All drained, and I think Im done for the day. 120G bucketed in and out 5 gallons at a time wore me out. Figured out where my leaks are and have formulated a plan, more silicone HAH. Im just going to run a bead on the joints that are leaking. Almost plumbed in the RO/DI unit as well, just need about 40ft of tubing. Oh well tomorrows a new day.

This thing is movin right along. How are you plumbing in your RO?

I was planning on running the feed and drain lines about 20 ft to the laundry room, keeping the unit under the tank. Figured I have more control that way until I can get the auto top off installed down the road.

Just a heads up...the membranes on RO units arent designed for short run times, so plumbing it in such a way will drastically reduce the life span of the membranes. Not sure if this is what you had in mind but.....

Ive heard, my problem has turned into a huge lack of space though. My other thought was trying to combine at QT with a freshwater holding tank, maybe a 20G that could be used for whichever in needed. I dont know, im going to fix that leak in the plumbing before anything. Thanks for the tip, I agree I would rather extend the life of the $200 RO/DI unit.

Okay, done the plumbing. In the process of testing it, and an hour in and still no leaks :mrgreen:

Going to start filling it up tonight with RO water. Planned on picking up my lights next week, I was thinking of the Tek T5 48" 6 bulb x 54w. Seems like quite a few people went this way. I was thinking about HQI but just didnt want to get into all the problems of heating the water up to much. The Tek will end up giving my just over 3 1/2 watts/gallon on the conservative side. The only question I had is whether or not the light would reach deep enough (23" maybe 20-21" with sand) for say some clams:question:

Another question I was going to ask the very knowledgeable people on this forum is what they were using for test kits. Which brand do you you like and why?

Thanks
Tyson

My tank is 20" deep 12x39w (six each side),most of my clams are on the bottom. Have some sps in the lower half of the tank too. You shouldnt have a problem running 6x54w. Depending on what clams you were thinking of, crocea and maxima prefer to be on rock anyway. So, unless you find a super flat rock to put them on at the bottom of the tank, they will likely be up a bit.

90G in a basement, correct? You shouldn't have a problem with Metal Halides... I am running 2x250W HQI's on my 75 and see very little fluctuation in my temps. 1.5 degrees at most.. 25-26 at night and 26-27 in the day. Plus a set of 2x54 T5s...

Test kits for me.. Salifert for Alk and Mag, Elos for Ca, pH, NO2, NO3, NH4..

Bah.....go T5:argue:

Yea, for supplemental.....:twised:

Hah, Forum fight. Taking bets...


I think ill stick with T5s, its going to give me the light I need with less wattage which means a happier enmax bill! Pfft on the fitting with the RO unit, or maybe pffft on the plumbing in this 30 year old house. either way im heading back to Rona. Im going to see if they have a gold card for people that are in there every day. Thanks Josh for the test kit, ill take a look at it.

Yup, Sh**y plumbing in the house. Which got me thinking about the wiring, I might run into breaker troubles once everything is running. Two fishtanks (albeit the FW is not running alot of wattage compared to what the SW will be running) and a jacked up computer. I guess we will see. Started filling the tank with RO water. I feel bad for people with huge tanks, this must take forever.

You should borrow Greg's(Snappy aka Coral Master) RO unit I think he said it does 300gpd. Nothing like waiting for water to drip huh?

Its defiantly not the most exciting thing I've ever done, but its not the worst either. A few decent water changes from now I could see myself hating the process. Im going to look into a cylindrical plastic water tank, 40G at most. It wont be in the same room as the tanks so Ill still have to bucket it in, still a hell of a lot better than watching them fill.

Just trying to work out the wiring, thinking of doing a little black box idea. Sturdy and water tight so I could place say a 20G QT on top. meh ill just worry about getting the water in the tank for now, I have a solid 5 months of tinkering ahead.

