Fish building/man cave build!

[Lowell Lemon]

You are more than welcome! Love seeing this all come together. Also love the way you share your experience for the rest of us noobs! Have a great day my friend!

 

[dantimdad]

OK, here we go....

Here is everything prepped and ready to solvent weld. (The proper term, not glued)

Here is the two halve of the walls welded up:

Now, I will wait about 6 hours and then weld the two halves together. I will let that sit overnight and then weld on the bottom.

After that sits for 24 hours, I will flush trim, sand and roundover. If I decide it needs it, I will polish the edges.

 

[dantimdad]

ran into an issue I didn't see before. Two of the pieces have chips from storage in the shed. I am going to end up at 29"x29" instead of 30".

I will get this fixed and finish up the build in the next couple days.

 

[dantimdad]

The 20 gallon "fuge" aka "algae bomb" is taken down. Old skimmer cleaned and put away, socks changed, new skimmer cup emptied, kalkwasser contain and top off filled up, UV sterilizer hooked up and running.

Just a kind of maintenance day.

I need to come up with a good way of cleaning the first section of my sump. It's too small to get my hand in and detritus settles in there too much. Thinking about leaving small power head running in there.

 

[dantimdad]

Put a 600gph power head in there. Meh.

I got a lot of stuff stirred up but it didn’t do as well as needed. Maybe it’ll prevent further build up.

 

[crusso1993]

I need to come up with a good way of cleaning the first section of my sump. It's too small to get my hand in and detritus settles in there too much. Thinking about leaving small power head running in there.

With as much wind as you have, just stick a good size straw in there and suck!

(Seriously, though, you may want to consider a battery operated gravel cleaner. They're cheap and work.)

 

[dantimdad]

With as much wind as you have, just stick a good size straw in there and suck!

(Seriously, though, you may want to consider a battery operated gravel cleaner. They're cheap and work.)

You're one to talk!

I had and eheim and left the dang batteries in it in storage. No workie no more.

 

[dantimdad]

OK gang, I need some input. I really hoped it wouldn't come to this.

I have been battling aptasia and bristle worms since I moved everything into the 12 foot tank. The 187 seems to be ok for now. But, I want to make sure that it doesn't take over there too.

I put in peppermint shrimp all gone but one, I have used two bottles of F aptasia (which worked in my 240) and I have tried my own concoction. They just keep getting worse.

So, I am thinking about removing all the rock from just the 12 foo tank to a tub and cooking it. If I can save the few corals on the rock then I will but some of them I will have to frag and save a part and the zoas I am going to call a buddy to see what we can do. I am not holding out much hope for them.

I have about 90 -100 pounds of rock in the 187 and some ceramic blocks in the sump. There is about the same amount in the 12 footer.

So what do you all think of this plan? I will sift the sand with a colander to make sure I got all the bristle worms (or knock them down to a manageable level). I will bleach the rock for 3 or 4 days then pressure wash with an aquarium use only pressure washer that has never had chemicals in it. I will rinse the tub, put in rodi water and prime to neutralize for a day then test the water for chlorine. I have a test kit I use for my FW aquariums supply water.

I will also throw in pieces of pipe for the fish to hide in to keep stress down as much as possible.

Let me know what you think.

 

[crusso1993]

OK gang, I need some input. I really hoped it wouldn't come to this.

I have been battling aptasia and bristle worms since I moved everything into the 12 foot tank. The 187 seems to be ok for now. But, I want to make sure that it doesn't take over there too.

I put in peppermint shrimp all gone but one, I have used two bottles of F aptasia (which worked in my 240) and I have tried my own concoction. They just keep getting worse.

So, I am thinking about removing all the rock from just the 12 foo tank to a tub and cooking it. If I can save the few corals on the rock then I will but some of them I will have to frag and save a part and the zoas I am going to call a buddy to see what we can do. I am not holding out much hope for them.

I have about 90 -100 pounds of rock in the 187 and some ceramic blocks in the sump. There is about the same amount in the 12 footer.

So what do you all think of this plan? I will sift the sand with a colander to make sure I got all the bristle worms (or knock them down to a manageable level). I will bleach the rock for 3 or 4 days then pressure wash with an aquarium use only pressure washer that has never had chemicals in it. I will rinse the tub, put in rodi water and prime to neutralize for a day then test the water for chlorine. I have a test kit I use for my FW aquariums supply water.

I will also throw in pieces of pipe for the fish to hide in to keep stress down as much as possible.

Let me know what you think.

You already know what I think. It’s a good plan. I know you know that the rock will all have to be cycled again before adding it back. Too bad it’s a 12 footer or I’d say ditch the sand and do a total reboot.

