Dave's Life Aquatic (180 build)
- Thread starter davewbush
- Start date
davewbush
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I was looking at the tank full of ro/di water, wondering why I was just looking at. I pluged in both heaters, one return pump, the koralia 3 and 4, and started adding salt. I put 195 gal in the tank and sump. The refugium is off line right now. I am waiting on 2 barb fittings. The refugium will hold about 8 gal, giving me about 208 gal total. I used a whole 5 gal bucket of Kent Marine salt. When I checked the sal. a little while a go it was 1.020. I added about a 1/4 of a bucket more. I will check it in the morning.
These are 1 1/2 inch ball valves that go down to 1 inch hose. After I put them in I saw that I could of put the back one facing down and it would of been easier to get to. It is still easy to get to and turn. I was going to use plumbers tape to hold up the pipes but thought it might rust, so I used a thick string instead.
The 1 inch hose runs into 1 1/2 inch unions and then into the 1 1/2 inch pipe, which I'm going to reduce back down to 1 inch. Without the unions I can't get the pipes out of the filter sock to get it out.
Side door view.
This is where the skimmer is going to sit.
Sump side under tank.
These are 1 1/2 inch ball valves that go down to 1 inch hose. After I put them in I saw that I could of put the back one facing down and it would of been easier to get to. It is still easy to get to and turn. I was going to use plumbers tape to hold up the pipes but thought it might rust, so I used a thick string instead.
The 1 inch hose runs into 1 1/2 inch unions and then into the 1 1/2 inch pipe, which I'm going to reduce back down to 1 inch. Without the unions I can't get the pipes out of the filter sock to get it out.
Side door view.
This is where the skimmer is going to sit.
Sump side under tank.
welldigger
New member
I gotta ask,
What skimmer are you planning on using in that sump? I can't imagine there is enough room between the top edge of the sump and the door opening to fit a big enough skimmer for that tank.
What skimmer are you planning on using in that sump? I can't imagine there is enough room between the top edge of the sump and the door opening to fit a big enough skimmer for that tank.
davewbush
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wellgigger, every one seems to be worried about this. If you look at the last pic, the egg crate stand is the same size as the skimmer, an Aqua C 180. The opening from the top of the sump to the frame is 6 inches, the Aqua C is 5 inches. Top of sump to underside of the stand is 11.5 inches, skimmer stand to underside of tank is 21 inches. The skimmer is 19 inches tall and takes less than 3/4 of an inch to take the cup off. If I up grade the skimmer one day, I will go up to the next size Aqua C. I can also remove the refugium if need be, to get better acsess to the sump. I have 13.5 inches between the sump and center braces of the stand. The sump is 48x18x22.
davewbush
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Things I need to do today. Clean rock, I should of been done with this but I've been lazy. 75% of my rock is clean and the other 25% just needs to be rinsed out and srubed. This shouldn't take to long. Once this is done and the the sal. in the tank is where I want it, I will lay out all of my rock on the kitchen floor, and start aquascaping. I will let it sit over night and take another look at it in the morning to make sure I'm happy with it, and then add the sand. I should be able to transfer my corals and fish over by Tuesday. I don't think I will have to much of a cycle because the rock is already cured and been in an established tank for many years. It will be like doing a big water change.
After reading many threads and moving my tanks more times than I ever wanted to, I will only use a few gallons of a old water from my 90 in the new tank. I agree with the thought that most of the bacteria I need is on the live rock and sand I kept in my blue bucket to seed with, not flowting around in the water.
The sal. in the morning was 1.021. I added more salt and last check was 1.023. I added 5 more cups of salt and will check in a few hours. This will give me time to clean the rock.
After reading many threads and moving my tanks more times than I ever wanted to, I will only use a few gallons of a old water from my 90 in the new tank. I agree with the thought that most of the bacteria I need is on the live rock and sand I kept in my blue bucket to seed with, not flowting around in the water.
The sal. in the morning was 1.021. I added more salt and last check was 1.023. I added 5 more cups of salt and will check in a few hours. This will give me time to clean the rock.
welldigger
New member
I guess the picture is decieving. It didn't look like you had enough room to fit the skimmer in there but it sounds like you thought that over very well. I run the same skimmer on my 90. Good luck with the tank! I'll check back Tuesday to see your livestock in their new home!
davewbush
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Dave's live of rock.
