Tropical Paradise on the Frozen Tundra; a little snowman that wanted to swim in the reef

[AKLiving]

I know, I know, another Red Sea Reefer 350 G2 with this and that, made such and so...

If you like to read forum post and look down at you phone going, "What in the world happened to that time? I need to get some sleep." then follow along.

No need to bore you with the entire intro I had on the new members page. I'll paste a few excerpts here and but you can read it all at 30 Year Hiatus. I will do my best to post tons of picture and not too many long winded writings. Unless that is I get more votes for fewer pics and vids.

When I was in kindergarten we visited family in Texas. I fell in love with my aunt's 10 gallon aquarium with Mollies and Guppies. When I got home I wanted guppies of my own. We didn't have much money and my mom worked days and nights to afford the trailer we lived in. So, like usual, I went scrounging for a suitable tank. What excitement I had when I spotted that huge glass jug just laying there (thrown out next to the dumptster behind the bowling alley). Did no one really want such a perfect fish tank. I thought I struck gold.

I couldn't wait until my mom got home to show her what I found. Thankfully, I think she was too tired to ask where I found that discarded wine jug or how I cleaned the rock. How was I supposed to know I found where people hung out to drink their wine. Oh, well. She agreed that I could get some guppies. Hooray!!!

...discarded pennies... L'eggs... Those were fun years... ghetto blaster... water bed... Not wanting to be tied down to the house and frequent loss of power there will probably be as much expense in making it self-sustaining as in the tank itself.

I think that sums it up.

Now onto the nuts and bolts of what I have purchased, ordered, thought I purchased or ordered but find out later I'm forgetful, or don't remember why I got it:

System:

• Display tank: Red Sea Reefer 350 G2
• Stand: Red Sea
• Protein skimmer: Buble Magus Curve 5 Elite
• Filtration: ReefMat 500
• Return pump: Sicce Syncra 6.0 SDC
• Water circulation: (1) Ecotech MP40, (1) ReefWave 45
• Lighting: (2) Ecotech Radion XR15 G6 Pro
• Auto top-off: Apex ATK V2, Neptune LLS for ATO tank level, Homemade acrylic 20 gallon.
• Heating/cooling: (2) Finnex Titanium 300W, Helios heater controller, my whole house for the cooler.
• System control: Neptune Apex Pro G3, (dos) Neptune DOS
• Quarantine Tank: Fluval Evo 13.5 AIO (OK, I admit, a big box purchase)
• Any other details: Avast thar ye maties, Plank feeder, PARwise light-meter-thingy, POTEK 2,000W inverter with ATS, CHINS 5,00Wh LifePO4 (2x 12v).

I started looking at getting into saltwater aquariums a few months ago. In January decided to take the plunge. Red Sea helped with their AR app.

Well... I suppose a 24 cube would work.

Durn dogs, "Whatcha doing, dad?"
Nah, 36" looks out of place. I know, how about getting rid of that couch I love so much. We don't use it for anything but relaxing, reading, sipping a cup of coffee, enjoying or each other's company anyway.

Ahhhh, perfect fit.

God smiled on my decision that morning. Or maybe I just wanted to think that. Doesn't matter, I love sunrises this time of year. (I don't even have to get up early to enjoy them!)

Intro started. I've got to get home and make a late Valentines prime rib dinner for my family.
More tonight if I get time.

SPOILER ALERT: Finally got the tank up and running... well, for the most part. I'll try to update this photo with the most recent one. Currently on post #33.

 

[Devaji]

Ahhhh, perfect fit.

hmm I dont think your reef tank needs a love set. I know we all love our tanks BUT this might be just a but to far...lol

congrats on the tank! living in the mountains my self i agree some pretty epic sunsides even better of your about to ski something.

 

[AKLiving]

PR in the oven. I have about 90 minutes so let’s try to add more.

Spoiler alert, I don’t have the tank yet but I’m well on my way once I do have it.

I started looking for sources for all my needs, wants, and nice to haves. The last LFS closed about 10 years ago.
I found one of the closest.

Yeah, I’m used to that. It’s worth it living here. after contacting the store and having a few conversations I felt they would be a good match for me. And I had a hockey tournament coming up so where do you think my first stop was?