I cant wait till I fill my 150g with my 50gpd...and wait...and wait....and wait...and wait...and

+1... 187g+66g sump with a 75gpd unit... :sad: 3.37 Days... :razz:

I'd say lets have a race, but I think you would win LOL.


Is it just me, or does it seem that a RO unit slows down after a day? I was filling a bunch of Rubbermaid totes, and the first one was WAY faster than the last.

And wait... and wait... and wait... and im half done :surprise:
Id love a tank that size, but I sure dont envy you having to fill it.

We can race, I changed the sump from 30 to 66... DUH! :lol: 187+66...

Way way slower as ive progressed, started at about 45min to every 5g bucket. up to about an hour a bucket now. Yay

45 min a 5g bucket!!!! Ohh I WISH! I'm like 3-4 hrs LOL

oh wow... have fun with that. I on the other hand am about 6 buckets away from being done. Even skipped a tee off time this morning to get it done (Dumb). Looking forward to this week to go and do some shopping in old RC.

Done... its been circulating for a few hours now and all seems well. Im going to throw the heat on it here tonight and salt up. Other than that its a waiting game till tues to grab some more goodies. Sand, a few power heads and my lights for sure.

Did a little shopping today, picked up my lights (Tek 48" 6x54watt) and they are freaking bright. Im going to test the water perameters tomorrow morning and hopefully hang the light. Ill try and post the results and some pictures.

Well, I have been staring at my tank on and off for the last few days and I have to say... Im very unimpressed with my progress. There are so many things that I wish I would have done from the start of the build. Enough things that I would have a good mind to restart. The biggest issue in my opinion is the lack of space under my stand. Seeing that many of my daily maintenance would be done in that area, having some room would be nice. Added toys and tools down the road have been left little space. Another thing that I would like to chance is how im going to add and subtract water from the system. With how fast water evaporates from the return section I will be topping up daily. Not to mention the salinity change in a 24 hour time span. The other thing I have begun to notice is my own slippage in my maintenance schedule on my freshwater tank. I know many people on here have several tanks, but when back to school full time I just dont feel I will have the time for two tanks. That being said I know that I want to jump into marine tanks. (I think Ive basically talked myself into it while typing) What im thinking is running a 90g display with a 90g sump. Turning my current 45g sump into at freshwater holding/mixing tank. Im also thinking that going to freaking town on a huge stable stand, with all the cubby holes a person could imagine. That way I can deal with the space issues as well as have plenty of room down the road for whatever may come. Ive been reading along so many build journals and I see that this has happened to a few people. The vast many that have rebuilt have seemed very pleased with the choice, I feel that I would be as well. Either way Im just spitting out thoughts here, see what other peoples opinions are. What are some ways that you guys deal with your water changes and top offs.

Tunze ato! As far as the stand goes...there is never enough room for all the stuff you need. If you think that changing the stand is something you want to do, do it now....while making the switch is still somewhat manageable. I have fish stuff in the living room, kitchen, dinning room etc.

Thanks Doug, at this rate ill never have anything in the tank but water. Im just going to run with what I have at this time. At this point im just too new at the hobby for a rebuild, there are always going to be thing that I learn down the road that are going to effect how I set up a tank. I might as well just roll with the setup I have now and just make a note of all the ways I would like to change it for another system way off in the future. Always have to learn for yourself HAH. Im still amazed at how much moisture is given off by the tank, the humidity in my house has jumped quite a bit.

Ill try and update with some pictures when I get back home, been house sitting for the past week. Picked up a skimmer today from a fellow canreefer, Euro-Reef RS 80. A wee bit small for the volume I have but It will do to start, and until I can figure a way around the height restrictions of the stand. Im hoping to pick up the majority of my LR here in the next week or so and start the cycle out.

Couple of pics, new skimmer.
http://photoshare.shaw.ca/image/c/6/...60-0.jpg?rev=0
http://photoshare.shaw.ca/image/c/6/...61-0.jpg?rev=0

Let there be light...

http://photoshare.shaw.ca/image/c/6/...64-0.jpg?rev=0

Nice, enjoy the cleanliness while its lasts.... :mrgreen:

Nice light!! So where's the LR?