First tank I bought came with 20 pounds of live rock (2 pieses of Malaysian shelf and some Fiji). I found 50 lbs of live Fiji rock on ebay from a person in Texas ($50 shipped, back in 2004). A few weeks after that I bought another 40 lbs for $50 (Fiji, a few pieces of Tanga Branch, and some aptasia). My next venture was a nano tank. Got nano pack from DFS (17 lbs assorted, want to say $120 shipped). Then I started up my 90 gal and ordered 90 lbs of DFS Lalo Select and 31 lbs of Tanga Shelf (this was in 2005, I didn't notice the shipping rate for this and it was close to $750 shipped, over $200 shipping, would never do that again). This adds up to 248 lbs. This sounds about right. I think my scale is off a little and I didn't weigh every thing at once. This is why there could be a difference in what I thought I had.
I started cleaning my rock in February. Here is about 120lbs of it. Over the last three months I have been using a turkey baster to get all the gunk out of the cracks. I would also take my old water from water changes and dunk the rock, letting the water was anything away. One of my goals in this build was to have my rock so clean that when I put it in the tank, I didn't see any cloudiness. I don't want any detrius left on the rock, nothing to feed GHA.
Last month I pulled out some of my rock from my 90 gal sump and added it to the blue bucket.
This is what was left in the sump.
Today I took the rest of the rock out of the sump and all of the other rock and hit it with the turley baster, a bristle brush in one tub, and then a dunk and drain in another tub. Took over 3 hours.
My kitchen/temp fish room, with cleaning buckets and 90gal. The dogs have ocean front dinning.
After this I laid out all of the rock and weighed it as I put it in the tank.
First tank I bought came with 20 pounds of live rock (2 pieses of Malaysian shelf and some Fiji). I found 50 lbs of live Fiji rock on ebay from a person in Texas ($50 shipped, back in 2004). A few weeks after that I bought another 40 lbs for $50 (Fiji, a few pieces of Tanga Branch, and some aptasia). My next venture was a nano tank. Got nano pack from DFS (17 lbs assorted, want to say $120 shipped). Then I started up my 90 gal and ordered 90 lbs of DFS Lalo Select and 31 lbs of Tanga Shelf (this was in 2005, I didn't notice the shipping rate for this and it was close to $750 shipped, over $200 shipping, would never do that again). This adds up to 248 lbs. This sounds about right. I think my scale is off a little and I didn't weigh every thing at once. This is why there could be a difference in what I thought I had.
I started cleaning my rock in February. Here is about 120lbs of it. Over the last three months I have been using a turkey baster to get all the gunk out of the cracks. I would also take my old water from water changes and dunk the rock, letting the water was anything away. One of my goals in this build was to have my rock so clean that when I put it in the tank, I didn't see any cloudiness. I don't want any detrius left on the rock, nothing to feed GHA.
Last month I pulled out some of my rock from my 90 gal sump and added it to the blue bucket.
This is what was left in the sump.
Today I took the rest of the rock out of the sump and all of the other rock and hit it with the turley baster, a bristle brush in one tub, and then a dunk and drain in another tub. Took over 3 hours.
My kitchen/temp fish room, with cleaning buckets and 90gal. The dogs have ocean front dinning.
After this I laid out all of the rock and weighed it as I put it in the tank.
davewbush
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About 95% of my rock hasen't seen light in 4 months. And of that, 50% of it hasen't seen light in over 2 years. That is why most of it doesen't have much color. I should come back fast.
First to go in was a 10 lbs piece followed by my biggest piece that was 22 lbs.
Left side.
Right side.
Right side differnt angle.
Full tank shot.
I've changed the center a little and will get more pics today after I put the sand in. This is 97 lbs of live rock in the dt, according to my scale which I think is off. I think its more like 110. I have a few more big pieces of rock with corals on them that will go in today or tomorrow. This will bring the total up to 120 in the dt. I don't think I went minimal in the dt, but I am happy with it. It will probable change a little over the next few weeks, not muck though.
Achieved my goal of putting in super clean rock. I didn't see anything come off when I placed all of the rock in the system. This should realy help my phos levels. With macro algaes in my refugium, I shouldn't have to worry about GHA again. The macro algae should eat up anything before GHA has any chance of coming back.
First to go in was a 10 lbs piece followed by my biggest piece that was 22 lbs.
Left side.
Right side.
Right side differnt angle.
Full tank shot.