In the meantime I figured it was time to start some father-sons time with a good old fashioned solvent sniffing session. Mix that with child labor and you can just call it “bonding.” I think it’s important for kids (and it’s-never-too-late-adults) to learn basic stuff like plumbing. It’s easy to start off with PVC.
Oh, who’s that in our driveway. Hurry get your g**. No one comes out this direction. Wait, that brown panel van isn’t on the no-school zone list. He’s one of Santa’s helpers. Just a little late.

I got a little impatient. Ouch shipping from all the online stores like BRS is painful. They act like we live in Nauru. This batter was cheaper to ship than a small aquarium supply order. But, I needed to get going on something until I could get my main tank.

Back to when I picked the wrong time to stop sniffing glue.

Teaching the age old lesson - measure twice, glue once, then maybe only have to redo it a couple times.
They helped plumb the RODI.
5 stage with booster pump.
He comes the flood of media———-

Used scraps I had around to make a table. Use enough screws that someone might think it was for decoration purposes.

Hmmm. One of those dogs again trying to see what I’m doing to THEIR house.
And what is that black beast growling at me, growling at me, princess Zelda.

The tape gauge was not even close to accurate. The almost opaque side doesn’t show clear water lines and varies almost an inch depending on where the light comes from

Hopefully this will help stir the salt off the bottom when mixing.

Done I think.
I can’t get the videos up so maybe I’ll see if I can get them on YouTube and post links.

Next up the QT… maybe

 

[Gumbies R Us]

PR in the oven. I have about 90 minutes so let’s try to add more.

Spoiler alert, I don’t have the tank yet but I’m well on my way once I do have it.

I started looking for sources for all my needs, wants, and nice to haves. The last LFS closed about 10 years ago.
I found one of the closest.

Yeah, I’m used to that. It’s worth it living here. after contacting the store and having a few conversations I felt they would be a good match for me. And I had a hockey tournament coming up so where do you think my first stop was?

In the meantime I figured it was time to start some father-sons time with a good old fashioned solvent sniffing session. Mix that with child labor and you can just call it “bonding.” I think it’s important for kids (and it’s-never-too-late-adults) to learn basic stuff like plumbing. It’s easy to start off with PVC.
Oh, who’s that in our driveway. Hurry get your g**. No one comes out this direction. Wait, that brown panel van isn’t on the no-school zone list. He’s one of Santa’s helpers. Just a little late.

I got a little impatient. Ouch shipping from all the online stores like BRS is painful. They act like we live in Nauru. This batter was cheaper to ship than a small aquarium supply order. But, I needed to get going on something until I could get my main tank.

Back to when I picked the wrong time to stop sniffing glue.

Teaching the age old lesson - measure twice, glue once, then maybe only have to redo it a couple times.
They helped plumb the RODI.
5 stage with booster pump.
He comes the flood of media———-

Used scraps I had around to make a table. Use enough screws that someone might think it was for decoration purposes.

Hmmm. One of those dogs again trying to see what I’m doing to THEIR house.
And what is that black beast growling at me, growling at me, princess Zelda.

The tape gauge was not even close to accurate. The almost opaque side doesn’t show clear water lines and varies almost an inch depending on where the light comes from

Hopefully this will help stir the salt off the bottom when mixing.

Done I think.
I can’t get the videos up so maybe I’ll see if I can get them on YouTube and post links.

Next up the QT… maybe

I can only imagine the thoughts that dog is having with your water mixing

 

[AKLiving]

I was able to combine a hockey tournament with vising my LFS. "Local" is subjective in Interior Alaska.
Meeting some great people at Alaska Coral & Fish. I ordered the tank and picked up or ordered most of the main supplies.

So that I could save a huge amount on shipping and to see how feasible it would be to combine trips in the future I picked up some snails and hermit crabs. This was going to test the limit on how long I could 1. keep them warm enough 2. keep them oxygenated 3. just keep them alive. The hotel room wasn't too bad because it was a controlled environment. The 7+ hour truck ride home was a different factor.

Using an insulated bucket cooler, a battery air pump, and HotHands I was able to keep all but a couple snails alive for 4 days. One thing I would do different next time is to get a couple extra bags of water to change them out every 1-2 days.

I was surprised they weren't affect by the hockey bag odors. Those bags must be made from impermium or something. After a couple of days cooped up with 3 hockey bags my smeller will never be the same.

I guess I should be thankful that I have a son that likes to see me and willing to rough up another player just to get some father-son time in the penalty box.