I also think you’re a jerk. That is all.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

OK gang, I need some input. I really hoped it wouldn't come to this.

I have been battling aptasia and bristle worms since I moved everything into the 12 foot tank. The 187 seems to be ok for now. But, I want to make sure that it doesn't take over there too.

I put in peppermint shrimp all gone but one, I have used two bottles of F aptasia (which worked in my 240) and I have tried my own concoction. They just keep getting worse.

So, I am thinking about removing all the rock from just the 12 foo tank to a tub and cooking it. If I can save the few corals on the rock then I will but some of them I will have to frag and save a part and the zoas I am going to call a buddy to see what we can do. I am not holding out much hope for them.

I have about 90 -100 pounds of rock in the 187 and some ceramic blocks in the sump. There is about the same amount in the 12 footer.

So what do you all think of this plan? I will sift the sand with a colander to make sure I got all the bristle worms (or knock them down to a manageable level). I will bleach the rock for 3 or 4 days then pressure wash with an aquarium use only pressure washer that has never had chemicals in it. I will rinse the tub, put in rodi water and prime to neutralize for a day then test the water for chlorine. I have a test kit I use for my FW aquariums supply water.

I will also throw in pieces of pipe for the fish to hide in to keep stress down as much as possible.

Let me know what you think.

Would it be possible to remove all the corals you can and then take the 12 foot tank to about 500ppm nitrate?

I have done this in the past when I got about 400 lbs of old rock from someone and it was covered in Aips.

Removed all corals I could, put in another tank, removed fish and inverts, dosed tank to about 500ppm NO3 and kept it there for 2 weeks. All of the aips melted and none ever came back. Some of that rock is still in my 180 and still no aips.

 

[dantimdad]

Would it be possible to remove all the corals you can and then take the 12 foot tank to about 500ppm nitrate?

I have done this in the past when I got about 400 lbs of old rock from someone and it was covered in Aips.

Removed all corals I could, put in another tank, removed fish and inverts, dosed tank to about 500ppm NO3 and kept it there for 2 weeks. All of the aips melted and none ever came back. Some of that rock is still in my 180 and still no aips.

Really no place to keep all the fish. I had thought about a tub again but, there are just too many in this tank unless I got a 300 and there is really no room for it.

I wish I could do it your way.

 

[dantimdad]

You already know what I think. It’s a good plan. I know you know that the rock will all have to be cycled again before adding it back. Too bad it’s a 12 footer or I’d say ditch the sand and do a total reboot.

I also think you’re a jerk. That is all.

I am thinking the rock won't have to be cycled because of the amount of rock in the 187, the sand in both tanks and the ceramic media. I will add a big dose of microbacter7 every week for 3 weeks though once I put the rock back.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Really no place to keep all the fish. I had thought about a tub again but, there are just too many in this tank unless I got a 300 and there is really no room for it.

I wish I could do it your way.

What about a few trash cans or something to put the rock in with a powerhead and then take it to 500ppm? This keeps rock somewhat alive for bacteria.

 

[crusso1993]

I’m really liking the nitrate holocaust!

 

[dantimdad]

Me too. I will mull it over.

What did you do to remove the nitrates?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Me too. I will mull it over.

What did you do to remove the nitrates?

a few massive water changes. Once all aips were gone, just changed a ton of water over a week and waited until NO3 was down to about 25 or so. Then moved rocks over to the tub they were to be stored in. Luckily NO3 doesn't bond to rocks like PO4 does. It is just in the water inside the rocks. Why I let it come down some via water changes. But if moving to a larger tub, then just take rocks out and shake most of the water out of them.

 

[dantimdad]

Got the loose corals moved over after a thorough inspection. Got a buddy coming to help frag off some Zoas and move them.

going to pick up a couple trash cans tomorrow for the cooking to begin.

I really hate doing this but it has to be done.

 

[dantimdad]

Whilst I have the rock and corals out I am going to figure out a better way to do the flow for the tank and build the return manifold.

 

[dantimdad]

Here is the dry fit of the return manifold:

Only the Ts will be glued so I can manipulate the outlets.

I might put a union in the middle to facilitate maintenance. The thing is 11 feet long, I don't fancy having to move that around whole.

I have to come up with a way to attach it to the tank so it doesn't fall off the back. I may just 3d print a few brackets for it to sit in.

 

[Sean Clark]

Here is the dry fit of the return manifold:

Only the Ts will be glued so I can manipulate the outlets.

I might put a union in the middle to facilitate maintenance. The thing is 11 feet long, I don't fancy having to move that around whole.

I have to come up with a way to attach it to the tank so it doesn't fall off the back. I may just 3d print a few brackets for it to sit in.

Will you have valves on each outlet to balance the flow?