210g acrylic dream

DeniseAndy · May 5, 2020

Main display is chugging along waiting for my qt corals and clams. Cannot stand that I have to wait 4 months more to add my clams back in. Pyramid snails suck!

I will get some pictures soon.

DeniseAndy · May 9, 2020

Sad day. My hogfish was found dead this am in qt. He was on day 13 of the CP treatment. Ending tomorrow. I am very sad, but I think being related to the wrasse family, maybe CP was just too much. It stopped eating a few days ago, but after very basic inspection of fish after death, no signs of disease at all. That is good considering the tang is also in the qt with him.

DeniseAndy · May 11, 2020

Well all the fish are in the observation tank and will be fed a medicated food for internal parasites. I added prazipro today too. So far they are doing well. I fed frozen to make sure they are eating well and active. One of the yellow tangs is a jerk to everyone, but that is to be expected. It is just guarding its favorite spot. The whole tank.

It is only a 32g Biocube, so I cannot wait to get them into the 210g and let them have some room. Maybe the tang will have met its match with my male lemon damsel.

I also added some hermits to do some cleaning and added a light cycle since the fish are in the dark (ambient only) for my qt and medication protocol. The colors on them is amazing!!!! Cannot wait to get some pictures.

DeniseAndy · May 16, 2020

Okay, I am getting impatient to add my new babies from observation. They are all doing great. They bully is still a bully, but no damage to others. Soon.

Now, I was not happy with my DIY UAS since it was made a bit flimsy and I hate having to reach in and take out to clean. I know, right, soooo difficult.

Anyway, I looked at the floating algae scrubbers and loved the looks of them. So, I made one. Takes time and a bit more work then my little UAS, but I really like the results. It just was added today. Hopefully have some algae in a week or 3. My other one was just getting some when I took it out.

DeniseAndy · May 16, 2020

So, how did I make it? I will get pictures soon, but basically this is in words what I did.

Went shopping to get something for my daughter at Walmart and found some drawer organizers that I thought would make a cool "boat". That is what I will call it now.

I already had ordered a light for the current UAS, so when it came in and it fit great into the boat - actually two would fit perfectly (may add another) I was thrilled. Here is the light.

Next I Bought some JB Weldon and some Nylon twine:

Then I got a pool noodle for the boat to float: Just a little one

Then I followed these instructions (mostly):

I did not glue the airline, I used zip ties to secure instead. I also made a box for the light to sit in and on the unit. I used a piece of acrylic I had laying around to fix it on the light box with zip ties. I also used zip ties to secure the floaty onto the box.
I love zip ties!
Anyway, here is the whole thing done in the sump.

I will have to vent the top box more for the heat I think.

DeniseAndy · May 19, 2020

Well, my five new fish are in the dt. It has been really funny watching the introduction from the other fish. They seem to be doing okay after last 2 hours. Some aggressiveness from my male lemon damsel, but not too much. The new guys are mostly too big.

DeniseAndy · May 20, 2020

All fish still in and active. Yippee.
Also got order from AquaSD and order is packed great and looks great. More pictures to come when open. Mostly mushrooms, so close up pretty tight in shipping.

DeniseAndy · May 23, 2020

So, this new floating UAS has been running only 1 week and already algae. Wow. Just wow. Not much, but it is growing. Super excited.

All my fish in dt are doing well too. Hope to get video soon.

Sdot · May 23, 2020

DeniseAndy said:
Well, after 10 years with my 40yr old thick glass tank, I am finally replacing the tank with an acrylic custom made tank. I want to keep my stand, so I havd to custom build it for the proper dimensions. No one makes a 7' tank anymore that is 24" by 24".

Sooooo excited. The tank is on order. I looked at another glass tank and had some quotes, but I decided on acrylic from a local builder.

The tank will simply be put where my current tank is and sump and everything remains unchanged. Well, except the plumbing has to be redone.

It will be a long week-end doing it, but cannot wait. Probably late summer.

Just ordered a 24" overflow system from Modular Marine. Looked at many, liked this the best. It will replace my corner overflows (thank goodness).

My lights will remain MH and T5s as I do like this combination. I will be building new stands for them though (well my hubby will anyway).

I will post pics of my current and tearing it down when it happens. not going to be easy to move a 10yr old tank and all inhabitants. At least I am not moving homes.

I will need tons of neighboring men to help me move the monster tank when done. It is over 400lbs of glass. AHHHGGGG!

Cant wait!!