 

[AKLiving]

NAS - I never tried anything like it so I figured it would be something different that the usual pile of rocks. Plus it gave me something else to do.

My grandfather taught me back in the late 70's or early 80's that if you add baking soda to superglue you it will dry almost instantly and can fill gaps. This also caused a significant chemical reaction. I figured, hmmm, I'm no chemist but I like to play one on TV. How about using some powdered MarcoRock and see if it does the same. Sure enough there was enough smoke and heat that sometimes I needed to step back, get some fresh air and wait for it to cool down.

I used some mortar when I finished the first try but later I decided to take a lot apart to lower it and make some changes. The mortar broke pretty easily but where I used a significant amount of rock powder those often had breaks through the rock instead of the union. I think that shows a method that is quick, easy, and strong. I don't think I'll use mortar again and didn't on anything the second try.

I sifted out a couple sizes of rubble for filling larger gaps so the powder wouldn't just pour through the joint. I used a little over 1/2 a 16oz bottle of thin superglue and a few oz of the thick.

I don't think I'll use any other method in the future it was so easy and quick. The bonus is the joints are made from the same rock so are the same color until there is growth on the rock.

The tank dimensions are on the outside surface of the PVC.
I'm not sure If I want the middle one in there. It was short enough that I don't have to lower it and it still fits after I modified the other 2 but don't have a picture of that. I think I'll keep it in there until I know more what corals I want to add and where to add them. I can easily take it out later and will have a cycled rock for my next aquarium that I want to set up at work or in another room.

First round. It was a bit high so I took the bases off and made it shorter.

Maybe a bolder or 2 if I don't use the middle piece I made.

It's hard to see 3 dimensional but this one looks like a dragon overlooking her nest.

 

[AKLiving]

Dark cycling the rock with bacteria and a little shrimp added. Probably not the newest way to do it but how I have successfully done it years ago. At least getting a jump start on some beneficial bacterial growth I hope.

 

[AKLiving]

Is it today? This weekend? Maybe.. why can't the "LFS" (local is relative), manufactures, and logisitics companies work magic?
I'm hoping my tank should be in today or tomorow. If so, I'm going to pick up a buddy for 'coffee' on Friday and not tell him until we are too far to walk home that the coffee shop is a 700 mile round trip. "Oh, and your back feels good , right? Because we have an aquarium to load in the truck on the way home." I'm sure we will still be friends afterwards...

Here's a few things I've been working on.

Got a PARwise meter since I couldn't find anyone local with one. I didn't want to operate the non-saltwater-proof tablet after dunking my arm in the tank. And, OK, I'm short too.

Made a t-track mount for the lighting.

The right one is up I just forgot to take a picture.

 

[findingsimple]

Love the scape and the thought / effort that has gone in so far - wish I did the same!

Best of luck with the fun to come!

 

[AKLiving]

Love the scape and the thought / effort that has gone in so far - wish I did the same!

Best of luck with the fun to come!

Don't give me too much credit. I was kind of forced into it since I've had to wait so long just to get a tank.

 

[907_Reefer]

Looking good, loving the scape work! Following along

 

[findingsimple]

Don't give me too much credit. I was kind of forced into it since I've had to wait so long just to get a tank.

Ha well I was the opposite - had a month off work, on day 2 decided I needed something new to do, a couple days later I had ordered a 500L reef tank and just winged it all!

 

[AKLiving]

Ha well I was the opposite - had a month off work, on day 2 decided I needed something new to do, a couple days later I had ordered a 500L reef tank and just winged it all!

Well, you got a lot done and a lot learned in a short period of time from what I see on your build thread. And you figured out how to edit, link a table of contents, etc. I just figured out finally how to make a build badge. Your peninsula is beautiful. If I had a slab on grade floor I would have gone that route.

Did your power panel come with the stand? I noticed the switches. They look like A/V light control switches. I was looking at getting some but yours have water spray covers which would be much better.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

NAS - I never tried anything like it so I figured it would be something different that the usual pile of rocks. Plus it gave me something else to do.

My grandfather taught me back in the late 70's or early 80's that if you add baking soda to superglue you it will dry almost instantly and can fill gaps. This also caused a significant chemical reaction. I figured, hmmm, I'm no chemist but I like to play one on TV. How about using some powdered MarcoRock and see if it does the same. Sure enough there was enough smoke and heat that sometimes I needed to step back, get some fresh air and wait for it to cool down.

