Hi, so it seems I picked a tough time to start a reef tank. I've been using it as motivation to pay off credit cards for the last year. I'm currently waiting on my nitrites to drop. I will update the thread as I go along. I'm excited to join the community!
I got the tank and sump from my cousin. This tank was a turtle tank for a pet store and someone bought it with plans to turn it into a reef tank, and then it passed down through ages to me. It was drilled with dual overflows, I had to build the overflows myself. Got a sump and 2 reef breeders black boxes too. Good deal. The tank is 36wx23dx20h I think that is somewhere around 90 gallons.
Ordered a 5 stage rodi system on a whim. I should have started with a bigger one, and that seems like a recurring theme.
Found the standard tank stand plans and built a stand. I then realized that the overflows were going to need more room, so I "Improved" it. Also painted and silicon'd the crap out of it.
I had some spare 80/20 parts from another project and used it for a light bar and added stability inside the base. Found 2 24 inch LOOP lights, mounts and controller for $100. I wanted the cool effects. Turns out that the wave makers for this are pretty cheap, so I got a couple of those.
Finally got some supplies in! Ready to start the cycle!
Leak Test.
Had a good idea, but execution was underwhelming.
Went ahead and re-silicon'd the tank. I wasn't sure how long it sat dry.
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!!
Ready to put water in the tank and realized I needed new floors. Got some vinyl flooring and installed approximately 3/4 of the room....
And that very night I left the RODI running in the last bucket... I had to pull all that floor back up. I now understand the "RODI is running" meme. ;Drowning
Got a 36in T5 fixture with bulbs that I can't find anywhere and... Is the RODI on?
The fiance' might be getting suspicious...
Got some legit RODI. Moving the other one to the fridge!
Decided to try the wave thing again with some of the left over sand.
Got my aquarium controller! Excited to dig in to some automation!
That pretty much where I am atm. Reef-pi is configured and the controller is hooked up giving me temp and pH. Waiting on some level sensors and floats to put together the ATO. Right now Ammonia has been at 0 for 17 days and I am waking up every morning like a kid at Christmas hoping my nitrites have dropped. I'll update this thread as soon as I get some fish! Cheers!
I got the tank and sump from my cousin. This tank was a turtle tank for a pet store and someone bought it with plans to turn it into a reef tank, and then it passed down through ages to me. It was drilled with dual overflows, I had to build the overflows myself. Got a sump and 2 reef breeders black boxes too. Good deal. The tank is 36wx23dx20h I think that is somewhere around 90 gallons.
Ordered a 5 stage rodi system on a whim. I should have started with a bigger one, and that seems like a recurring theme.
Found the standard tank stand plans and built a stand. I then realized that the overflows were going to need more room, so I "Improved" it. Also painted and silicon'd the crap out of it.
I had some spare 80/20 parts from another project and used it for a light bar and added stability inside the base. Found 2 24 inch LOOP lights, mounts and controller for $100. I wanted the cool effects. Turns out that the wave makers for this are pretty cheap, so I got a couple of those.
Finally got some supplies in! Ready to start the cycle!
Leak Test.
Had a good idea, but execution was underwhelming.
Went ahead and re-silicon'd the tank. I wasn't sure how long it sat dry.
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!!
Ready to put water in the tank and realized I needed new floors. Got some vinyl flooring and installed approximately 3/4 of the room....
And that very night I left the RODI running in the last bucket... I had to pull all that floor back up. I now understand the "RODI is running" meme. ;Drowning
Got a 36in T5 fixture with bulbs that I can't find anywhere and... Is the RODI on?
The fiance' might be getting suspicious...
Got some legit RODI. Moving the other one to the fridge!
Decided to try the wave thing again with some of the left over sand.
Got my aquarium controller! Excited to dig in to some automation!
That pretty much where I am atm. Reef-pi is configured and the controller is hooked up giving me temp and pH. Waiting on some level sensors and floats to put together the ATO. Right now Ammonia has been at 0 for 17 days and I am waking up every morning like a kid at Christmas hoping my nitrites have dropped. I'll update this thread as soon as I get some fish! Cheers!
Last edited: