Mitch Green
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Susan's Grand Adventure--125 Reef Build
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Susan Edwards
5000 Club Member
Thanks @Mitch Green
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Susan Edwards
5000 Club Member
@Skep18 thanks
The nice UPS man dropped off another box. Return pump, eflux wavemakers and heater.
The jebao pump was supposed to be 7" long. If I screw on the inlet, it is closer to 8 or a hair over. My chamber is just under 8. If I angle it, I can get it in and the inlet sticks out into the "noodle" chamber (bashsea has these plastic noodly sheets before the pump chamber). Will have to get opinions on if I need the inlet. Either way there is no strainer for water being sucked in. Came with one but way too long to use it. The noodle sheets will keep large things out I think.
Also didn't realize the heater was so long--800 watt I think. It will have to go diagonal between skimmer and filter socks. I most likely won't use the filter socks after the water clears from any sand storms.
The wavemakers look great and have their own controller and remote. The current light loop controller will eventually control everything.
Waiting on the 90 deg. elbows and biospira. Sand arrives Friday. Will wash it and get it ready to add. I'll probably add before water (put a dish or bowl in for water to splash into) so I can make sure it's where I want without having my arm in water up to my armpits! Will start making rodi water tomorrow. Need to get a 32 gal brute can. Have 2 20's. Will add water to tank first and then add sat to it after all tests. Will mix salt in 5 gal buckets, let it mix and then add to tank
So this weekend is finish plumbing, get electrical side "wall" up and maybe start mounting power strips and controllers. If can't get it all, I will try for filling, testing the bulkheads for leaks (rodi water in overflows) and then filling sump and trying it all. Oh, get more egg crate and make a top to keep cats off. One likes to walk around the rims...
On Sunday picking up my dau's RS Max e170 (45 gal) which will become my frag/coral qt tank. Have a bunch of tank leap frogging to deal with.
--set up the new tank--use water from water changes from the display and the DR (display refugium). Add rocks with xenia and colts and a thin layer of sand-coming from the DR
--remove all rock with macro algae (no colts and xenia rocks) from display refugium (and the pods on them) and a lot of the sand and place them in the sump fuge chamber
--take down the 10 gal with a sick bta in it. put the bta in the coral qt tank and rock in the sump
--After new tank is cycled, add the sand sifting goby who is in the display refugium to the new tank. Add damsel there or in the 66 gal. Haven't decided. Not sure I want the goby in the new tank messing up sand either... But he's gotta go somewhere...
--Remove remaining sand and rock from the DR and have it ready as a fish qt tank
lots to do. Oh, must work on taxes in all this somewhere....
The nice UPS man dropped off another box. Return pump, eflux wavemakers and heater.
The jebao pump was supposed to be 7" long. If I screw on the inlet, it is closer to 8 or a hair over. My chamber is just under 8. If I angle it, I can get it in and the inlet sticks out into the "noodle" chamber (bashsea has these plastic noodly sheets before the pump chamber). Will have to get opinions on if I need the inlet. Either way there is no strainer for water being sucked in. Came with one but way too long to use it. The noodle sheets will keep large things out I think.
Also didn't realize the heater was so long--800 watt I think. It will have to go diagonal between skimmer and filter socks. I most likely won't use the filter socks after the water clears from any sand storms.
The wavemakers look great and have their own controller and remote. The current light loop controller will eventually control everything.
Waiting on the 90 deg. elbows and biospira. Sand arrives Friday. Will wash it and get it ready to add. I'll probably add before water (put a dish or bowl in for water to splash into) so I can make sure it's where I want without having my arm in water up to my armpits! Will start making rodi water tomorrow. Need to get a 32 gal brute can. Have 2 20's. Will add water to tank first and then add sat to it after all tests. Will mix salt in 5 gal buckets, let it mix and then add to tank
So this weekend is finish plumbing, get electrical side "wall" up and maybe start mounting power strips and controllers. If can't get it all, I will try for filling, testing the bulkheads for leaks (rodi water in overflows) and then filling sump and trying it all. Oh, get more egg crate and make a top to keep cats off. One likes to walk around the rims...
On Sunday picking up my dau's RS Max e170 (45 gal) which will become my frag/coral qt tank. Have a bunch of tank leap frogging to deal with.
--set up the new tank--use water from water changes from the display and the DR (display refugium). Add rocks with xenia and colts and a thin layer of sand-coming from the DR
--remove all rock with macro algae (no colts and xenia rocks) from display refugium (and the pods on them) and a lot of the sand and place them in the sump fuge chamber
--take down the 10 gal with a sick bta in it. put the bta in the coral qt tank and rock in the sump
--After new tank is cycled, add the sand sifting goby who is in the display refugium to the new tank. Add damsel there or in the 66 gal. Haven't decided. Not sure I want the goby in the new tank messing up sand either... But he's gotta go somewhere...
