Tank Progress for 57g / 180g

[logiktest]

Sometimes the learning curve with a new tank can be steep and painful, but your perseverance will generally pay off in the end.

Your tank is looking very nice. Cant wait to see it with the aquascaping complete. Have you considered using a filter sock to catch all the sand fines?

 

[StarrM]

Thanks for the encouragement guys! It's very welcome/appreciated right now.

Your tank is looking very nice. Cant wait to see it with the aquascaping complete. Have you considered using a filter sock to catch all the sand fines?

Thanks Mike! A filter sock sounds like a good idea...

I had the same issue with the sand, it went away in a week or two. I can't remember if I did anything to help it or not, but it went away. If I did do anything I continued to stir up the water until it filtered out, but I want to say is just went away mostly on its own....

Ooooh good! I'm really happy to hear it went away, Zach.

P.S. If you want to sell your tanks, let me know... Just kidding

Hahaha! You just wanna hear me say..."Nooooo..!" I wanna see your new small tank with all the cool frags you got from Romy. Lemme know when is a good day for me to bring over the 'housewarming' pasta dinner for you guys.

Looks fantastic!! Don't sweat the gizmos either, most female reefers are more into biology not technology, which is a good thing.

Thanks Dave I'm really looking forward to seeing your set-up tonight! Thanks in advance for your hospitality. And yes, I'm really enjoying the biology (I *think* I understand what you mean by 'the biology'.) At any rate, even the testing is fun. And I really love working with the rock. Once the tank cleared up some from the other night, it was obvious that I need to work on the aquascape some more. But hopefully, I'll get it to looking decent. I'm hoping that new fish store we're visiting tonight might have a good rock or two.

What skimmer are you using? You may want to look into getting an overflow canister for the collection cup if you continue to have that problem. You you can tune it to skim drier. Skimmers do tend to go crazy when you are setting up a new tank (new water, sand etc).

You you need more rock than you have set aside at the LFS, you may want to look into marcorocks. I think they are an RC sponsor. Great rock, and you can get the "pre cycled dry rock." I took a chance on it, and did not see a phosphate, nitrate or ammonia spike. That is a sweet tank BTW.

Thank you for your encouragement, Paul. The skimmer is an ASM G3 Skimmer with Gate valve mod (according to Zach's original ad for the system.) I didn't realize it might can be tuned to skim drier. I should try to do that...it's presently mostly just skimming murky water instead of what I'm used to seeing as skimmate...I had to route the overflow drain into a 5g bucket instead of the smaller container that came with it. I will definitely check out the marcorocks...thanks for the tip.

Welp, at least I have the other two tanks to help offset the exasperation that the 180g is generating. :spin2:

Starr

 

[rams]

WOW don't get use to that glass looking so clean... love the natural sunlight.

 

[StarrM]

WOW don't get use to that glass looking so clean... love the natural sunlight.

Heh...I'm planning to try to keep the front and sides nice and clear, but I'm hoping coraline provides a nice background for the back glass. Yeps, I enjoy watching the shimmer that the natural light provides during afternoons. So far, the corals on that side seem to be enjoying it too. We'll see.

S

 

[PatchesOfSea]

Starr, I like your systems. I'm currently upgrading from a 24g NanoCube to a 65g tank that is just a little taller than your 57g. I looked at 57g systems, but my current one kinda fell into my lap. Sounds kinda like how you got that 180g! I am jealous of that btw, and can't wait to see it progress.

Maybe I will start a tank progression thread here soon, once I've got something to show.

 

[StarrM]

Starr, I like your systems. I'm currently upgrading from a 24g NanoCube to a 65g tank that is just a little taller than your 57g. I looked at 57g systems, but my current one kinda fell into my lap. Sounds kinda like how you got that 180g! I am jealous of that btw, and can't wait to see it progress.

Maybe I will start a tank progression thread here soon, once I've got something to show.

I understand perfectly going with the 'fell into my lap' scenario. I got my 57g rimless, tank and stand, used for $225.

Do start a tank progression thread when you're up and running. I'll look forward to seeing your tank.

Cheers,
Starr

 

[StarrM]

Finally, done with the LR...mostly

Finally, done with the LR...mostly

Picked up a piece of LR I'd had sitting down at my lfs for probably a month, and that got me mostly where I wanna be on LR. Have a top-off ordered as well as some good test kits. The tank is still driving me crazy with waking up every morning to the sound of a pump sucking air. BUT...hopefully it'll look decent tomorrow morning after the murk has settled from me mucking around in the tank for the last 3 hours working on the rock.

Here's a couple shots still with murk:

Cheers,
Starr

 

[chadfarmer]

sounds like the section where the pump is very small

 

[StarrM]

I think I really have to stop redoing the LR in the tank just about every night. :hmm3: My fingers are starting to get cut up from coral.

Starr

 

[smoothdog]

The tank's never going to clear up if you don't stop moving the rock! :lol2:

If your hands are starting to get cut up from working in the tank then I would highly recommend using rubber gloves when you've got your hands in there. There can be some nasty stuff floating around in our tanks that play havoc with open wounds. Just ask Dwayne at SeaScape about it some time. :hmm2:

 

[StarrM]

The tank's never going to clear up if you don't stop moving the rock! :lol2:

Ya but...but...I see a rock that's not right, and I gotta mooove eet! :idea:

If your hands are starting to get cut up from working in the tank then I would highly recommend using rubber gloves when you've got your hands in there. There can be some nasty stuff floating around in our tanks that play havoc with open wounds. Just ask Dwayne at SeaScape about it some time. :hmm2:

Wearing rubber gloves?? What's the fun in that? Seriously, where do I find a pair that won't be instant water buckets as soon as my hand is halfway into the tank?

S

 

[Nanook]

Not as fun wearing gloves, but here you go:

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3871

 

[twiggyb]

SS sells them, they go all the way up your arms I believe. If they don't have them I'm sure you can ask them to order them for you.

 

[StarrM]

So....I'm still not feeling all warm and fuzzy about this tank...but maybe it's getting a little better. I've been working on the room it's in. Here's some new pics. I know, I know...you guys like pics of HARDWARE and GEAR. But I can't really do that.. so I have to do a tank and the room around it. So bear with me.

Note that my dog and cat are totally bored with this whole process.

The tank so far is just cycling. I'm trying to get used to the rate of water top off (which is a LOT) and just starting to do water tests on it. (Other than low KH which I'm buffering, the water so far is not bad.) I've learned I much prefer glass tanks to acrylic ones. Some snails came in with one of the rocks and I put a large aggressive red hermit crab in that had been living in the fuge of my 57g.

A couple more weeks and I'll probably have to decide what to do next. :worried2: Gawd only knows. Any suggestions?

By the way...I LOVE working with rock. If anyone wants help with LR, I'm your girl!

Starr