Urgh seriously.

[SOCKSDOG]

Sarah;

You truly are a remarkable young lady, with a heart of gold. Between work, school and volunteer mother it is and inspiring story. I have enjoyed reading your post and admire how you have handled life’s twist and turns. The tank is awesome but the character and compassion you have shown towards others is amazing. I hope the best for you and may you find your true soulmate one day to share all your compassion and love.

Mike

 

[SOCKSDOG]

Sarah;

You truly are a remarkable young lady, with a heart of gold. Your life is crazy enough with school and work, yet you found it in your heart to take in your brother and his kids. He than betrays your trust and you have no choice but to throw him out. However, your sense of compassion is too great and you take in your nephew & niece. Now add mother to the list of responsibilities. Having lived a similar situation I understand the heartache and pain, not to mention the boat load of tears and guilt. I have enjoyed reading your post and admire how you have handled life’s twist and turns. The tank is awesome but the character and compassion you have shown towards others is amazing. I hope the best for you and may you find your true soulmate one day to share all your love and compassion .

Mike

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

So how many of us, work forever (which can be anything really), then come home and either make dinner, relax, have fun with kids, feed our fish?

Now one of the genetics my parents gave me is that I’m allergic to alcohol, and I do mean all the edible kind. Yes it’s weird, but hey it is what it is. So my drink of choice, which make some people nauseous is cold milk. (Love it) (there is s point to all this guys and gals). Do to the fact I’m so tired, I decided to feed my fish and make dinner at the same time. This is a big No No Nope nada just flat no. Because, after I realized I had one glass of milk left, because I forgot to go to the store (which I am now) I poured a nice glass of milk. Since I threw the carton away I also ended up getting my little glass of salt water to put my frozen shrimp brine, and frozen algae shrimp brine (whatever it’s called) and the garlic stuff. Normally you add the garlic, and frozen squares to the water right. Did I Nope. I added the garlic and frozen fish food to my last cold glass of milk. Then was dumb enough to stir it. As I’m stirring it, lol I am so tired I went to grab the papa murphies pizza to but in the over and had to un wrap it and had to wait for it to beep. (You know when it hits they magic number for tempature. When it beeped, what did I do, I put the shrimp brine packages in the oven and set the timer, and well walked away with my milk in my hand and small little glass of salt water.

Now my fish know when I feed and I poured the water and, we’ll the kinda looked at me and said “where is the food you dork!” Which I didn’t notice. As I sit down I go to drink the milk and notice all this stuff floating in my milk. Which about made me throw up. Now as I walk to the sink, and dump it out, and rinse it, I notice the pizza on the stove. I go to open my stove and well lol there is melting shrimp brine in my oven. So lovely, and such a wonderful smell.

Now for all my friends out there who are tired, please don’t make dinner and feed your fish at the same time. It just doesn’t work. :) I ended up ordering pizza and going to the store to buy more milk. (Yes I did feed the fish correctly this time).

 

[CaptianPaulie]

Hello,

So how many of us, work forever (which can be anything really), then come home and either make dinner, relax, have fun with kids, feed our fish?

Now one of the genetics my parents gave me is that I’m allergic to alcohol, and I do mean all the edible kind. Yes it’s weird, but hey it is what it is. So my drink of choice, which make some people nauseous is cold milk. (Love it) (there is s point to all this guys and gals). Do to the fact I’m so tired, I decided to feed my fish and make dinner at the same time. This is a big No No Nope nada just flat no. Because, after I realized I had one glass of milk left, because I forgot to go to the store (which I am now) I poured a nice glass of milk. Since I threw the carton away I also ended up getting my little glass of salt water to put my frozen shrimp brine, and frozen algae shrimp brine (whatever it’s called) and the garlic stuff. Normally you add the garlic, and frozen squares to the water right. Did I Nope. I added the garlic and frozen fish food to my last cold glass of milk. Then was dumb enough to stir it. As I’m stirring it, lol I am so tired I went to grab the papa murphies pizza to but in the over and had to un wrap it and had to wait for it to beep. (You know when it hits they magic number for tempature. When it beeped, what did I do, I put the shrimp brine packages in the oven and set the timer, and well walked away with my milk in my hand and small little glass of salt water.

