Time to join the club!!
- Thread starter dahenley
- Start date
dahenley
New member
sorry about the sand guys.... i went out of town for thanksgiving, set up the auto feeder with flake to feed 3 times a day. (my fish like food) and when i came back...... there it was. i guess flake food has more phosphates then i ever thought. i cut back on the food and the sand is clearing up.
dahenley
New member
well, i finally purchased a RO/DI system a few months ago. (2 years of my reefing life hauling RO water from my LFS to my house.... and that ment 5gal a day of evap on the 240!!)
here is my BRS (bulkreefsupply) 6 stage deluxe with Chloramine filters!! (needed here in Lubbock!)
here is my BRS (bulkreefsupply) 6 stage deluxe with Chloramine filters!! (needed here in Lubbock!)
dahenley
New member
because i had no side access, i had to drain the tank half way, to get enough pressure off the front braces to unscrew and remove them.... (the stain and pressure kind of made them stick, so i probably didnt have to drain it as much as i did, but it was super nerve racking.... (plus i would get a power head and spray all the corals that were out of the water. this way they didnt dry out.)
here is the misc equipment that was in the old sump. (i had to put it in buckets so i didnt make that big of a mess. (or at least more then normal.))
here is a view from the kitchen looking into the fish room!! (dont tell the wife!)
here is the ReefloDart pump. i figured as long as i had it un hooked, i might as well take the cover off and give it a cleaning.
after
here is the new sump with the old refugium. (the refugium was later replaced with a 20 long. (i also moved the 400w MH ballasts out from under the stand and put them in the next cabinet next to the stand. (that way there is ventilation and no corrosion.)
here is the misc equipment that was in the old sump. (i had to put it in buckets so i didnt make that big of a mess. (or at least more then normal.))
here is a view from the kitchen looking into the fish room!! (dont tell the wife!)
here is the ReefloDart pump. i figured as long as i had it un hooked, i might as well take the cover off and give it a cleaning.
after
here is the new sump with the old refugium. (the refugium was later replaced with a 20 long. (i also moved the 400w MH ballasts out from under the stand and put them in the next cabinet next to the stand. (that way there is ventilation and no corrosion.)
dahenley
New member
NOw, its time to show off more of my DIY stuff... (which is 90% of everything)
The lights that came with the tank are 400W with spider reflectors.
the reflectors are nasty, and i have tried multiple times to clean and polish them, so i decide to go ahead and DIY some new ones!
so, i got some plans to make my own Lumenarch Elite ones. and i found a good deal on some 98% reflective Hammerstone material.
here is the material
here are the plans
here it is all cut out!
here is the reflector built. (it still has the yellow protective coating on it)
and as you can tell, the sides are not straight. (most people leave this) but the edges are made to be bent so it can hold a piece of glass. because i dont have the money or need for it (because im using SE bulbs and there is plenty of room between them and the tank) i decided to bend the ends out. it makes the sides straight and super sturdy
here is one reflector on the light rack!
The lights that came with the tank are 400W with spider reflectors.
the reflectors are nasty, and i have tried multiple times to clean and polish them, so i decide to go ahead and DIY some new ones!
so, i got some plans to make my own Lumenarch Elite ones. and i found a good deal on some 98% reflective Hammerstone material.
here is the material
here are the plans
here it is all cut out!
here is the reflector built. (it still has the yellow protective coating on it)
and as you can tell, the sides are not straight. (most people leave this) but the edges are made to be bent so it can hold a piece of glass. because i dont have the money or need for it (because im using SE bulbs and there is plenty of room between them and the tank) i decided to bend the ends out. it makes the sides straight and super sturdy
here is one reflector on the light rack!
dahenley
New member
probably 30 min max..... ( i hope)
but i did stop 2 times and got my MJ with a hose attached to it and shot all the corals. i wanted to keep them wet. i even doused the rock. just incase there were corals pieces or inverts that needed a little moisture!
once i got the new sump in, i put the brace on and filled it back up. i had a few powerheads in there to keep the circulation going. but i tryed to be fast and have everything planned out. ... you know how that works out... and i cleaned everything after the tank had water back in it.
i will get some updated coral shots. (i didnt loose anything during the drainage and swap.)
eric borman?? i think has a video where he shows that you can leave corals out of the water for long periods of time and be fine. also, there are a lot of corals that get exposed to air during low tide. (in certain areas) and they are still rocking. so its not as big of a deal as many people claim it to be. (but that doesnt mean that you dont need to hurry)
but i did stop 2 times and got my MJ with a hose attached to it and shot all the corals. i wanted to keep them wet. i even doused the rock. just incase there were corals pieces or inverts that needed a little moisture!
once i got the new sump in, i put the brace on and filled it back up. i had a few powerheads in there to keep the circulation going. but i tryed to be fast and have everything planned out. ... you know how that works out... and i cleaned everything after the tank had water back in it.
i will get some updated coral shots. (i didnt loose anything during the drainage and swap.)
eric borman?? i think has a video where he shows that you can leave corals out of the water for long periods of time and be fine. also, there are a lot of corals that get exposed to air during low tide. (in certain areas) and they are still rocking. so its not as big of a deal as many people claim it to be. (but that doesnt mean that you dont need to hurry)
dahenley
New member
Thanks for the compliment!!
Sadly, i am a college student, and i upgraded from a 55gal (while looking for a 120gal) and found this 240!!!
it was the best/dumbest thing that i ever did.... best because i love it, and dumbest because i have no money to to buy good equipment, or livestock/corals. (and 3-400W lights runs up the electricity... and makes it warmer in the house... but thats why the DIY helps so much. it lets me keep up this massive thing.)
and its also the dumbest because i want a larger tank!!! (deeper front to back, and a taller stand.. it sucks being 6'7" and having to bend over or get down on one knee to look at my tank...)
I give thanks to everyone in my local reef club and my local LFS for the ability to buy $5.00 frags.... (which is what every coral in my tank was. for the exception of a few 10$ ones and a nice synphillia that i spent $40.00!!!! on ........
Sadly, i am a college student, and i upgraded from a 55gal (while looking for a 120gal) and found this 240!!!
it was the best/dumbest thing that i ever did.... best because i love it, and dumbest because i have no money to to buy good equipment, or livestock/corals. (and 3-400W lights runs up the electricity... and makes it warmer in the house... but thats why the DIY helps so much. it lets me keep up this massive thing.)
and its also the dumbest because i want a larger tank!!! (deeper front to back, and a taller stand.. it sucks being 6'7" and having to bend over or get down on one knee to look at my tank...)
I give thanks to everyone in my local reef club and my local LFS for the ability to buy $5.00 frags.... (which is what every coral in my tank was. for the exception of a few 10$ ones and a nice synphillia that i spent $40.00!!!! on ........
Sbgentry
New member
Wow!
Wow!
I just found your build thread (remember I'm new and therefore somewhat slow:spin3
, what an upgrade! Congratulations!
Great DIY! Never forget sometimes a lack of funds is what generates new innovation.
I can't wait to see it progress! I'll be following along....
Stacey
Wow!
I just found your build thread (remember I'm new and therefore somewhat slow:spin3
, what an upgrade! Congratulations!Great DIY! Never forget sometimes a lack of funds is what generates new innovation.
I can't wait to see it progress! I'll be following along....
Stacey