Looking great....and like it just needs some rock.:razz: Just an observation....why for you did not drill de back for you returns?:mrgreen:

rookie question im sure
 

Blom looks amazing!! what did you put on the back of your tank. is it a paint or a sheeting of some kind???

If I had done that then there would be nothing for me to wish I had of done. Next tank ill go to town when I own my own place.

Its just laminated construction paper that I had from my 90g freshwater tank. Im glad I kept it. We will see how it works out though, pretty sure the salt creep will venture in between the glass and the sheet.

LR is next on the list. Everyone always seems to have some LR to place in their tank from older ones. First saltwater tank so no LR kicking around... and I don't know if anyone else knows this (Sarcasm :razz:) but live rock is pricey. My original plan was to add little bits at a time, but this wont help at all. Ill just have a new cycle every time I add some. Im saving up and trying to keep and eye on the livestock sales board for a good deal on some. 1000 bucks for 100lbs is just out of my reach.

cool thanks man. one more silly question. the egg crate in the bottom of your tank, im assuming you are leaving it in there permanently. why.???

Well what I was thinking was 1. The egg crate would keep the rock off the glass and 2. It would add some structure for the sand. Hopefully that will keep the sand in place with the power heads running and keep critters from digging to deep. Im not sure if it will work, or if its even necessary. Meh cant hurt.

I think I may have simplified my life, well at least the saltwater tank part of it. I ordered a 25g (23' Dia x 16' H) Poly Tank from Plastic Mart. I plan on using it for the RO holding tank, and maybe to mix salt water in it. With the RO unit in the washroom, I was just going to run the filtered line 12 feet or so to the holding tank. Im now wondering if the water will be able to follow the line 12 feet with a 3 - 4 foot vertical at the end into the top of the tank. I ask this because there is barely enough pressure coming out of that thing to run straight down into a bucket. I guess time will tell, but in true jump in ass over head first mentality the tank is ordered, paid for and en'route. Im sure Ill just go pick up the line, run it the distance and see tomorrow. I was also tempting the idea to build some kind of enclosure for it so there wouldn't be this Poly tank sitting next to my DT. But then I remembered that this is all happening in my windowless dungeon of my basement office. And I am pretty much the only person that ever makes it down here (Most people get distracted at the 61' TV and sectional, many a lives that couch has eaten). So to hell with ascetics, not bucketing water all over the house wins. As if that was even a contest!

Doug when you have some free time I would love to see how that Tunez ATO works, Thanks.

Like I said before....anytime you wanna pop over and take a boo....you can. Shoot me a pm.

Thanks again Doug for letting me stop by to take a look at your setup. Looking at pictures of your tank was one of the main reason I wanted to get into reef tanks, and the pictures just don't do it any justice! Amazing!!

As of today the countdown in on...
http://photoshare.shaw.ca/image/c/6/...69-0.jpg?rev=0
http://photoshare.shaw.ca/image/c/6/...70-0.jpg?rev=0
http://photoshare.shaw.ca/image/c/6/...71-0.jpg?rev=0

Yay, so now no one can hassle my water tank. Its now a water and Rock tank :mrgreen:. Just placed it in the tank for the time being (couple hours at most before I start to fiddle with it) while I have some dinner. Going to start making the PVC substructure after my belly be full.

BUT WAIT...
My first ever salt water critter,
http://photoshare.shaw.ca/image/c/6/...77-0.jpg?rev=0
His name is Gary (according to my brother). Gary currently resides in the sump, and is renting month to month. No year lease for this little guy. Hes little and black, and from all my reading little and black is no good for hitchhikers. So I could see Gary getting evicted in the short term, but I told him that I would look around for a proper residence for nasties like himself.

Anyways off to eat (maybe Gary) and ill post pictures as I progress.