This is it. My last build thread

[exnisstech]

Before reading anything I saw the pool and thought "You gotta be kidding me!".

Love it lol. I did try to set up a 15ft pool in the basement for an arrowana years ago. I couldn't sell the idea to my Gal even after I told her she could swim in it with the fish and it would be like swimming with dolphins

 

[Reefering1]

I was thinking similar thought about the pool. Just start slow, run it as salt water pool "to keep the bugs out".. then get more circulation, "like a swim spa".. before you know it we got corals and fish in it

 

[twentyleagues]

Before reading anything I saw the pool and thought "You gotta be kidding me!".

well thats what I would have done. Probably one reason I am no longer married.....lol

 

[exnisstech]

well thats what I would have done. Probably one reason I am no longer married.....lol

I skipped the marriage part this time so she's been my Gal for 30 years. She rarely tries to get me to not do things but when she does she's ussualy right and if I follow along I don't have to listen to the "I told you not not to do it" being repeated which gets very annoying so occasionally I listen

 

[exnisstech]

5/4/24
Started the big move last night. I had no idea how much stuff grows in the dark. The 180 had its own in tank cryptic zone where the rock didn't get light. Probably not surprising to many of you but this is my first time tearing down a mature tank. The 180 was on auto pilot getting nothing but kalk and an occasional water change. Hopefully I can the 330 to the same level but will try and keep the cryptic zone in the sump so the display is cleaner looking.

I'll probably bring this stuff over and toss it in the sump of the 330. Since I'm trying to run without a skimmer I'm just going to fill the rest of the sump up with this stuff

This one seems to love the dirty water from all the crap I stirred up.

Whats left. Much of this I'll toss in the stock tank and decide what to do later. I don't want the palys and xenia in the new tank. I'm not even sure I want the monticaps. They take up so much space when they take off. I want hiding areas for fish but also want to keep a lot of swim space open for the tangs.

I went ahead and pulled all of the tangs and tossed them in the 330. I put all the larger rocks and monti in buckets so catching was pretty easy. Easiest was my flame angel. It fell out of the big green monti into my hand when I was placing it in the bucket. Still haven't pulled the acro colony that I keep saying is next
I noticed my naso had a cloudy eye and white spots. I freaked and I thought my Gal was gonna cry. The naso is our oldest fish. The white spots turned out to be sand. The eye I'm hoping is an injury since I never noticed it untill last night after I started tearing the tank apart. She's active in the new tank but didn't eat this morning. That's not surprising. If a helicopter picked me up and dropped me into a foreign land I probably wouldn't eat for a while either.
Her other eye is clear so I'm optimistic she'll recover.

No one is bothering the little yellows or mingi. The convict being first in thinks he is king and giving the yellow some grief but not having a scalpel makes it all just for show. I think moving them all in at once just before lights out was the right choice.

This morning. Colors sure pop against the white rocks. I better enjoy that while it lasts.

Two damsels, 1 yellow tail chromis and the lawnmower blenny to get out and then out with the 180. Goal is to have it out and the floor finished by Monday. I'll try to get some pics to show the kids here how an old guy moves 6 ft tanks alone

 

[exnisstech]

Just a quick update on the surf algae scrubber. It's growing algae

 

[exnisstech]

5/6/24 All moved in

180 is down and out. I usually like to stand tanks on end using a padded 2 wheeler and roll them out but I didn't feel like sucking all the nasty out with my shop vac so I just slid the tank and stand over to the front door, slid tank out onto the pallet on the tractor forks then came back for the stand.

Doors off the stand and and my boy thought it was a tunnel. When he found out it was rocking on the thresh hold he figured out how fast he had to run through to get out before it hit when it tipped.

I'm happy with things so far. I was able to get my one and only acro colony off the back wall.

Be interesting to see if I can get another

Fish are all getting along well and the gang seems to be enjoying the extra swim room. I was able to catch my CBB from another tank and add him to keep aiptasia in check. I read a post about hitting them with light at night and scooping them up and it worked perfectly.

Till next time.

 

[907_Reefer]

Been following along, new setup is looking awesome and I love the DIY-heavy-lifting. I too like to dabble, my best so far is a hot tub onto a 2nd story deck with a staircase converted ramp, jeep/winch, and some 6' wood dowels. Amen.

 

[907_Reefer]

Double post

 

[VintageReefer]

Just a quick update on the surf algae scrubber. It's growing algae

The very dark algae is a form of slime algae, it’s extremely nutrient dense. Eventually this will phase out, but it’s a sign things are moving in the right direction

I harvested my surf today, this is the normal stuff it grows once you are out of the beginning stages

 

[exnisstech]

Been following along, new setup is looking awesome and I love the DIY-heavy-lifting. I too like to dabble, my best so far is a hot tub onto a 2nd story deck with a staircase converted ramp, jeep/winch, and some 6' wood dowels. Amen.

