Fish building/man cave build!

[dantimdad]

Oh and citric acid is a miracle worker. I buy it from the manufacturer in florida 20 pounds at a time.

 

[Dierks]

OK (sucks in air like ace ventura) Yes, I kept the chairs, The rabbit fish was a huge scribbled, I started in 1973 with a 5 gallon neon tetra tank and got progressively more and more until I started breeding clownfish, halleri rays and bamboo cat sharks in the mid 90s. Then scaled back for a couple decades until I opened a 3200 square foot store 13 days before they shut me down for COVID. The store never recovered from the losses. Now, I have a 14 x 23 room that my wife bought as a present for me that is for my man cave and aquariums.... (Runs out of steam)

Oh wow! You certainly don't have to run through your history with me but I won't lie I am fascinated with these type of stories. I love picking any brain that will allow me to pick it! I find that I enjoy speaking to folks that have been in th hobby a long time as I have only been on the Saltwater side of things for about 5 years. Before that I had done FW from when I was a kid. I am to page 4 of the build thread so no spoilers!!

As far as the shop, that is so rough and I am sorry that happened. I have owned several retail businesses now and I know how rough it is. The shop looked beautiful from the one picture I seen. COVID has ruined so many lives and flipped everything on its head. I certainly wish we all could go back to pre-COVID as this just sucks.

Also, your wife sounds like a keeper... Just like mine. She sounds extremely supportive and really at the end of the day if the family is happy, and you can lay your head on your pillow and sleep easy then life must be okay.

Oh, and good call on the chairs

 

[Dierks]

The project is on hold for a couple weeks.

I have sold the 240 and am moving what livestock I have to a 75 temporarily by the end of the week.

I have to finish the bathroom in the next 12 days to be on track. It's completely gutted right now down to the studs and rafters. The new shower came in Saturday and the flooring, vanity, drywall and commode will be delivered this week some time. Yesterday, Sherry and I went and got the lumber for the stuff that has to be reframed. We will go tomorrow night and pick up all the plumbing parts and then it'll be on like donkey kong! LOL

Once the bathroom is to the point of paint, Sherry and her sister take over and I can get back on my projects.

Stay tuned!

No wonder I like you... You are construction worker as well! I just finished our Downstairs bathroom and no sooner than the last tile being laid the wife already had plans to redo the two upstairs. Needless to say they just finished up and I am now working on the Nursery as we have our One and Only Daughter coming on the 29th. (I am much to old to be starting a family now, but I am blessed to have the opportunity as we weren't supposed to be able to have any)

Also, between the contractor and buyers for the 240 dropping out what are you doing to these people! You are going to have to start to getting things in writing!!

 

[sfin52]

All I use. I just sent @sfin52 2x gyres that are first gen and bought when released. He can vouch for how new they look with only being cleaned with citric acid.

1 gallon of water and 1 cup of citric acid. Let soak for 15 minutes, run pumps or 10 and wipe even the toughest old caked on coralline off.

Clean clean clean put them straight in the tank not an ounce of coraline on them.

 

[dantimdad]

No wonder I like you... You are construction worker as well! I just finished our Downstairs bathroom and no sooner than the last tile being laid the wife already had plans to redo the two upstairs. Needless to say they just finished up and I am now working on the Nursery as we have our One and Only Daughter coming on the 29th. (I am much to old to be starting a family now, but I am blessed to have the opportunity as we weren't supposed to be able to have any)

Also, between the contractor and buyers for the 240 dropping out what are you doing to these people! You are going to have to start to getting things in writing!!

The 240 went to a good friends house for some freshwater rays. They outgrew it and he now has a pool like I had in the store. The 240 is going to another friend of mine Sunday and is going back reef. Yes, I have whiplash too.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

OK (sucks in air like ace ventura) Yes, I kept the chairs, The rabbit fish was a huge scribbled, I started in 1973 with a 5 gallon neon tetra tank and got progressively more and more until I started breeding clownfish, halleri rays and bamboo cat sharks in the mid 90s. Then scaled back for a couple decades until I opened a 3200 square foot store 13 days before they shut me down for COVID. The store never recovered from the losses. Now, I have a 14 x 23 room that my wife bought as a present for me that is for my man cave and aquariums.... (Runs out of steam)

Is it bad I took a deep breath and read that aloud, just cause lol.

