FrozenSurfer
Here Fishy Fishy
Hello all, it's been a long, long time since I've started a thread here. I thought about starting a new account, to leave the memories of this one behind, but I'm just too lazy to do so. So here's a quick primer on me... I've been in the hobby for a very long time, some of you have even talked to me when I was employed at a rather well known (and sponsor) e-tailor. After a much needed 5 year break from the hobby, I'm back. I was never a big fan of the forums back in the day, mostly because I got enough "fish talk" at work… but now I see that these forums are a wealth of information, and I'm having a lot of fun catching up on what I've been missing for the past 5 years.
So why did I get out, and why did I get back in? I left the fish business to work for the government…. I know… say what you want, I've learned to accept it. With the federal job, came the move out of California.. I've now been to 3 states with this job… all while trying to move up the food chain. During that time I got married, and took on far too many expensive hobbies (think, Ironmans, Triathlons… on top of the waterskiing and snow skiing that I already was hooked on.) I really had zero desire to get back into the reef hobby…. until I bought my place out in Park City… There, in the back of the laundry room sat my DREAM tank… 32x36x24 (~120 gallons.) It was old, it was dusty, it had some "custom" modifications to the overflow… it was PERFECT for what I loved to do…. MODIFY THINGS!! But, unlike back in the day… I was married now… I had to "get approval" from the wife… Which basically meant (Me)"I'm starting another reef tank" (wife) "Then I get a new pair of skis" (Me) "Get dressed, we're going to Cole Sport!"
$900 later… she got her skis, and I had approval for a new tank.
LET THE BUILD BEGIN!!
The tank had no stand.. so quickly I "threw something together" to get the tank elevated so I could see what I was working with. I think I'll keep the base as it turned out better than I had hoped. Now I'll start working on the "skinning" process. The basement in our house is "Ski Chalet" themed… so there is a lot of pine wainscoting, I will continue this theme onto the stand.
The tank itself needs a bit of work, the overflow has a few "extra" holes drilled in it that I just don't need. Looks like the guy before me tried to use the bottom holes as some form of detritus removal system… well, it broke off, and now it's useless. The plan is to remove the overflow and build a new one.
Here's a couple "first look" photos….
The Game Plan
- Remove and replace overflow. I may try to repair what is already there.. but that's not my plan so far
- Paint the back of the tank black
- Build a canopy
- Skin the stand
- Find a sump of some form.
- Setup the RO/DI and mixing station.
- Return is going to be a Mag 9.5 into a SeaSwirl (Thanks emelton)
- 2 Vortech MP40w's with battery backup (Thanks apuhl20 for 1 of them)
- Lighting will be provided by 400w Hamilton 20k in a Hamilton Reflector
- Skimmer is a Euro-Reef CS8 with gate valve mod
- I've got a couple Phosban reactors laying around that I'll add for GFO and Carbon
- Controller is still being debated
- I am reviving my geo reef 612 calcium reactor
- Dosing will be done with a Litermeter 3
- Fuge needs to be under the stand… Working on a design…
Still working out other details….
So why did I get out, and why did I get back in? I left the fish business to work for the government…. I know… say what you want, I've learned to accept it. With the federal job, came the move out of California.. I've now been to 3 states with this job… all while trying to move up the food chain. During that time I got married, and took on far too many expensive hobbies (think, Ironmans, Triathlons… on top of the waterskiing and snow skiing that I already was hooked on.) I really had zero desire to get back into the reef hobby…. until I bought my place out in Park City… There, in the back of the laundry room sat my DREAM tank… 32x36x24 (~120 gallons.) It was old, it was dusty, it had some "custom" modifications to the overflow… it was PERFECT for what I loved to do…. MODIFY THINGS!! But, unlike back in the day… I was married now… I had to "get approval" from the wife… Which basically meant (Me)"I'm starting another reef tank" (wife) "Then I get a new pair of skis" (Me) "Get dressed, we're going to Cole Sport!"
$900 later… she got her skis, and I had approval for a new tank.
LET THE BUILD BEGIN!!
The tank had no stand.. so quickly I "threw something together" to get the tank elevated so I could see what I was working with. I think I'll keep the base as it turned out better than I had hoped. Now I'll start working on the "skinning" process. The basement in our house is "Ski Chalet" themed… so there is a lot of pine wainscoting, I will continue this theme onto the stand.
The tank itself needs a bit of work, the overflow has a few "extra" holes drilled in it that I just don't need. Looks like the guy before me tried to use the bottom holes as some form of detritus removal system… well, it broke off, and now it's useless. The plan is to remove the overflow and build a new one.
Here's a couple "first look" photos….
The Game Plan
- Remove and replace overflow. I may try to repair what is already there.. but that's not my plan so far
- Paint the back of the tank black
- Build a canopy
- Skin the stand
- Find a sump of some form.
- Setup the RO/DI and mixing station.
- Return is going to be a Mag 9.5 into a SeaSwirl (Thanks emelton)
- 2 Vortech MP40w's with battery backup (Thanks apuhl20 for 1 of them)
- Lighting will be provided by 400w Hamilton 20k in a Hamilton Reflector
- Skimmer is a Euro-Reef CS8 with gate valve mod
- I've got a couple Phosban reactors laying around that I'll add for GFO and Carbon
- Controller is still being debated
- I am reviving my geo reef 612 calcium reactor
- Dosing will be done with a Litermeter 3
- Fuge needs to be under the stand… Working on a design…
Still working out other details….