I've changed the center a little and will get more pics today after I put the sand in. This is 97 lbs of live rock in the dt, according to my scale which I think is off. I think its more like 110. I have a few more big pieces of rock with corals on them that will go in today or tomorrow. This will bring the total up to 120 in the dt. I don't think I went minimal in the dt, but I am happy with it. It will probable change a little over the next few weeks, not muck though.
Achieved my goal of putting in super clean rock. I didn't see anything come off when I placed all of the rock in the system. This should realy help my phos levels. With macro algaes in my refugium, I shouldn't have to worry about GHA again. The macro algae should eat up anything before GHA has any chance of coming back.
davewbush
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Here are a few shots of the sump. I have 130 lbs of live rock in the center chamber. The baffel between the filter sock and live rock has holes drilled in it starting 6 inches from the bottom and stoping 2 inches from the top. I did this to help get an even flow through the live rock. The egg crate under the live rock is aslo up 1/4 of an inch off the bottom, on legs, so the water can flow under it too.
davewbush
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I didn't get much done today. I put the sand in and clouded up the water. Everything should be settled in the tank by morning. I will blow off the rocks and smooth out the sand. Once it settles again I will start to move my live stock over.
In the morning, before I put the sand in, I saw a skinny white worm about 3 inches long and a few pods. They must of been hanging onto the rock tight when I cleaned it. I also ordered a few things from reftopia today. 24 blue legged hermit crabs, 12 peperment shrimp, 2 sand sifting conchs, 12 nassarius snails, 8 star snails, 2 neon blue gobis, and single blue ricordia. This was $124. I asked for Wednesday delivery. Everyting should be transfered over and online by Tuesday. After this I will wait a month then order the rest of my live stock for the tank. Everything else I will stock the tank with will come from Vivid Aquariums.
In the morning, before I put the sand in, I saw a skinny white worm about 3 inches long and a few pods. They must of been hanging onto the rock tight when I cleaned it. I also ordered a few things from reftopia today. 24 blue legged hermit crabs, 12 peperment shrimp, 2 sand sifting conchs, 12 nassarius snails, 8 star snails, 2 neon blue gobis, and single blue ricordia. This was $124. I asked for Wednesday delivery. Everyting should be transfered over and online by Tuesday. After this I will wait a month then order the rest of my live stock for the tank. Everything else I will stock the tank with will come from Vivid Aquariums.
davewbush
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Day 2 of sand storm. Can't see much. Things clear a little and then I smooth the sand and fill in places and it clouds up again. I put to much sand in so I took out 10 pounds or so and put it in the refugium. I cleand out the filter sock, need to do it again. I bouught 14 filter socks over the last 6 months and plan on changing ever 3 days. All it has in it now is sediment from the sand, so I rinse it out and put it back in. I will put a new one in when I move my live stock over. This should be tomorrow. If not you will see, Day 3 of sand storm...
davewbush
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Everything looks good right now. The sand has settled. In the morring I will blow off the rest off the rock, which isn't to much, wipe down everything inside the tank (and sump where I can reach), and then let everything settle again. Shouldn't take more than a few hours. Then goes in my live stock.
In the last year, the only 2 fish I have had in my tank are 2 Ocellaris Clowns. There going to have a big tank to swim around in now. Wednesday they will get 2 friends, 2 neon blue gobies. I only have a few corals to transfer over too. Shouldn't be to bad. I also got the last power brite glued to my t5s.
In the last year, the only 2 fish I have had in my tank are 2 Ocellaris Clowns. There going to have a big tank to swim around in now. Wednesday they will get 2 friends, 2 neon blue gobies. I only have a few corals to transfer over too. Shouldn't be to bad. I also got the last power brite glued to my t5s.
davewbush
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Morning time. Wondered if I was going to be able to see in the tank. Went out to the living room and everything looked good. This was at 5 am. I blew out my rock to get all the sand out of it, wipped down the inside of the tank, and then went back to bed.
I woke up at 8:30, watered the yard, and then started working on the tank again. By 2pm this is what the tank looked like:
I woke up at 8:30, watered the yard, and then started working on the tank again. By 2pm this is what the tank looked like:
davewbush
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Thank you ctmgardea.
I will get some pics up today of the tank with just sand before I moved everything else over. I got the refugium online yesterday too. Everything is happy and going well.
All comments, questions, and concerns are welcome. I think I know the direction I'm going in, but things always change. Thank you every one for looking.