I used some mortar when I finished the first try but later I decided to take a lot apart to lower it and make some changes. The mortar broke pretty easily but where I used a significant amount of rock powder those often had breaks through the rock instead of the union. I think that shows a method that is quick, easy, and strong. I don't think I'll use mortar again and didn't on anything the second try.

I sifted out a couple sizes of rubble for filling larger gaps so the powder wouldn't just pour through the joint. I used a little over 1/2 a 16oz bottle of thin superglue and a few oz of the thick.

I don't think I'll use any other method in the future it was so easy and quick. The bonus is the joints are made from the same rock so are the same color until there is growth on the rock.

The tank dimensions are on the outside surface of the PVC.
I'm not sure If I want the middle one in there. It was short enough that I don't have to lower it and it still fits after I modified the other 2 but don't have a picture of that. I think I'll keep it in there until I know more what corals I want to add and where to add them. I can easily take it out later and will have a cycled rock for my next aquarium that I want to set up at work or in another room.

First round. It was a bit high so I took the bases off and made it shorter.

Maybe a bolder or 2 if I don't use the middle piece I made.

It's hard to see 3 dimensional but this one looks like a dragon overlooking her nest.

Love the aquascape design!

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Following along! There once was a time when hubs and I wanted to conquer Alaska ourselves. Then kids happened and now we're stuck in Idaho.

Are you in a town/village? Do you get many power outages or do you make your own power? Just wondering how you'll plan for outages.

We lived off grid for 3 years and made our own power, but I didn't have a tank then.

Awesome scape you made!!

 

[AKLiving]

Following along! There once was a time when hubs and I wanted to conquer Alaska ourselves. Then kids happened and now we're stuck in Idaho.

Are you in a town/village? Do you get many power outages or do you make your own power? Just wondering how you'll plan for outages.

We lived off grid for 3 years and made our own power, but I didn't have a tank then.

Awesome scape you made!!

Kids are what brought us here. We wanted to raise them knowing more freedom AND responsibility. There is nothing like being in the middle of nowhere, not have cellular, not have anyone coming by to get help from, and make sure you can take care of each other. You learn both of those things rather quickly. And interestingly you learn how important it is to get along with other's differences.

I'm in Fairbanks. Far from being a village but living 7 miles out of town I have one house between me and hundreds of miles of wilderness.

Yes, we get a lot of power outages being at the end-of-the-line. I have 5,000WH of LiFePO4 connected to a 2,000W sine wave inverter with built in ATS. I have a separate LiFePO4 for the router and Starlink (thank you Elon) since it seems like everything now requires internet to work properly. I tried an automatic vacuum one time and couldn't ever use it because we didn't have internet to perform the required cloud based setup until recently. We have to drive to town to update phones because you can't even use another phone hotspot for that. Squirrel .... back to the topic.
I will set up the Apex to run just the heat and pumps when power goes out. I usually start up the generator if the power is out for the day or it starts getting too cold inside. Thankfully I have 3 floors of radiant concrete slab so sometimes I wouldn't have realized the power went out in the middle of the night because I retain so much thermal mass (and cool mass in the summer). I have 2 heaters that are each enough in case one goes out. Our year-round inside temp is very stable so won't take me long to know the power needs for the tank. Being ready for the perfect storm takes some planning but we also want to live normal lives and leave the house for a week or so without worries. Neighbors will help with getting a genny going if needed.

 

[findingsimple]

Well, you got a lot done and a lot learned in a short period of time from what I see on your build thread. And you figured out how to edit, link a table of contents, etc. I just figured out finally how to make a build badge. Your peninsula is beautiful. If I had a slab on grade floor I would have gone that route.

Did your power panel come with the stand? I noticed the switches. They look like A/V light control switches. I was looking at getting some but yours have water spray covers which would be much better.

Yeah the CADE’s are nice set ups - the stands came with sump, plumbing and the power controller section / board.

That space is a bit too crammed for my usage but I’d imagine with the bigger tanks and stands it’d be a lot more useful

 

[AKLiving]

Picked up the tank and goodies. Headed out on our 6-7 hour trip home. Soon excited.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Drive safe!!

 

[907_Reefer]

+1 safe travels! We're getting some weather down on the peninsula this weekend, hopefully it stays south!