 

[Dierks]

Having one of those days I can't seem to get motivation for anything. I want to get more done, but having a tough time getting started. So maybe I will just chill today, I will post pictures tonight as everything has dried and is ready for the next steps. (Plumbing I guess)

 

[Dierks]

Couple new goodies for the Tank...

Picked up a new to me Skimmer (Used for 6 Months) for a really good price locally. So was very happy to find that it was the last bit that I really need to get this thing to having water in it!

Octo Clasic 110-S

Also got my Algae Scrubber box done. I had to make this one so its not as pretty as I dont work well with acrylic apparently! Good news is its water tight with JB Weld so we should be in really good shape!

I think I will work on plumbing over the next couple days as I wait for my Fusion Paint to dry.

Chat with all you Reefers Soon!

 

[Dierks]

Well been a little while since i posted progress so I figured I should.

Been working hard on the tank and I am happy to report that I finally have the Cycle started TODAY!!! It seemed like this day would never come. Every time I do one of these builds I forget how much work they are to do them right. I want to make sure everything is done nice as I was taught from my father that if you do it right the first time you don'rt have to revisit it until you are ready. (He was a construction worker and took tremendous pride that his work would outlast him, and he was right) I have found this to be true in almost every aspect of life...

So with that being said I didn't want to over complicate things either so I have kept most of this build simple... Here are the updates I have been working on:

Got most of the Cabinet shell done and trimmed, I haven't done the tops or the bottoms yet as I have some electrical I have to run and slide up top before I finish up the trim.

I also have all the plumbing done obviously, I need to add a manifold that I didn't think of, so I will be doing a bit more work on the plumbing by adding a few empty slots just in case i need to add more bells and whistles... Most of you guys know how that works!

Very simple setup, with only one branch that splits off to the algae Scrubber to control phosphates and scrub about 25% of the water. (roughly 400 GPH when needed)

Lastly I was able to add salt and get 3 of the 5 wave makers in the tank to get the water flowing. I won't run them all at the same time but I like the idea of having different patterns of flow through my tank.

Of course the APEX will do all the heavy lifting when it comes to all that and am excited to be able to grab it off my other tank that I am upgrading from. I will be doing that tomorrow most likely so I will try to keep you all posted on how the new install goes.

I think That about wraps up what I have been working on...

Oh yeah, got the dead shrimp in the tank today as well to get that cycle moving along. Will be adding old rock and new rock as well very shortly!!

Til next time, see you reefers soon!

 

[NY_Caveman]

Man, the cabinet came out really nice!

 

[Dierks]

Man, the cabinet came out really nice!

Thank You sir, I so appreciate you stopping in and giving me the thumbs up!

 

[Dierks]

Well...
My adventure took a turn today, and I hope I did all the right things. I stopped over to my mother house today, the same place that my nano tank has been sitting waiting for this upgrade to be done. I only have one fish in the tank so it isn't much to take care of. But, when I cam in I noticed a strange sound coming from the basement...

A high pitched sequel that if you have heard it before you know what it is... The sound of my return pump sucking only air and sticking. Well, needless to say that pump is toast, and with it the tank that was housing my fish til my cycle was done. So I had to jump to action and do all the things I was hoping to do over the next couple weeks. With no return pump my tank was in tough shape as I had every piece of equipment including heaters in the sump. Without the system moving my water would get very cold and my fish could die.

Well I didn't want that to happen so I grabbed all my established rock and gave it a good scrub while I had the chance. I wish I could have hit it with Peroxide but with little time to spare with Buger (That's my 6 Lines Wrasses name) in the bucket I gave them a deep cleaning with the scrub brush and got them back into saltwater for the trasfer over to the new tank. I knew I needed these to kick my cycle into high gear now that I had an occupant. I also added MicroBacter7 as well and will continue to do so for the next week to get everything in order a bit faster then I hoped. I have never had to do any sort of bacteria in a bottle as I am old fashioned and enjoy seeing the cycle happen before I add any bio-load.

I guess when you are forced into uncomfortable decisions we just have to do what we think is best at the time. I hope I did the right thing... I will keep everyone updated and I will also get some pictures after Buger come out of his cocoon that I am sure he will be making in the new tank tonight.

Wish me and Buger Luck we have been buddy's for over 2 years now!

 

[NY_Caveman]

What a bummer. Why was the pump only getting air?

Good luck!

 

[Dierks]

Well Booger is doing great, the tank is settling in nicely and i am still working on the small details of the build so I can get my Apex online.

I rand a fresh Network Cable into the cabinet, along with a RODI line so I never have to haul around buckets again. I also will be adding a water change line so I can do that without any need for buckets as well. I am so over hauling buckets through the house and I think my wife would love her mind watching me do it! So we will automate everything. My fish room (Coming Soon) will be very close.

I did manage to get my cabinet built inside the cabinet so my APEX will be online tomorrow as I wait for the paint to dry tonight. Here are the latest pictures..

So that is what is happening in my little slice of the ocean, I have to say Booger (My 6 Line Wrasse) looks pretty happy with his upgraded tank!! And His owner (Me) is pretty happy with its outcome so far as well.


- Dierks

UPDATE: Finished the Controller board - Here it is:

 

[Dierks]

Finished up painting QT number 1, have 2 more to go...

