Stepping onto the build thread again--upgrading!

[Susan Edwards]

Well, I done and did it. Santa came early with a used 135 gal reef tank. Paid 450 for it and the stand and the sump and a protein skimmer (bubble-magus).

Not going to keep the stand. Not only is it 4 feet tall to my five foot shortness, its not in as good as shape as it seemed. Basically I don't want to be on ladders that tall just to even feed the fish. Going to have to take back off stand to get sump out. It's glass, looks to be maybe a 40 gal. Doesn't have a refugium so I may not keep that either. This time around, I want to go slow and put what I want in there. A purple Trigger with purple piping has a nice sound to it but if I can use that sump then I will. Hard to tell until I get it out. Right now, it is a horrid mess. Why when people sell things they don't take the time to clean them up is beyond me.

Tank is glass, 72 x 18 x 24, with 2 overflows. 2 drains down and 2 returns up. Am going to need lots of advice and help planning out plumbing and sump. I have a RS AIO so didn't have to deal with any of that.

I'm excited, got my plan of attack, my budget by month, although I now have to add a stand into the budget which shifts things a bit. Plan to have it running and starting a cycle March, though it might now be April. And fish and coral added 2 months after.

Guess I need to start another build thread? I have a ton of clean up to do!

One thing: Am debating whether to get dry rock and put them in a brute can to start the process or just wait to put them into the tank before I cycle? Advantages to doing the rock now? Will they be harder to landscape wet? Heavier? Grosser to handle?

anyway, am excited and nervous! Picking it up

 

[Mark Gray]

Looks like you have a Xmas job now good luck Following

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

YES!!!! Congratulations!!

 

[Susan Edwards]

Actually I think I'm certifiable. Who undertakes this at this crazy time of year! Good thing I do amazon for shopping but I do have some craft type gifts to finish!!!! And someone who wants some embroidery (machine) beanie hats done up. But it is our xmas gift and my hubby didn't say no so I went full steam ahead. So much to learn compared to setting up the red sea. Just think of all those neurons I'm creating.... and thanks @saltyfilmfolks

 

[cracker]

Nice size. Have fun !

 

[ndrwater]

Nice score!!!
Couple of cents from me. Let that big boy soak with water and vinegar so you can easily wipe it down and it'll look good as new.
If it were me, I would get dry rock cooking ASAP. While you are waiting for the budget to catch up, you can be cycling your rock. When the time comes, you can just about hit the ground running.
When I did my latest build, I had the rock all cleaned and cycled by the time I was ready to set up the tank. Made my life a lot easier because I was taking down a smaller tank and needed somewhere for all of the smaller tanks inhabitants to go ASAP. It all worked out really well, with very minimal down time.
I also dry fit all the plumbing on the newer bigger tank while the rock was cooking. Gave me an opportunity to change my mind a couple of times without the pressure of having to deal with "good enough" when the time came for the swap.
Best of luck!! You'll love the extra space!!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

^great advice.
And fwiw , both my tank are Christmas babies.

 

[Maritimer]

That's how I came by my big one ... a formerly filled tank with the same "Megaflow" overflows. Unless there's a reason to rush (other than you wanna see your finned friends in bigger digs!), feel free to let it sit with some vinegar right through the holidays, and focus on it ... when you can focus on it.

That is one seriously tall stand!! - But you wouldn't have to get on a ladder to feed the fish. I drop food into the return chamber of my sump, and let it blast out through the returns. Frenzy follows, as each fish tries to snatch bits of food screaming past at 2,500 gph . . .

~Bruce

 

[Susan Edwards]

@Maritimer @ndrwater no big rush this time around as there is so much to research and learn and I want to take my time. I'll probably keep my 66 gal AIO as its in my office and the new tank is for the living room but you never know. I am ditching the display refugium as I never got it plumbed together. Dau is giving me her RS 40 AIO for a frag tank. I have to find out from hubby how much weight the 2 piano movers can take. Tank is sitting on 2 of them because of the pipes sticking out the bottom. If I can fill it, I'll have to just scrub. What ratio of vinegar to water should I use? If I can fill to before it overflows into overflows, how much vinegar to 135 gal.

And lol's on your feeding method....

@Mark Gray @cracker thanks

 

[Maritimer]

I wouldn't try to fill the tank while it's on "piano movers" - get it onto a proper stand, so that its entire length is correctly supported. Filling it while only partially supported sounds like a good way to crack the glass . . .

I used ... don't remember if it was 50/50 vinegar and hot water, or straight vinegar - in a spray bottle. Sprayed it onto deposits I wanted to address, let it sit a while, repeat if needed. Stuff came off pretty easily, IIRC.

~Bruce

 

[Susan Edwards]

Thanks @Maritimer I figured I couldn't fill with water. Plan to remove plumbing today and hose it out to get rid of sand in bottom--I'll have to add some water, not much and syphon out and see how bad it is <g>. then I'll spray vinegar and let it sit

 

[ksfulk]

Another way to *soak* those deposits is to soak paper towels (or regular towels if you have extra grungy ones) in the vinegar solution and then lay them over the areas you want soaked. That way you dont have to fill the whole tank up and used 30 gallons of vinegar. Ive used this method a couple of times, and it works pretty well. You just slap the wet paper towel onto the area you want soak, it clings to the glass/plastic and then you can just remove them once they have dried or spray/resoak them while in place for a longer treatment.

 

[Susan Edwards]

great idea @ksfulk I just managed to get the sump, prob. 40 gal out of the cabinet on the trailer (cabinet going to dump) Had to saw thru the braces on the back as I couldn't just remove the back. Managed to get it to ground without incident! Even ran water thru it on it's side to get the ick out. Again, why do people sell things that are gross.... Inch deep in muck. Not sure I can use it without redoing completely. The drain side is way too big, no refugium, no bubble traps, flow just goes under baffles. Not sure it's worth the effort to start new on it. What do you think?
Before rinsing out ick