Eienna's 50g Reef

Eienna · Jan 16, 2014

A "before" shot of the 100g

The "after" photo will be taken when the tank is clean and the stand is repainted.

Eienna · Jan 16, 2014

Meh...this is a better pic.

Eienna · Jan 16, 2014

Well, the tank itself is clean now ♡ I never realized how much the scent of vinegar and fish goo would take me back....the very first tank I got required a pretty extensive cleanup job. Ah, the memories!

There's something soothing in simple manual labor...working lovingly to make something beautiful again.

revhtree · Jan 16, 2014

When you getting it wet?

Eienna · Jan 16, 2014

revhtree said:
When you getting it wet?

ASAP, but there's some stuff I have to get first. Mom and I want to repaint the stand, so we need stripper and paint; I don't have enough salt to fill it, so I need another box; I have to replace my RODI filters, because I'm now getting 24TDS; aaand I have to try to break my sump out of its old stand, which was built around it.

It adds up to about $100...for me, that's an awful lot in one month. I really hope I can do it all next month - the suspense is killing me!

I'm going to need a better light. My little 24" LED double strip is NOT going to cut it for a tank of this size. What I hope to do is temporarily pile up the rocks where the light is; if i put them up there, that should give the corals enough light until I can get a new fixture. I hope.

Eienna · Jan 16, 2014

I do eventually need to save up for a skimmer, too. I'm considering keeping just the fish I have for the time being to keep the relative bioload low.

Eienna · Jan 27, 2014

Aaaaalllmmmooosssttt ttthhheeeerrreee LOL!

I should be able to get the stand done, salt and RO filters next month. That's bare minimum to get this baby going and I am chomping at the bit here! XD

trido · Jan 30, 2014

Getting closer.............Getting bigger.

Eienna · Jan 31, 2014

Mom just said my upgrade was "too much to do this month."

Ah, no. I don't care if it takes months longer to get TV and wifi back - I want my tank set up!!!!

Yes, apparently I am addicted. So we had a discussion forthwith. We came to a new agreement with surprisingly little effort.

I think she's enjoying the fish too.

tuna_bullet · Feb 1, 2014

let me know if I can help at all......I am looking forward to the new build....

Eienna · Feb 1, 2014

tuna_bullet said:
let me know if I can help at all......I am looking forward to the new build....

Thanks

Looks like I'm going to just squeak by on buying the salt and RO filters.

I need a skimmer but that's going to have to wait until I can save up enough. The critters have been okay without it so far...it's just expensive in terms of salt, water bills and back pain to do as much water changing as I've had to without one, lol! I'm certainly not going to expect anyone to give me one of those, though - I was shocked to get the tank and even the lower-price-bracket skimmers (I'd be more than happy with an adequately-sized SWC) are over $200 on the cheapest sites I could find.

I'm going to get new sand, but that can also wait. I can stand to go barebottom for a few months. I'll leave a tub of it in there for Echo (my scooter), though. She likes to bury herself in it. XD

I do need someone to help with the stand painting. I love the actual painting and will enjoy adding my own touch to it, but the parts where you're supposed to sand it...let me put it this way: I can't. I've tried. I literally can't get enough force with my hands. T.T Fibromyalgia stinks. I'm a ways away from you, though. Maybe I can find someone local to help me.

I think I'm having magnesium problems. I just found out that snails becoming sluggish and possibly dying is a symptom of that. I've lost all three of my nass snails, including my pretty tongan one, to extreme sluggishness and eventual demise, and the turbos aren't moving much these days either. My male anthias is losing his pink somewhat, too, which may or may not be related. The weird thing is that I'm not dosing any mag. My theory is that a substantial amount may be contained in salt creep, which I have a ton of from running an HOB, and some of it may be getting knocked back into the water by accident. A mag test kit isn't going to fit into the budget this month, but I'm going to call my LFS and see if they can't run a mag test for me - on that and my currently less-than-pure RO water. I'd also be interested to see how much mag is actually contained in my salt creep - it would make an interesting experiment - but I'm still working out the numbers as far as how much of the creep I should dissolve to so much water, etc.

So much for thinking I'm no good at chemistry. Maybe I should take some classes, lol! I was reading an article on its precipitation, etc and actually understood most of it. Shocked me a bit!

So yeah, short of a little funding to put toward it, a skimmer (fat chance!!) or a substantial order of sand...or a proper light for that matter...thinking of going with a quad T5 but, again, no room in the budget yet...I don't think there's a whole lot you could do. Well, besides the occasional comment...it's always encouraging to know someone's hanging out and reading what I'm throwing out here!! Which reminds me...I really need to go find your tank thread, don't I?

Feel free to drop whatever info you think I might find interesting here, especially if it's contrary to what I'm doing. I like avoiding disasters!

I'll start a new thread for the 100 once we at least get the stand stripped for painting.

Edit:
Oh, and the rock I've been cycling with a shrimp seems to be ready! No ammonia, no nitrite, and a skyrocketed nitrate test. I'm going to change the water and throw one more piece of seafood in there while I wait for the tank to be ready. n.n

Eienna · Feb 1, 2014

tuna_bullet said:
let me know if I can help at all......I am looking forward to the new build....

Oh, and I should mention I'm really looking forward to buying those zoas from you ♡

J062682l · Feb 1, 2014

I found an odysea quad t5 online for 100 and. I'm using a modded sea-clone ($100) . Works just as good as my friends $200 skimmer.
If you we're in southern ct I'd give you a hand. Been waiting for your tank to be done so I can see it , good luck.

Eienna · Feb 1, 2014

J062682l said:
I found an odysea quad t5 online for 100 and. I'm using a modded sea-clone ($100) . Works just as good as my friends $200 skimmer.
If you we're in southern ct I'd give you a hand. Been waiting for your tank to be done so I can see it , good luck.

How does the odyssea quad work for you? I'm a little concerned sbout how hot I hear it gets. Thry really should have included a fan in it.

Making the actual switch to the new tank's gonna be pretty hard on my body. If I had something I could store a lot of water in, and then just pump it in when I'm ready, it would be a whole lot easier. As it stands, I have to make it in 5g increments...which is gonna make getting it ready to move the fish a lot of fun (not.)

Eienna · Feb 2, 2014

I already have a two-bulb Odyssea fixture over my FW, and I like it. It's just the added heat from two more bulbs...I don't know :/

If my old return pump works, it may well literally save my back when I set up the 100. I don't trust it as a sump return pump because it's so old and beat up, but I might be able to use it just to pump the saltwater out of the bucket and into the sump (I think that's where you fill from?)

Thanks to Vance for the pump I'll be using for real

I appreciate that very much!

J062682l · Feb 2, 2014

Eienna said:
How does the odyssea quad work for you? I'm a little concerned sbout how hot I hear it gets. Thry really should have included a fan in it.

Making the actual switch to the new tank's gonna be pretty hard on my body. If I had something I could store a lot of water in, and then just pump it in when I'm ready, it would be a whole lot easier. As it stands, I have to make it in 5g increments...which is gonna make getting it ready to move the fish a lot of fun (not.)

I like the quad odysea. It actually has 2 bulbs. And the timer is awesome. Just wish I could set to dim