(First Reef Tank Ever) **** 600gal Display **** 1300gal System

[Goodwin9]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10516316#post10516316 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cbui2
no problem, monthly electric bills is less then $350, water for month $40

Your lucky, your total electric doesn't cover one week of mine. Do you have a cold spell going on down there?

 

[cbui2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10515663#post10515663 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
See the thing is Bart, when I look around my tank room, I can't remember building any of it. I know I did it, and I know everyone around me thought I was nuts. But I did it to get control of my brain back. The whole process helped me in dealing with dexterity, reading, logic, risk, driving, math....etc. And I seriously don't remember any of it. That's why I like to go back and look at pics of the construction process.

this have been fun since the beginning of my build, this new hobby is a lot better then working on my cars and :lol: yes i still do get excited from time to time looking into other livestock . i know for sure when looking back at my thread, how fast i did all that work in such little time was kind of crazy. thats including graveyard shifts :rollface:

 

[cbui2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10515663#post10515663 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
See the thing is Bart, when I look around my tank room, I can't remember building any of it. I know I did it, and I know everyone around me thought I was nuts. But I did it to get control of my brain back. The whole process helped me in dealing with dexterity, reading, logic, risk, driving, math....etc. And I seriously don't remember any of it. That's why I like to go back and look at pics of the construction process.

this have been fun since the beginning of my build, this new hobby is a lot better then working on my cars and :lol: yes i still do get excited from time to time looking into other livestock . i know for sure when looking back at my thread, how fast i did all that work in such little time was kind of crazy. thats including graveyard shifts :rollface:

 

[jnarowe]

Bart, you want to get excited about coral livestock, you got to come out to Portland. There's a shop there called Upscales that is literally head and shoulders above anything I have seen so far on the Left Coast.

 

[xinumaster]

Bart, you should print that pictures with the labels and stick it next to your tank and one at your work. Just incase you are not home and you need to instruct your wife to turn off certain valve you can just ask you wife to look at the picture. It is good also for you to remember which pipe is which incase you got lost.

 

[pcostanzo]

I remember the 1st summer I had my tank running, my pool and heater and my AC. I got a $700 electric bill one month. I almost pooped myself. Now its still almost $400 but Connecticut has raised rates big time.

 

[cbui2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10516743#post10516743 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by xinumaster
Bart, you should print that pictures with the labels and stick it next to your tank and one at your work. Just incase you are not home and you need to instruct your wife to turn off certain valve you can just ask you wife to look at the picture. It is good also for you to remember which pipe is which incase you got lost.

thanks Perry, i have a good bit labeled and numbered. its a good thing that my wife really care about my dogs and fishes if not i will be cleaning up their mess everyday. since the entire project was done by me, i can tell my wife exactly where everything is at over the phone.

 

[cbui2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10516633#post10516633 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
Bart, you want to get excited about coral livestock, you got to come out to Portland. There's a shop there called Upscales that is literally head and shoulders above anything I have seen so far on the Left Coast.

that would be nice, also if i can visit Steve setup i will definitely make that trip one day . we have a nice selection, but i will be making a trip to Houston soon.

 

[ChrisKil]

Wow! That is one heck of a first tank. Do you have a website for your tank? Your red house takes one back to this thread?

 

[kamico]

Any new pics and/or livestock Bart?

 

[PhantomLoneWolf]

That pumping is insane. Amazing

 

[cbui2]

ChrisKil - no website yet maybe in the near future

kamico - pics will coming soon as i am setting up my fuge and waiting for some acrylic. adding baffles into sump for microbubbles issue along with new design filter floss tray.

PhantomLoneWolf - til this day i still shake my head telling myself why did i get involved .

 

[kamico]

Awesome Bart! I love following this thread!

 

[pookstreet]

Just hoping on this runaway freight train. Man, I think I need that chiller, only if electricity isn't so freaking expensive out here in CA. I bought a used Deltec Eco Cooler that only uses 2 20 watt fans. Talk about worlds apart :lol:

 

[cbui2]

yeah Kenny, cost of CA living is about 3 times more then us.

 

[pookstreet]

No kidding. It sure feels like way more than 3 times though. I think my wife is going to have a cow at the electric bill once the 300 is up and running at full speed.

 

[ReefDoctorMicromussas]

As always looking really nice Bart and congrats on the split... Sorry that I am late LOL Ya know earlier you and Johnathan had mentioned not even remembering building the systems... LOL I know just what you mean.. I look at mine and must remind myself that yes somehow I really DID build it.. Its almost like it was built on autopilot.

We both finished about the same time... I have about 23 years of experience with various tanks and you have almost none... I have already:

Overdosed my system (phyto, trace, plus)
Had an Algea outbreak as a result
Had troubles getting my Ca+ as high as I wanted
Still have PH issues


As minor as each of my hurdels are with your 0 experience you have had such minimal problems that I am simply amazed... it says alot for you LOL or alot agaist me OK so here is the question BART..

What do you think has been your 1 Greatest mistake/learning experience from all of this?

Mine? I would have placed my closed loopdrains inside of my overflows instead within the main tank...

 

[griss]

Should be fixed now guys.

 

[46bfinGA]

Mine? I would have placed my closed loopdrains inside of my overflows instead within the main tank... [/B]

How would that affect your drains to your sump and the amount of flow to your CL? Im not sure how that is feasable?Im interested in this because Im about to drill the holes for my closed loop on my 500.Using a Dart and an OM4way of course.

Also how do you guys feel about using one 2" drain VS. two for a closed loop? Do I really need the second one for redundancy?

 

[jnarowe]

I would give your CL pump way more flow than it needs. As the tank matures, stuff grows in the pipes, the strainers get coraline algae on them and can clog. What happens if a fish dies and gets sucked over the strainer? Less holes is better, but you have to be careful about having enough flow too.