Well here we are, more than a year later. Since my last post I really haven't done much in relation to this tank.
One year ago today, January 28, my wife celebrated her birthday by taking me to the hospital with severe chest pains. On January 26, two days earlier, I felt fine. On January 27, I was sick as a dog with the FLU. We now know that on the 28th, I had severe pneumonia (my lungs were 70% full of fluid), thus the severe chest pains. It was determined that I needed to be admitted to the hospital to undergo intense Intravenous Antibiotic treatment and by the afternoon of the 29th, the infection had gotten into my blood and the decision was made to induce a coma and flood my body with antibiotics.
Three weeks later, I woke up. My wife endured three "come to hospital now, we don't know how long he's going to last" phone calls, and each time I pulled through. I spent another four weeks in the hospital being weaned off of life support and undergoing physical therapy, and then another four weeks at home before being able to return to "life as normal".
During my hospitalization, my family did the best they could with my fish, but they knew nothing about water changes, how much to feed, who got fed what foods, etc. Long story short, by the time I was conscious and able to communicate, I had lost all of the fish in four of my seven tanks, and it was too late to save most of the others. By the time I got home from the hospital, I was down to two tanks, and six fish. Well over 100 had died.
Of those six, only one remains. Four of them were just too weak or sick to recover, and my 12" Comet, somehow cut himself on his back (I think he ran into the return nozzle) and I wasn't able to treat him, he got infected and within two weeks he too was gone. So, I now have one Purple Raspbora and several hundred snails, previously being bred as food for my puffers, and now simply reproducing. I bought a few Assassin snails to keep them in check, but have taken a long break from the hobby.
I've learned a HUGE lesson. Automate everything possible, and educate someone on how to care for the fish should I not be able to.
Two weeks ago I decided it was time to either put all of the equipment up for sale, or start building again. After a long discussion with my wife, I decided not to sell. So, consider this my official "I am going to restart this build" thread.
I started by moving the tank and the stand into the room where they are going to reside so I see them everyday and am inspired to get moving. So, without further ado...
My tank and the bones of my DIY stand...