 

[dantimdad]

No wonder I like you... You are construction worker as well! I just finished our Downstairs bathroom and no sooner than the last tile being laid the wife already had plans to redo the two upstairs. Needless to say they just finished up and I am now working on the Nursery as we have our One and Only Daughter coming on the 29th. (I am much to old to be starting a family now, but I am blessed to have the opportunity as we weren't supposed to be able to have any)

Also, between the contractor and buyers for the 240 dropping out what are you doing to these people! You are going to have to start to getting things in writing!!

I was a framer for a few years, but, have done home remodeling on the side since I was 17. I had to quit doing it for others after the first stroke... wife's orders. She is wanting me to slow down even more but, I just can't seem to.

The upcoming master suite remodel will have everything but the framing and electrical done by someone else. I hate drywall work anyway.

 

[sfin52]

I was a framer for a few years, but, have done home remodeling on the side since I was 17. I had to quit doing it for others after the first stroke... wife's orders. She is wanting me to slow down even more but, I just can't seem to.

The upcoming master suite remodel will have everything but the framing and electrical done by someone else. I hate drywall work anyway.

Drywall is the worst.

 

[Dierks]

I was a framer for a few years, but, have done home remodeling on the side since I was 17. I had to quit doing it for others after the first stroke... wife's orders. She is wanting me to slow down even more but, I just can't seem to.

The upcoming master suite remodel will have everything but the framing and electrical done by someone else. I hate drywall work anyway.

I should have said I USED to be a construction worker as well. My father owned a construction company so I started working with him when I was 14 as the Gopher. Before he passed away we built my sister house from the ground up. The man was incredible with the hammer and threw around a tape like nobodies'' business, would knock my hat of my head from 15 ft away! Man, I miss him.

But my wife seems to forget the prior part so I am still the one doing all the remodel work. I now own an online business selling QT'd Marine fish so it's very specialized and no real demand from only my local area, so I went online. So needless to say I enjoy my "Job" much more now than I did when I was young and worked in the Sun but wouldnt change it for anything.

i will tell you this, if we do any more remodeling of the house I will also hire out, I am getting much too old to being doing that young man's game.

 

[Dierks]

Drywall is the worst.

Everything from hanging to mudding to patching it really is the worst!

 

[dantimdad]

I should have said I USED to be a construction worker as well. My father owned a construction company so I started working with him when I was 14 as the Gopher. Before he passed away we built my sister house from the ground up. The man was incredible with the hammer and threw around a tape like nobodies'' business, would knock my hat of my head from 15 ft away! Man, I miss him.

But my wife seems to forget the prior part so I am still the one doing all the remodel work. I now own an online business selling QT'd Marine fish so it's very specialized and no real demand from only my local area, so I went online. So needless to say I enjoy my "Job" much more now than I did when I was young and worked in the Sun but wouldnt change it for anything.

i will tell you this, if we do any more remodeling of the house I will also hire out, I am getting much too old to being doing that young man's game.

do you have a web site? I probably don’t need to buy more fish but…

 

[Dierks]

do you have a web site? I probably don’t need to buy more fish but…

I don't think I can post that here as I am not a sponsor and just getting back on the site this week getting kicked off might be a bad Idea since I am sure I am on the "radar." You don't need anymore fish! And I don't need an old man like you bugging me all the time I am sure you will run into it.

I gotta get back to page 6now, quiet bugging me I need to see what happens next!!

 

[Dierks]

OH! I forgot something very important about this build.

Let me see..... What was it? Dang stroke! Oh yeah! We are closing in the carport to give me more room and ditching the building since they put us on back order AGAIN! We got a refund on the deposit and, for less than half of just the cost of the building, I will have a completely done room with a full sized fridge, a storage closet off of it and not have to run a bunch of plumbing and wiring across the yard! And, I will never have to walk out in the rain to get to the building. My favorite part is the concrete floor and proximity to the driveway.

Winning!

I had talked to my wife about doing this exact thing!! In the end I ended up renting the basement of my childhood home that my Mother still lives in. (She is a Spunky old lady that feeds the fish every single day) and rebuilt the entire space. It hadn't been used since my father had passed away back in 2005 and I needed 1000 square feet as my 300 Square feet of fish space just wasn't enough to keep up with the demand. So as weird as it was, it worked out really well. Besides that, I get to see my Mom so much more than I did before so that is pretty great.

And you dont need to answer here but you said Stroke, and you mentioned it before. Is this when it happened? Is that why you went with the Carport or did you do that because the outbuilding was delayed a second time? EDIT #2: I need to just keep reading, I forget that its not real time and most likely the answer is already here in the future.


