WVNeds's Tanks

[WVNed]

Well

Just been screwing around a lot. My it's cold in here.

One of my favorite fish died today. It had a spot by it's tail. Looked like the scales were missing, no swelling or redness. maybe a bit greyish. Tail was normal, normal behavior. I though let's get rid of that. I set up the 40 breeder, siphoned 30 gallons into it from the system, added an air stone and a heater. When I fed the tank it came up and I netted it easily. I put the fish in and it swam down and went in a PVC tube I placed in the tank. I dosed Kanaplex for 30 gallons.
Dead 40 minutes later. I have no idea. 6 inch long banded sleeper goby.

 

[WVNed]

So the light is square to the tank now. The overflow works correctly now. Nutrient Transport Mode at 90% with 4 MP60s doesn't put water on top of the lids now. The return pumps aren't turned down anymore.
Between the fish wars and the overflow the tank is an giant salt covered mess. Now I can clean that up.
This is where I want to run the light at 9 inches. I need to modify the shade so it fits here. Or make a new one.

The fish is living in my sump and will go in the 180.
The stand is waiting for paint. I will probably enclose the center section for the pumps controllers and light power bricks and just have a shelf left and right.

Now to make the sump bigger. I think it will be as simple as changing the 100 gallon stock tank for a 150.

 

[WVNed]

150 gallon stock tank is here.

For lighting I have decided on a hybrid fixture with 3 AI Hydra 32 HDs in 2 Aquatic life Coral Cover fixtures, A 4 foot one and a 2 foot one. If I used 2 x 3 foot ones I would not be able to mount a light in the center of the tank. I think this will be more than enough for anything I add. It totals 498 watts and all of it is controllable.

No bulbs to change - No offense fishguy242.

While fixing the light on the 240 I managed to mess my left shoulder up so I haven't done anything for a few days except eat painkillers and not sleep. The only thing that seems to be helping is not moving my left arm at the shoulder at all.

I don't think I am going to put the shade back on. Now that the light hangs correctly it looks fine to me. It was tipped a bit before so it shot light into the room.

Now to bring some plywood home and finish the stand. I am going to enclose the center section to hold the pump controllers and power bricks and have just a shelf left and right on the bottom. Maybe grow lights and I can stick some plants there.

 

[WVNed]

I was making good headway until I tore my shoulder up straightening the light.

I did some cleaning and testing

 

[cmaxwell39]

Sorry to hear you tore your shoulder up, but I always look forward to your updates. You just go for it once you get an idea in your head. So often I try to analyze a new idea from every possible angle. I love how you just go for it and figure it out as you go along.

 

[WVNed]

Sorry to hear you tore your shoulder up, but I always look forward to your updates. You just go for it once you get an idea in your head. So often I try to analyze a new idea from every possible angle. I love how you just go for it and figure it out as you go along.

I have always been this way. By the time other people get their plans finished, I am done.

When I mounted the pulleys over the tank I got the left one off by 1.5 inches. So I fixed it but while pushing and fastening the new wood blocks in the ceiling my shoulder went crunch. I had to get it finished the next day to get the lights off the tank. That really finished of the shoulder. Now the lights hang straight with each other and square to the tank. I am not going to put the cover back on yet if at all. Kind of liking the industrial look for a change

 

[WVNed]

The cynical part of me kicked in this morning. So I am checking behind myself.

One 61 inch T5 hybrid = 4 x 80 = 310watts
$519
$100 in bulbs every 1.5 years
T5 is a known thing. Without any add in LED lights this would keep what I have in the 75 gallon tank now.
I can add 3 Kessil A360x to this. At 6-8 inches the Kessils have the same hanging height as T5s to produce their perfect spread. Smart outlet to run T5s.
Hung 7-8 inches over tank
270 + 310 = 580 watts
519+100+548+449+449 =$2065

2 Coral Covers above = ~200 watts
$1000
Not a known thing. BRS does not test this fixture by itself. Only shows that is ads some par to a single A360X over a cube. I spent some time today checking this.
Plus 3 Hydra 32s
~$2200
Hydras require a higher hanging height (12 inches) to get an even spread. If you hang this build at 10 inches averaging what the 2 types of lights used need it will work but you have shoved both types out of the sweet spot where they work the best. A poor compromise IMHO.