--Remove remaining sand and rock from the DR and have it ready as a fish qt tank
lots to do. Oh, must work on taxes in all this somewhere....
@NY_Caveman did some crazy impressive things with excell. The three of us seem similar in approach, which is cool as were all starting builds.
You & I so similar I wish I could have you over for wine & tank talk, lol. Almost the weekend! Have a greeat day.
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Susan Edwards
5000 Club Member
yeah, distances are a pain sometimes. But it's nice to have internet. I remember when there wasn't any internet and had to research my books by going to the <gasp> library.... My weekend is jam packed with tank stuff. How about yours? I know you're waiting on your cement or glue. Amazon is great, esp. prime. Just in fish stuff alone, it pays for itself.
I just came home to the stuff the stuff I bought two days ago, but the thingsvI ordered eight are not here. Both orders from the same company.
Tank gets drilled & Rodi installed Sunday. Lol, in my walk-in shower. I can't believe this is happening!
This is so impressive Susan. Im so green... this is going to be a brutal learning experience.
Im so impressed by your scape. Now all you need is balance, depth, & color. You're 2/3 there.
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Susan Edwards
5000 Club Member
final rock scape. Hubby wanted center rock...centered.... Came home and asked where the rest of the rock was.... Told him that is full enough. Used all but 2 pcs plus the shelf pcs I got. Will add some live rock in but might have to trade rocks as it is pretty tall already
biospira came today. Sand tomorrow. Making tons of water starting today
biospira came today. Sand tomorrow. Making tons of water starting today
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Susan Edwards
5000 Club Member
just did tons of research--google is your friend, especially google images.
iReturning my 800 watt heater--too long for sump and too much wattage. Exchanging for a 500 w Gotta love amazon prime! Everything else is here. Controllers and outlets waiting to be added to the electrical side of sump
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Susan Edwards
5000 Club Member
More progress. No "lift off" quite yet. Hubby has to hook up one more drain--it's done, just screw union . I could do it but he said he'd do it in the am. Have one more 3/4 fitting I needed but didn't know I needed. It'll be here on monday and then he can finish the manifold next weekend. He machined a barb fitting for the return line to pump out of pvc. Looks just like a barb. Clever man. So tomorrow I can still do my test as there is a true union ball before the rest of the manifold. Oh, need hubby to check the 2 return pipes in the overflow. They seem a bit too high. Won't be able to put a lid on the overflows or on the tank. Just a tad too tall
Have all powerheads going, tank filled to below the weirs, heaters inside, some in the sump. Been making water steady since Thursday. Still need more... Leaving it going all night in the 32 brute. Need to fill the 2 20 gal brutes as well. But almost there. Can't let water into the overflows quite yet.
Current's eflux powerheads seem to do pretty good. Have another one, different brand in there as well. Down the road, will get a 3rd eflux. So that's is all the equipment I need for the moment. Lights next month, ato and spare return pump after that and doser when I need one.
Goal for Sunday is to test the return pump--fill that chamber and pump it into tank to test. Then test the drains and return together. Add skimmer and figure out max level. Add heater and let it stew. Also picking up a 45 g rs aio from my daughters in the morning.
Next week I'll get the new coral qt tank started and start the fuge section of the sump. Using sand from display refugium and qt tanks and rocks but have to do taxes ... ugh
Have all powerheads going, tank filled to below the weirs, heaters inside, some in the sump. Been making water steady since Thursday. Still need more... Leaving it going all night in the 32 brute. Need to fill the 2 20 gal brutes as well. But almost there. Can't let water into the overflows quite yet.
Current's eflux powerheads seem to do pretty good. Have another one, different brand in there as well. Down the road, will get a 3rd eflux. So that's is all the equipment I need for the moment. Lights next month, ato and spare return pump after that and doser when I need one.
Goal for Sunday is to test the return pump--fill that chamber and pump it into tank to test. Then test the drains and return together. Add skimmer and figure out max level. Add heater and let it stew. Also picking up a 45 g rs aio from my daughters in the morning.
Next week I'll get the new coral qt tank started and start the fuge section of the sump. Using sand from display refugium and qt tanks and rocks but have to do taxes ... ugh
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Susan Edwards
5000 Club Member
thank you @Brynn @najer
Excited to see what I get going today! And a bit overwhelved bringing in another tank! I must be nuts.... But I'll have a good system for coral qt'ing and my display refugium (39 gal tall) will make a better qt for fish than the 20 g hex. And the 10 gal qt I tried for corals can come down. At least the new coral qt tank is an all in one so just clean it up, fill it up and plug and play. Going to fill it with old tank water and live rock from other tanks so it shouldn't have much of a cycle.