I will get some pics up today of the tank with just sand before I moved everything else over. I got the refugium online yesterday too. Everything is happy and going well.
All comments, questions, and concerns are welcome. I think I know the direction I'm going in, but things always change. Thank you every one for looking.
davewbush
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Yesterday morning started out with me seeing a worm. I left it in the tank. Has had to be with me for a least 4 1/2 years and hasn't hurt any thing yet. Here is a pic. It's the white line on the grey puddie.
When I put the sand in I used 5 bags (150 lbs) of Carib. Sea sugar sized aragamax and one bag of Carib Sea Fiji pink arag-alive (20 lbs).
When all was done I took out about 10 lbs and put it in the refuguim. It was a little to much for the tank.
This is what my tank looked like for almost 2 days.
Left side
Center
Right side
Few more pics
When I put the sand in I used 5 bags (150 lbs) of Carib. Sea sugar sized aragamax and one bag of Carib Sea Fiji pink arag-alive (20 lbs).
When all was done I took out about 10 lbs and put it in the refuguim. It was a little to much for the tank.
This is what my tank looked like for almost 2 days.
Left side
Center
Right side
Few more pics
davewbush
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About 2 months ago I ordered some macro algae: cheto, sea grass, gracillaris, caulerpa, ulva, and some mangroves. I put all of these directly into my 90 gal to eat up some of the phos and help with the gha. After planting the caulerpa, it died back causing the gha to go crazy and the cheto. Once the caulerpa was established it took off. The ulva didn't hold up to good and I was worried about it getting cought in my strainer in the fugium, so I took it out.
When I set up the refugium, I set it up with a 6 inch deep sand bed on one side, 3 to 4 inches of sand in the middle (I know this is not a good depth, but it is not very much. If I see problems, I will add more sand), and I'm going to put a little sand under the cheto today, in the last compatment.
When I transfered everything over, I cut the caulerpa way back. If it gets out of hand in the future, I will take all of it out. I put the whole clump of cheto in and plan on cutting it in half soon and having 2 balls of it in the refugium. The gracillaris went over fine, but I don't know how it will do. I will keep my eye on it. I planted the sea grass in the middle compartment. This has been doing great in my 90 gal. In the back on top of the dsb I have a piece of live rock that has mushrooms, zoas, and some halieda that came up by itself. I first bought the piece of live rock with a yellow fiji on it and some zoas. The fiji lasted a few years and then I lost it. Over the years the zoas grew and I had some mushrooms spread onto it. When we moved into this house, I noticed that I had one piece of halieda growing and over the last few months, it has taken off too.
The refugium is powered by one of the return pumps. It goes through a fluval 404 and I control the flow with the flow control on top of the fluval. I have 6 bags of chmi-pure in the 404 and a little bit of bio glass. If I have to run GAC, I will run it in here too. Its running about 180-200 gph.
I'll get some better pics soon.
Here is a shot of everything under the tank.
I put the protein skimmer in today also. No problems at all.
When I set up the refugium, I set it up with a 6 inch deep sand bed on one side, 3 to 4 inches of sand in the middle (I know this is not a good depth, but it is not very much. If I see problems, I will add more sand), and I'm going to put a little sand under the cheto today, in the last compatment.
When I transfered everything over, I cut the caulerpa way back. If it gets out of hand in the future, I will take all of it out. I put the whole clump of cheto in and plan on cutting it in half soon and having 2 balls of it in the refugium. The gracillaris went over fine, but I don't know how it will do. I will keep my eye on it. I planted the sea grass in the middle compartment. This has been doing great in my 90 gal. In the back on top of the dsb I have a piece of live rock that has mushrooms, zoas, and some halieda that came up by itself. I first bought the piece of live rock with a yellow fiji on it and some zoas. The fiji lasted a few years and then I lost it. Over the years the zoas grew and I had some mushrooms spread onto it. When we moved into this house, I noticed that I had one piece of halieda growing and over the last few months, it has taken off too.
The refugium is powered by one of the return pumps. It goes through a fluval 404 and I control the flow with the flow control on top of the fluval. I have 6 bags of chmi-pure in the 404 and a little bit of bio glass. If I have to run GAC, I will run it in here too. Its running about 180-200 gph.
I'll get some better pics soon.
Here is a shot of everything under the tank.
I put the protein skimmer in today also. No problems at all.
mikeanddanielle
In Memoriam
Looking great
