There's a first time for everything : 29 g newbie

[Stang67]

Omg this upgrade is taking forever. Meanwhile back in the 29g things are status quo. I did lose a zoa/paly. It was a superman I got in a live sale that never really did well in the tank. Rarely opened and didn't grow any new heads. First loss not bad considering. Still doing weekly tests and water changes. Had a bit of a hiccup with my Phos and NI but getting that back under control with extra water changes. Seeing some micro algae starting. I think it's ulva or sea lettuce so I think I will need to freshen up my cuc. Also lost some which is what caused the spikes.
Fireplace is blocked up so next will be the new floor. Hopefully by Christmas.

 

[Jon Fishman]

Hey, I’m in Lakewood, just let me know if you need help on any tank projects..... I’m pretty awful at plumbing, so no help there.....

Following

 

[Stang67]

Hey, I’m in Lakewood, just let me know if you need help on any tank projects..... I’m pretty awful at plumbing, so no help there.....

Following

Thanks John!!

 

[Stang67]

After the holidays update......
Everything is status quo in the 29g. Have a little something going on because I was an idiot and didn't cover the top while I did some sanding but water changes seem to be helping. Basically the 29 is a holding tank now (soon to be a QT). I have removed the fireplace and built a false wall where the opening was. Filled and sanded now ready for some primer and paint. The new flooring looks amazing and should be completed this weekend. Called some guys about some new electrical for everything and there goes another 800$$. But its the "right" way. The new stand is complete and ready for paint. I am going with a white wash look to show off the grain in the wood. "New" tank back is painted and ready to go.
We leave on vacation in 2 wks so there is no way the new tank will be up and going by then only because we need about one more week. So the goal is by the 1 yr mark to have the new tank up. That's April 1. Plenty of time for any plumbing issues to come up and to quick cycle the new tank. I am going to be transferring all the rock from the 29 (@20lbs ish) and using maybe a cup or so of the sand. I have more dry rock in a tote ready to go and 40 lbs of nice new sand as well.
Next update will (hopefully) be closing out this thread and starting the new build thread for the tank that will be called "Hope". PS thank you to my SS this year again for the awesome lenses for my cell phone. taking pix is going to be great.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

Welcome, fellow reef addict!

 

[Enzodog]

Hi, interesting reading, good luck on your new build. I am 3 weeks in cycling a 29 biocube. Waiting is so difficult. Hoping mine works like yours did. Lorain county home

 

[Stang67]

Valentines day.....
Back from Vaca and the tank was a mess gha everywhere. So first thing was to get out what I could. Scrub every frag, I don't glue mine down, fw dip all the zoas, scrub down the one big rock, 50% wc and dose some micro bacter7. Also added chemipure blue bag and turned off the auto feeder that caused the entire fiasco. Then I got the flu. And by flu I mean the holy crap I'm going to die bug. I was in bed for a week. But during my trip downstairs to get soup or a popsicle I added microbacter once each day and fed frozen 2x. Turned lights down to only blues for 6 hrs at 30%. That friday I mananged another 50% wc. This week feeling much better and more of the same for the tank and its almost all gone. Done dosing and did another 20% wc sat. Crisis averted.
Now for the big news.....

The basement sump area is one step closer to being completed. Sump and stand moved in yesterday. Electrician is coming this week to give me some extra plugs here and up stairs for the new tank. New tank stand has been painted and the first coat of poly applied. Hoping to get the poly all done this week move the stand and the tank over here this weekend, get the plumbing done this weekend and get it wet by this time next week. There is a huge show here 2/29 and mama needs some new corals. Heres the new stand not painted.

 

[Stang67]

2/20 THE ELECTRICIAN IS HERE!!!!! oh and the dry rock that will be added to the new tank has cycled. I got some Dr. Tims for when the new tank is set up only bc i am using dry sand and in the event of any die off better to be safe. as long as the plumbing parts get here in time we will be on track. And if not well i can squeeze a few more frags in the 29g.
Now the question is adding more fish....in the 29 i only have 2 OC's and springsomthing Damsel. They are getting along great and everyone is happy. i will be setting up a fuge in the sump to start a pod population as Boyfriend would like a manderin. Id like to stay away from anthias and chromis. I was thinking simple like a goby/shrimp pair, bristletooth tang (or some other similar small that can make it in a 65) a blenny of some sort and a reef safe wrasse. Sand bed wont be too deep max 2 inches so something that can deal with that. Any other ideas?

