Learning/rebuilding from my epic fail

[reefmutt]

Well... I promised myself that when my tank started filling, I would start a build thread.. Of sorts..
Most of my system is actually about 2.5 years old. As is my main display, however in the spring, it sprung a leak so I had to send it back to the manufacturer for repair. Miracles Aquariums from Toronto built my custom tank but I had a welder build my steel stand, so technically, after 18 months, the tank wasn't exactly under warranty but Miracles was good enough to ship the tank from a pet store in Montreal (I had to get the tank to and from that pet store, at my expense) to Toronto, repair it and ship it back at their expense. They also added bottom eurobracing and a couple of other small mods at no charge...
So, since no thread is worth the weight of the electrons its printed on without some shots, here's a global shot of my system with
the empty display which is currently 2/3 scaped with dry rock. Once it is filled with ro water and mixed with salt, I will scape the rest with some live rock I have in the system.

 

[Agioniko]

Goodluck. Glad you didn't give up

 

[reefmutt]

Since my web interface I'd predominantly my iPhone 6plus, my post might be a little funky. It didn't like the length and pic link I just posted so I'll probably have multiple posts..
Anyways.. The reason I titled my thread learning/rebuilding from my epic fail is not because the tank sprung a leak. It only sprung a leak right after a 6 month downward spiral of health in my system which was completely my fault and caused by my idiotic chasing of numbers and lack of direction for my tank after a 2 year hiatus from the hobby..
Here's a shot of my OLD 300gtank/500g system from several years ago.. Oh I miss this tank... Was a perfect system and what I'm trying to get back to..

 

[reefmutt]

Goodluck. Glad you didn't give up

Thanks! I'm too addicted to give up, although I came pretty close when my tank started leaking..

 

[reefmutt]

I'm going to try and explain to myself and to anybody who cares to listen why I totally screwed up my current system and how I plan to make this version just as good as my last system..
I'm posting some shot from my old tank as inspiration for me and eye candy for everybody else..



More details from this system can be found in the All sps thread.. Around page 31..

 

[jroovers]

You obviously hit the nail on the head with your past 300 gallon tank! Looks beautiful. Good to hear you are still moving forward despite your difficulties. That stinks about your Miracles tank, although I must say the more and more I hear about Miracles, the more and more it is in the bad category. My used Tank is a Miracles tank (or so I was told by the previous owner), and it is far from perfect. I tried to get some customer service support from them about rebuilding the tank and/or getting a quote for a new replacement, and got nowhere. Hopefully this is the turning of the tides for you.

 

[reefmutt]

That old tank, the love of my life.... Um... After my wife and two beautiful daughters... I SWEAR.. Had a huge amount of metal halide and t5 lighting. It also had a massive skimmer, a remote deep sand bed and a huge cheato fuge lit by a 250w mh. It was loaded with about 40 fish and I pretty much added nothing but fish food.
It was running right about the time when named corals were just arriving in the market and the obsession with po4 had not reached peak. I may have periodically used RowaPhos but didn't really test for it at all
I never tested this tank for nitrate or phosphate, actually.. But boy o boy it did well..
Couple more shots... Can't help it..

 

[reefmutt]

You obviously hit the nail on the head with your past 300 gallon tank! Looks beautiful. Good to hear you are still moving forward despite your difficulties. That stinks about your Miracles tank, although I must say the more and more I hear about Miracles, the more and more it is in the bad category. My used Tank is a Miracles tank (or so I was told by the previous owner), and it is far from perfect. I tried to get some customer service support from them about rebuilding the tank and/or getting a quote for a new replacement, and got nowhere. Hopefully this is the turning of the tides for you.

Thanks, Jordan..
Well... I'm not one to delve into past 'issues' with my tank builder. Nor hold a grudge.. Requires too much emotional energy..Hopefully it will last for 10 years now!
I'm hoping you are right, I have to get back to where I was or I won't be satisfied.. This thread will document that or it'll kill me!!:headwally:

 

[reeflover62]

I will be following:bigeyes:glad your back.

 

[stonecold]

[/URL]

Wow, this was an AWESOME looking tank!!! Looking forward to your new build.

 

[DiscusHeckel]

I'm going to try and explain to myself and to anybody who cares to listen why I totally screwed up my current system and how I plan to make this version just as good as my last system..

I care to listen and learn from your mistakes. I am looking forward to your new journey.

 

[M007]

I care to listen and learn from your mistakes. I am looking forward to your new journey.

So what was the epic fail? I'd like to learn too :headwally:

 

[Piper27]

Your old tank was gourgous! Well done for sure. I love the first pic and last pic, first is an austera? What is the last? Beautiful macro shots, thanks for the pics. Pics like these always make me sleep well. I like the 3 tanks in the closet idea as well! What did you use to put under the tank to brace the bottoms?

 

[reefmutt]

I will be following:bigeyes:glad your back.

Welcome aboard! And thanks. I hope that this thread can be as helpful and informative as possible..

 

[reefmutt]

Wow, this was an AWESOME looking tank!!! Looking forward to your new build.

Thanks Nick. Nice to see you here!

 

[reefmutt]

Ok, now I'm getting the hang of this a bit..

So what was the epic fail? I'd like to learn too :headwally:

Oh don't worry, I'll get to it, in a round about way. I may have to ramble on a bit first.. But all the ramblings should, for the most part pertain to the epic fail..

I care to listen and learn from your mistakes. I am looking forward to your new journey.

Thanks for listening! My new journey better be good..

 

[reefmutt]

Your old tank was gourgous! Well done for sure. I love the first pic and last pic, first is an austera? What is the last? Beautiful macro shots, thanks for the pics. Pics like these always make me sleep well. I like the 3 tanks in the closet idea as well! What did you use to put under the tank to brace the bottoms?

Hey thanks! That tank was like the girl that got away. Two things led to the end of that tank.. One was a major home reno to make room for the growing family and the other was this monster:

It decimated my corals. Must have grown from a tiny worm to this 3-4 foot beast. This is the big brother, the other one was about 12 inches long. About 6 - 10 months before I tore down the tank to renovate, I noticed that all of my acro tips were suddenly getting bare and rough, like somebody was going over the tips with course sand paper. I never saw the thing until the tank came down. It was tossed unceremoniously into a frozen, slushy snow bank to freeze to death outside!
Coral IDing is not my forte. I would have guessed that the blue one was a gomezi, maybe and the last one granulosa?

 

[reefmutt]

Forgot to mention, Piper.. There are 2x2s bolted into the wall joists with l brackets bolted under them to hold the smaller tanks and the larger one has both brackets and a support that is on the floor..

 

[M007]

Hey thanks! That tank was like the girl that got away. Two things led to the end of that tank.. One was a major home reno to make room for the growing family and the other was this monster: http://s909.photobucket.com/user/re...C-4765-9625-0E6FA01D1FF6_zpshodvnvnn.jpg.html It decimated my corals. Must have grown from a tiny worm to this 3-4 foot beast. This is the big brother, the other one was about 12 inches long. About 6 - 10 months before I tore down the tank to renovate, I noticed that all of my acro tips were suddenly getting bare and rough, like somebody was going over the tips with course sand paper. I never saw the thing until the tank came down. It was tossed unceremoniously into a frozen, slushy snow bank to freeze to death outside! Coral IDing is not my forte. I would have guessed that the blue one was a gomezi, maybe and the last one granulosa?

I had one of those once, they usually one eat zoos.

 

[jroovers]

Jeez... there isn't much that makes me squeamish but those euchnid worms are at the top of the list of the things that do! I think maybe you have some insights as to your past tank's successes - the KISS method of reef keeping!