EDIT: I just notice in a prior comment you said you ended with the Fish Room so I think I need to keep going! This might be the best book I have read in a few months

 

[dantimdad]

I had talked to my wife about doing this exact thing!! In the end I ended up renting the basement of my childhood home that my Mother still lives in. (She is a Spunky old lady that feeds the fish every single day) and rebuilt the entire space. It hadn't been used since my father had passed away back in 2005 and I needed 1000 square feet as my 300 Square feet of fish space just wasn't enough to keep up with the demand. So as weird as it was, it worked out really well. Besides that, I get to see my Mom so much more than I did before so that is pretty great.

And you dont need to answer here but you said Stroke, and you mentioned it before. Is this when it happened? Is that why you went with the Carport or did you do that because the outbuilding was delayed a second time? EDIT #2: I need to just keep reading, I forget that its not real time and most likely the answer is already here in the future.


EDIT: I just notice in a prior comment you said you ended with the Fish Room so I think I need to keep going! This might be the best book I have read in a few months

It was both the delay and the cost, actually.

 

[Dierks]

I am also going to be setting up an auto water change system that will change out about 3 gallons a day.

I want this!!! How much do you love this?

Well folks, Sherry and I have Covid. She has no sense of smell. I am exhausted and sore but good other than that.

I can’t go get supplies for the build but I can get more done on the truck and go through all my aquarium supplies and start clearing stuff out and organizing.

I just got this as well. First time being away from the shop for more than 24 hours and its driving me crazy. But unfortunately for you I found your build thread for the evenings read! Lucky You!

The 12 foot tank will now be one of the longest nano reefs ever. LOL I plan on multiple islands of live rock in it.

Please Tell me this happens!! I am calling it for the evening but man oh man great read so far @dantimdad thank you for sharing it!

 

[dantimdad]

I finished framing the 187 stand. I need to veneer it now and then stain it.

I am getting a 525xl from a buddy. Yes, yes, I know, more changes. It's really not that much of a change. It'll sit next to the 187 and the frag tanks will, in the future, go somewhere else. Not sure where yet.

I gotta get crackin' on the cleanup and organization to make room for two tanks now.

I also started printing @Eagle_Steve kessil shades and did a few other odds and ends.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I finished framing the 187 stand. I need to veneer it now and then stain it.

I am getting a 525xl from a buddy. Yes, yes, I know, more changes. It's really not that much of a change. It'll sit next to the 187 and the frag tanks will, in the future, go somewhere else. Not sure where yet.

I gotta get crackin' on the cleanup and organization to make room for two tanks now.

I also started printing @Eagle_Steve kessil shades and did a few other odds and ends.

You rock sir. Also, check out eh video in my build thread and let me know what you want frags of once you get things ready. I am very very limited on space when the time will come, so need to find homes for things.

 

[Dierks]

I went and got the lights and set to work figuring out the mounting solution. Here is what I came up with:

This is a very nice solution @dantimdad - I also love my 3d Printers, I actually just splurged and bought a small Desktop CNC so I can start making small acrylic things. I love this type of stuff and it is amazing how often it comes in handy if you are a DIY'r.

 

[Dierks]

And that is exactly the way it should be.

It is sad seeing all these "Affirm" or whatever adds to buy it and pay later. Maybe we are old and that is the issue lol. I do have credit cards, but pay off every month. I enjoy the points. Cant blame me for taking part of the % they charge the retailer for processing fee back.

I will say that financing of things is not wrong, it just seems that "todays" society is all about it. Whatever happened to "do not spend more than you have"? House and cars (cars sort of) excluded.

"GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!!" said the old fart...

I have been offered this by PayPal to place this on my site. "It will increase Business" - Muh, that's not why I do what I do. The last thing I would ever do is encourage someone to spend more than they can honestly afford and my store.

 

[Dierks]

My buddies Ryan and Ray came over yesterday to help. It was just too cold for Ray. Ryan and I got the last wall framed and ready for OSB. That will happen later today. The goal of being weather tight by the end of March is almost in the bag. I may even have electrical and insulation done by then.

On a side note: There was a two fold reason for their visit. My friends and family have gotten together to get me my birthday present early. They are buying me Enchroma prescription glasses! For those of you who don't know, I am severely color blind. 4% of the world's population has some form of colorblindness. Less than 25% of those people are as colorblind as I am according to the test. It's called Strong Protan Colorblindness. This has been a life long struggle in many ways. Although I enjoy a sunset and fall leaves and reef tanks, I don't know what it's like to see what everyone who isn't colorblind sees. This is an incredible gift for them to give to me. I don't know how I will react, but, I am sure tears will be involved. I love my whole weird family.

Perfect place to leave off for the night!! You are good Stuff @dantimdad