i get my salt IO 160 bucket from petsmart for 49.00 and when on sale i buy two 39.00 a pail. just have towatch for the sale they really dont advertise it.

JHC I love Jersey! trading two hours tattoo time for a MRC3 skimmer with pump...assuming I can fit it under the stand.....*fingers crossed*

Where do you keep finding all of these people to trade with?!?? Is this whole entire forum tattooed like crazy also?

ha ha there's quite a few of them! Alot of them remember Ernie's old shop that burned down last year....lots of them have been clients of his for 20+years....so they're eager to help....dear god I hope there's enough clearance under the stand....mind you...I could always plumb it externally and have it sitting beside the tank...and build a fancy little fake wall thing around it.....oh sweet jesus.

so no go on the skimmer, which kinda sucks but is alright...the one I've got on there for now will suffice until I can bring the Vertex Skimmer down with me the next time I come back (how sad is that...)

Yesterday was a busy day for tattooing, so not much got done on the tank but I did cut the egg crate for the top as well as a fishguard for the overflow...threw some extra silicone on all the bulkheads because now I'm paranoid...ordered the remaining 60 gallons of RO water from Home Depot and should have it in the tank tomorrow or the next day....Order from Marco rocks should get here Tuesday or Wednesday...now just have to order the lights (do that online later tonight)...I think for now I'll just go 4 bulbs...eff it. If I decide in the long run to upgrade I'll just put pennies away for a tek or something. I like how this has become MY tank even though it's in the shop...

Today I fill the heffer with water. My back and shoulders hate me already.

Wow this has been the quickest "slow" build ever! Coming along nicely I might add :-)

ha ha thanks BUUUUUT
I've never had so many freaking problems with plumbing in the early stages of a tank as I have with this one. Got the tank filled to the bulkheads for the closed loop (approx 30 gallons)...no leaks in the bulkeads, but leaks in some plumbing going down towards the return pump...great...so now I have to let them drip out (closed off the ball valves, so no extra water will get into the lines...but have to wait) I could have SWORN I glued everything. But I really can't risk this thing springing a leak when nobody is at the shop...solution? Silicone ever g'darned piece of plumbing...I hope I can get it all done and set before rockwork gets here. FML

Seriously Randi ... have you even READ through my 280g journal? Everything being relative your tank is going up like a dream. Change the title to this already would you! SOME of us with less fortune are starting to feel bad about their own bad luck, problem riddled builds. I'm not naming names to protect their identities and I'm telling you I'm not crying IT'S JUST SOMETHING IN MY EYE!!!! :cry:


(:p)

there. Changed just for you. I HATE PLUMBING