My heaviest was a 900lb gun safe up 3 steps then to the end of the house. No jeep but used an atv with winch and a strap up over the rafters. Once I was all finished I found out I could have removed the door and made it quite a bit lighter

 

[907_Reefer]

My heaviest was a 900lb gun safe up 3 steps then to the end of the house. No jeep but used an atv with winch and a strap up over the rafters. Once I was all finished I found out I could have removed the door and made it quite a bit lighter

Love it! Always had mine on the ground level, but ATV + winch to unload and lift was required as well. Then 1" steel rounds cut to 2' to glide across the basement like butter. Moved it 250 miles a few years later. Only a little 600 lb-er though

 

[Rappa]

Forks are so awesome aren't they????!!!!!! Can't imagine not having them...

 

[TokenReefer]

i agree. Forks are are great!

 

[exnisstech]

Forks are so awesome aren't they????!!!!!! Can't imagine not having them...

One of those things I should have bought 30 years ago. Out with the old sump. Had to man handle up the basement stairs. Seemed like it was a lot heavier than when I took it down

 

[Rappa]

One of those things I should have bought 30 years ago. Out with the old sump. Had to man handle up the basement stairs. Seemed like it was a lot heavier than when I took it down

Hope you meant to do that!!!! lol

 

[exnisstech]

Hipe you meant to do that!!!! lol

I did lol. Was going to give it away but noticed it had salt creep around the frame and I had drilled it for an external pump so I pitched it.

I do have this tank and stand up for grabs $100 if anyone wants to come and get it zip 44880 and I'll help load it 180g 72x24x24 not drilled
Then

Now

Stand construction

 

[exnisstech]

Not much going on. NO3 is hanging at 11 and PO4 at 0.3ish which is very close where the the old tank ran. I haven't had to start dosing yet. Alk started at 10.7 and is gradually dropping. It was 9.3 yesterday. I didn't bring the big monti caps over so I think they were my biggest consumers. I want to keep it between 8 - 9. It works for me and leaves a bit of room in both directions if needed. I think I'll start of with esv 2 part since I have it on hand and have started all my tank using it so it's familiar. Eventually I would like to switch to AFR. I've been using it on my reefer 300 and alk and calcium has been super stable.
I've been dosing 3ml bacto balance daily along with 30 ml microbacter7 and 12 drops of zeobac twice I week. I'm getting film algae but so far the only green algae is in the scrubber. I did my first 10% WC the other day. I'm going to test weekly (alk daily) and watch things. I would like to be able to do minimal water changes but haven't determined what minimal will be. I would like to get by with monthly 10% changes but we'll see.
I have to say at this point this really is my dream tank. I have coral tanks but fish have always been my thing. I think it's a carry over from fresh water and raising juvies up to almost dinner plate size fish. I've never had a tank with this much swim room for the fish. It is so nice to watch them out and about and not having to dodge rocks but still have plenty of hiding places and swim throughs.

Chow time

 

[twentyleagues]

Not much going on. NO3 is hanging at 11 and PO4 at 0.3ish which is very close where the the old tank ran. I haven't had to start dosing yet. Alk started at 10.7 and is gradually dropping. It was 9.3 yesterday. I didn't bring the big monti caps over so I think they were my biggest consumers. I want to keep it between 8 - 9. It works for me and leaves a bit of room in both directions if needed. I think I'll start of with esv 2 part since I have it on hand and have started all my tank using it so it's familiar. Eventually I would like to switch to AFR. I've been using it on my reefer 300 and alk and calcium has been super stable.
I've been dosing 3ml bacto balance daily along with 30 ml microbacter7 and 12 drops of zeobac twice I week. I'm getting film algae but so far the only green algae is in the scrubber. I did my first 10% WC the other day. I'm going to test weekly (alk daily) and watch things. I would like to be able to do minimal water changes but haven't determined what minimal will be. I would like to get by with monthly 10% changes but we'll see.
I have to say at this point this really is my dream tank. I have coral tanks but fish have always been my thing. I think it's a carry over from fresh water and raising juvies up to almost dinner plate size fish. I've never had a tank with this much swim room for the fish. It is so nice to watch them out and about and not having to dodge rocks but still have plenty of hiding places and swim throughs.

Chow time

That looks really nice!

 

[Rappa]

That came out sick! Love it...............