My New Tank Build

[Braves Fan]

Very cool! How much should you budget for this size system?  I'm guessing about 4k for gear?  Skys the limit for the corals and fish.  Is that far off?  

I am not answering that question, you might be a plant, working for my wife asking that question I will say you are off though, not saying which way though

 

[Braves Fan]

Didn't do any work on the tank tonight, tired from work. Did get a package from BRS today though got the Calcium, ALK , Magnesium for the dosing pump and also got the netting for the display tank and the quarantine tank, this week ends project. Went to the LFS and picked up my third AI LED light, a 29 gallon quarantine tank and a Aqua Clear 40 to 70 gallon HOB filter, also paid the bill for the new display tank. The down side, was told the tank will ship out next Wednesday the 15th but most likely won't get here till 3 or 4 days later. The plus side, have another order from Premium Aquatics coming tomorrow, the day after that, another order from BRS. Also went to Lowes this morning, picked up some Velcro strips to mount the MP40 controls and a bit to drill a hole in the back of the stand to run my power strip from the stand to the plug, another project for this week end. So, I do still have a few more things to do before the tank gets here.

 

[robf]

I am not answering that question, you might be a plant, working for my wife asking that question I will say you are off though, not saying which way though

Ha ha! I promise I'm on the same side as you. My wife keeps everything we spend in quicken categorized! She tells me down to the dime what I spent on my 46 bow front. Even I was shocked ;-).

BTW. The idea of doing a quaranteen next to the display is cool. Quarantines can last up to 8 weeks and you probably are going to have just purchased something really cool. This way you have it out on display. I'm going to do that too with my next tank. I'd like to see some pics of how you do the calcium, magnesium and alk reactors. I just am putting Kalk in my top off for now. My tank is still relatively new and while its not cycling anymore it is still "seasoning" (Is that a real term). I don't have any SPS in it yet. So my water changes take care of any mineral problems.

 

[Braves Fan]

A few new pics

 

[Braves Fan]

Great news ,Good news , and Not so good news . Starting with the not so good news and working my way up, the tank was supposed to have been shipped yesterday, haven't heard anything on that, so that can't be a good sign and that's the not so good news. The good news, I finished up everything that I can do to get ready. I have 120g of RO water made, know its not enough but its all the containers I have, may go buy another 32g Brute container tomorrow, that would at least get me enough water to fill the tank, but not the sump. I am planning on putting the salt in the sump and letting it mix that way instead of trying to mix the salt in all of the containers. I cut out the stand top for the drain and return line had to guesstamate that, but can't be far off, cut a hole in the back of the stand to run the power plug for the power strip to the wall, cut a hole in the back of the stand to get the MP40s to the top of the stand from the sump area, have the controls for the MP40 mounted. Touched up the white paint on the stand where it had gotten scuffed up with all the work I was doing. Made the screen top for the quarantine tank, will wait on the top for the display tank till it gets here. No rush on that, only takes about 15 min. to make, the one for the quarantine turned out well, had to cut a hole in part of it for the HOB filter. I really have nothing else to do to get ready for the tank, kinda wish I had a smart person to take a look at what I have done to see where I might have messed up and what needs to be fixed. Ok enough stalling on to the GREAT News The Electrician is coming in the morning to hook up the dedicated 20 amp wall plug. Took two months of waiting but it should be done tomorrow.

 

[Braves Fan]

Good News we have a 20amp wall outlet and a compleated light rack with three AI LED lights :sad: hanging over the stand.

 

[Braves Fan]

New Pics from today

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

Very clean, are you going to finish/skin the stand?

 

[Braves Fan]

Yes, the wife's son is going to skin the stand for me, may take awhile as he stays pretty busy, so I pray for alot of rain days.

 

[underwaterfirefighter]

Man what an awesome build! That is one very clean, very well put together set up! Can't wait to see the tank and the rest of the build come together!

 

[swannyson7]

Very nice setup. Can't wait to see this come together. Any word on whether or not they shipped the tank?

 

[Braves Fan]

Naw, haven't heard anything on the tank hoping he is going to call today and say its here Was contemplating on getting the quarantine tank up and running today.

 

[Braves Fan]

We have a tank, they messed up something, its no big deal, but it will delay me getting water into the tank by about a week. I ordered the tank with a black vinyl paint on the outside of the back panel, they forgot to do this. What I found out is, the black vinyl isn't sprayed onto the tank, its a sheet, sort of like the stuff they tint car windows with, just thicker. They are sending some out and I will get it next week, just can't put water in the tank because the tank will have to be moved on the stand to put the vinyl on the tank. onto the pics

 

[Braves Fan]

Copy of the Email I sent DSA Aquariums

Just received my DSA Aquarium ordered from your company thru my local fish store a 48x30x25 tank. To say I am very upset with your company and your quality control is an understatement. You were in competition for my business with Miracles Aquariums, a Canadian based company. Their price for my aquarium of choice was only $300 more than your price, what got me to buy your tank was the quality of the service I would receive from my local fish store owner, the $300 price difference had no bearing in my decision. I had told my local vendor that MOST important to me, told him this several times, was that the tank had a black vinyl coating on the outside back panel of the tank when it came in, I wanted to receive the tank ready to be put on the stand, not outside on my picnic table during the middle of winter having to spray paint the back of the tank black. Its the only thing that your company could mess up, and your company didn't disappoint, you messed it up. Now I have to wait for your company to send the black vinyl sheet next week, wait for the local fish store owner to fit me into his schedule to come over and apply it to my tank, or get some help over to the house, take the tank outside in the middle of winter and spray paint the back of the tank with several coats of black paint, then get the help back over to the house to bring the tank back into the house, delaying my setting up the tank by two weeks, after I have been getting ready for this tank for the last 4 months already. I would almost guarantee you that Derik, from Mircales Aquariums wouldn't have let this happen. I am a member on more than a few online saltwater forums, be sure that I am going to let all of my forum members from the several forums that I am in, know of your quality control or lack there of, and that I am going to recommend that they buy their new tanks from any company other than DSA Aquariums. Ya'll have a nice day, I on the other hand will not.

 

[LiveRock27]

Sorry to hear about the problem with the back of the tank, but the setup is looking great and can't wait to see it with water in it.

 

[blesk]

This is look stuning like the concept is perfect.

 

[Braves Fan]

Today's progress, decided to go to Lowe's this morning and pick up some black Latex paint and paint the back of the stand. So, got the tank painted, got the Durso overflow box drain pipe made and installed. Hooked up the drain and return lines in the sump. The return line will have to be redone at a later date, had to use some 90 elbows that I didn't really want to use, but the 45s wouldn't work at this time. Also got the tank filled with RO water, still need about 25g or so to fill the overflow box and the sump, have that water making and should be ready in the morning. Also got the sand put in the tank, just have to make sure I get the live rock down into the base the sand bed when it comes time to put the rock into the tank. I will put the salt into the sump tomarrow morning and let that mix and then the rock will be ready to go into the tank..

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

That set up is looking sweet!!

I would have just painted the tank like you did.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

That set up is looking sweet!!

I would have just painted the tank like you did.

 

[Braves Fan]

Made RO water all nite, this morning filled the sump, put in some extra to fill the return line, put some in the skimmer to weight that down a bit. Still didn't have quite enough water to fill the overflow box and that making right now. As soon as that is done, two years in the making and we will be cranking it up. On the down side, a friend was keeping the one fish we kept out of the old tank, Wilma, a midas Blenny, she died last nite, so close to getting her into the new tank so we will be staring over with all new fish.