Now my fish know when I feed and I poured the water and, we’ll the kinda looked at me and said “where is the food you dork!” Which I didn’t notice. As I sit down I go to drink the milk and notice all this stuff floating in my milk. Which about made me throw up. Now as I walk to the sink, and dump it out, and rinse it, I notice the pizza on the stove. I go to open my stove and well lol there is melting shrimp brine in my oven. So lovely, and such a wonderful smell.

Now for all my friends out there who are tired, please don’t make dinner and feed your fish at the same time. It just doesn’t work. :) I ended up ordering pizza and going to the store to buy more milk. (Yes I did feed the fish correctly this time).

Omg!! Hahahahahahaha

 

[Fin]

Funny about the milk. Glad you were alert enough to notice that before that first big gulp! You would have had some cleaning up to do after you spit that out. Ha! And those shrimp in the oven... you were just some olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, fresh lemon juice and some paprika away from some baked New Orleans Style Barbecue Shrimp. :)

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello my friends,

So I was chewing on an idea hmmm still am. When I set my tank up, I purchased live sand. Now I should have sifted it to get only the finest sand. I love the super nice soft sand beds. Well since I didn’t do that I have some areas that are nice and smooth, where others have old pieces of crushed coral, or rocks or whatever.

What’s the best way to get rid of this with out blowing my tank up? Stirring the sand bed is never really a good idea, I thought of moving my sand bed corals into a separate tub etc then scope it out, and sift it in a strainer and rinse with salt water.

Option B. Can I buy some really live fine sand, sift it and then added it to my current bed? Will the rocks and large particles that are there now just resurface again? Any advice would be great. I just don’t want to crash or spike my tank. But I really want the bugs bunny scene at pismo beach where all the clams you can eat. Super soft smooth silky sand:)

 

[Fin]

Hello my friends,

So I was chewing on an idea hmmm still am. When I set my tank up, I purchased live sand. Now I should have sifted it to get only the finest sand. I love the super nice soft sand beds. Well since I didn’t do that I have some areas that are nice and smooth, where others have old pieces of crushed coral, or rocks or whatever.

What’s the best way to get rid of this with out blowing my tank up? Stirring the sand bed is never really a good idea, I thought of moving my sand bed corals into a separate tub etc then scope it out, and sift it in a strainer and rinse with salt water.

Option B. Can I buy some really live fine sand, sift it and then added it to my current bed? Will the rocks and large particles that are there now just resurface again? Any advice would be great. I just don’t want to crash or spike my tank. But I really want the bugs bunny scene at pismo beach where all the clams you can eat. Super soft smooth silky sand:)

Where do you find the time to fret over the appearance of your sand bed? :)

I used to have a cleaning tool set, similar to the one in the link below, that had a "rake" attachment. That is what I used to remove rock rubble, etc. I think I got mine at PetCo, but it was years ago.

Aquarium Cleaning Kit

 

[Sarah24!]

Good morning,

Usually I find the time to notice it when I am putting my fish food in my milk, and putting the frozen stuff in the hot oven. (See a few posts up).

But I always notice when I am checking the coral health, and doing maintence on my tank. Plus when I do sit down to relax and view it with my lol cold glass of milk I just ruined,
I always love the beauty of the tank. When I see the rubble it kicks in the small ocd side of me, like get up and clean that will ya. Yet I always say, I’m going but not know I just literature sat down. Maybe I should just not sit down anymore lol.

I am so getting that, your a life saver, I won’t have to dunk my head in the water anymore to reach the bottom.

 

[Fin]

Good morning,

Usually I find the time to notice it when I am putting my fish food in my milk, and putting the frozen stuff in the hot oven. (See a few posts up).
But I always notice when I am checking the coral health, and doing maintence on my tank. Plus when I do sit down to relax and view it with my lol cold glass of milk I just ruined,
I always love the beauty of the tank. When I see the rubble it kicks in the small ocd side of me, like get up and clean that will ya. Yet I always say, I’m going but not know I just literature sat down. Maybe I should just not sit down anymore lol.

Ah, OCD with a reef tank. A blessing and a curse. Good for the tank, because it gets plenty of TLC, but bad for you getting any rest. Not good to always have your hands in the tank though, so moderation is preferred.

I am so getting that, your a life saver, I won’t have to dunk my head in the water anymore to reach the bottom.

Do you have a mask and snorkle?

 

[Sarah24!]

