Soulpatch's 150 SC build
- Thread starter soulpatch
- Start date
soulpatch
New member
Yeah I had JUST finished my basement remodel when I got the tank and then the wife wanted new kitchen. So now onto that. I was off last week which was nice to be able to monitor the fish BUT it also meant I was putting in 16 hour days trying to finish the kitchen. All in all I moved electrical, plumbing, demo, removed and patched soffit, put in new cabinets, tile in hallway, and moved some hvac lines so I could put fridge where I wanted AND have a passthrough into the great room next to kitchen. Not as open floor plan as I wanted but I did not want to completly reroute cold air returns either.
Now I just need counters, finish flooring, and some mudding/paint and the room is finished.
As for the sump I was hoping to have it by now. Now like I could have hooked it up given my limited time but I was hopeful. I pinged them to get an ETA so awaiting that response. Once I get the new sump in I will order the DOS so I can work out plumbing for everything at once.
I might also run an extra line with a switch in the tank stand to power up a pump and sent RODI to the stand so I can fill the res. Shall see on that one but I would like to never use a bucket again if possible.
soulpatch
New member
Have to say it is fairly new to me. I was able to keep delicate FW fish without issue and these are the first I have lost. In my care I lost 2 powder blue, a naso, and this tusk. The other tusk was lost at my LFS while he was doing QT. So it has been a bit harder on me to deal with as it was unexpected. That said the few hundred I would spend on fish will likely be moved to corals and equipment so I can get the tank up to snuff. I can live with less fish for a while and get back to that later when the tank is more established.
Ugh track. My track bike and such has been calling to me yet I am not sure I will get too many chances to get out. I might get 2-3 weekends this year but it is much more pleasurable right now to load up for an easy ride to the beach house with the family and dogs and play in the sand. Should i get a jetski this summer like the brother and I are talking about then I might skip track all together and consider selling the track gear...
I hear ya. I was going to half-jokingly ask how you even have any time to get out of town...
I need to get out to a track... I want to do something like a week of race instruction in a small formula car for my 30th b-day... It's just big Gs to spend. Until then, it'll just be watching Le Mans in a month and playing more of Forza 6 Apex now that they ported it to PC and made it free (demo game).
I hope to get to a beach sometime soon. The constant week-long cold and rain last week mentally broke me.
soulpatch
New member
So I didn't want to post about the mistake that happened with the tank late last week but it is now ripping through my tank and thus since this is a journal it can act as a DO NOT DO THIS for others.
In my case it was asking the wife to help with the TTM early last week when I was swamped with the kitchen remodel. I had the tusk and powder in a 20 long and asked her to switch the tanks. The other 20L I had filled earlier and had it up to temp so figured she would see the two tanks next to one another and put the fish in the other qt tank.
That did not happen. She put them in the DT which had the QT tanks on the floor next to the DT. I did not know about it till later after she fed the fish she noted that the tusk was hiding behind the rocks and didn't come out to eat. I went downstairs and saw the fish in the DT. They had finished TTM at this point but needed treatment and observation. I was glad to be without the risk of ich but worried about other items.
I dosed the tank with Prazi to be safe. unfortunetly it appears that either the tusk or the powder had velvet... I lost the powder a day or two later and my tusk went on Monday or so this week. I have since lost my kole tang, tail spot blenny, black ice clown, and a pj cardinal. I am down to just my wrasse and 2 pjs.
At this point I expect them to die and I cant catch them to remove for copper treatment. I need to now wait this all out and should the fish perish as I expect to happen at this point the tank will sit fallow for the summer and I will focus on stocking up on corals through that time.
My LFS is going to hold my new clown pair for me and I will pay him a small fee to do so until I am comfortable with bringing them home to go through TTM and a QT period. Probably do that in the late July time frame. I will probably bring my biocube back online to act as a long term holding tank while the DT sits fallow.
All in all this mistake has cost me over 600 in fish and set the tank back a degree.
I have learned to not offload responsibility for the tank to the wife and frankly she has learned to not take any on after this all.
In the meantime for the rest of the summer I will be setting up the AWC, stocking up on corals, and hopefully setting up the new sump whenever it comes in. Just shooting for serious stability in the tank.
I also need to add some mroe flow. I have a few deadspots I need to take care of. I think I am going to install my gyre 130 on the overflow and might grab another one so both can shoot along the back wall to keep things clean.
In my case it was asking the wife to help with the TTM early last week when I was swamped with the kitchen remodel. I had the tusk and powder in a 20 long and asked her to switch the tanks. The other 20L I had filled earlier and had it up to temp so figured she would see the two tanks next to one another and put the fish in the other qt tank.
That did not happen. She put them in the DT which had the QT tanks on the floor next to the DT. I did not know about it till later after she fed the fish she noted that the tusk was hiding behind the rocks and didn't come out to eat. I went downstairs and saw the fish in the DT. They had finished TTM at this point but needed treatment and observation. I was glad to be without the risk of ich but worried about other items.