Well
2 Coral Covers plus 3 A360x
~$2500 Nah

For that cost I could go with 3 Orphek Atlantik Icons with end to end coverage of the tank LED only.
Promo $795 each X 3 (until February 22)
~600 watts
15 inch mounting height
$2385
This is serious overkill for the stuff I keep though.

So plans change. I want this to come out exactly right the first time.

 

[WVNed]

The new sump layout.
6 Incoming drains dump into 40 gallon stock tank from top. Drains will be open pipes the same height as the tanks with a tee that dumps into the 40 over the top. Make sock holder for stock tank for 4x7 inch socks if I want to use them.
Tank I have now with holes in bottom gone.

40 gallon has 2 x 2 inch bulkheads in the side and drains to 100 gallon tank. 100 sits on concrete blocks so it is 8 inches higher than 150 on floor. Skimmers and reactors go in a fixed water level. 2 x 2 inch drains set water level and drain to 150 on floor.
May turn 100 tank 90 degrees and sit 75 beside it. I will see if the 29 will fit at end of 100 gallon tank.

150 holds return pumps.

3 cascaded stock tanks. 40, 100, 150 gallons. All here now.

It's a plan. I have everything here except the 2 inch pipe and 1 valve. Each tank will drain to the next with 1 full siphon and 1 open drain

 

[WVNed]

I have a Raccoon butterfly, Banded sleeper goby and filefish coming from Bluezoo today.
Dr appt at 9 am and then stop at HD for plywood to finish stand. Says sunny and 60 on Sunday. Painting maybe.

 

[WVNed]

Time for the Kilz
Then Back in Black
Which just happens to be the ringtone on my phone

 

[WVNed]

Eating his squid. I believe the smallest has become the largest.

 

[WVNed]

The stand is black
But it needs another coat. Maybe tomorrow, it's supposed to be 70 again with a flood watch.
Or maybe it will float away.

 

[WVNed]

Well I bought something. On sale or price drops suck me right in. I am also a sucker for new things.
The winner was none of the above.
I decided on...covers the whole length of the tank (61 inch hybrid out) ... symmetrical (24+48 inch Nope).... no bulbs to change... UNDER $200 okay sold.
NP K7 V3 coral reef LED light 140W Full spectrum aquarium lighting × 4

36" Coral Cover Hybrid LED Light Fixture - Aquatic Life SKU: 250202

2​

so thats what is going to light these guys new home.

I bought a new PVC pipe plier type cutter today that works up to 2.5 inches.

Next I have to figure out how to get the 75 out of the way and redo the sump.

 

[WVNed]

The Coral Covers are here. I put one together

Actually not easy. Soft self tapping hex head screws that strip the heads before tightened. I used some RC car screws I could drive in with an electric screwdriver. Also not mentioned is that the end plates have to go a certain way or the light wont fit. So you fight to get the crappy screws in and then take one off to turn it around. There are notches the power cords fit in.
This is at 4%
I think they will be fine.

 

[WVNed]

The cute crab is rather formidable since it's last molt. He still comes to be fed though. He can get all the way out of the water now. Good thing a bigger home is coming soon,

I wonder if anyone else has a trained crab.

 

[Lowell Lemon]

The cute crab is rather formidable since it's last molt. He still comes to be fed though. He can get all the way out of the water now. Good thing a bigger home is coming soon,

I wonder if anyone else has a trained crab.

Just don't give him a knife. Lol!

 

[Lowell Lemon]

Maybe you should 3d print a gun for him to wave around and make some meme gold!

 

[WVNed]

Maybe you should 3d print a gun for him to wave around and make some meme gold!

I was thinking of little steps so he can still come see me when in the 100 gallon stock tank.

Watch for Gangsta Crab on Youtube

 

[WVNed]

Appalachian Sea collective created. The new Hydros X4 is in service.

 

[WVNed]

Lights have shipped from Hong Kong
I should be able to finish the stand by tomorrow
Harbor freight has a lift table for $250 dollars. No one rents them here. I could then set a 350 gallon tank by myself.
And the 75, 40 and 29. This would be a nice capability to have. Just like no more carrying buckets of water.
It lifts to 27.5 inches. Easy to shim it up to 30 under the tanks.
Now for the changes to the fish room. Lots of options. Easy versus fixing everything bugging me to something in between. An example would be mounting the dosers lower to the ground making filling the bottles easier.

I need to clean the room up good first, move stuff to the garage for now and measure what fits best where.
I could make the sump so I could almost walk all the way around it.