Excited to see what I get going today! And a bit overwhelved bringing in another tank! I must be nuts.... But I'll have a good system for coral qt'ing and my display refugium (39 gal tall) will make a better qt for fish than the 20 g hex. And the 10 gal qt I tried for corals can come down. At least the new coral qt tank is an all in one so just clean it up, fill it up and plug and play. Going to fill it with old tank water and live rock from other tanks so it shouldn't have much of a cycle.
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Susan Edwards
5000 Club Member
We did it!! Tank is officially up and running, well except for adding salt. Return pump is set for about 35-40 % of power, 2 drains draining and 2 returns returning! My only issue is the right drain barely makes bubbles in the sump and is quiet, which I suspect is correct. It's a more gentle flow. The left side, which has the shorter distance to the sump is a gurgling, burbling mess of bubbles. Much stronger flow. How do I quiet it/calm it. I'll be posting separately in the forum as well.
But the great news is the tank is going. Will add some salt mixed with rodi tonight and add more tomorrow. Don't want to add too much more water so will get it up to where it needs to be a bit slowly. Will take me a bit to relax and trust my system. Also picked up my dau's RS e170 AIO tank today to set up for a coral frag/grow out tank
Water draining!!!! Realized after my hubby should have painted that black pipe blue.... If we ever take that line off will paint it! Will toss in a shrimp when salinity is set and add bio spira and the cycle begins
Water returning!
skimmer skimming
Full set up going. Going to remount those led's from the hex tank lid I cut from egg crate and put on "ceiling" of electrical side
Another tank. Am I nuts!
But the great news is the tank is going. Will add some salt mixed with rodi tonight and add more tomorrow. Don't want to add too much more water so will get it up to where it needs to be a bit slowly. Will take me a bit to relax and trust my system. Also picked up my dau's RS e170 AIO tank today to set up for a coral frag/grow out tank
Water draining!!!! Realized after my hubby should have painted that black pipe blue.... If we ever take that line off will paint it! Will toss in a shrimp when salinity is set and add bio spira and the cycle begins
Water returning!
skimmer skimming
Full set up going. Going to remount those led's from the hex tank lid I cut from egg crate and put on "ceiling" of electrical side
Another tank. Am I nuts!
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Susan Edwards
5000 Club Member
Getting coral qt/grow tank ready. My living room is now a fish room <g>
Next job is to get electrical area of cabinet done
Next job is to get electrical area of cabinet done
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Susan Edwards
5000 Club Member
The Cycle has begun. On Monday, I added salt and biospira. Then got my ammonia and read I should dose that first.... oh well. Followed directions. Tested on Tue and I was at 8!! Figured maybe I should have tested it first before adding ammonia in case there was some already... Another oh well... Today down to about 3 and nitrites up to 5 so it has begun.
Added some sand and rock to the fuge. Pulled rock from the coral qt and sand from the display refugium. Found lots of amphipods. In they went as well. Hope they aren't killed off. Will need more sand but have to wait until I can take the 2 fish in the display refugium and add them to the 125. A gold head sleeper goby and a yellow tail damsel. Still debating whether to put the damsel in the 66 or the new. Prob. new. Will add a few more.
Starting cleaning the 45 gal. Needs lots of work... Got the skimmer and return pump cleaned and the sump (aio) at least as much as I'm willing to do. Will concentrate on glass now. Need a seal for the return nozzle opening. Hope I can find. Might go no sand in that tank as it is a coral frag/qt/grow out tank. Will do rocks. Okay, all for today. Pleased how clear tank is and the fuge
Added some sand and rock to the fuge. Pulled rock from the coral qt and sand from the display refugium. Found lots of amphipods. In they went as well. Hope they aren't killed off. Will need more sand but have to wait until I can take the 2 fish in the display refugium and add them to the 125. A gold head sleeper goby and a yellow tail damsel. Still debating whether to put the damsel in the 66 or the new. Prob. new. Will add a few more.
Starting cleaning the 45 gal. Needs lots of work... Got the skimmer and return pump cleaned and the sump (aio) at least as much as I'm willing to do. Will concentrate on glass now. Need a seal for the return nozzle opening. Hope I can find. Might go no sand in that tank as it is a coral frag/qt/grow out tank. Will do rocks. Okay, all for today. Pleased how clear tank is and the fuge
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