Ah, OCD with a reef tank. A blessing and a curse. Good for the tank, because it gets plenty of TLC, but bad for you getting any rest. Not good to always have your hands in the tank though, so moderation is preferred.


Do you have a mask and snorkle?

Good afternoon,

I only put my hands in, when I see there is an actual problem, such as a turbo snail drowning (when they live in water might I add) or a coral falls over. I will also go in as soon as I seen any aptasia. Those creepy things always get a death warrant from me.

I do have a snorkel and swim suit, I’m still designing the pulley system to hold me above the tank. I’m also trying to hire a reliable high school kid, since I probably weigh less,
That can hold the rope that lowers me or raises me. I’m hoping they don’t slip and face plant me into my sand bed.

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello my dear friends,

So I did some small small work on my tank and realized I have had this tank for six months going strong. After six months gosh I need a bigger tank. I already have corals that started tiny and going crazy.

So two problems, my tank is doing amazing I have zero issues except coral growth lol. The one thing I should know how to do, well I don’t have a clue how to do. That would be how to trim coral. However some of them I’m certain you can’t lol like the two I am going hmmm about. I don’t want to rip my tank down just to make room for coral.

Now after searching not to hard I may add, I did find a used 350 Starfire tank for sale. It’s only 6 months old, has a stand and canopy and it’s 1500. Not to bad for the size. All my current equipment will run the new one just fine. I would need to add one extra current orbit marine pro 72 inch. Which I did find a few, for being discontinued, they are still 800 a piece. (But oh sooooo worth it).

This new tank is the same length of 72 long but is 40 wide (mine is 24) and 39 deep. It has one top overflow, yay and has some system I have never seen going to the sump. It comes with the eshopps sump for an extra 450, but as my lfs said a new one lol is only 299, or we could make one.

However I am not keen on destroying my current ocean. As much as I would try and use the same design, I would rather get a ton of stax rock, and build a 3D rock wall. In this wall I would preset all my wave makers and may do 6 instead of four. But, I want to use the stax rocks to build my wall up and around the wave makers blending them in.

This means all those years of math classes will finally pay off as I attempt to find the max flow from different angels at different levels. By studying reefs, the current is not always the same. This is the main reason I made all of my wavemakers masters, instead of slaves. I could do a lower flow on the bottom for those corals that don’t need it, then do a higher flow for those that do such as acros.

The other thought I have had is doing a wrap around with the stax rocks that not only go on the back glass of the tank, but also parts of the sides, to conceal the wave makers. Of course I have to worry about flow rate Intake. I have to make sure that I build my rock wall around the intake vents so it doesn’t hinder the water intake. I also plan on incorporating my current live rock in with the stax rock. I know that rock will be dry because I will have to silicon it in place. (I’m borrowing this idea from another member which was his idea, but still trying to find the messages in my inbox). ((( which update this idea was brilliant and created by 120reefkeeker, totally hope you read his build thread, his idea was so neatly) But once I have done that I can add in my current live rock to help with the cycling.

This leaves me to what to do with all my critters. If I used all my same water and sand, but added new live sand, (this time I’ll sift it) it would make it cycle faster. I’m curious if I could put all the dry stax rock in salt water and let it cure for a month etc, then build my wall. But will the silicon stick to wet rock, and how long would I have? Plus other potential problems etc.

Here are some pics of two corals that started tiny and in 6 months exploded with growth. One is a before and after pic of my bubble tip anemone that I didn’t think would make it. The other is a coral either soft or lps, and I don’t have a clue what it is, but it’s about the size of a kids pizza. It’s a good 7 inches around.

Any suggestions would be amazing and as soon as I find my source of the person with the rock wall, he will be properly credited. (Of course I have to ask him first since it’s his idea, I would never plagiarize anyone’s idea). lol that member is 120reefkeeper:)

Sarah

 

[Fin]

Are you sure about those dimensions (72" x 40" x 39")? That comes out to be about to be around 486 gallons! Maybe a typo (from lack of sleep :) ) somewhere? That's a BIG tank. You might not be able to fit that bad boy through your doorway?

Maybe easier to trade some of your livestock that you believe is getting too large for some other corals. Don't you have a 240? That's a lot of space.

 

[Sarah24!]

