Grey Guys New Tank Build

[Grey Guy]

Hello everyone,

i have been gone for a few years. All my high tech, big dollar stuff got destroyed by water, so last time I was here I had crashed my deep sand bed and was pretty depressed. I kept the tank going with a thin sand bed for the last 5 years, just to take care of 2 small fish. Now that they are gone, I decided to go bare bottom and just wait for the coralline algae to get going strong.
Then I found some apraxia on one of the old rocks and decided to start completely over. All my rocks are soaking in bleach now. I just emptied and scraped the tank walls clean with water and bleach. Going to build a new aquascape in the empty tank after I cover underneath the tank with something that looks like sand.
It will take a few weeks to get the rocks ready and then I’ll get going again.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Hello everyone,

i have been gone for a few years. All my high tech, big dollar stuff got destroyed by water, so last time I was here I had crashed my deep sand bed and was pretty depressed. I kept the tank going with a thin sand bed for the last 5 years, just to take care of 2 small fish. Now that they are gone, I decided to go bare bottom and just wait for the coralline algae to get going strong.
Then I found some apraxia on one of the old rocks and decided to start completely over. All my rocks are soaking in bleach now. I just emptied and scraped the tank walls clean with water and bleach. Going to build a new aquascape in the empty tank after I cover underneath the tank with something that looks like sand.
It will take a few weeks to get the rocks ready and then I’ll get going again.

Sorry for your losses, but sounds like you have lots of BBA - Bounce Back Ability. We can all use BBA in this hobby

 

[Grey Guy]

Thanks for saying so. This will be the first time that I’ve tried to go pest free. I will be using a quarantine tank for the first time as well.

 

[Susan Edwards]

Fingers crossed and best of luck. Start a build thread so we can follow along?

 

[Grey Guy]

Fingers crossed and best of luck. Start a build thread so we can follow along?

Can you give me step by step instruction on how to start a build thread. Do I just keep making updates on general forum or is there a way to specifically create a build thread only about my build?

 

[Grey Guy]

Continuing to soak all my rocks in bleach. Making modifications to tank. Removed splash rim in the back so that I have a wider opening to my overflow. I have decided to run my 2 current 1900 eflow pumps in the bottom of the tank, hidden by rocks. I will mount them on pieces of plexiglass so the stay put.
I’m going to close the bulkheads
on the bottom of the overflow and turn it into a mini sump. 5” c 6” x 21”. It will hold a circulation pump and hide my heaters. Basically I’m turning my 24 x 24 x48 reef tank into an all in one. I have an external skimmer that I will install later.
I intend to build a dry rockscape inside the tank and place pumps and all before adding water. I will make the circulation pumps behind the rocks, easily removable.
That’s the plan for now. I am getting old and it’s harder and harder to work under the tank, so I want to keep as much as possible up on top. So far salt mix tank and chiller will go underneath. Trying to decide what to do for a quarantine tank.

 

[Grey Guy]

Today I sealed the bottom of the overflow, siliconed plexi-glass bases to my pumps and painted the bottom of the tank white

 

[Karen00]

Welcome back to the salty side!! So sorry to hear about your previous loss! That is a punch in the gut that is hard to get over (if you ever can). I like the term @Fish Think Pink used "Bounce Back Ability". We all need that no matter what type of tank each of us has. You asked about a Step by Step for starting a Build Thread. This one will get you started https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/so-you-want-a-build-thread-contributor-badge.590311/. I look forward to seeing your progress.

 

[Grey Guy]

I just ordered some 1” flat glass beads.
Really cheep. I’m going to glue them under my rock to create a stable base that won’t tip over. Then when I’m satisfied, just a small drop of super glue will secure them to the glass bottom. This will create a uniform space under the rock that can be swept out with water flow. Any thoughts?

 

[Cell]

May be detritus traps? While space is available to allow flow, unless you are actively pushing water down there, it's not going to get much of any flow.

 

[Grey Guy]

May be detritus traps? While space is available to allow flow, unless you are actively pushing water down there, it's not going to get much of any flow.

Yes, I plan to push water under the reef continuously or intermittently.

 

[DKPminus]

Welcome back to the addiction of reefing. Hope you rebuild works out. My tank sat for about 12 yrs and decided to upgrade the system and start again about 4 months ago. It is addicting.

 

[Grey Guy]

Yes it is.
I have switched this thread to a new build thread “Grey Guy’s 8th try”. So if you are here, please head over there. Thanks for all the coments.