I dosed the tank with Prazi to be safe. unfortunetly it appears that either the tusk or the powder had velvet... I lost the powder a day or two later and my tusk went on Monday or so this week. I have since lost my kole tang, tail spot blenny, black ice clown, and a pj cardinal. I am down to just my wrasse and 2 pjs.
At this point I expect them to die and I cant catch them to remove for copper treatment. I need to now wait this all out and should the fish perish as I expect to happen at this point the tank will sit fallow for the summer and I will focus on stocking up on corals through that time.
My LFS is going to hold my new clown pair for me and I will pay him a small fee to do so until I am comfortable with bringing them home to go through TTM and a QT period. Probably do that in the late July time frame. I will probably bring my biocube back online to act as a long term holding tank while the DT sits fallow.
All in all this mistake has cost me over 600 in fish and set the tank back a degree.
I have learned to not offload responsibility for the tank to the wife and frankly she has learned to not take any on after this all.
In the meantime for the rest of the summer I will be setting up the AWC, stocking up on corals, and hopefully setting up the new sump whenever it comes in. Just shooting for serious stability in the tank.
I also need to add some mroe flow. I have a few deadspots I need to take care of. I think I am going to install my gyre 130 on the overflow and might grab another one so both can shoot along the back wall to keep things clean.
soulpatch
New member
The existing ruby elite 30 will go up for sale once I am done with it for a decent price or even a swap for plumbing parts or such. If you want it we can work something out though shipping might be a pain. I can keep the box my 39 comes in most likely though to make it work.
If I didnt leave the motorcycle track scene after my wreck which cost me well over 10K I am not going to leave the reef world for a grand or so. Actually had a worse crash in FW when I had a CO2 malfunction and nuke a tank. I had a few grand in there with some of my plants, discus, and other fish and breeders.
I really think all of the setbacks make the eventual success that much more special. I have a few hoops to jump through and I will have some more as I bring more of the automation online in the coming weeks/months but it is what it is. I think if this was set and forget the joy of the final product would not be there. I could deal without the serious monetary loses though but it is what it is.
It is still WAY cheaper then everything my wife keeps adding to the kitchen remodel.
pelphrey
New member
Definitely keep me in mind on the sump. It very well may be something I am interested in.
We are having some work done on our house this week. Man door added to the garage (It's a real pain not having one). Opening cut under the stairs for storage (Why this wasn't done to begin with, who knows) and a side walk poured from the drive way to the back patio. After that my wife wants the back yard fenced in. I feel some of your pain!
soulpatch
New member
Between last summer to now I have:
replaced our fencing
created 3 new flower beds
redone a powder room
demolished a full bath and rebuilt into a powder
redid finished basement
rewired basement and living room
and now demolished and rebuilding kitchen
All myself. NEVER AGAIN...
I am already looking for a painter to do the kitchen and hallway so I can get out of that and I am wishing I had hired a guy to tile the floors. I dont mind electrical and plumbing but other items are just a pain and such a time drain. The only benefit is that I have an excuse to buy new tools like my bad a** new wet saw (which ironically comes with a jebao pump to circulate the water)
replaced our fencing
created 3 new flower beds
redone a powder room
demolished a full bath and rebuilt into a powder
redid finished basement
rewired basement and living room
and now demolished and rebuilding kitchen
All myself. NEVER AGAIN...
I am already looking for a painter to do the kitchen and hallway so I can get out of that and I am wishing I had hired a guy to tile the floors. I dont mind electrical and plumbing but other items are just a pain and such a time drain. The only benefit is that I have an excuse to buy new tools like my bad a** new wet saw (which ironically comes with a jebao pump to circulate the water)
JonezNReef
Member
After reading this it makes me feel better Im not the only one having to remodel there house while trying to squeeze in time to set up a new tank. I changed the garage into a master bedroom with a fishroom in it. After that I remodeled all the other bedrooms from laying carpet to redoing the walls closets and paint. Built a new shed out back while taking out the old one. Next I get the fun of remodeling my kitchen as well, which includes taking out a wall to make an open floor plan, replace all the tile on the floor and backsplash, new counter tops and cabinet which I am not looking forward to. And in the middle of all this I am trying to set up the tank, build my LED fixture,and build my protein skimmer. So I feel your pain in that since. Also sorry to hear about your fish. It always sucks to lose anything but like you said after its all said and done you will appreciate it a little more!
soulpatch
New member
Jonez - The one thing I will tout that will make tiling go SO much easier are these new leveling shims they sell at Home Depot. It is a two part system and sure it costs a bit of coin to get them BUT they ensure each tile is perfectly level to one another so you dont get any indents or such. My floor was not level and I did not see these as I did my hallway. I got them for the actual kitchen and the difference is amazing. Its to the point I am seriously considering cutting my loses and breaking up the hallway tile to redo with these little babies.
