- Joined
- Sep 3, 2019
- Messages
- 964
- Reaction score
- 1,052
Once more, we begin again. As this is my first build thread here on R2R, I figured a short introduction was in order. I started in this hobby in 2007 with a 30g FOWLR. At that time, I was only a couple years out of college, single, had just bought a house. The tank wasn’t much but I DIYed a PVC overflow (not recommended), built a DIY sump from a 10g (do recommend), and started learning the basics. After much planning and building, I upgraded to a 75G on a DIY stand in 2010.
I can honestly say, this was the success that caused my downfall. This tank had a lot of DIY from the hood, the drilling of the overflow, the sump, the refugium light, even a LEGO stand for the kalk reactor.
After all the success of this tank, I decided it was time for an upgrade. Oh, what a mistake that was.
Even while planning the 75g I had thoughts of upgrading so the stand had been sized to fit a 125g down the road. In late 2012 I picked up a used 125G, replaced the overflow, built a new hood and DIY LED light panels, and in 2013, swapped out the tanks.
The LEDs were a disaster, wiping out every coral I had. I lost fish, hair algae everywhere. I changed the lights twice, added new Gulf of Mexico aqua cultured rock, bringing in gorilla crabs that killed more fish and ate my clean up crew. A pink cotton candy went nuts, bubble algae the size of marbles was buried in the rock work where I couldn’t get to it. In 2017 I lost my job and shut the tank down for good.
A new job, getting married, a new house later, and I’m ready for a new tank. So in the fall of 2019, I waited for a sale and when it hit, I ordered my next tank and stand: An IM 100-EXT. It showed up just as the weather turned so I focused on getting the water system built, planning to move the tank inside in the spring. A conversation with a coworker and I had two high school football players lined up to carry the tank inside to the stand. That was March 2020. The Monday before the planned move, COVID lockdown went into effect. For the next 18 months, the tank sat in its crate in my shed while the stand sat in my sunroom. This past August I was able to finally get the tank inside and onto the stand.
SO, after more then 4 years, I now have a tank again. Well, the pieces of one anyway. Let the journey begin.
I can honestly say, this was the success that caused my downfall. This tank had a lot of DIY from the hood, the drilling of the overflow, the sump, the refugium light, even a LEGO stand for the kalk reactor.
After all the success of this tank, I decided it was time for an upgrade. Oh, what a mistake that was.
Even while planning the 75g I had thoughts of upgrading so the stand had been sized to fit a 125g down the road. In late 2012 I picked up a used 125G, replaced the overflow, built a new hood and DIY LED light panels, and in 2013, swapped out the tanks.
The LEDs were a disaster, wiping out every coral I had. I lost fish, hair algae everywhere. I changed the lights twice, added new Gulf of Mexico aqua cultured rock, bringing in gorilla crabs that killed more fish and ate my clean up crew. A pink cotton candy went nuts, bubble algae the size of marbles was buried in the rock work where I couldn’t get to it. In 2017 I lost my job and shut the tank down for good.
A new job, getting married, a new house later, and I’m ready for a new tank. So in the fall of 2019, I waited for a sale and when it hit, I ordered my next tank and stand: An IM 100-EXT. It showed up just as the weather turned so I focused on getting the water system built, planning to move the tank inside in the spring. A conversation with a coworker and I had two high school football players lined up to carry the tank inside to the stand. That was March 2020. The Monday before the planned move, COVID lockdown went into effect. For the next 18 months, the tank sat in its crate in my shed while the stand sat in my sunroom. This past August I was able to finally get the tank inside and onto the stand.
SO, after more then 4 years, I now have a tank again. Well, the pieces of one anyway. Let the journey begin.