 

[Dierks]

Well I got my Pods in and my Phytoplankton culture rolling thanks to Mr @KTipp I was able to get 100 Amphipods plus 3000 Tigger and Tisbes all from @RUSALTY and was really happy with them. Packed Great and everyone made it just fine! I am going to grow them out and culture more so I can feed my fish fresh with live food!! Not to mention anything not ate will help the tank with all the gunk and leftovers.

I have have a long term plan as well as I have a Refugium set up in my sump so when I get a good population going I will start adding them into my Refuge and they will be self supplying to the DT. I don't have a mandarin but I do have Wrasse so they will love these pods not to mention most other fish. So that was the work I was doing today...

Here is my Pod Setup:

The Flat 7 Watt Heaters for 3 gallon tanks are perfect for this setup! I have both Pod Tanks setup with Heaters.

I also have most of the Apex Setup on the tank, I am still working to get that all done and hope to have it done no later then the weekend. I will get pictures of it when its all done!

 

[Dierks]

Sun is setting on Boogers Tank. Its so nice to have a tank setup in the office (Mostly) as I'm not sure there is anything better to relax to at the end of the day.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Well I got my Pods in and my Phytoplankton culture rolling thanks to Mr @KTipp I was able to get 100 Amphipods plus 3000 Tigger and Tisbes all from @RUSALTY and was really happy with them. Packed Great and everyone made it just fine! I am going to grow them out and culture more so I can feed my fish fresh with live food!! Not to mention anything not ate will help the tank with all the gunk and leftovers.

I have have a long term plan as well as I have a Refugium set up in my sump so when I get a good population going I will start adding them into my Refuge and they will be self supplying to the DT. I don't have a mandarin but I do have Wrasse so they will love these pods not to mention most other fish. So that was the work I was doing today...

Here is my Pod Setup:

The Flat 7 Watt Heaters for 3 gallon tanks are perfect for this setup! I have both Pod Tanks setup with Heaters.

I also have most of the Apex Setup on the tank, I am still working to get that all done and hope to have it done no later then the weekend. I will get pictures of it when its all done!

Looks like a pretty chill setup

 

[Dierks]

Well, well look at what we have here....

Got me some Coral to go in my tiny slice of the ocean. I was so happy to find out we have a new Reef Shop in our town. I can't explain how excited I was to simply be able to walk into a shop and have someone to simply talk to that at least knows what is happening in the SW World! Needless to say I had to support local so I ended up dropping a quick Hundred bucks and picked up some really nice pieces. (At least in my eyes)

First and the thing I spent the most on was this Midnight Torch Coral. I usually don't like Torches but I fell in love with how dark this guy is with the Baby Blue Tips. I really like him and he give my tank a little movement.

Next, I picked up a small set of Pink and Blue Zoas to start my Zoa Garden. These guys are really small right now but seem to have good markings and I am kinda leaning into these being A muted "Lady Lightning" or Maybe "Twizzlers?" (Either way for $15 I was Happy)

Thanks a bunch to Reef Collective here in New Brighton, MN and I hope nothing but the best for you guys as I am very excited to have a new LFS that I can call home!!

 

[Dierks]

Just a couple new updates...

Can't stop buying coral, again. Picked up so many nice Zoas along with a couple Acans that are quickly becoming my favorites. But my all time favorite are 3 tiny White Walkers from @AriMiko43. Great seller if you ever are looking to pick anything up.

(Not My images as I only have a camera phone as you will see later with my Acan pictures! but these look EXACTLY like them! They are Beautiful and I have never seen anything like them in person.)

Here is a quick picture of my Corn Flake Acan that I picked up for $22 in Auction and again love the colors as I was looking for a tel and orange variation.


I also picked up this Beautiful piece of equipment!

I love Ebay when it works, Got this $300 Microscope for $60 and could not be happier. I can't wait to get some goodies under the scope and will really help me figure out and diseases when the fish come in form the dealers.

My fish room will get set up over the next 3 days as I plan to invest heavy to getting that up and running, my wife is away in Cali and I want to hammer out my room so I can get my business off the ground and all my fish ordered! I will try to take pictures as I build my little room to share here.

As far as the Tank, I am still in love with this new build. Couldn't be happier with pretty much everything. I did run a fresh air line into my skimmer to get my PH up but that is really all that has been done to it besides our regular dosing type of stuff. I will have to set up my auto doser soon as I have more corals coming... Jeff, just stop buying Coral!!!

Til next time as always I hope all your reefs are going well and I will try to update again soon!!

 

[MrWheelock]

Looking good! Keep the updates coming.

 

[Dierks]

Well made some progress on the Fish Room.

I have the 20G Long Tank Rack all ready to go.

I also have the shell of the 10G Rack done so I just need to put in the ribs tonight and we should be in really good shape. As you can see my homemade 7G Frag Tank also sits in the corner by the 10 Gallons.

Getting close! (Well at least closer... )

 

[Dierks]

forgot to update this with the finished room (For now!)
Here is what I ended up with.

Really happy with the way everything came out in my little "lab"

 

[Dierks]

Well, I went to Petco today as I had an hour on my hands to waste. I was blown away to find some Red Foot Moon Snails (Norrisia norrisii) and right when I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with the 13G tank next to my Show tank. Well I figured it out, I think we will go ahead and start up that Cold Water Marine Tank that I wanted! So bought Two of them and have the new tank up and running!