 

[Stang67]

2/23 New Stand is here Just have to drill some holes for the plumbing and paint the inside, which is the goal for today. Electrician will be done on Wednesday. After he is done I hope to get water in the sump and new tank on Thursday. Let it run for 24 hrs or so just to make sure no leaks. Rinse the sand and scape it on Friday. The new rock is cycled in a rubbermaid container and I am going to put some of the rock from the 29g in the tank and the sump. Then add the Dr. Tims as an additional buffer. So its looking like the new build won't be "ready" for the stuff i get at the swap on 29th. It will be close tho. REALLY CLOSE. I think I am going to rig up another frag rack today just to be safe.
I also started gathering the stuff one needs to culture phyto and pods. Once the new tank is up and running for a few weeks I want to try my luck at that. I agree with the boyfriend on a dragonette of some sort so this would only make sense.
Happy Sunday and Peace Out. Pick of new stand when I get the chance.

 

[Stang67]

All ready for tomorrow. Paint interior of stand and doors, dry fit plumbing. I am so happy

 

[Stang67]

 

[Stang67]

2/25 dry fit plumbing. 1st Pic is under tank. 2nd Pic is basement sump.

I am going to have the electrician move the box up about 10inches and a got an outdoor cover for the whole plug as well.

 

[Stang67]

2/27 so today will be the moment of truth. I glued all the pvc last night. That along with the diluted vinegar I used to clean up everything was enough to make me open the house when it was below 30 degrees outside. I am going to do a quick check on the 29 and a water change. Then I am going to attach the overflow and return bulkheads and test the chamber first. I know neither the tank nor the sump leaks. I just hope none of my plumbing leaks. They know me by name in the plumbing section already. If the chamber aka bulkheads look ok then were gonna try with RODI. Then if were good tonight add the sand to the display and salt to the sump to mix and cross our fingers it holds overnight. Tomorrow pm will be the cycled dry rock and some dr. tims to the display and a piece of the live rock from the 29 to the sump.

 

[Stang67]

3/2 everything is good and holds water. Issues I am running into and trying to research is the "flushing" issue with the Durso set up. I initially thought the stand pipe was too short causing the "Hook" to be submerged more then halfway. so we drilled some holes in the cap. Not it. So I made the standpipe longer and covered some of the hole. Not it. We tried some other things but I got frustrated with things and figured I should just take a step back and do some more research. Good news is everything holds water, got some awesome corals at the swap on Saturday too. I don't know if anyone will see this but if you have any suggestions I am game.

 

[Stang67]

so i fiddled with it some more and found that ultimately my return pump is too strong so i am going to use the valve to regulate the flow for now until i can save up enough to get a smaller pump.

 

[Stang67]

3/4 Realized why i so oversized my return pump. Flow rate does NOT equal Turnover rate. I calculated turnover rate at 10X, as a result bought 2 return pumps that were too big. Will keep the one that is running now as a back up. Even tho its too big it will work in an emergency. The BIG one I will see about selling or trading for some coral eventually. Have the Sicce 3.0 on the way now. Got a good deal bc it was open box and I had a discount and points to use. That should give me about 250 gph for the head pressure i am dealing with. This should be right in the sweet spot of 3-5x TURNOVER for the 65g (80g tank and sump x3 is 240) Hopefully this, and fixing a leaky return line, will finalize the set up. Power heads (aka FLOW) are running and I tweaked them so I am getting little to no bald spots. I have everything up to temp and salinity is 35. I tested all the parameters of the 65g yesterday as well. It all looks good. Added some more ammonia just to be sure it cycled out in 24 hrs. If it does then I will move one of the 3 rocks over to the DT today. Tomorrow some (not all) of the CUC. Pump should be here on Friday so the big move will happen over the weekend.

 

[Stang67]

 

[Stang67]

3/5 Final Pump came today. switched it out and whala perfect turnover. No flushing no gurgling no throttling the flow. Running it all now and watching for any drips. that was a PITA to be sure.

 

[Stang67]

Upgrade completd

Better pix tomorrow I am beat.

 

[Stang67]

3/21 Saturday update time. Thing are going great. Skimmer is running 24/7 and keeping params right where i like them. Except for the Alk which has gotten down below 7 so I started dosing that to get it back up to 7.5 or so. I have also had issues with high Ca 500 and high MG 1500. Since starting the dosing early this week it has helped with the ca and mg. USING SALIFERT tests so I WOULD REALLY LIKE THE HANNA's.
I love the Hanna ULR Phos as well.
Corals are all happy and growing like crazy. Getting some diatoms so uglies are starting. I also realized that the issues I had back in January and when I came back from vacation was Bryopsis. It came over on the live rock i transferred to the new tank. There is not a lot just some spots on the old rock and on some of the snails. So I ordered some Reef Flux and will be dosing that next week. I went out and got some food at the lfs nearby and then because i am going stir crazy in the house went out to a shop about 45 min away and found.......
Cooter. He is our new red scooter dragonet blenny thing. I am currently acclimating him to the salinity in the tank with my HANNA SALINITY/TEMP pen tester He is a happy little guy. So that is the update here. Hopefully I can get some more good pix and get them posted soon.