Glb's 40g upgrade!

[Sabellafella]

Everything looks great!!

 

[glb]

Love it! Had a chance to leak test again?[/QUOTE
Not yet for the overflow side, but I decided to secure the pipes anyway. A leak test takes two people and my husband and boys were out, so I didn't want to risk another calamity like yesterday all by myself.

 

[glb]

Everything looks great!!

Thanks! I'm really happy with it!

 

[BlueDevil]

I don't blame you! It certainly helps to have an extra set of hands if something were to go wrong.

 

[glb]

I don't blame you! It certainly helps to have an extra set of hands if something were to go wrong.

Yeah yesterday was like a scene out of the Titanic. The tank was fine. Mastering the wet/dry vac not so much.

 

[glb]

Eventually I'll replace these supports with the kind you can open and close so you don't have to unscrew them to remove the pipe

 

[glb]

So thanks to AZ desert rat's sticky on bulkheads, I realized I installed my gaskets wrong. Time to redo it (again). Patience is the only way to go in this hobby.

 

[glb]

So now I have some decisions to make about the order of my next steps. The system is basically ready to go. For filtration, I already have a filter sock, a skimmer and a gfo reactor. I plan on adding a marinepure block and another reactor for carbon. I'm thinking about going ahead with the rocks and sand to get things running and then add the marinepure and carbon reactor later. I can just use a media bag for carbon until then, and the bioload will only be a handful of fish for now. I'm waiting on corals until I can get a controller and the lights i want. Should I go for it and get the tank going, or would it be better to have all the filtration complete before I start?

 

[BlueDevil]

So now I have some decisions to make about the order of my next steps. The system is basically ready to go. For filtration, I already have a filter sock, a skimmer and a gfo reactor. I plan on adding a marinepure block and another reactor for carbon. I'm thinking about going ahead with the rocks and sand to get things running and then add the marinepure and carbon reactor later. I can just use a media bag for carbon until then, and the bioload will only be a handful of fish for now. I'm waiting on corals until I can get a controller and the lights i want. Should I go for it and get the tank going, or would it be better to have all the filtration complete before I start?

I see no reason to not start. You have everything you need for a lightly stocked tank. Carbon and GFO aren't really essentials at this point with a new tank. Carbon possibly to a certain extent, but like you said, that can easily be added in a media bag. GFO you certainly won't need unless there are phosphates in your rock that did not get taken out during curing. This too only if they are super high.

Are you starting with dry rock or live rock?

As far as Marinepure blocks goes, there has been some debate about them possibly leaching aluminum into the water column. I don't believe it has been proved conclusively but there is some evidence to support it. Search for it via Google and you will come across those discussions on this and some other forums. I am staying away from them for now.

 

[glb]

I see no reason to not start. You have everything you need for a lightly stocked tank. Carbon and GFO aren't really essentials at this point with a new tank. Carbon possibly to a certain extent, but like you said, that can easily be added in a media bag. GFO you certainly won't need unless there are phosphates in your rock that did not get taken out during curing. This too only if they are super high.

Are you starting with dry rock or live rock?

As far as Marinepure blocks goes, there has been some debate about them possibly leaching aluminum into the water column. I don't believe it has been proved conclusively but there is some evidence to support it. Search for it via Google and you will come across those discussions on this and some other forums. I am staying away from them for now.

I'm starting with dry rock. Reefcleaners has rock that's already been processed so you don't have to cure it. I'm going to get aragonite coarse sand too

 

[glb]

I see no reason to not start. You have everything you need for a lightly stocked tank. Carbon and GFO aren't really essentials at this point with a new tank. Carbon possibly to a certain extent, but like you said, that can easily be added in a media bag. GFO you certainly won't need unless there are phosphates in your rock that did not get taken out during curing. This too only if they are super high.

Are you starting with dry rock or live rock?

As far as Marinepure blocks goes, there has been some debate about them possibly leaching aluminum into the water column. I don't believe it has been proved conclusively but there is some evidence to support it. Search for it via Google and you will come across those discussions on this and some other forums. I am staying away from them for now.

I read about the Marinepure. Now I'm having second thoughts.

 

[BlueDevil]

I'm starting with dry rock. Reefcleaners has rock that's already been processed so you don't have to cure it. I'm going to get aragonite coarse sand too

If it were me I still would at least let them sit in a bare tank with SW and check the PO4 over a few days to make sure there's no trapped surface PO4. I don't 100% trust dry rock regardless of source. Since you have the time (it's not like your tank is stocked) you might as well take the extra steps. I would if I were in your shoes [emoji4]

 

[hybridazn]

So far so good!

 

[glb]

If it were me I still would at least let them sit in a bare tank with SW and check the PO4 over a few days to make sure there's no trapped surface PO4. I don't 100% trust dry rock regardless of source. Since you have the time (it's not like your tank is stocked) you might as well take the extra steps. I would if I were in your shoes [emoji4]

You're right. I've been doing this build since last August so I might as well do it right. If the rock does have po4 can I just run gfo to keep it under control?

 

[BlueDevil]

You're right. I've been doing this build since last August so I might as well do it right. If the rock does have po4 can I just run gfo to keep it under control?

If you have a spare empty tank that would be ideal. That way you don't contaminate your new tank. You will need to use Lanthanum Chloride to get rid of the phosphates. It is sold commonly at the big box home improvement stores as Pool Phosphate Remover.
Have a look at my rock curing thread. That will give you all the information you need. [emoji4]

 

[BlueDevil]

Here's the link to it:

Curing dry rock - process review
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/Curing-dry-rock---process-review.241614/

 

[BlueDevil]

Frankly if you feel ambitious I would also do the muriatic acid bath as I detailed in the thread. It will only add an extra hour or so and it will for sure pull out any surface dead material that can cause PO4 issues. Then follow it up by the lanthanum chloride bath and you will be all set! The entire process should take no more than a week to complete at most.
Just as example, I ordered some more dry rock pieces from BRS last week (mix of reef saver and flat Tonga pieces). The reef saver is fairly clean but the Tonga is loaded with dead stuff. I did the acid bath on Saturday and soaked in LC that day. PO4 yesterday read 0.08 and this evening it was down to 0.03.

Ok I'll quit filling up your thread now. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[glb]

Frankly if you feel ambitious I would also do the muriatic acid bath as I detailed in the thread. It will only add an extra hour or so and it will for sure pull out any surface dead material that can cause PO4 issues. Then follow it up by the lanthanum chloride bath and you will be all set! The entire process should take no more than a week to complete at most.
Just as example, I ordered some more dry rock pieces from BRS last week (mix of reef saver and flat Tonga pieces). The reef saver is fairly clean but the Tonga is loaded with dead stuff. I did the acid bath on Saturday and soaked in LC that day. PO4 yesterday read 0.08 and this evening it was down to 0.03.

Ok I'll quit filling up your thread now. Let me know if you have any questions.

This rock I want to order is quarried. Do I still need to do that stuff? The site says no but I want to make sure.

 

[glb]

It's up and running for a freshwater test! So far so good.

 

[glb]

Sump is working perfectly!