DeniseAndy · May 24, 2020

Unfortunately my new green and purple malu nem hit the powerhead overnight. Nothing hurt in the tank, but feeling bad. I thought it was good and settled for the most part. I guess not.

Anyway. Took a video last night.

I cannot wait to get my live rock in and qt'd and all my corals and clams back in the tank. It will be so much more colorful and lots more movement.

DeniseAndy · May 27, 2020

My silly blenny.

DeniseAndy · Jun 3, 2020

All is going fine currently. Still fighting algae. Slowly seeing some battles won.

I made two algae holders for the fish to graze off using stuff I had laying around. Old magnets, clips, mesh, epoxy, felt and velcro. I have found these work better than any I have bought in the past. Granted, some are from pieces of those, just made with new and stronger magnets. I still haven't gotten them to float (as I have not tried), but they work great.

Algae scrubber is doing great. Lots green algae. Hope it overtakes the stuff in the main display soon.

User1 · Jun 3, 2020

DeniseAndy said:
So, how did I make it? I will get pictures soon, but basically this is in words what I did.

Went shopping to get something for my daughter at Walmart and found some drawer organizers that I thought would make a cool "boat". That is what I will call it now.

I already had ordered a light for the current UAS, so when it came in and it fit great into the boat - actually two would fit perfectly (may add another) I was thrilled. Here is the light.

Next I Bought some JB Weldon and some Nylon twine:

Then I got a pool noodle for the boat to float: Just a little one

Then I followed these instructions (mostly):

I did not glue the airline, I used zip ties to secure instead. I also made a box for the light to sit in and on the unit. I used a piece of acrylic I had laying around to fix it on the light box with zip ties. I also used zip ties to secure the floaty onto the box.
I love zip ties!
Anyway, here is the whole thing done in the sump.

I will have to vent the top box more for the heat I think.

One of the algae turf makers uses a design like this. Good job. Only thing I'd watch is the cable things you have here. Not sure what those are but as you probably are already aware heat.

DeniseAndy · Jun 3, 2020

I have an electrician's nightmare. We had one come in for an issue with the circuits and he could not even fathom my mess.

I have an acrylic sheild and other boxes around the outlets and powercords. Always have a lower loop too. Thanks for the reminder though.
I did base my design off of those. It is certainly not as pretty, but works.

DeniseAndy · Jun 3, 2020

I checked the heat issue regularly for the first week too. It was okay. I still make sure and check every thing often though.

User1 · Jun 3, 2020

DeniseAndy said:
I have an electrician's nightmare. We had one come in for an issue with the circuits and he could not even fathom my mess.
I have an acrylic sheild and other boxes around the outlets and powercords. Always have a lower loop too. Thanks for the reminder though.
I did base my design off of those. It is certainly not as pretty, but works.

Pretty is for retail

I like it and if it works that is all that matters

DeniseAndy · Jun 7, 2020

So mad at my GHA problem and waiting for UAS to take full effect, I took out every piece of rock from my display. Yep, I took it all out!! Some was scrubbed and rinsed then put in sump, rest is out on the deck. I moved some of my sump rock into the main display. Ordering live rock soon to add diversity. Once qt'd, it will go in and hopefully fill the gaps.

It looks a little barren, but I feel better. Nothing like picking up 25lb rocks and moving them upstairs, downstairs, in out, scrub and outside. I had to have the sons help move some of it. Getting old is rough. (I was working in yard doing mulch and plants, so back was tired.)

I also added some bacteria back in: Bioptim and Bioclean from prodibio and some vibrant. Because, why not.

Yes, I did a 40g+ water change as I did this and vacuumed the sand too. So far everything is doing fine.

DeniseAndy · Jun 9, 2020

Just ordered 50lbs of live rock from gulfliverock.com. It should be in Friday or next Monday. Super excited. Hope to get plenty of cool diversity. It will go into a qt tank for a bit (76days) to make sure no unwanted hitchhikers can be caught.

DeniseAndy · Jun 10, 2020

Just finished unboxing and putting in my 32g the 50lbs of live rock from gulf live rock. So far, amazing!

The colors and life is truly so beautiful. Cannot wait to see how it plays out. I did not get pictures yet. I saw some corals, algae, sponges, clams, bivalves, worms, and urchin, so far. That was just a quick glance. A couple pieces were truly gorgeous. I will get pics soon.

Thanks Dan!

DeniseAndy · Jun 10, 2020

So, wish I had gotten this on film, but my damsels and female clown are so funny. When she swims away to explore or torture the male, the damsels (usually azure and lemon) will come and play in the nem (H. malu). When she starts to head back, they scatter. So funny to see.