Mhucasey's SPS obsession

[mhucasey]

Well yesterday was a very busy day, I installed the 36" X 28" X 22" tank on its new stand, and started the mods on the new tank while I was at it.
First I finished the top of the tank with the HDPE sheet:

I routed off the excess and then routed a hole in the top for the plumbing:

The HDPE is held on to the frame with Stainless Steel countersunk bolts:

I then moved the stand into the house next to the old one:

Then the madness began. First I removed all the live rock and placed it in a bin, siphoning out water at the same time. Look at the bit of horror I found in one of the live rocks:

 

[mhucasey]

Continued: I was going to leave the plastic overflow in place until I am ready to install the Basso Overflow, but work has been crazy this week and I haven't had time to get the pieces cut for this. I got the tank drained down, and got a good look at the overflow, and it turns out it is acrylic over glass. I decided that now would be better to get this thing out, so

SMASHY SMASHY!!

I cleaned out all the sand and it was pretty dirty, three years of use can do that. I ended up cleaning the tank and vacuuming all the last remnants of sand out:

Then it was time to move the tank over to the new stand, very easy with the suction cup handles.

I will temporarily use two ugly pipes for overflow and return, so I installed those and then put 45lbs of fresh Tropic Eden sand in the tank. Its heavier than the southdown that was in there and very clean. No rinsing required and no clouding up the tank for three days:

Next it was time to fill and place some of the live rock. I plan on treating some of the rock with peroxide to kill off algae, but I wanted to get the corals and fish out of their bins so its a temporary placement for now.

 

[mhucasey]

All in all, the tank cleared rather quickly and everyone seems to be doing fine - except the pups, who were pretty freaked out by all the activity:

I needed to make up some saltwater because of the water loss during the drain/refill and the rock that I removed.

Its looking really good and is lined up perfectly. Measuring multiple times made this possible. I tied the two stands together with aluminum channel:

And I tidied up some more cords, mainly the power converter blocks that are used on all this DC stuff:

The tanks are looking good in their new arrangement:

 

[Wazzel]

This project is getting better and better. How did you negotiate keeping both tanks?

 

[markalot]

Was that a giant bristle worm, or worse? I would have called in the national guard.

Everything is looking great, dogs need some attention.

 

[cFloor]

You my friend, have been very busy. It is all looking really good and clean. Excellent work!

 

[mhucasey]

This project is getting better and better. How did you negotiate keeping both tanks?

My friend, I stumbled across the rare woman who is totally in to the reef tank! No negotiation needed We were very close to buying a much bigger tank when the shallow tank dropped in our laps for $250. Because we were planning on spending 3K+ on the new tank it was like getting $2750 for the rest of the build for free!

 

[mhucasey]

Was that a giant bristle worm, or worse? I would have called in the national guard.

Everything is looking great, dogs need some attention.

It wasn't a bristleworm, much thicker. I think its a Eunice worm. I got off easy though:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1165930/Barry-giant-sea-worm-discovered-aquarium-staff-mysterious-attacks-coral-reef.html


Today its "puppy pets and loves time"

 

[mhucasey]

You my friend, have been very busy. It is all looking really good and clean. Excellent work!

Thanks, its getting there, lots to organize and finalize but I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!

 

[aggie13reef]

New build is looking awesome, I really like the way that the stands turned out. Cant remember if it was stated earlier in the thread but what are you planning on keeping in the smaller tank now, LPS only? Or going to be a mixed? So much light in those pictures :eek1:!
Also the dogs are looking great as well!

 

[Wazzel]

My friend, I stumbled across the rare woman who is totally in to the reef tank! No negotiation needed We were very close to buying a much bigger tank when the shallow tank dropped in our laps for $250. Because we were planning on spending 3K+ on the new tank it was like getting $2750 for the rest of the build for free!

Thea is a good find on both fronts.

 

[mhucasey]

New build is looking awesome, I really like the way that the stands turned out. Cant remember if it was stated earlier in the thread but what are you planning on keeping in the smaller tank now, LPS only? Or going to be a mixed? So much light in those pictures :eek1:!
Also the dogs are looking great as well!

Thanks, it will be a mix, a few stag horns and montis mixed with LPS and Nems. A lot of these have been tucked in the back out of sight so I'm happy to give them a place to show off!

 

[mhucasey]

Thea is a good find on both fronts.

I've been having a good couple years like that, I guess it makes up for the not so great first wife:lolspin:

 

[biggles]

Awesome build and thanks so much for taking the time to document the process with pics Matt :thumbsup: The dogs aren't impressed at all lol.

Send the worm to your ex wife mate................. or i can give you mines address........ either way don't waste the worm.......:beer:

 

[mhucasey]

Awesome build and thanks so much for taking the time to document the process with pics Matt :thumbsup: The dogs aren't impressed at all lol.

Send the worm to your ex wife mate................. or i can give you mines address........ either way don't waste the worm.......:beer:

Thanks Biggles, its nice to see you back here again The dogs are so funny, they don't now whats going on and even though nothing was really changing for them they were very worried. I have had pups glued to the Wife and I since the major work stopped:

Some people might say that our dogs are spoiled. I don't know where they get that idea at all....

I get along ok with the ex, and it would cost me money to mail her the worm...but now I feel bad that I didn't save it for your ex-wife!

 

[Wazzel]

Your dogs are funny. Last night mine crawled up next to me in the recliner, belly side up with his head on my arm so he could get a belly rub.

Here he is a few months back in the blue glow of my tank. He hurt is back/hip and could not stand to eat so I hand fed him for a week.

We also have spoiled cats, here is one of them.

Sorry to derail your thread....

 

[mhucasey]

Your dogs are funny. Last night mine crawled up next to me in the recliner, belly side up with his head on my arm so he could get a belly rub.

Here he is a few months back in the blue glow of my tank. He hurt is back/hip and could not stand to eat so I hand fed him for a week.

We also have spoiled cats, here is one of them.

Sorry to derail your thread....

Awwww, he is very sweet Dogs are just the best! We have a cat, who is also spoiled, that the dogs would like to love...with their teeth Our house is a zoo, we also have three snakes and a bird. I think we spend more feeding the animals than we do feeding the three children!

 

[Wazzel]

Awwww, he is very sweet Dogs are just the best! We have a cat, who is also spoiled, that the dogs would like to love...with their teeth Our house is a zoo, we also have three snakes and a bird. I think we spend more feeding the animals than we do feeding the three children!

We have a zoo also.

1 dog, 2 cats, 1 reef tank w/ frag tank extension, 1 perch tank, 1 tropical tank, and 3 sugar gliders. We also have three kids. I am taking the oldest to get her driver's license Thursday this week.

 

[reefmutt]

Love this project!
One of the reasons why I took down my old tank was because of those worms. All the tips of my acros started to become dead and worn away. I had no idea why. Was only once I took down the tank for renovations that I found this:

And his little brother which was only a foot long, I found soon after this big one..

Good thing you got it out!

I thought it was called a bobbit worm...

 

[mhucasey]

Love this project!
One of the reasons why I took down my old tank was because of those worms. All the tips of my acros started to become dead and worn away. I had no idea why. Was only once I took down the tank for renovations that I found this:

And his little brother which was only a foot long, I found soon after this big one..

Good thing you got it out!

I thought it was called a bobbit worm...

Bobbit worm, that sounds right. Maybe it will explain some of the coral losses Ive had over the years...