Cabinets are easy enough once you set the first one. Counters I am having done by others as I got quartz so that isnt my concern. They just did the template Thursday and measured everything.
backsplash - I am looking at smart tiles which are not real tile but a gel adhesive tile look a like. Honestly at this point the kitchen is becoming too much of a time drain and more tiling is not something I really want to do. The wife might veto me and I tile it but the appeal of cutting and sticking these adhesive tiles on is mighty appealing to me right now.
For my tank - I finally got word from Trigger that my sump is shipping this week. I should have it by the weekend. Wont be able to hook it up right away but I need it in to look at the plumbing requirements. I will order in new valves just to make my life easier and cut out the existing ones to use as backups or for my water change station.
While I am excited for the sump I ordered it with a 3-4 week turn around time in hopes to get it before I kicked off the kitchen. It will be nearly 7 weeks by the time I actually get it in at this point. Not thrilled about the turnaround but I guess since I didn't really pay anything above a stock unit to get the changes I wanted I can't complain too much.
Cabinets are easy enough once you set the first one. Counters I am having done by others as I got quartz so that isnt my concern. They just did the template Thursday and measured everything.
backsplash - I am looking at smart tiles which are not real tile but a gel adhesive tile look a like. Honestly at this point the kitchen is becoming too much of a time drain and more tiling is not something I really want to do. The wife might veto me and I tile it but the appeal of cutting and sticking these adhesive tiles on is mighty appealing to me right now.
For my tank - I finally got word from Trigger that my sump is shipping this week. I should have it by the weekend. Wont be able to hook it up right away but I need it in to look at the plumbing requirements. I will order in new valves just to make my life easier and cut out the existing ones to use as backups or for my water change station.
While I am excited for the sump I ordered it with a 3-4 week turn around time in hopes to get it before I kicked off the kitchen. It will be nearly 7 weeks by the time I actually get it in at this point. Not thrilled about the turnaround but I guess since I didn't really pay anything above a stock unit to get the changes I wanted I can't complain too much.
homer1475
New member
All I have to say, RENOVATIONS SUCK BIG TIME!!!
I was lucky in the fact my brother in law is a licensed contractor, so any question I had I could just call and ask.
We gutted the house, took off the entire roof, and moved walls around. We basically took the house down to the exterior walls and rebuilt it, 99.5% of the reno was done by me. I feel your pain.
Not tapping out with what your going through just goes to prove that those that are resilient end up with beautiful tanks. Most people would have put up the tank on craigslist after losing the second tusk.
I was lucky in the fact my brother in law is a licensed contractor, so any question I had I could just call and ask.
We gutted the house, took off the entire roof, and moved walls around. We basically took the house down to the exterior walls and rebuilt it, 99.5% of the reno was done by me. I feel your pain.
Not tapping out with what your going through just goes to prove that those that are resilient end up with beautiful tanks. Most people would have put up the tank on craigslist after losing the second tusk.
soulpatch
New member
I might be losing some fish but my corals all look great right now. Getting some good growth off of my acans and my ricordea, hammers, and torch have grown more in the past 2 months then at least 6 months in the nano. Probably more or less due to light bio load with a ton of water so cal/alk levels stay more level. I haven't had to dose or use kalk yet though that should start to change through the summer as I add some more sticks. I plan to have a cooler full coming back from RAP next month and if I can make enough headway on my kitchen before the weekend will hit up a local frag swap.
My fish money will go towards corals for the rest of the summer.
My fish money will go towards corals for the rest of the summer.
JonezNReef
Member
Thanks for the heads up on the tile. I will be looking into that when I start that project up. And I am almost on the verge of doing what you did as well homer. Maybe not quite as far but closer than I want. I told my wife we should have just had a house built at this pace. But then she wouldn't have all these fun projects for me to do. I hate renovation work but its a nice way to justify all my fish tank purchases! LOL
Nice to hear the coral is doing good!! Got any pic's of how things are looking at this point?
Nice to hear the coral is doing good!! Got any pic's of how things are looking at this point?
soulpatch
New member
pics to come this weekend most likely when I get in the sump. Working nights this week in the kitchen. Wife has given deadline of Memorial day weekend to be fully functional again and have the living room back. I have counters coming in next Thursday and I hope to be at the paint/backsplash only stage by then.
JonezNReef
Member
Well if it makes you feel any better I found out that my 40gb and 65g tank I am using as holding tanks until my 180 is ready has Ich! I bought a Kole Tang that I had in QT for over a month and put him into the other tanks so I could take down my QT and discovered that he now has Ich. So I can only assume it was either already in my tank or it hitchhiked in on a frag. Either way I will now have to put all my fish into QT and let the ich die off before I introduce any fish to the new tank. So its going to be few months before I get to put fish in my take either. So i will be in the same boat as far as only being able to have coral in the tank for a while. Plus my LFS is going to have to hold my Powder Blue they got in for me a few weeks ago until I get this taken care of. Just hope I dont lose any fish over this because Ive had a few of them a few years...guess its a wait and see thing
Similar threads