Good morning

Lol yes I was tired, 72 length width is 36 and height is 32 which still comes out to 359. I’m curious if they are taking some displacement out for the top over flow. But yes I think I typed in the dimensions when I was looking at a new 440.

 

[Fin]

If you need more room, you could maybe take out some of the rock. Just thinking out loud. In the pics you posted, seems like you still have plenty of room in there. Of course if you just want to go bigger, I understand that. More stable, but could be more work too. You have a pretty busy schedule.

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

Yeah I have this awesome idea lol, but not too keen on tearing it down per say. I’d rather by another tank and have two. I still have two rooms totally empty :). Just it’s way more expensive, and not sure if I can find three of the orbit marine pros. One was hard enough lol.

Yet, the more I chew on it, if I do two tanks, I could really take my time and build the aquascape the way I really want to. I would still use all the current wave makers etc, but just would probably need to add. At least if my coral gets to large I have a bigger tank to move it into. Plus finally I have vacation time coming up which will be close to a month.

I need to catch up on much needed sleep, but don’t think a months worth is needed. But I have finally finished my final paper in which it turned out to be 373 pages long. Writing it was bad enough, editing was a dreaded nightmare. But yay it’s done.

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

I have been kinda busy, haven’t been able to post etc, well to this one at least. But, the tank is still going strong and seems to really be taking off now. In a kidding note, maybe my nephews should do this more often. (Good thing they can’t fully read yet).

The more I chew on my second tank and breaking this one down, the more I’m like Urgh. But, never fear I am still planning something epic. I did get permission to use the stax rock idea (yay yippie thanks 120reefer). Which is still going to be part of my epic adventure. Gosh I have a month off, for like the first time since high school. What ever will I do? I’m gonna bat crazy not running around constantly.

Any suggestions, (I’m still watching my brothers kiddos, so can’t really go on vacation somewhere, but I do see a few adventures to play land and ice cream:)

 

[Fin]

Wow! A month off. That would be awesome. I still have a month of vacation time, I just can't take it all at once. I plan to retire at the end of next year, so there is that. Good luck with your "staycation". Have fun working on the tank and partying with those kids.

 

[mckinney0171]

Your tank is amazing

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

So after many emails, the awesome people at current figured out how to use one Bluetooth controller to run my whole system. The bonus part is, it has less wires yay. The worst part is Urgh I will finally have to drag my tiny feet to the Apple store and have them set up my smart phone.

In addition tomy tank, Sunday my new critter will be here for my tank which I’m dying to show off. I was also informed by current and another company to beta test some new leds lights. These non current ones from what I have seen and researched on, will definitely give current, Radion and AI am major run for their money. Not only do they have a better price point, but overall features seem amazing and they are so sleek. I will try and upload information on the non current leds soon. I can’t say much on the new currents except they will be just epic.

I have also was advised to dose my tank with that snow stuff. FYI, turn your skimmer off, and lol leave it off. It says for only an hour but it’s been going balistic for 24 hours. I finally had to raise my skimmer up 2 inches. Do to this I also reactivated my uv sterilizer, I will run it 24/7 and start a water change again. My parameters where perfect but I’m not okay with my skimmer being off. Any suggestions would be awesome.

Also for those who have struggled with the current Bluetooth hook up on larger systems, I am now your go to girl. I have seen the light :).

 

[Dana Riddle]

Hello,

First, please forgive me if I posted this in the wrong section, but I have never had this happen before and I am panicking.

So I have a 240 gallon tank with a 75 gallon sump tank. To be nice I let my brother and his children stay in my home for this week. (Long story) I just came home and found out that my nephews have been urinating in my sump tank. I don’t know how long they have been doing it, how often. I came home and caught my 5 year old nephew red handed.

I immediately shut down my return pumps, and shut the union valves underneath off and shut all flow from the tank to the sump off completely. I have no idea how much has already been sent into my main display tank, and how long. I’m doing a water test now to see where my parameters are now. I also have enough salt water stores to do 80 gallon water change.

The only thing I have added was I turned on my magnum 350 canister filter which there are two of them. One is a purification filter (it’s white) and the second is a straight carbon only. Any thing else I should be doing, I’m worried about my fish and corals.

Thanks

I won't name the coral farm, but the owner often laughed about urinating into one of the systems containing Tridacna clams and he was a big guy. Urea/ammonia can be absorbed by many marine invertebrates and apparently never caused any issues.